Visitor visa en-route to Canada

[abuhaneefah0]

Hi All,
I am hoping for some advice.

I want to apply for a standard visitor visa for my aunt so she can pass through the UK and spend a few days in the UK on the way to Canada from Bangladesh.

I applied for a visitor visa for her to visit my uncle (her brother) in Canada who is terminally ill with cancer, the visa was granted and the passport is currently with VFS for the visa to be put in.
I will be accompanying my aunt to Canada and intend to join her from London.

It is currently very cold in Canada and was hoping that I could apply for a visitor visa in the UK for a week or so to allow us to get my aunt to buy the necessary clothes and let her rest and acclimatise a little to the cold as she has never travelled to these climates.

I applied for a visitor visa a few years back for the UK so she could visit us but it was refused and the reason that was given was that they did not believe that she would leave the UK after her visit.

I have a letter from the Hospital in Canada stating that her brother is terminally ill with around 2 months life expectancy and will have a visa to Canada too so they should not have this reason any more.

My alternative is to apply for a transit visa but I don't think this is long enough.

Can anyone help me with expected timelines to apply for a visitor visa and what my chances are of getting it?

My Aunt is a retired widow and does not have a business but they have substantial property and children and grandchildren in Bangladesh.

She has no desire to come and live her in the UK but would like to visit us here occasionally.

Can anyone advise me on what route to take (Visitor/Transit).

Please bear in mind it is time critical, I really need to get her to Canada by April in order to see my uncle.

Thanks in advance

[meself2]

As it states for Transit Visa:

Apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you’ll be going through UK border control but leaving the UK within 48 hours.

It would probably be too short for you and you'll have to explain that there isn't a shorter flight (and I'd expect there would be) while she's passing in transit. Might have to go Visitor route.

[abuhaneefah0]

As it states for Transit Visa:

Apply for a Visitor in Transit visa if you’ll be going through UK border control but leaving the UK within 48 hours.

It would probably be too short for you and you'll have to explain that there isn't a shorter flight (and I'd expect there would be) while she's passing in transit. Might have to go Visitor route.

The longest Transit I can find is arriving 7am and leaving 4pm the next day.
This is my backup plan, but ideally I would have her stay with us for a week.

The question is, what are my chances? Will this ruin my chances of getting a visitor visa in future? If the visitor visa is declined, can I go transit visa instead?
Also Transit visa states 3 weeks, how long will visitor visa application take?

[meself2]

The question is, what are my chances? Will this ruin my chances of getting a visitor visa in future? If the visitor visa is declined, can I go transit visa instead?

Nothing will legally stop you from applying for a transit visa after refusal, but I feel like for immigration authorities it might look like an attempt to get her to UK one way or another with no good intentions. Did the situation change since the last time she was refused?
Can't advise on the rest, but I assume more experienced members of the board will give you a hand.

how long will visitor visa application take?

Timelines can be found in this topic - general-uk-immigration-forum/visitor-vi ... 12112.html . Keep it mind in may vary for location/situation/etc.

[abuhaneefah0]

The question is, what are my chances? Will this ruin my chances of getting a visitor visa in future? If the visitor visa is declined, can I go transit visa instead?

Nothing will legally stop you from applying for a transit visa after refusal, but I feel like for immigration authorities it might look like an attempt to get her to UK one way or another with no good intentions. Did the situation change since the last time she was refused?
Can't advise on the rest, but I assume more experienced members of the board will give you a hand.

how long will visitor visa application take?

Timelines can be found in this topic - general-uk-immigration-forum/visitor-vi ... 12112.html . Keep it mind in may vary for location/situation/etc.

The reasons they gave for refusal last time


They made several mistakes in this, one is that she never stated that her son was 10 years old, she stated he was over 18 but still living at home with him.

As far as the Bank statements were concerned, she is a widow and not educated, her children deal with everything financially and most of the money will go through their accounts.

I have opened an account for her and we have put close to £4000 of her savings into the account, however this was only opened in January.

Most things in Bangladesh are dealt with in cash and not through accounts.

[abuhaneefah0]

Just an update, I spoke to an Immigration advisor who informed me that getting a visitor visa would be unlikely due to her previous refusal.
He said the Canada visa makes no difference to the case worker.

He said "transit is fine, if you want the other one, then you would need strong letters and to address the last refusal "

Based on this advise I am considering just applying for the Transit visa as it's better for my aunt to see everyone for a day rather than no days.

[abuhaneefah0]

Just bumping this in case anyone can help me

[abuhaneefah0]

An update.
The transit visa was granted, they took 8 weeks to process it, my uncle died whilst waiting for UKVI to process the visa!
My aunt will be visiting the family and her brothers grave and staying with the family for a couple of months.
I am thinking of applying for a standard visit visa from Canada , the 48 hours transit is valid on the way back but we want her to spend a few weeks with her grandchildren here in the UK.

Does anyone know if an application made in Ottawa Canada will be sent to New Delhi for processing for a Bangladeshi passport holder ?

[secret.simon]

To the best of my knowledge, one can only make a UK visa application from a country where one has a right of residence. I believe that you can't make a visit visa application while on another visit visa in a country where the applicant does not have a right of residence.

So it is likely that your aunt will only be able to make a UK visit visa application from Bangladesh (unless she has residency/non-visit-visa rights in another country).

[abuhaneefah0]

Simon,
Thanks for your reply.
I can't see anything that states what you are saying.
Could you try and find a reference to this somewhere ?
It would be helpful because what you state could well be true.
My aunt has a temporary resident visa in Canada, this allows her to stay 6 months at a time for a period of 5 years.

When I go onto the Government site to apply it asks me where I want to apply from and the nationality, it doesn't ask me anywhere about the visa she holds and it will let me apply.