UK tourist visa rejection

[JamieNewhall1974]

My girlfriend has just been rejected for a tourist visa. I was the sponsor for this visit

The reason we have been given is that they didnt believe she would return to Thailand after the visa finished

This is not the case, we only wanted her to visit to meet my parents

Can anyone advise what we can do?

We supplied all required documents and I believe they were all in order

Really down as I am sure you can understand, we spent weeks putting this application together

Feel like we have just been given a default no

Dosent seem to be any right to appeal? I have written to my MP, but what can he do

advise welcome

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[howerde]

I'm afraid there is no right of appeal for a tourist visa rejection. What they are saying in a polite way is that she does not have reason to return, they are looking for things such as, does she own land, have children, own property, what is her job, how long has she been in it,, how long have you known her, did you show evidenceof this for the whole time that you have been together,did you address these issues directly?

[JamieNewhall1974]

Thanks

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[JamieNewhall1974]

She works in a coffee shop/cafe, she has worked there 2 years, we addressed this we had a letter from her boss saying after 3 months she must return for her job

We have been together for three years

She does not own property but has rented apartment which she would keep

We documented all this

It just seems so unfair

I am scared now, she feels disrespected. It a mess

But all we want is 3 months to meet my friends and family

She has no thoughts about staying in the UK

With no right of appeal I dont know what to do. We could apply again but why would they see it any different?

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[lanng khao]

Thanks

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Jamie did you show proof of the relationship, photos of you maybe at her home or together elseware, or maybe any money you may have sent her,I got My parents and family to write letters welcoming her to Liverpool and looking forward to meeting her,yano shit like that, she had the visa stamped in her passport for six months within a month of submitting the application,

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[JamieNewhall1974]

Parents wrote letter, and 2 friends provided witness statements, we provided photos of us together for last 3 years, and documents of me sending her money each month

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[JamieNewhall1974]

I work for the British Council I deal with Thai office regular, I had work reference everything. I do not know what else we could have done

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[Jay Sata]

Parents wrote letter, and 2 friends provided witness statements, we provided photos of us together for last 3 years, and documents of me sending her money each month

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I'm afraid the fact that you send money and have photo's together will not be enough Jamie.

You'll have to convince the entry clearance officer that you have a genuine relationship.

You might consider using one of the agents who sponsor this forum?

[lanng khao]

Parents wrote letter, and 2 friends provided witness statements, we provided photos of us together for last 3 years, and documents of me sending her money each month

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cant believe you didn't get sorted, am gob smacked, what more could you do, sounds like you've been hard done by mate, keep your chin up don't let it drive a wedge between you and her,don't know how much you laid out, think it cost me 12,000 baht, but I'd give it another shot kid, am in the process of a settlement visa now, am bricken it. My bird had nothin to make her want to go back home, no land, home, or job, so I'd crack on mate try again.

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[lanng khao]

Parents wrote letter, and 2 friends provided witness statements, we provided photos of us together for last 3 years, and documents of me sending her money each month

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I'm afraid the fact that you send money and have photo's together will not be enough Jamie.

You'll have to convince the entry clearance officer that you have a genuine relationship.

You might consider using one of the agents who sponsor this forum?

why, that's all I had.

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[JamieNewhall1974]

Its heart breaking

I provided 6 months Whatsapp correspondance, maybe that was to much. They reference intimate conversations which were intended to prove the relationship but have been taken out of context

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[lanng khao]

Its heart breaking

I provided 6 months Whatsapp correspondance, maybe that was to much. They reference intimate conversations which were intended to prove the relationship but have been taken out of context

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maybe uv tried to hard, to much info, I had no emails, no phone records, unless av just been very lucky, there not even bothered if you have money in the bank as long as you have a job and proof of accommodation where she will stay, we all love Thailand that's for sure but they don't half make it hard.

