My Girlfriend Wishes To Come To The Uk

[chrisb1069]

I have been going out with a girl from thailand for little over two years now and we had decided to get married she wishes to come to the uk for a vist to she if she will like liveing in the uk she will be comeing for a short time (about 2 weeks) but i am unclear of what i need to do she once applied for a visa to go to swis and was refused i am not sure of what visa to apply for or anything can anybody help she is a sweet girl and she use to be a working lady but has stopped a long while ago (befor i met her) .

[GU22]

Firstly, have a read of:-

Guidance - Visitors (INF 2)

and

Guidance - Sponsors (INF 3).

When you do apply, write a covering letter briefly outlining the history of your relationship and explaining the reason for her visit (meet your family etc.). Include as much evidence of your relationship as possible, phone bills, e-mails, photos of the 2 of you taken at different times and locations. Evidence of her employment (if any), property ownership etc. to show she has a reason to return.

Having read the guidance notes, feel free to ask about anything you are unsure about.

[thai3]

I have been going out with a girl from thailand for little over two years now and we had decided to get married she wishes to come to the uk for a vist to she if she will like liveing in the uk she will be comeing for a short time (about 2 weeks) but i am unclear of what i need to do she once applied for a visa to go to swis and was refused i am not sure of what visa to apply for or anything can anybody help she is a sweet girl and she use to be a working lady but has stopped a long while ago (befor i met her) .

Also include pay slips, bank statements, proof of accommodation, photocopy of passport they seem very hot on making sure she is working. Make sure she knows exactly where and when you met as any unsure answers seem to be a black mark.

[chrisb1069]

I am unsure of what visa i need apply for we are getting marred next year i am also unclear o how much money i need to earn (want to make sure i earn enough ) she is unemployed at the moment i am sending her money when i can witch is enought to get her by.

[vinny]

she wishes to come to the uk for a vist to she if she will like liveing in the uk she will be comeing for a short time (about 2 weeks)

The logical choice would be to apply for a vistor visa. There is no set amount of money requirements. She just needs enough to cover the duration of her visit. See also Visit entry requirements.

Edited March 6, 2006 by vinny

[beleby]

Chris,

Last time my gf (before we wed) applied for a visa, we were asked to “substantiate our relationship”. This translated to showing things like evidence of travel together, pictures of us together in other places like Laos, even stuff like valentine cards.

The embassy are serious about making sure you are a genuine couple and in our case (even though we had already shown my gf was a manager in a well known private school) required a great deal of personal correspondence as proof.

Don’t expect them to be friendly or even courteous in many cases, but a long as you have your stuff in order you should be fine.

[silomfan]

Hi i wish you luck but if you look at the many many threads on this forum , you will see that girls with a far better immigration history than yours , and girls with a better job history than yours , have been refused. As said already don't expect them to be polite to you . You would think it was a right to be treated politely, but no ,in practise, its not . The biggest problem she will have is giving a reason to return , a very subjective criteria used by ECO's to refuse whern everything else is in order . Its not clear from your rather limited information that you even have everything else in order . I thin k from the limited info provided , you have little chance of a visa . If nothing else , how will you PROVE to the ECO's satisfaction (and thats not easy) that she has a compelling reason to return to Thailand ? Does she work ??

SILOMFAN

[beleby]

Just re-read your post Chris, I strongly suggest that you do not freely offer to inform the embassy your gf used to be a working gal. I can't tell you to lie but use your nuggen :-)

As Silomfan said you will also need proof she wants to come back e.g. a letter from current employer or proof of strong family links, etc.

Good luck.

[GU22]

Just re-read your post Chris, I strongly suggest that you do not freely offer to inform the embassy your gf used to be a working gal. I can't tell you to lie but use your nuggen

Tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If she is caught in one lie then why should they believe anything else? The ECOs are not stupid and know that many Brits meet their Thai girlfriends for the first time in a bar. Of course, if they don't ask then she doesn't have to say.

You have a long term relationship, and can presumably prove it. She has a valid reason to visit. If the ECO is happy that you are a genuine couple and the reason for the visit is genuine then she stands a good chance of getting a visit visa. Many couples in your circumstances have done so.

But if she is caught in a lie then you can wave the visa goodbye.

[silomfan]

Hard as it may be to believe, i am actually not trying to be confrontational in this post.

I was intrigued by GU22's post stating that many couples in your position have been successful in the past.

Assuming for a second that you must be talking about a visitors visa, GU22 is saying that if you went to the Embassy stating that , honestly, your girlfriend is an ex-bar girl, with we assume no land or property in her name , that she has has a refusal from Switzerland before and no compelling reason (or indeed any reason) to return to Thailand , that she stands an earthly chance of getting a visa just because you have a valid reason (who doesn't?) to visit the UK and that you have been honest and can prove you are in a relationship.

