Successful UK Visit Visa after 8 month relationship, Sept. 2015

[gsuth84]

I wanted to give something back to the community because I have taken so much from the forums during our UK Visit Visa application process.

Thank you to all contributors on Thaivisa.com, I couldn’t have done it without you.

I’ll try to keep it as brief as possible.

I’m 31 and live in the UK, I met my girlfriend in Thailand January 2015, I went back in June 2015, we applied for a UK Visit Visa August 2015, Visa accepted September 2015.

We completed the UK Visit Visa application form online together using the same login details.

I submitted the following sponsor letter and supporting documents.

Home Address,

City,

Postcode

Date

RE: UK Visit Visa application for ………………………… Passport number: ……………………

Dear Sir / Madam,

I am writing to confirm that I wish to invite (her name) to visit me in the UK on (date) and return to Thailand on (date).

I’m a (X) year old single male with no dependants and live alone. I’m in full time employment as a (job title) for (employer), (industry), since (date started), earning £XX,000 per annum. I receive electronic copies of pay slips from my employer therefore I have included print outs for the last 6 months. I live at (home address), UK, which I own with a mortgage. This is a 3 bedroom mid-terraced house and where (her name) will be residing for the duration of her visit.

I met (her name) in January 2015 while I was on holiday on (place). (her name) was working casually as a bar tender in (place) during the tourist season, earning money to send home to her Daughter and retired Mother & Father. During my time in (place) we met each night after (her name) shift had finished and we enjoyed a short trip to (place) on her days off.

After my return to the UK we kept in contact daily through Facebook messenger and FaceTime. As our relationship developed I revisited Thailand for two weeks in June 2015 taking (her name) on holiday to (somewhere in Thailand). We continue to talk daily and hope to have a future together.

(her name) has now finished work in (place) and returned to her home Province of (place). She wishes to have some free time from employment to spend with her daughter before starting her new job as a shop cashier. We both agree this will be the most suitable period for her to visit the UK, before she starts her new job in (place) and before I return to Thailand in December 2015. I have already purchased return flights from (UK) to Bangkok on (date) and two tickets for myself and (her name) to fly from Bangkok to (place) on (date). I’ve included copies of the E-tickets with the supporting documents.

I will be paying for (her name)’s airfare and I will provide accommodation and food free of charge. Therefore I anticipate that her expenditure whilst in the UK will be minimal. I will ensure (her name) is fully covered with travel insurance before her visit commences. I am funding her trip to the UK to allow her to experience a different culture to that of her own country. During her visit to the UK she will ……………………………………………………………………………………

In support of the Visa application I enclose the following documents: -

• Photocopy Thai ID card: (her name)
• Photocopy Passport: (her name)
• Photocopy Bank account book for (her name) showing current balance.
• Letter of guaranteed employment for (her name)on her return to Thailand
• Passport sized coloured photograph: (her name)
• Photocopy of (my) British passport showing entries to and exits from Thailand.
• (my) Pay slips from employer for the last 6 months
• (my) End of year Tax certificate 2014-2015
• (my) Bank statements from January to July 2015, showing available funds (01 account)
• (my) Bank statements from January to July 2015, showing available funds (02 account)
• (my) Credit card statement July 2015
• Western Union money transfers to (her name)
• Photocopy of the title deeds for (my address)
• Council tax bill for (my address)
• Photographs of (my house)
• Previous travel documents to Thailand January & June 2015
• Facebook messenger communication (Screen shots)
• 10x Photos from time spent together
• FaceTime communication (Screen shot from Iphone)
• Proposed return flights to UK for (her name)
• My next visit to Thailand flight E-ticket (UK) to Bangkok (date)
• My next visit to Thailand flightE-ticket Bangkok to (place) (date)

Thank you for considering this application. If there is any additional information you require in order to make your decision please contact (her name) or myself.

Approximately one week after the Visa application was submitted, a Visa representative phoned her future employer to confirm she had employment on her return to Thailand. The rep then phoned my girlfriend to confirm all the information on the application form and sponsor letter was true and to establish if our relationship was real and if she’d definitely return to Thailand after her holiday period had finished.

The following questions were asked not just once but multiple times to try and catch her out with the previous answers she had given.