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[JamieNewhall1974]

I know, I blame myself for doing to much. But surely there must be something I can do

I just want her to meet my parents and see places that mean so much to me

And that all she wants, she dosent want to come to the UK perm

We want so little, it just seems so hard

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[tw25rw]

So did you include a letter explaining that you have an ongoing relationship and will be wanting further visas in the future and that you understand the consequences of her overstaying?

[JamieNewhall1974]

We explanied the ongoing relationship. We explained in detail the reason for this visit. I even provided a draft itinery for the visit. But no we didnt mention further visas, we just not at that point yet, sure if she liked the UK then maybe we might think about going for a perm visa. But that years down the line

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[tw25rw]

We explanied the ongoing relationship. We explained in detail the reason for this visit. I even provided a draft itinery for the visit. But no we didnt mention further visas, we just not at that point yet, sure if she liked the UK then maybe we might think about going for a perm visa. But that years down the line

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I would suggest trying it anyway. Promising not to overstay because you understand the consequences might be all you have and it can and does work.

[JamieNewhall1974]

Thanks for the advice, but how do we do it if we have no right of appeal

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[howerde]

You will have to make a new application, but i would not do it until you can address the issues raised, as has been suggested i would contact an oisc registered agent, i believe a sponsor or 2 here might be. they should give a free no obligation view, show them the rejection and show/tell them what you sent, and take it from there, from what you have said, it looked a good application, but there must have been something they wern't happy about

[tw25rw]

Thanks for the advice, but how do we do it if we have no right of appeal

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You do the whole lot all over again! And you have to pay again.But you should have all the paperwork together already. And it's practice for the future, though it is meant to be easier if she has had a visa and went home on time after.

[Tony M]

If possible, post the refusal letter here. Delete all personal details ( names, etc ) before posting. We will then be able to see exactly why the visa was refused, and possibly advise you on a new application.

You can also contact Thai Visa Express, the forum sponsor, who will give you free advice on your chances of a successful new application

[David48]

The Australian Government's Immigration Depart apparently varies little from the UK's stance on the requirement for the visa applicant's requirement to return home.

Now these are might appear as some harsh words but they are also meant to be helpful.

Before you made the application did you read the some of the guides on how to write the Visa Application, what to focus on?

The UK government really don't give a <deleted> weather you spent 6 minutes, 6 days, weeks or months in preparing the application ... what they care about is that the application meets their guidelines. you say it does ... but it obviously doesn't because the Visa was declined.

My Thai gf worked for an International company for 11 years as a manager ... the most time she ever got off from work was 2 weeks annual leave. This is fairly standard across Thailand

So, when the UK Embassy views a letter from a coffee-shop owner stating that they are willing to let their employee go for a period of 3 months, then guarantee the job on return ... that letter might, and I say might be view with a raised eyebrow.

BTW, Skype / Line / other conversations are nice, they are convenient ... but a simple email to each other, say once a week, over the period of the relationship is a good evidence sample to have of the relationship. It's easy to demonstrate and easy to verify.

Photos ... basic holiday snaps are limited in their justification of an ongoing relationship.

Where possible take photos with the broader Family at significant times.

Mothers Day

Kings Birthday

Christmas

Loy Kathong

Songkran

A partner who is invited to participate with the Family during these special times is in a genuine relationship, plus, you don't have to 'date' the photo because the event dates the photo.

I'm an Aussie and don't pretend to know Jack about the UK Visa process, but I worked in Government for 5 years and understand their mentality ... it's ticking boxes for them.

Tick their boxes and the applications most likely go through as approved.

Just a few thoughts from the other side of the world ...

Good Luck with the next application ...

[Ricardo]

We explanied the ongoing relationship. We explained in detail the reason for this visit. I even provided a draft itinery for the visit. But no we didnt mention further visas, we just not at that point yet, sure if she liked the UK then maybe we might think about going for a perm visa. But that years down the line

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I would suggest trying it anyway. Promising not to overstay because you understand the consequences might be all you have and it can and does work.

