Wife Has Been Refused Visitor Visa To The Uk

[keeniau96]

Have lived in Phuket 8 years, married 5 years. Now arranging trip for wife to visit her aunts (3 of them) in Denmark and the mother of her brother-in-law in London for a week (one month trip total). Submitted UK visitor visa app and had interview and biometric info; also had phone call from Brit Embassy lady who talked to my wife about five minutes. Now get refusal based on two reasons: 1) did not prove sufficient connection with the lady to be visited in England (she had sent a detailed letter of invitation to my wife, which was included in the application). Rejection said had not established actual personal contact. In fact the lady visits here son twice per year regularly here in Phuket, and spends days talking to my wife each time; they are very good friends. 2) Not adequate proof of our marriage. Sent copy of marriage certificate (Thai) and photo of us in front of our house. Did not include my passport or visa copies (should have, my error). Did say that the financial part was OK.

Departure is/was planned for 28-May. Have the tickets, insurance, etc. So, what can be done re the UK visa? I am a bit gobsmacked with this.

[DrJPB]

I know how it feels,ECO's are behaving cranky, i am being refused twice to visit my wife in UK this year, and one of the reason of refusal was that i haven't submitted marriage certificate or any other document proving our relationship (whereas in my application i have attached a copy of declaration form attested by the embassy of my country & ministry of foreign affairs showing our relationship),copy of UK issued birth certificate of our child, showing names of both the parents.

Don't know what's going on in the UK embassies.

BTW i applied in British embassy,Kuwait.

Good luck.

[seaneee]

My wife was refused a visa in March for a visit on the grounds that she failed to prove we are in a subsisting relationship and she had little assets or property/land to ensure she would return to Thailand. At the same time i also helped a friend complete an application for his girlfriend and she didnt even have a bank account and they were together only a few months. His girlfriend got the visa , my WIfe failed. There is definately something against family visitor visas going on. I have appealed and i should hear soon the outcome but i will not let them get away with keeping us apart.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Ensure you appeal if its a family member.

[PhilHarries]

You say she intends to visit "the mother of her brother in law"? So as it's not your mother it must be the mother of a Brit who has married one of her sisters. Notwithstanding the contact she has every time the woman visits that is a bit of a tenuous link. I'm not saying it's not valid but it's hardly close family so the onus of proof is more firmly in your/her court and you need to search for more evidence of a relationship.

How you are to provide that proof is the tough one but best of luck with your appeal.

[Heng]

Being a little heavier in the photo dept. might have helped. I know not all people are photo happy, but with both of my out of wedlock (legally speaking, traditional ceremony only) children, no hassles at all from the US Emb. regarding paternity or relationship, I think due in part to bringing in 50-60 photos in small developer shop type albums documenting an 8 year relationship + 30-40 trips in country and in the region + pregnancy time period (including a few father in bloody/gooey delivery room shots).

You want to show them there is no doubt that you didn't decide to just take a few photos in front of some house and that you have really known each other for years.

[7by7]

1) did not prove sufficient connection with the lady to be visited in England (she had sent a detailed letter of invitation to my wife, which was included in the application). Rejection said had not established actual personal contact. In fact the lady visits here son twice per year regularly here in Phuket, and spends days talking to my wife each time; they are very good friends

A letter of invitation is tenuous evidence of a connection and not evidence of personal contact at all. Did you provide records of phone calls, e-mails, etc.? Did you provide a copy of the lady's passport to show her immigration status in the UK and how often she has visited Thailand? That she visits your wife twice a year may be a fact, but simply saying so is not enough; the onus is upon your wife to provide evidence of this, and other contact, in the application.

2) Not adequate proof of our marriage. Sent copy of marriage certificate (Thai) and photo of us in front of our house. Did not include my passport or visa copies (should have, my error).

Yes, you should have provided copies of your passport to show your immigration status in Thailand as evidence that your wife would be returning. The marriage certificate should have been acceptable evidence of your marriage, though, and if your wife had been refused on this alone you would have a strong case for getting the refusal overturned.

What type of visit visa did she apply for? General or family?

If general, she cannot appeal, but if family she can.

However, whilst visiting your family in the UK would count as a family visit, visiting the mother of her brother in law would not.

Due to the shortage of time, I would suggest that she applies again, this time providing the missing evidence. She may get the visa in time, she may not. Remember, though, that the advice given by the VAC, embassy and UKBA is to not make firm travel plans and to certainly not purchase tickets until one has the visa.