Family Visitor visa applicant: help needed

Hello all,

I'm a British citizen & my wife (not working) has ILR in the UK (Indefinite leave). We're planning on inviting my mother-in-law to the UK on a family visitor visa.

I'm clear with the documentation I need to provide from my end. I'll also bear every cost of her travel from there up until her return journey.

However, my mother in law's personal & financial circumstances are not quite ok - to go for the application :

1. She does not have a bank account in India or elsewhere
2. She does not have any asset/properties on her name
3. She does not have any fixed deposits on her name
4. She is Separated from her husband (20 years ago) and is supported by her son at their family home (grand parents name).
5. She has never travelled outside India

*Only things she have is her passport, ration card & the aadhaar card. It's a shame I know.. and not a good position to be in.*

I am wondering if anyone can throw some light if we have even the slightest chance of applying for her visit visa now...Or do the below:

1. Open bank account now for her in India
2. For atleast 3 months, ask her son to show the trail of money transfers in to her account (Although he supports her, this is only to to ensure economic activity cab be demonstrated - and can be used as an evidence that her son is supporting her)
3. Get an affidavit that will state that he's supporting his mother

Then apply (because economic & social ties back to the mother land can be demonstrated as above).

Any advice is appreciated.

How is the money given/transferred to her?

Has always been in cash.

She will be considered a high-risk visitor.

However, you might be able to sway the ECO if you write a very dramatic letter explaining the situation and provide alternatives.

-A statement from whoever supports/sends her cash.
-Then explain how she receives cash from that person, then a statement from your mother confirming the statement of that said person. Add a few unility bills (there must be something she pays) to confirm this. ECO will think she can't or not able to pay this if she does not have any income coming from somewhere.

Unfortunately, that is the only think I can think of to counter the "No financial" proof. Slim, but who knows you might get lucky.

Yep thanks !

How about close relatives or siblings of your MIL. If they are close by, you could get them to confirm on a letter with some ID. This will add further weightage to family ties. Also is your brother in law, married? Kids? Put that all down on paper. Get a dramatic story together and be honest and transparent.

Sure - I'm currently putting together the letter(s) emphasising the current situation. I'll post them here shortly. Many thanks all for taking time out to reply to this post so far.

LETTERs I HAVE PREPARED so FAR AT MY END.
I'll POST THE LETTERS SHE WILL PROVIDE FROM HER SIDE - EXPLAINING HER SITUATION shortly here on this post.

@skumar45

That's a good start.
-Backup the house/accommodation letter with official proof showing it is a 2 Bedroom house. Is this your house? If renting, you need a letter from your landlord. You need to show official proof not just letter saying that this is a 2 bedroom house.
-You'd also be best getting a statement from her son confirming story.
-You'd also be best getting a statement from your MIL confirming story.

MIL Letter: With background etc.

Show trail/proof of fixed deposit i.e. where it came from and why.

Try and also changed the 6 months visit intention to 2 or 3. They will always issue 6 months visa anyway just to give it more chances of approval as 6 months is quite a long time.

Hmnn okie thanks.. My brother-in-law is doing a supporting letter that we intend to attach with her application.
I'll attach that shortly !!

skumar45 wrote:Hmnn okie thanks.. My brother-in-law is doing a supporting letter that we intend to attach with her application.
I'll attach that shortly !!

Here is the letter from my brother in law - who is providding this in support of his mother's visitor visa application !
May I request some senior member's also throw some light on this case please !!!

This is good. If your brother-in-law lives with your mother, provide proofs that she lives at the same address and also your brother-in-law.

Example;
-Your brother's utility bills etc showing an address
-Your mother's proof showing the same address as your brother-in-law (There must be something).

How old is your mother? When is her birthday?

[*]It's my mother-in-law. She is 56 years old and she'll definitely not seek any employment here

[*]Yes she lives with her son at the same address (Her passport contains the address she lives at and my bro-in-law's utility bills are for the same address)

[*]Next thing is the 'Income and Expenditure' section on the form now: I'm filling in as below.

1. How much do you spend each month on living costs? 0 INR
2. How much of your total monthly income is given to your family members and other dependants ? 0 INR
3. What is the cost to you personally of your trip in GBP(£)? 0 INR
4. The total amount of money you have for this trip 0 INR
5. The cost of the aeroplane, boat or train tickets ? Son paid
6. The cost of your accommodation ? 0
7. The cost of your living expenses ? None
8. Is someone other than you paying for all or a part of your trip? Yes
9. What is the total amount in GBP(£)? 1500 GBP

When you say address is shown on your mother passport, you aren't talking about the bit where who to contact for emergency etc?

