Information For Girlfriends Visit To The Uk

[scottyp1980]

Hi everyone,

Im looking for some information regarding UK visa application for my thai girlfriend she is looking to come for 1 month in march / april time.

We have been together over 4 years now albeit for a liilte seperation we had, I spend 4 months per year in thailand when iam not at work (i work in the uk military).

My girlfriend is 32 and was a nurse after leaving university and has a degree in nursing, and has now completed a master degree in business management and now runs her own textile manufacturing business so she has her own money and is well educated.

She now stays with her mum again but before that we shared a condo together but we only rented and when im in thailand i stay her mum house a few days and then we usually go travelling or if not i get a hotel and we stay there.

Im just wondering if she needs to mention me in the appliction under unmarried partner or single?

And also will i need to show bank deatils etc since she has money in her bank account her self and can fully support herself?

I dont own my own property in the UK as when not at work im in Thailand but i do use my mums house as postal address and still have a bedroom there, and we will be visiting there once in the UK but only for 1 week maximum, is it a good idea to get a letter from my mum explaining this, and will i need to book hotels etc and get her show this details too?

About email and skype history can some one explain this as i delete all my old emails but may have skype history and old pics i have them.

But if she is applying online how do you attach all these documents?

or can she just apply for the visa alone and say she wil be visiting me or how does it work?

Thanks

scott

any other useful info would be greatly appreciated.

[Lite Beer]

Moved to the appropriate Forum.

[theoldgit]

Scott

If she is fully able to support herself during the trip then she doesn't need a sponsor, she just needs to convince the ECO that her proposed visit is genuine, affordable and that she has a reason to return home.

She should provide full details of her trip, including where she will be staying, evidence of the trips affordability and her reasons to return home.

If she has her own business she might like to include details of who will be taking care of the business during her absence, how long is her proposed trip?

She does have to apply online and then she would need to attend the VFS Application Centre to submit a hard copy of her application and documentary evidence, during this visit her biometric details will be taken.

Good luck to you both and feel free to come back if you have any supplementary questions.

[beano2274]

She is not your partner as you have not been living together for a period of 2 years, she is your gf only and should apply as a visitor, she can put your name down as the person she is visiting.

However, if she puts down she is visiting you it leads to a lot more questions and information, so if she says she is going to the UK for a holiday alone then better for her and less paperwork.

Edited January 26, 2013 by beano2274

[beano2274]

She could write down she is only going for 2 weeks, then stay longer, and the next time she applies she could add that she loved it soooo much she wanted a bit longer in the UK.

[rawhod]

I would suggest that whether or not she mentions you in the application, depends, some what, on what your future plans are together.

Information regarding contact is always useful should you wish to show that you have, and have had, continuing contact in order to show a substantive relationship. You might think about recovering email, or at least email headers, for future use.

A good maxim is to retain all information for possible furure use.

[scottyp1980]

Scott

If she is fully able to support herself during the trip then she doesn't need a sponsor, she just needs to convince the ECO that her proposed visit is genuine, affordable and that she has a reason to return home.

She should provide full details of her trip, including where she will be staying, evidence of the trips affordability and her reasons to return home.

If she has her own business she might like to include details of who will be taking care of the business during her absence, how long is her proposed trip?

She does have to apply online and then she would need to attend the VFS Application Centre to submit a hard copy of her application and documentary evidence, during this visit her biometric details will be taken.

Good luck to you both and feel free to come back if you have any supplementary questions.

Thanks for the information.

I have couple other questions maybe you can help me with.

Is it worth her to mention that she will be staying at my mums place a few days and to say that will be a base for the trip or not mention that at all and just say hotels? But then I suppose you would need to book hotels before the visa has been approved, is that right? And as some one else posted is it better of not mentioning me at all?

My girlfriend will be staying 1 month and she has a business partner that will take care of everything whilst gone, my girlfriend has already mentioned that she will bring all the company registration forms to the embassy when she gets appointment.

Thanks again

[theoldgit]

Scott

Beano and I have differing views on this, neither of us are right or wrong.

I take the view that your girlfriend should give the ECO the full picture and allow them to make a decision on the facts as submitted. Whilst Beano has a point that mentioning you could lead to more questions, I believe that, given the facts you have described, she would have no problem obtaining a visa for her proposed trip.

It sometimes becomes difficult to convince an ECO that an application is above board where the girlfriend wants an extended holiday. You are in military, so I assume you spend time overseas, your girlfriend has her own business, so will want to return to it, so there is no pull factor for her in the UK.

If your girlfriend is going to stay with you at your mothers, then say so, just provide evidence that it's ok to do so.

If you are going to spend time in a hotel then, again, say so, there is no need to book at this stage.

From what you have said I don't think your girlfriend would have any problem getting a visa.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[scottyp1980]

Scott

Beano and I have differing views on this, neither of us are right or wrong.

