Experienced Advice Needed - Uk Settlement

[Frogster]

A question to any member who mayin a previous life or current associated profession (cough, cough) have a genuine and actual understanding / experience of how an ECO might view and interpret things.

Distinguished Gentlemen & Ladies,

I have completed my "supplementary evidence folder", and provided what I consider strong and compelling supportive evidence, of a substantive on-going loving relationship, complete with all the factual documents required.

I have about 4 weeks until we aremarried and then present the Application for a Settlement Visa.

I now have idle hands and find myself looking for weaknesses and sometimes just changing a word or two, tweaking bits here and there, a good strategy sometimes… I am (unashamedly) consumed with getting everything as near perfect as I can to achieve a successful Visa.

Although I understand that there are no official grounds for refusal regarding "Age Differences", (I am 58, my wife to be is 21). I feel maybe such a difference may cause an ECO to look harder and try and fail our application elsewhere.

There is no direct mention of our age difference in the application, support letter etc, but it is obvious on documents such as passports etc.

So, my question is…. How can I turn a negative into a positive, or am I worrying unduly?

Thanks

Frogster

Edited August 21, 2011 by Frogster

[7by7]

I'm not, nor never have been, employed in any way by the UKBA or it's predecessors. However, I can say that as long as both parties are 21 or over then their ages are irrelevant under the rules.

Whether an ECO would look more closely at evidence of a genuine relationship or not if there were a large age difference, I can't say. But I do think you are worrying unduly.

Note to all; the OP has asked a valid question about a UK visa application. Please restrict all posts to that issue; any off topic comments will be deleted and the poster dealt with.

[VisasPlus]

The ECO will look at, amongst other things, your and your wife's intentions. He will be aware of the age difference but, as 7x7 says, it should not make any difference. As long as you can show that the realtionship is genuine, and subsisting, and that the intention is to live together in the UK as a married couple, then the visa should be issued ( support and accommodation nothwithstanding). You have to remember that the age difference thing is not unique to Thailand. It happens, in reverse ( ie. elder European ladies and younger men ) in some African countries. There are also arranged marriages in some cultures, and these too can have substantial age differences. You will not see a settlement visa refusal on age difference, but you may see one if the ECO believes that the marriage is not genuine.

[TommyDee]

when i first joined this board, ( a long time ago and under a different username..) there was a Bm called "scouser". i dont know if he is still here or not, or under a different name, but he gave me some fantastic advice, for free, and we chatted a bit on the telephone. Someone here, with more memory, may remember him and have a contact. he works out of the UK and has a vast experience on both sides of the issue.

good luck

[meatboy]

age will make no diff.which has already been stated,what they will look at,how many times you have visited los,how long have you known each other[if you have any proof take them along with application] bank statements,accomadation proof anything that shows you have known each other for a certain time.good idea is to read other posts in the forum,also in general topics.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Yes I work out of the UK and Thailand also however of late I have been spending a lot of time here.As long as the op meets the requirements of the immigration rules I can see little issue.

[TommyDee]

Yes I work out of the UK and Thailand also however of late I have been spending a lot of time here.As long as the op meets the requirements of the immigration rules I can see little issue.

sorry mate, if you are replying to my post, i was referring to another BM, Scouser, who was doing this kind of thing for years and years, i think he was a source of info for you in your start up days too. he is also an ex immigration chap so knows it inside out

[7by7]

TommyDee, the Scouser used to post on this forum several years ago and was a great help at the time to many members. He was also a sponsor of this forum. However, for reasons of his own, he decided that his interests would be better served if he spent his time and sponsorship money elsewhere.

Although I was not an active member at the time, this decision appears to have been made at a time when other, equally knowledgeable and experienced persons started to post UK visa advice here regularly; pure coincidence, I'm sure.

Thai Visa Express is an OISC qualified and registered immigration advisor: he knows his stuff.

VisaPlus, our other sponsor working mainly in UK visas, also knows his stuff.

I know of at least three members who have at one time or another worked as Immigration Officers and/or Entry Clearance Officers, not counting Ralph who still occasionally pops in to this forum to post. It is up to them if they want to identify themselves.

Having said that, members are, of course, free to seek advice wherever they wish and to take whatever advice they choose.

[true blue]

there was a simalar age difference,for me and the missus when we obtained our settlement visa.but the wife is catching me up quick now,lol.

[malct]

Hi frogster

i know and understand what you are going through with time on your hands. I have just completed my marriage details and reviewed the Application, I was happy to spot a few things that needed Changed,

This morning we did the TB test!!! That's another story and a half, stopped off at Boots to ask for directions not knowing that the IOM was next door we spent 20 wasted minutes because the lady in boots sent her to a SDI clinic!!!!! and that took some finding.

lady in the IOM , she was some women, We left expecting the worst.

Good Look with your application.

Malc

[the scouser]

...Although I was not an active member at the time....

Perhaps 7by7 was not an active member at the time, but GU22 was!

[7by7]

No he wasn't; he'd been banned; by a Mod called the scouser!

[TommyDee]

...Although I was not an active member at the time....

Perhaps 7by7 was not an active member at the time, but GU22 was!

you were a brilliant help to me 3-4 years ago and with your advice i managed to get a 2nd refusal of a visitor visa overturned within half a day. cheers

[ThaiVisaExpress]

No he wasn't; he'd been banned; by a Mod called the scouser!

We had a lot of peoples accounts disabled mysteriously in those days. A conflict of interests springs to mind .

Edited September 6, 2011 by ThaiVisaExpress

[7by7]

That's enough of that.

The OP's had his answer, and I don't want this to become a discussion of the merits or otherwise of an ex sponsor.

A reminder that only active sponsors can advertise in the forum.