General uk visit for girlfriend

[smivel]

Hi all,

Read a few posts about sponsorING a partner for a general visit and found them helpful regarding documentation etc and hoping someone can help my query.

I currently live in Colombia with my girlfriend and have done for 3 months, but I've been away from the UK for almost 2.5 years. Hence I have no uk income or savings. My mum owns the house she lives in and where me and my gf will stay during her visit, and my mum will act as the sponsor for her accomodation and maintenance, with the form SU07.

My question is whether it should be me who writes an invite letter to my girlfriend to visit or my mum? Or if I should write an invite to visit and my mum an invite for accommodation etc?

This is the main thing I'm not sure on, I think for all the rest of supporting documents we will be fine, my gf has a good reason to return to colombia and previous travel history to the UK and Spain to show she hasn't overstayed.

Also, I could probably get a letter of a job offer from my previous employer, would this be useful?

Thanks in advance!

[CR001]

You don't need SU07 for a visitor visa. It is not a requirement at all and is for a completely different visa category.

Your GF will have to prove, with documentary evidence, what her strong ties are to Colombia, what her financial and personal circumstances are etc.

Are you returning with your GF to Colombia after the visit?

[smivel]

Ah ok thanks.

I'm not too sure yet, the visit will hopefully be for 6 months so it will give us plenty of time to decide, I guess it's more likely to be approved if I was planning to return to colombia so there would be less reason for her to stay?

Any idea about the job offer thing?

[Wanderer]

Ah ok thanks.

I'm not too sure yet, the visit will hopefully be for 6 months so it will give us plenty of time to decide, I guess it's more likely to be approved if I was planning to return to colombia so there would be less reason for her to stay?

Any idea about the job offer thing?

Be careful about a full six months - the general census re visits it's 2/3 weeks here and there. Visits not residing....

Read the forum, lots of issues re: the above...

[CR001]

Also, I could probably get a letter of a job offer from my previous employer, would this be useful?

Also, be careful of submitting paperwork that is not 100% genuine, HO do check these things and the validity/authenticity of paperwork.

Even if she got a visa and you stayed for 6 months, she will still have to leave as she will not be permitted to change into any other category of visa. She also won't have any access to NHS services or be allowed to do any type of work, not even volunteering.

[smivel]

Yeah I'm panning to actually speak to my old boss about it so it wouldn't be anything that isn't genuine. Do you think this would help the application?

Be careful about a full six months - the general census re visits it's 2/3 weeks here and there. Visits not residing....

Read the forum, lots of issues re: the above...

So how would I word the application for a stay of longer than 2/3 weeks? I guessed that if the visa is available for that long then it wold be possible to get with the Right documents.

[Wanderer]

Yeah I'm panning to actually speak to my old boss about it so it wouldn't be anything that isn't genuine. Do you think this would help the application?

Be careful about a full six months - the general census re visits it's 2/3 weeks here and there. Visits not residing....

Read the forum, lots of issues re: the above...

So how would I word the application for a stay of longer than 2/3 weeks? I guessed that if the visa is available for that long then it wold be possible to get with the Right documents.

You can't. A visit is just that. Maybe try to justify 6 weeks or a month or so but I'm sure you'll agree a visit isn't 3/4 months let alone 6.

It's a balancing act, the longer the requested visit, the less credence the IO will put on it. My other half's lot are from Russia, not the most popular people now in UK Gov eyes, but they get 2/3 week visit visas no issue, valid for six months sure, third visit due now at end of said visa, but the fact is if you say 2/3 weeks and stick to it, you're golden, you say six months it's no visa. Also you say 2/3 weeks and you stay 6 months, no more visit visas most likely.....

Remember the UK Std Visit Visa has six months VALIDITY, thats all it is, doesn't mean six months residency or even anything like a six month 'visit'.....

Whilst there is no fixed rule, the term in use on the immigration desks on entry is 'genuine visitor'. You have to ask yourself that question and decide.

[CR001]

Your girlfriend has to convince the UKVI that she is a 'genuine visitor'. Your 'possible job' is not likely to have much of an impact, although it could be viewed as a negative aspect with UKVI suspecting the intention for your GF to stay in the UK and using a visitor visa to circumvent the more difficult unmarried partner visa etc.

[smivel]

Ah ok I see your point. Will probably try for 3 weeks then.

What about the invitation letter? Would one from my mum (the house owner where we would stay) for accommodation and one from me for the visit with an itinerary be useful?

[CR001]

Yes, letter should be fine. Make sure it includes both your names.

[smivel]

Ok thanks for the replies and advice.