Can Visa Documents Be Posed Directly To Vfs

[owl1971]

Hi,

I was supposed to be travelling to Bangkok Mid june, to assist my GF with submitting her Vistitor Visa, but due to the tensions in Bangkok at the moment I dont think I will be travelling. We have already completed the Forms and I have gathered all my eveidence into a File for Ready for submission .

My Questions Are:

1) Can I post my evidence Directly to the VFS office.

2) Is it safe to send confidential documents from the UK to Issaan using recorded delivery (Im worried about Identity Fraud)

3) Can anybody recommend a postal company that is reliable for Recored deliveries

4) Because I may not be travelling due to the trouble does anybody know if my airline (EVA) will refund my money or would this have to be done through my Insurance.

Many Thanks

Dave

[theoldgit]

1 - It's your girlfriends application so it's she who will need to provide the evidence to support her application, and she will need to submit the hard copy of the application in person, even if she applies on-line as she will need to have her biometric details taken, so you will have to send papers to her.

2/3 - I have always sent papers from the UK using the Royal Mail International Signed For service and they have always arrived safely, though I never sent to Isaan. You might want to consider DHL or the likes though even then it would depend how far out in the sticks she is. Could the docs be emailed?

4 - It depends why you are not travelling, EVA might help or you might have to claim off your insurance as long as the reason was insured.

Good luck with the app, make sure you put in a robust app.

[RAZZELL]

1 - Don't know. I wouldn't have thought so.

2 - If you're worried about ID fraud black out any relevant details. I didn't bother.

3 - Sent DHL to BKK, posted from London late Friday afternoon and arrived Monday morning...£50.

4 - Check your insurance. I still think BKK/Thailand is safe (for the moment). Just don't go anywhere near the demonstrations.

Good luck with your application

RAZZ

Edited May 14, 2010 by RAZZELL

[owl1971]

Hi,

Many thanks for your replies , I think I will end up posting the documents as I have seen that the situation in Bangkok in getting worse.

In 2009 we got our 1st succesful visitor Visa it went so smooth, as I was in Bangkok me and my GF were able to go through all the evidence and application in fine detail to ensure nothing was missed off.

As far as my evidence goes for the 2010 application its extremely robust again and ways a ton , and fortunately I was able to help my GF complete her application form when I was in Bangkok a few months ago.

Hopefully my GF will remember to do her check off list I.E passport photos, passport , bank accounts etc.

Fingers crossed my evidence will get to Issann , and Bangkok will be safe enough for my Gf to visit regents house to submit.

Many thanks

Dave

P.S Razz , how many Kilo's was your evidence which you sent

[RAZZELL]

P.S Razz , how many Kilo's was your evidence which you sent

I'm not too sure. Probably about 2kg?

It was a nearly full A4 lever arch file. I think the place I took it to may have overcharged me a bit but Royal Mail Express is about £30 for the same weight.

After all the work I put in I just couldn't take the risk of losing the folder for £20!

DHL picked it up at 4.45pm, it went to LHR, Leipzig that night and then in Hong Kong by late Saturday/Sunday. Sunday pm it was in BKK. My gf got a phone call when she was in the shower and it was delivered by 8.30am on the Monday morning.

How can you complain? Highly recommended

RAZZ

Edited May 15, 2010 by RAZZELL

[owl1971]

Cheers Razz,

I will definitely be using DHL , my documents weigh approx 2kg

[theoldgit]

A word of caution, don't overwhelm the ECO with so much evidence that he falls asleep when trying to read it. An application, especially for a visitors visa, needs to show that the visit is affordable and reasonable. If you are sponsoring you need to prove that you can afford it and it's reasonable to do so. The most important thing is the reason to return.

I am not sure how many pages are in you 2 kg pack but I suspect it's bordering on "War and Peace".

Make the app and supporting docs clear, concise and snappy, put them in a file with the sponsors letter with an index pointing out the relevant parts.

Good luck whatever you decide.

[sumrit]

A word of caution, don't overwhelm the ECO with so much evidence that he falls asleep when trying to read it. An application, especially for a visitors visa, needs to show that the visit is affordable and reasonable. If you are sponsoring you need to prove that you can afford it and it's reasonable to do so. The most important thing is the reason to return.

I am not sure how many pages are in you 2 kg pack but I suspect it's bordering on "War and Peace".

