Visitor visa for mother

[sharadjain]

Hi,

I am planning to relocate to the UK with my spouse and daughter via Tier 2 General Visa and work in UK. I want to know if the only option my mother will have to come and stay with us is via General Visitor visa which allows one to stay only for a maximum of 6 months in UK?

In case I apply for a long term visitor visa for her (2 years), what has to be the time gap between multiple visits to UK? Kindly advise as this will determine if I do relocate to UK or not.

Thanks in advance.

[physicskate]

Hi,

I am planning to relocate to the UK with my spouse and daughter via Tier 2 General Visa and work in UK. I want to know if the only option my mother will have to come and stay with us is via General Visitor visa which allows one to stay only for a maximum of 6 months in UK?

In case I apply for a long term visitor visa for her (2 years), what has to be the time gap between multiple visits to UK? Kindly advise as this will determine if I do relocate to UK or not.

Thanks in advance.

In order to be approved, your mother would have to prove strong ties to your home country (financial responsibilities, land, business etc...). She would be allowed to stay for a max of 6 months, but that does not mean it wouldn't be less.

As a visitor, you should not be 'living' in the UK, so the general rule of thumb is that you should not be here for more than 6 months in 12. Your mother should show a history of obeying immigration rules in order to apply for a long term visitor visa. A history would probably be a series of short term visas...

Well done for doing your research and making decisions based on your family - we see a lot of knee-jerk reactions here for the lack of 'chain' migration for family members...

[sharadjain]

Thanks a lot for the response. It is much appreciated.

[pentatonic]

For what it's worth, in 2008 both my parents were granted a 10-year visit visa the very first time they applied for one. They applied a few months after their first-ever visit to the UK. I was about to start my degree course and we just put down on the form that they are planning to visit the UK once a year for the foreseeable future. A notable point is that at the time I haven't even left for the UK yet: I was applying for my student visa at the same time.

They have since been visiting me for 2-3 weeks each year for the past 6 years without trouble.

As always, this is our personal experience and your mileage may vary.

[sahalya06]

Hi..

This is Pavithra. My parents got a 6 months family visitors visa in july and came to the uk in august and been staying with me till now. Their visa is getting expired by january 16th and they are leaving on the 10th of jan. In the meanwhile i became pregnant and may need my mom's support in june as i am due. I heard there should be 6 months gap between the visits. If i want my mom to come by may end is it possible to apply for a family visit visa again for her?

[secret.simon]

They have since been visiting me for 2-3 weeks each year for the past 6 years without trouble.

That is how a long term visit visa works. Visit visas are meant for short visits, not for having somebody stay over.

My parents got a 6 months family visitors visa in july and came to the uk in august and been staying with me till now. Their visa is getting expired by january 16th and they are leaving on the 10th of jan.

And this is how to make getting another visit visa difficult.

I heard there should be 6 months gap between the visits. If i want my mom to come by may end is it possible to apply for a family visit visa again for her?

There is no rule that states that that there must be a 6 month gap. But visits are meant to be short and infrequent. The Rules state that the applicant (your mother) must be visiting and not residing in the UK in the guise of a visit. That leads to an understanding that she should have stayed longer in her country of normal residence than in the UK.

It is possible for her to get a visit visa again, if you explain in a cover letter why she would like to visit again so soon after a six month sojourn in the UK. I would suggest that if she is granted a visit visa for that trip, that she does not apply for another visit visa for the next two-three years.