My friend, and actually not even Thai but Vietnamese really, really wants to go to the Uk. She is well educated and holds a good job in Saigon. Even has money in the bank, but was knocked back for a tourist visa in vietnam. She really wants to go there regardless and has come up with the idea that she will fly to Cyprus where she will apply for a UK visa cuz she has heard its easier there.

Sounds crazy to me, but she has asked me if its true that its easier for a asian to get a visa for the UK in Cyprus. Mind you, she also asked me if she should sail or drive to England so her thinking may not be that lucid.

Your friend will likely be told to return to Vietnam to make her application, unless she can show residency in Cyprus or, at the very least, a good reason for being there. British Embassies, the world over, operate by the same rules, so your friend will have the same hurdles to jump over when applying for her visa ( if she even got the chance to apply there ).

If your friend has the money available to have a holiday in Cyprus, etc, then nothing lost in applying while she is there. They can only say no, and they might even say yes.

She can apply in Cyprus - ECO guidance is as follows:

"ECB5 Where to apply - the policy

Applications for visit visas and EEA Family Permits can be made at any post designated by the Secretary of State to accept applications for entry clearance. The applicant will need to be in the third country or territory in accordance with that country or territory's immigration laws.

Applications for all other types of entry clearance, including PBS* and settlement (*see tier 5 exception below) should be made in the applicant's country of residence."

But having clocked up a refusal in Vietnam, her chances of doing any better in Cyprus are slim to none, unless she can point to some considerable change of circumstances which overcomes the reasons outlined in the refusal notice. I hope she doesn't imagine that a slight change of name and a new passport will conceal the previous refusal - it won't.

Your friend may have a problem getting a Visa for Cyprus. Being Vietnamese may help but it is almost impossible and very expensive for a Thai. I was told that we have to go personally to Delhi to make application with no guarantee that it will be granted in fact others have gone after submitting the application in advance and then been turned down without reason.

Unless you marry her in Cyprus which seems to be quite a big business over there and can be done in a matter of days but then again it depends on how is your relashionship

As for applying for a visa at a different station when one has not been granted it, the answer is no as records are available to all their Embassies worldwide

Edited November 9, 201015 yr by alyx