I don't think address on passport will be that credible but who knows. Have you a letter for that passport? Anything else that she might have officially with an address?

Sure. That's covered in my brother-in-law's supporting letter. Thank you v much EdwinUK!

Can some moderators as well illuminate me on my post here please.. I'd be grateful if you do !!!!!

Hi SKumar45,

Just read your case details.
If you have found the answers to your questions, could you please let me know the following: (I am sponsoring my parents-in-law: FIL retired, MIL housewife)

The expenses section of the form has been filled in as follows: D0 you think it is okay?
1. How much do you spend each month on living costs? (Their monthly expenses xxx INR)
2. How much of your total monthly income is given to your family members and other dependants ? 0 INR
3. What is the cost to you personally of your trip in GBP(£)? 0 INR (as I am taking care of everything. )
4. The total amount of money you have for this trip 0 INR
5. The cost of the aeroplane, boat or train tickets ? xxx INR (flight ticket prices)
6. The cost of your accommodation ? 0
7. The cost of your living expenses ? 0
8. Is someone other than you paying for all or a part of your trip? Yes
9. What is the total amount in GBP(£)? 3000 GBP

Thanks
Doshi

I'm a British citizen & my wife (not working) has ILR in the UK (Indefinite leave). We're planning on inviting my mother-in-law to the UK on a family visitor visa.

However, the evidence of my mother in law's financial circumstance is a bit weak (not straightforward):

1. She does not have a bank account and does not have any asset/properties on her name
2. She does not have any fixed deposits, her son (my bro-in-law) supports her in India - but in cash (not regularly because they stay in the same home.. paying all bills etc.)
3. She is Separated & has never traveled outside India
4. Has siblings in India - who can prove that she has family ties (her brother is willing to give an affidavit - with some ID proofs )

I've prepared some letters attached herewith in the same post (see above) - and I'm wondering if these would be sufficient.

Can senior members/moderators throw some light please. ANY advice is appreciated !!!

PS: Thanks to all the users who previously replied to my queries.

If the Mother in law has not got a bank account then it doesn't matter.
If she has a son / daughter working and live with her then she can use financial docs from them.

I would write a covering letter which making it very clear that you are sponsoring her visit. Take into accoutn £50 / day and apply for 2 weeks stay. You normally get a visa for 6 months anyway but If you apply for 2 weeks then it makes it easier to handle the financial side of the things.

What HO will be looking at for your mother in law's visit a motive to return back to the home country.
You can do so by providing property documents if there are any in her name (translated in to English).

Be as thorough as you possibly can.

Good luck

@Skumar45

Any results or have you heard from the HO yet?

Visa refused...Refusal letter says you have answered questions 57-65 vaguely.. and i can't meaningfully assess and arrive at a decision.
here's the answers!!!
57. HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND EACH MONTH ON LIVING COSTS? I wrote what she spends that is 0
58 HOW MUCH OF YOUR TOTAL MONTHLY INCOME IS GIVEN TO YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS AND OTHER DEPENDANTS?I wrote 0 because she does not work
59 WHAT IS THE COST TO YOU PERSONALLY OF YOUR TRIP IN GBP(£)? I wrote 0 because she isn;t paying anything from her pocket even for travel
60 THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU HAVE FOR THIS TRIP 0 because she is paying nothing from her pocket
61 THE COST OF THE AEROPLANE, BOAT OR TRAIN TICKETS SON PAYING
62 THE COST OF YOUR ACCOMMODATION 0
63 THE COST OF YOUR LIVING EXPENSES 0
64 IS SOMEONE OTHER THAN YOU PAYING FOR ALL OR A PART OF YOUR TRIP? Yes
65 WHAT IS THE TOTAL AMOUNT IN GBP(£)? 1500

@skumar

Was just reading your posts/thread.
Interested to enquire if your visa visit application was successful with all the documents you required.

Thanks in advance

Pls read my above reply.
It was refused and we have no chance to appeal or ask for administrative review too.

I'm inclined to apply again with correction to these questions.

Can anyone see anything wrong in the way I answered ?

The only things i can spot is you have nothing in 59 or 60. Assuming that her other son provides for her. But maybe she would have some expenses if her own even if only little.
If not who provides for her.
Also the question about the money to bring - you put 0 in that - i assume you will be buying any gifts for her to take back. I put in an amount in my application for my in-laws.
Other than that i can see nothing else.
The reasons given by the home office seem very bizzare.
How did you overcome the fact she has no source of income, no bank accounts, fixed deposits of property on her name?
Do we have to complete a declaration too? And who does that need to be certified by?
Thank you