Make the app and supporting docs clear, concise and snappy, put them in a file with the sponsors letter with an index pointing out the relevant parts.

Good luck whatever you decide.

But on the other hand this (and other) forums are littered with people having their visa refused because they didn't supply enough information, while I've never ever heard of anybody having a visa refused for supplying too much.

If the applicant feels some information is relevant they should include it, if the ECO doesn't need it he'll just ignore it.

I agree that, as the sponsors letter is probably the first thing the ECO looks at, the sponsor should add an index of all the supporting documentation they've supplied as part of that letter. That way the ECO knows what information is available before he starts.

[theoldgit]

But on the other hand this (and other) forums are littered with people having their visa refused because they didn't supply enough information, while I've never ever heard of anybody having a visa refused for supplying too much.

If the applicant feels some information is relevant they should include it, if the ECO doesn't need it he'll just ignore it.

I agree that, as the sponsors letter is probably the first thing the ECO looks at, the sponsor should add an index of all the supporting documentation they've supplied as part of that letter. That way the ECO knows what information is available before he starts.

I agree, but 2kgs of docs for a visit visa is probably a bit OTT, how many pages do you think that is?

[sumrit]

I agree, but 2kgs of docs for a visit visa is probably a bit OTT, how many pages do you think that is?

It might seem so but just a quick story about a friend on mine.

About 2-3 years ago he asked for my help after his g/f had been refused a visit visa. They'd been together for over four years and she lived in his house in Thailand. He owned his own company and used to spend 1-2 months in Thailand then 4-5 months in the UK. Whilst in the UK he phoned her on his company mobile and sent her money every month.

As it was a company phone his phone bills for each month could be up to 10 pages long (with just a few relevant calls on each page) so he selected 2-3 pages from each year to show how regularly he phoned her and a couple of pages of bank statements per year to show he was sending money regularly.

In the refusal the ECO said the phone bills and bank statements didn't show regular enough contact for a relationship and suggested she could just be the housekeeper with the money payment for the upkeep of his house in Thailand (I can't remember the exact wording).

We had all his phone bills emailed over and downloaded all his bank statements with a payment on. I don't know how long it took his secretary to scan and email everything but it took me over four hours to print it all off and highlight the relevant bits.

There was over two hundred pages of phone bills and bank statements alone, so, along with all the other documents and photos you can imagine how big his folder was, certainly more than 2KG, but we'd addressed the previous refusal and his g/f got her visit visa in two days.

Edited May 16, 2010 by sumrit

[RAZZELL]

I agree, but 2kgs of docs for a visit visa is probably a bit OTT, how many pages do you think that is?

Well, I can tell you

The A4 folder contained, VAF1 Checklist, sponsorship agreement, sponsor letter/invite, council tax and mortgage documents (which probably added up to 20+ pages), photos (about 40), copies of email headers, bank statements etc etc etc

One and half years of home phone records probably added up to 50+ pages. It took me about 4 hours to highlight the calls

I couldn't face the mobile bill so I didn't include it

RAZZ

[owl1971]

Hi,

As me and my Gf were Successful last year in obtaining a Visitor visa, I am intending submitting the same evidence but updating the info I.E new bank statements , phone bills, Pay slips ect.

This is the kind of info I provided (approx 80 Pages)

Sponsor Letter - Including full relationship history (4 Pages)

Payslips - Last 6 Months (6 pages)

Phone Bills - Last 6 Months inc a sample of phone calls during our 5 year relationship (30 Pages) -Double sided

Mortgage Statement - Current Month (1 Page)

Bank statements -Last 6 Months (15 Pages)

Hotel and Flight bookings over the last 4 Years (20 Pages)

Employment contact - Current (1 Page)

P60 - Current (1 Page)

Utility Bill - Current (1 Page)

Copy's of Immigration stamps - (4 Pages)

Council tax bill - Current (1 Page)

Selection of Photos - (4 Pages) - Double Sided

all the above are fully indexed and are referenced in the sponsors letter which hopefully will make it easy again for the ECO the review.

I agree the above may be a bit over the top , I did base it on the sample settlement visa example that is on this site, as I was successful last year I do intend sending all the evidence as I feel more is better than less (Hopefully the ECO won't get too bored and fall a sleep).

Cheers for the Advice , I will keep you posted.

Dave