My name, date of birth, where I was born, my job, my employers name, if she had met my family before, when and where we met, when was the last time we were together, how we communicate when apart, what language we communicate in, what she wanted to see when visiting the UK, the duration of her visit, our future together – if married, would she stay in Thailand or UK, if I would financially support her visit in full or not, about her Job, her daughter, does she pay car/bike/house?

The phone call lasted approximately 20 minutes and the majority of questions referred to my sponsor letter.

I transferred 25,000thb to her bank account for the holiday. Some people say this is unnecessary? Visa would have seen this in both our bank statements. I believe it’s better the money came from me than a friend or a relative so Visa don’t start to question if the relationship is real?

The Visa took 3 weeks for approval but 2 months of us both researching the internet and Visa & immigration forums on Thaivisa.com. Make sure she's involved throughout the process.

Take your time to do your research using the wealth of knowledge provided by the contributors on Thaivisa.com. Dont cut corners. Write a solid sponsor letter and provide all the documentation to prove your relationship and financial status. Don’t pay someone to do it for you, they don’t know you after all! Make sure your girlfriend knows your sponsor letter back to front! If your relationship is as real as you think it is then she’ll know everything about you and will survive the interrogation when the rep phones her.

Good luck!

[NeverSure]

Good job, congratulations, and thanks for the feedback.

[Rob180]

Congratulations on the visa. Your application was very thorough. I do appreciate your sense of humour telling them her expenses will be minimal.....that's very true. There's no such thing as a Thai girl whose expenditure will be minimal lol, but good luck nevertheless.

"I will be paying for (her name)’s airfare and I will provide accommodation and food free of charge. Therefore I anticipate that her expenditure whilst in the UK will be minimal. I will ensure (her name) is fully covered with travel insurance before her visit commences. I am funding her trip to the UK to allow her to experience a different culture to that of her own country".

[bobrussell]

Perhaps for further applications it might be worth changing it to 'her costs will be minimal' perhaps followed by 'the same cannot be said for my expenditure!'

First visit visa, first big clothes shop! M&S shares went up on hearing the news!

[Rob180]

Perhaps for further applications it might be worth changing it to 'her costs will be minimal' perhaps followed by 'the same cannot be said for my expenditure!'

First visit visa, first big clothes shop! M&S shares went up on hearing the news!

Lol, yes that sounds about right. Probably best not to mention to him there might be some 'money issues' from back home whilst she's in the UK.............hmmm.

[jacksam]

Thanks OP excellent feedback/report. Hope it helps others trying to have their thai gf visit. BTW I'm Australian. I did virtually a blueprint of your application. Think most countries have similar requirements.

[Jip99]

You did well to satisfy them on the reasons to return. It also seems that the ECO was positively trying to satisfy this aspect with the phone call.

That is not always the case.

[isnakebite]

Firstly congrats and secondly I think I will be using your letter as a template. I am currently in a 1 year and 1 month relationship with my girl and plan to make our 3rd application in 2 months time for her first visa.

[jacksam]

Finally

[jacksam]

Isnahebite. Did you notice difference between this application and yours. I wish you luck. Maybe get an agent to help you. Contrast this application to yours.

Having said that I feel the OP was extremely lucky.

Goes to show what a detailed application can achieve.

[bobrussell]

The ECO has to work on the balance of probabilities, not certainties. A well researched and presented application such as this is more likely to result in approval than a more casually formulated one. A bit of luck helps as well!

A classic application really so well done!

[jacksam]

And luck. I'm not io ., but where is compelling reason to return. Sounds young couple and OP letter states previous job cashier bar. Sadly in their minds = working girl.

Amazed that application got through. Think it's down to expert application from the OP.

HAPPY for you guys

[bobrussell]

Working in a bar in Thailand should have little or no impact on a good application. ECO's are not there to be judgemental. They are there to make sure the visa rules are, on the balance of probability going to be complied with. Many people working in bars would be perfectly happy to comply with visa rules!

I would agree that there might be an element of luck here considering some other decisions being made but this looks like a very good, thorough application.