I'd second that, although our experience is a long time ago, now.

When Mrs Ricardo flew into LHR on a tourist-visa, with cash-in-hand and me meeting her, it was similarly for a preliminary-visit to meet my family & see what life was like here, but UK-Immigration still stopped & questioned her very hard, apparently suspecting that we were bringing her in so that we could then marry here. In which case she'd need a fiancee-visa, not a tourist-one.

They interviewed me too, in the Arrivals-hall, and I explained that mis-using her Tourist-Visa was the very last thing we would do, as we wouldn't want to prejudice our situation with Immigration for a future-visit, if we did later decide to marry. And that was what they had been concerned about. Perhaps you simply demonstrated too strong an ongoing relationship, which made them suspicious ?

Chin up, good luck, wait a suitable length of time & try again.

Edited February 11, 2014 by Ricardo

[sam sen]

my mate's gf worked as a travel agent, had a 10 year work record. 3 year relationship. mates dad was a policeman who wrote in support of the visit. tourist visa rejected. go figure.

she was a really nice girl but i thought maybe there was some problem with the police in her past, something like that...?

[meatboy]

You will have to make a new application, but i would not do it until you can address the issues raised, as has been suggested i would contact an oisc registered agent, i believe a sponsor or 2 here might be. they should give a free no obligation view, show them the rejection and show/tell them what you sent, and take it from there, from what you have said, it looked a good application, but there must have been something they wern't happy about

yes make a new application but before you do,as you say what more can you do,well as howerde puts it there must be something they are not happy with.

have you seen her passport there is not a refusal stamp in it where she was refused before,because from what you have told us there got to be something that they are concerned about.

so before you have another go make sure there are no skeletons in her cupboard.

good luck.

[simple1]

Just to throw out a thought out for input.

Would the visa review officer have a concern that the sponsor is sending money to Thailand to support GF even though she is working, would this raise doubts as to GF's status.

[Waterloo]

Without seeing the refusal letter (personal details removed) everything is a guess!

If I was a betting man however my guess would be that the reason to return has not been dealt with adequately, and that it is a little ambitious asking for 3 months?

Scan the refusal notice removing the personal details & post it, I am sure you will get some useful advice from the genuine experts like Tony and 7by7.

[theoldgit]

Without seeing the refusal letter (personal details removed) everything is a guess!

If I was a betting man however my guess would be that the reason to return has not been dealt with adequately, and that it is a little ambitious asking for 3 months?

Scan the refusal notice removing the personal details & post it, I am sure you will get some useful advice from the genuine experts like Tony and 7by7.

Indeed, nobody can give any meaningful advice regarding this actual refusal until the OP posts the Refusal Letter.

In the meantime a number of off topic responses have been removed, if you have any meaningful advice in respect of this actual refusal, then please post it.

Please don't just post hearsay tales about how individuals claimed to have beaten the system.

[Seekingasylum]

A decent pre-action protocol letter threatening a judicial review application if the decision isn't reversed might do the trick. As Tony says, without actually reading the refusal notice one can't offer a reasoned judgement but it sounds to me a fairly formulaic refusal and not one that might withstand judicial scrutiny.

Little point in contacting MPs. Their representations in these types of cases are usually knocked back without any real consideration and they inevitably accept it without demur.

[JamieNewhall1974]

Thanks for all the advice, I shall post the rejection letter tomorrow

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[Thongkorn]

Without seeing the refusal letter (personal details removed) everything is a guess!

If I was a betting man however my guess would be that the reason to return has not been dealt with adequately, and that it is a little ambitious asking for 3 months?

Scan the refusal notice removing the personal details & post it, I am sure you will get some useful advice from the genuine experts like Tony and 7by7.

Even if you asked for one week , you would get a six month Visa. Technically she could stay for the full six months as long as she exited the UK before the end date on the Visa.