I realise that far too many details are missing for us to form any real opinions, but from what you have said i can't say that i agree with GU22 that you stand a realistic chance.

I will have to plough back through past postings but i can't say i remember one where someone who falls down on so many criteria has been successful. Having said that i wish you all the luck . After all you only want to bring your g/f to the UK for a holiday. Won't be as easy as you are led to believbe unfortunately.

SILOMFAN

[GU22]

As I have a life outside this forum, I was not referring to anyone specific here. Your search may turn up someone, though.

However, I do know of people on another forum who have been successful in obtaining a visit visa in circumstances similar to the OPs, and I know personally two men who were successful in obtaining visit visas for their girlfriends who had no work or property and were ex-bargirls. (In both cases they are now happily married, living in the UK and have their ILR.)

Previous refusals, whether by the British embassy or that of another country, will only be a problem if the reasons for the refusal have not been dealt with. Obviously Chris's g/f will have to do this, as there is a question about it on the application form.

Chris, you may well have read a lot of the recent negative posts about the chances of getting a visa. It is true that your g/f may be refused, but I reckon, from what you have said, that she has a reasonable chance of success.

It is certain, though, that if she doesn't apply then she definitely wont be accepted!

[silomfan]

Must say i agree with GU22's last sentence. You may as well apply .

Good luck and keep us informed. One of the interesting aspects about this whole immigration thing is that you never know what can happen. Some refusals amaze, and some successful applications amaze also. Its a funny old world.

SILOMFAN

[thai3]

Must say i agree with GU22's last sentence. You may as well apply .

Good luck and keep us informed. One of the interesting aspects about this whole immigration thing is that you never know what can happen. Some refusals amaze, and some successful applications amaze also. Its a funny old world.

SILOMFAN

Thats the whole problem you never know what will happen, but should it be like this? I was wondering what the daftest reason (excuse) has been for refusing a visa and found this:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=11500&st=0

The poster's GF was turned down due to the fact he was 14 years older than her!!!!. Ohh I am so lucky as they did not mention me being 22 years older than the mrs, but I think they had thought enough excuses up. On the other hand I expect there is some girl or other who was 40 years younger than her bf who went to the embassy with little more than a bus ticket and walked out with a visa in five minutes, barr.

[thai3]

could this be one of the daftest welcome to the UK decisions? from the same thread:

Many years ago there was a BBC1 documentary about the BBK UK Embassy visa dept ,showing interviews and applicants going thru the process ,.to show how crazy they are

a brit guy in his 30s applied for his 16 year old thai gal !

Upon interviewing by the officer it turned out she lied about her age and was 15 years old !!!!

THEY ACTUALLY GAVE HER A VISA TO GO TO THE UK WITH THIS GUY ! IT WAS ON SCREEN FOR ALL THE UK PUBLIC TO SEE !!

A GUY IN HIS 30S GOT A VISA FOR A 15 YEAR OLD THAI GAL !!

YOU FIGURE OUT WHATS GOING ON DOWN THERE !!

you cant ..

[Guest endure]

could this be one of the daftest welcome to the UK decisions? from the same thread:

Many years ago there was a BBC1 documentary about the BBK UK Embassy visa dept ,showing interviews and applicants going thru the process ,.to show how crazy they are

a brit guy in his 30s applied for his 16 year old thai gal !

Upon interviewing by the officer it turned out she lied about her age and was 15 years old !!!!

THEY ACTUALLY GAVE HER A VISA TO GO TO THE UK WITH THIS GUY ! IT WAS ON SCREEN FOR ALL THE UK PUBLIC TO SEE !!

A GUY IN HIS 30S GOT A VISA FOR A 15 YEAR OLD THAI GAL !!

YOU FIGURE OUT WHATS GOING ON DOWN THERE !!

you cant ..

Have you ever heard the phrase 'one trick pony'?

[slimsam]

I actually find this continual bashing of the British Embassy very entertaining but may be there should be a special forum for it. Im sure a few members here would contribute to it on a regular basis.

[coldcrush]

Does it ever occur to the OP to complain to the embassy rather than thaivisa constantly? Also they have a local MP is that not what he/she is for. People help out on here in their own time which is good considering the way people go on and always act like baboons knackers.

[slimsam]

Actually to offer a more helpful response I would say that if you can provide sufficient proof that you have been in a relationship for two years and that you intend to get married next year (providing a proposed date would be good) then you stand a reasonable chance. Requesting a visa for two weeks is less likely to cause suspicion as your story would make sense.

Best of Luck

[daleyboy]

baboons knackers.

Excellent

[beleby]

I personally would not freely offer to tell the embassy if my gf used to be a bar girl, I would only let them know if directly asked. Still, it looks like Chris is not viewing this thread anyway so all our advice is going to waste!