When Asking For Visa Advice, What Do You Want?

Reply type A

These try to give the best advice they can based upon their reading of the immigration rules, diplomatic service procedures, relevant guidance notes and their own experience. Whilst doing so they do their best to offer encouragement to those making the enquiry and help that person achieve the end they want. If they see possible difficulties for the applicant then they will highlight them and attempt to find ways to overcome them.

Scouse and Vinny are excellent examples of this.

Reply type B

These will tell enquirers that they have had a lot of experience in dealing with visa staff, that most of the staff are obstructive, rude, and gain pleasure in denying an applicant their visa. Even if the visa staff cannot find a way of refusing the visa, they will do all they can to make the process as long winded as they can. They seem to give the impression that Accrington Stanley have more chance of winning the Champions League than an ordinary Thai getting a visa. They claim that they are just "telling it like it is."