Edited October 5, 2015 by bobrussell

[isnakebite]

Isnahebite. Did you notice difference between this application and yours. I wish you luck. Maybe get an agent to help you. Contrast this application to yours.

Having said that I feel the OP was extremely lucky.

Goes to show what a detailed application can achieve.

Jacksam you felt it necessary to insult me in a private message and chose to not actually offer any advise, only criticise and here you are again, without knowledge of all the information. I actually used an agent first time around, who was recommended by a friend who he had success with, without my knowledge she lied in some parts and did not connect parts in others. We were apparently her first non married couple. Suffice to say she no longer offers her services, ironically after being able to visit her husband in England. In my second application I answered all those queries successfully. The rejection of the 2nd relates to separate matters. As I have already written positively the OP's structure of the letter is very good and I will be using the basis as a template but of my own free will and not of your recommendation

[GarryP]

I think I may adapt your letter. I live in Thailand and wish to take my girlfriend with me to the UK when I visit my parents for a couple of weeks in July. I understand I need to write a good sponsor letter.

After reading the numerous threads I am getting nervous as it does not seem particularly easy.

[7by7]

As bobrussell says earlier, the ECOs work to 'the balance of probabilities,' not the much harder to prove 'beyond reasonable doubt.'

Show that on the balance of probabilities the requirements for the visa are met, and the visa will be issued.

On average, over 95% of UK visit visa applications made in Thailand are successful. Of those that are refused, most do so either because the applicant simply doesn't meet the requirements or, more usually, because they failed to show that they do.

Then there's those that are refused because they were caught in a lie; bar workers do get UK visas, liars don't.

Ignore jacksam; as he says, he's Australian and the Australian rules and requirements are not the same as those for the UK.

[taotoo]

As bobrussell says earlier, the ECOs work to 'the balance of probabilities,'

So if they think there is a 49% chance of absconding, will they grant a visa?

[7by7]

In a successful UK visa application 'balance of probabilities' means that it is more likely than not the applicant meets the requirements for the visa applied for.

To put it more simply, the evidence shows that they meet the requirements, and there is no compelling evidence to suggest that they don't.

For a full legal definition, see here.

[rasg]

I transferred 25,000thb to her bank account for the holiday. Some people say this is unnecessary?

I never did for any of my GFs applications and by reading what others had done and their experiences too that you can can get a good idea for your own situation.

Most of what you wrote in your letter is very similar for the two VVs that the GF applied for last year and the Settlement visa this year.

We never received a phone call regarding any of the GF's applications and that now includes a Settlement Visa.

What I have now found after her first trip to the UK was that the UKBA are far more pleasant and pretty much just waved her through the second and third time. The first time at Heathrow she was given the third degree that lasted about half an hour. Simple stuff like my full name. That's a job in itself. Asked about working two or three times. Where I lived and where I was etc.

We did only meet on the 29th January last year and that has never been an issue either. She applied for her first VV in May last year.

Edited March 24, 2016 by rasg

[7by7]

From the OP

I transferred 25,000thb to her bank account for the holiday. Some people say this is unnecessary?

It is not only unnecessary, it can cause problems!

You said in your sponsor's letter that you were paying for her airfare and providing her accommodation and covering all her expenses in the UK.

You did not say why you transferred this money neither did you say what it was for.

So the ECO will naturally wonder why she needed this money and what it was for.

Such sudden, relatively large transfers of funds from sponsor to applicant shortly before a visa application do create doubt in the ECOs mind, unless the reason for such a transfer is explained by the sponsor; e.g she will use the money to purchase her ticket.

It is possible that the unusually lengthy telephone questioning she was subjected to was due to this transfer of money. Perhaps the ECO wanted to be sure she was genuinely visiting you and would return home at the end of the visit.

Not simply using you as a way into the UK after she had conned you out of a large sum of money which she intended to use to live on until she found illegal work in the UK!

I believe it’s better the money came from me than a friend or a relative so Visa don’t start to question if the relationship is real?

Finance for the trip can come from the applicant, the sponsor, a third party or any combination of these.

However, if a third party is providing finance, they should write a brief letter to say why they are doing so.

The ECO will not question the genuineness of the relationship between sponsor and applicant merely because a third party has contributed to the costs of the visit.