Uk Visitor Visa - How Long Can The Visa Be Valid For?

[minniehaha]

Hi Everyone,

My Thai boyfriend is about to apply for a UK Visitor Visa with me as his sponsor.

We hope that he can come to the UK for an initial 6 months, then return to Thailand and maybe come back again at some point on another Visitor Visa.

The Form VAF1A asks "How long do you want your visa to be valid for? Possible answers are 6 months / 1 year / 2 years / 5 years / 10 years

It has taken me weeks to prepare a folder of supporting documents for his application (and lots of sleepless nights!)

I was under the impression that we only had a chance of getting 6 months on the first application, but if he asks for the visa to be valid for 2 years, would this mean he could visit the UK again within this period and without me having to prepare all these supporting documents again?

What are members experiences of getting a visa valid for longer than 6 months on the first application?

Thank you in advance for any helpful information.............

[7by7]

VAT1.4 Visa validity - What period for a multiple entry visit visa?

There is no requirement for a person to have held a short term visit visa before being issued with a visit visa which has a longer validity. For example, an applicant does not need to have been issued with a standard six months visit visa before being issued with a five year visit visa. Unless there are grounds for not issuing a long term visit visa, the ECO should issue the visa applied for.

However, the guidance goes on to list the considerations for issuing a long term visit visa; the main one being

Credible ongoing reason to visit. A successful applicant must demonstrate a frequent and sustained need to come to the UK, such as family links or an established business connection.

To be honest, a first application from someone visiting their boy/girlfriend is unlikely to satisfy this. I would recommend going for the standard 6 months on a first application in these circumstances. If he applies, and pays for, a two year visa but the ECO decides to only issue a 6 month one, he wont get a refund of the extra fee paid.

If someone does hold a long term visit visa they can use that visa to enter the UK as often as they wish while it is valid. However, it should be remembered that regardless of how long their visa is valid for, a visitor can only spend a maximum of 6 months in the UK and, usually, a maximum of 6 months out of any 12 in the UK.

[minniehaha]

Thanks for your quick reply!

We are aware that he can only spend 6 months out of every 12 in the UK, but hoped that we could avoid all this huge amount of paperwork next time we want him to visit,.

The only credible ongoing reason he would have to visit would be to stay with me, his girlfriend, so I guess that's not enough to get a long term visit visa.....

Appreciate your help & keeping my fingers crossed that we get the visa!

VAT1.4 Visa validity - What period for a multiple entry visit visa?

There is no requirement for a person to have held a short term visit visa before being issued with a visit visa which has a longer validity. For example, an applicant does not need to have been issued with a standard six months visit visa before being issued with a five year visit visa. Unless there are grounds for not issuing a long term visit visa, the ECO should issue the visa applied for.

However, the guidance goes on to list the considerations for issuing a long term visit visa; the main one being

Credible ongoing reason to visit. A successful applicant must demonstrate a frequent and sustained need to come to the UK, such as family links or an established business connection.

To be honest, a first application from someone visiting their boy/girlfriend is unlikely to satisfy this. I would recommend going for the standard 6 months on a first application in these circumstances. If he applies, and pays for, a two year visa but the ECO decides to only issue a 6 month one, he wont get a refund of the extra fee paid.

If someone does hold a long term visit visa they can use that visa to enter the UK as often as they wish while it is valid. However, it should be remembered that regardless of how long their visa is valid for, a visitor can only spend a maximum of 6 months in the UK and, usually, a maximum of 6 months out of any 12 in the UK.

[theoldgit]

You also need to bear in mind the fact that your boyfriend will need to satisfy the ECO that it's a genuine visit and that he is likely to leave the UK at the end of the visit. I don't know if he will be using a job in Thailand to demonstrate his reason to return, but if he indicates that he wishes to visit the UK for six months the ECO might take some convincing, how many jobs give you a six month holiday?

[ThaiVisaExpress]

With any first visitors application tread carefully as already advised I would apply for a 6 month visa only.

[minniehaha]

Thanks very much for the advice.....

We will just apply for 6 months, which was my original plan anyway.

It was only when I saw that there were other options that I wondered if we'd be better asking for a longer visa.

Like so many other people, our biggest problem is showing his reason to return which for us is mostly about not jeopardising our future plans.

I just hope that it all works out, the anxiety is unbearable!

[Basil B]

I am a little concerned about the applicant applying to stay 6 months first visit, was there not a discussion not to long ago about the length of intended stay having a bearing on the application being accepted?

although the visa will be valid for 6 months in applying he will state how long he intends to stay for and it is on this the UKBA guesstimate the risk factor, and although saying he intends to stay only a few weeks and then stays six months is not illegal it would have a bearing on subsequent visit visa application.

ie. an applicant stating they will be staying 6 months is asking for the maximum and probably will stay longer if they could and is really saying they have nothing to return for.

[bangkockney]

I am a little concerned about the applicant applying to stay 6 months first visit, was there not a discussion not to long ago about the length of intended stay having a bearing on the application being accepted?

although the visa will be valid for 6 months in applying he will state how long he intends to stay for and it is on this the UKBA guesstimate the risk factor, and although saying he intends to stay only a few weeks and then stays six months is not illegal it would have a bearing on subsequent visit visa application.

ie. an applicant stating they will be staying 6 months is asking for the maximum and probably will stay longer if they could and is really saying they have nothing to return for.

It depends entirely on the individual's circumstances. If you've money in the bank and can demonstrate a reason to return, declaring you will stay the full 6 months is not a de facto reason to refuse a visa.

Similarly, no negative connotations of staying longer than the declared period, as long as conditions of stay are not breached and a reason can be given for staying longer than stated. Again, you do not need to give your life story, just a simple explanation as to why you stayed longer. Simply stating that you enjoyed the UK so much and wanted to see many more of the tourist attractions is a perfectly reasonable explanation for staying longer then the declared time and again, not a de facto reason for future visa refusal, subject to the individual's circumstances.

[minniehaha]

I am a little concerned about the applicant applying to stay 6 months first visit, was there not a discussion not to long ago about the length of intended stay having a bearing on the application being accepted?

although the visa will be valid for 6 months in applying he will state how long he intends to stay for and it is on this the UKBA guesstimate the risk factor, and although saying he intends to stay only a few weeks and then stays six months is not illegal it would have a bearing on subsequent visit visa application.

ie. an applicant stating they will be staying 6 months is asking for the maximum and probably will stay longer if they could and is really saying they have nothing to return for.

It depends entirely on the individual's circumstances. If you've money in the bank and can demonstrate a reason to return, declaring you will stay the full 6 months is not a de facto reason to refuse a visa.

Similarly, no negative connotations of staying longer than the declared period, as long as conditions of stay are not breached and a reason can be given for staying longer than stated. Again, you do not need to give your life story, just a simple explanation as to why you stayed longer. Simply stating that you enjoyed the UK so much and wanted to see many more of the tourist attractions is a perfectly reasonable explanation for staying longer then the declared time and again, not a de facto reason for future visa refusal, subject to the individual's circumstances.

Interesting to read all the different points of view and clearly each case is different so I guess there is no way of knowing until we get the decision.

We do want to have 6 months together in the UK and will apply for this length of time and hope that the ECO will grant it.

We're not going to risk any future application problems by him staying a moment longer than they give us!

Thanks for the posts......