Filipino applying for Uk Tourist visa

[Davidb9]

I'm a 30 year old working as a teacher in an International school in Bangkok. My Filipino girlfriend lives me and we have a 10 month old daughter (British passport hold, as am I). We recently applied for and were refused a UK tourist visa in Manila. They cited her having no employment and no funds herself- she has a 10month old baby! I supplied financial information on myself and my father.

We have now retruned to Bangkok and due to work commitments can not go back to Manila to reapply. Is it possible for her to apply for a tourist visa here in Bangkok? We plan to go home for 6 weeks before I take up a new job in Manila

Thanks for any help you can give me

[7by7]

If she is legally resident in Thailand then she can apply in Bangkok.

But the previous refusal will be on record and so she will have to deal with all the points raised in the refusal notice.

If you would like advice on how to do that, we need to see the notice in it's entirety; but you should delete all names and other identifying information.

N.B. as many women from S.E. Asia leave their children with relatives while they go away, often abroad, to work, having a child is not, by itself, seen as a reason to return. Even more so in this case where, presumably, the child would be travelling with you both.

One of the things you will need to show is that you will be returning to Thailand after the visit and you are not attempting to use a visit visa so you and your girlfriend can live together in the UK. So provide evidence of your status in Thailand, e.g. copy of your visa, your employment and that the two of you live together and have been for some time. That way, you can be her reason to return.

[Davidb9]

Thanks for help. She isn't a resident and has just arrived back in with 30 days on passport we are only here because of my job. Does this automatically mean she can't apply here?

We won't be returning to Thailand, we will return to Manila. I supplied all the information needed, contract from current school, letter from current school, contract from school in Manila, letter from new school etc but they still denied us.

I will prepare the refusal and upload it later for you to see.

Thanks again for the help

[ThaiVisaExpress]

She can apply for a UK visa here if she is in the country legally. She doesn't have to be "resident" as such.

Your post needs some clarification. Firstly, you say that you ( both of you) cannot go back to Manila because of work commitments. She is surely not working ?

Secondly, what does she do when her 30 day visa-free entry expires ? The ECO will be looking at her pattern of entry and exit to Thailand. If she is doing visa runs, then he might have some reservations, and wondering why she cannot return to Manila when her visa-free entries expire.

That said, if you did provide good evidence that you both intend to go to PI after a visit to the UK, then I wonder why the application was refused. As 7x7 says, a look at the refusal notice might help us.

Tony M.

[7by7]

She can apply for a UK visa here if she is in the country legally. She doesn't have to be "resident" as such.

Apologies; my use of the word 'resident' was an error, I should have simply said "legally in Thailand." I was getting confused with settlement applications; again!

In addition to the concerns expressed by Tony, if she is legally in Thailand for just 30 days, what will she do if that 30 days expires while her application is being processed and therefore her passport is still with the British embassy?

She would need to use, and pay for, the passport back service, but even that would only let her keep her passport for up to 10 days after lodging the application.

[Davidb9]

Hi again,

Sorry, I can't go due to work commitments. My girlfriend is working but I'm very reluctant to send them by themselves. I supplied everything that was required and we have a good reason to return. The only issue that i can see is that although my father referred to his bank statements in the letter and they were included, the statements didn't have his name on them. I feel the entrance officer thinks that we submitted them, claiming they were my girlfriend's. That was never the case- they are clearly from a bank in Northern Ireland and my girlfriend clearly doesn't work.

Thanks again for help.

[Davidb9]

With regards to the passport situation, if applying in Bangkok, I'm not sure of the best thing to do and any advice is very welcome

Thanks

[7by7]

<snip>

The only issue that i can see is that although my father referred to his bank statements in the letter and they were included, the statements didn't have his name on them.

That is it.

As you included an offer of funding from your father, I assume that your own funds were insufficient.

But the evidence of your father's ability to provide this funding was unnamed online printouts.

If the statements did not have any name on them, how was the ECO supposed to know that they were genuine and did belong to your father's account?

So, the ECO had no real proof that this money existed and would be available to her during her visit. Hence the refusal.

In addition, online printouts are supposed to be certified as correct by the bank. Members here have stated that the ECOs in Bangkok are not enforcing this strictly, but whether those in Manila are as flexible, I don't know.

So in her next application, whether in Bangkok or Manila, at the very least make sure the account holders name is printed on the statements and, if possible, have your father's bank certify them as correct.

[Davidb9]

In your opinion is it worthwhile us applying in Bangkok? I have began to fill out another form with the view to applying in Manila and they have asked to enter details of permission to stay in Manila- don't know what to write there.

Think if I submitted the same documents again but ensured that my father's were certified- they would be approved?

Thanks again

[Davidb9]

I have began to fill out another form with the view to applying in Manila and they have asked to enter details of permission to stay in Manila- don't know what to write there.

Sorry- meant to say

I have began to fill out another form with the view to applying in Bangkok and they have asked to enter details of permission to stay in Bangkok- don't know what to write there.

[7by7]

Up to you where she applies; but if applying in Bangkok bear in mind the potential problems brought up by Tony M and myself above.

Details of her permission to stay in Manila? She's a Philippine citizen!

As it appears the reason for the previous refusal were that your father's bank statements had no name on them, then submitting new ones with his name on and certified as correct by his bank should overcome that problem.

Whether or not this means a new application will be successful I cannot say; it's not my decision. But I can't see why not.

Edit, posted at the same time as yours above; so:

Details of her permission to stay in Thailand?

What does it say in her passport? 30 day visa exemption?

Edited April 26, 2015 by 7by7

[Davidb9]

Yeh sorry- I meant to say applying in Bangkok- what permission does she have for staying here?

She is on a tourist visa and just arrived back in and will now extensions at Chaeng Wattana. Sorry I don't have a very good understanding of visas/passports here.

Unsure of best thing to do- maybe just reapply in Manila but pay extra to have it assessed quicker.

Thanks for all the help anyway

[7by7]

Then put whatever it says on her visa/extension.