I take the view that your girlfriend should give the ECO the full picture and allow them to make a decision on the facts as submitted. Whilst Beano has a point that mentioning you could lead to more questions, I believe that, given the facts you have described, she would have no problem obtaining a visa for her proposed trip.

It sometimes becomes difficult to convince an ECO that an application is above board where the girlfriend wants an extended holiday. You are in military, so I assume you spend time overseas, your girlfriend has her own business, so will want to return to it, so there is no pull factor for her in the UK.

If your girlfriend is going to stay with you at your mothers, then say so, just provide evidence that it's ok to do so.

If you are going to spend time in a hotel then, again, say so, there is no need to book at this stage.

From what you have said I don't think your girlfriend would have any problem getting a visa.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Thanks again for the info provided.

I do think it is better to tell the truth throughout the process to the embassy staff as she could slip up and mention something which she earlier decided not to say before.

When you say about evidence that we will be staying at my mum's house what excatly do you mean by this? a letter from my mum?, would that be sufficent evidence or anything else you can think of?

since i am not been a spnsor as such i suppose a letter from me is not required or is it , and also i have seen other guys giving there bank deatils, passport etc etc do i think i would need to give these to my girlfriend in this case?

Thanks again for everyones help in this topic so far.

[scottyp1980]

1 more question is she better applying for a tourist visa or visit friend visa?

[theoldgit]

1 more question is she better applying for a tourist visa or visit friend visa?

A standard tourist visa, there is no such thing as a visit friend visa.

[theoldgit]

I do think it is better to tell the truth throughout the process to the embassy staff as she could slip up and mention something which she earlier decided not to say before.

I do agree that you should give the full picture, Beano never suggested you should tell anything but the truth.

When you say about evidence that we will be staying at my mum's house what excatly do you mean by this? a letter from my mum?, would that be sufficent evidence or anything else you can think of?

A note from your mum should be fine, some people go over the top with evidence, mortgage details etc, all the ECO's need to to be satisfied with is that she has somewhere suitable to stay.

since i am not been a spnsor as such i suppose a letter from me is not required or is it , and also i have seen other guys giving there bank deatils, passport etc etc do i think i would need to give these to my girlfriend in this case?

You're quite correct, as she is paying for the trip herself, you are not her sponsoring her so there is no need to provide proof of your financial status. If you are going to indicate that you are boyfriend/girlfriend, then I would supply copies of your passport which would indicate that you two have spent time together here in Thailand, especially as she will be staying with you and your mum.

[scottyp1980]

1 more question is she better applying for a tourist visa or visit friend visa?

A standard tourist visa, there is no such thing as a visit friend visa.

The reason i asked this i was looking at the VAf1A for and 1 the questions is 'which type of visitor visa you are applying for?' and the options are tourist, visit friend or other, but as i see nline application doesnt have these options.

[scottyp1980]

I do think it is better to tell the truth throughout the process to the embassy staff as she could slip up and mention something which she earlier decided not to say before.

I do agree that you should give the full picture, Beano never suggested you should tell anything but the truth.

When you say about evidence that we will be staying at my mum's house what excatly do you mean by this? a letter from my mum?, would that be sufficent evidence or anything else you can think of?

A note from your mum should be fine, some people go over the top with evidence, mortgage details etc, all the ECO's need to to be satisfied with is that she has somewhere suitable to stay.

since i am not been a spnsor as such i suppose a letter from me is not required or is it , and also i have seen other guys giving there bank deatils, passport etc etc do i think i would need to give these to my girlfriend in this case?

You're quite correct, as she is paying for the trip herself, you are not her sponsoring her so there is no need to provide proof of your financial status. If you are going to indicate that you are boyfriend/girlfriend, then I would supply copies of your passport which would indicate that you two have spent time together here in Thailand, especially as she will be staying with you and your mum.

Thanks for all the above information i think i have enough now to go ahead and apply.

if i do have any more quieries i will come back

cheers

[scottyp1980]

I'd like to thanks everyone for there input on this post that i started and im happy to confirm that my girlfriend got her visa today on her first application although she was goin to apply feb / march time, other things came up so she only submitted it about 3 weeks ago.

anyway thanks again, the info people provided was very helpful and im in no doubt helped her with her visa.

scott

[vulcan903]

Mine is here now. Word of advice, when she comes get her to bring a 625bt Rice Cooker from Big C. £30-£40 here in the UK. If she is using olive oil for her hair, get her to bring a few bottles of it as again it's expensive here. Basically fill her suitcase with her weight allowance with Thai products (which you are allowed to enter into the UK). The money you save you can treat her to a shopping experience at Primark when she comes over. We have been to all the Thai shops within a radius of 50 miles of Basingstoke and have a cupboard full of Thai goodies to keep her healthy and strong!

She has been hassling me all week to go Strawberry picking as English Strawbs are so "sweet" and not "stong"!

Good luck!