Girlfriend's Visit Visa Refused

[Johnny100]

Hi all,

Just looking for some feedback after my GF's visitor visa was refused. I am a UK national and British citizen currently living in Cyprus where I met my GF 1.5 years ago (I have EU passport as well). She is in Cyprus on a temporary protection permit from Ukraine and has been since 2022. We wanted to come to the UK to stay for a week at my parents home for a Christmas trip. Because she works in hotels as a receptionist, it's currently off-season so she isn't employed.

I submitted our plans, where we would be staying (my house/parents house), letter of support/invitation and proof of funds that I would be paying for the trip and that I had to return for work to CY on 2nd January. Also submitted proof of relationship and evidence of immigration history including trips from CY to Italy, Switzerland together, and her own short trips to Germany and Greece in the recent year. I thought these trips would support the fact she is a trusted and honest visitor. She didn't have any phone contracts or assets in Cyprus like a car, but I submitted her bank account details as proof of having a bank account in Cyprus. Apart from that, I couldn't really show anything else other than my own status and ties to Cyprus.

The other thing is that if I was to return to the UK where I am still set up, I could become a sponsor for Ukraine and sponsor her to live in the UK so we would go down that route if she wanted to live in the UK, but it was just a week Christmas trip and surprised the visa was refused for such a simple visitor visa. I didn't realise it would be this complicated and thought it was closer to the VWP for the USA.

I think the only thing that could change in the next six months if we were to submit another visitor visa application would be if she was employed and had an employment contract and maybe a utility bill or phone contract to support her ties to the country of application which is Cyprus.

[CR001]

What was the exact reason for the refusal stated in the letter?

[Johnny100]

Sorry forgot to add. Just came back to do it now.

"I have refused your application for a visit visa because I am not satisfied that you meet the requirements of paragraph(s) V4.2 – V4.6 of Appendix V because
• You have applied for a visa to visit the UK for 6 days to visit your partner’s family. I acknowledge that your partner would fund your visit. However, having carefully considered all the information available to me, I am not satisfied that you meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules.
• You state that you are currently self-employed. However, from the information and documentation available to me, I am not satisfied that you have any income or assets in Cyprus.
• For the above reasons, I am not satisfied you have shown that, on the balance of probabilities, your circumstances are such that you will leave the UK at the end of your proposed visit. I am not satisfied that you are genuinely seeking entry as a visitor or intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit. Paragraph V 4.2 (a) (c) of the Immigration Rules."


Re the employment, she was and is contracted as a hotel receptionist between April-October and between October-April she is self-employed as a photographer and model, but it's not a monthly income and sporadic work. If I could go back in time, I would probably have her submit her salaries from the hotel from the spring/summer period and contract, but I thought because it's not her current situation it wouldn't affect anything. I thought as well me being a British citizen would help with the application i.e she's not coming alone, I am contracted and working in Cyprus so essentially I am the link and ties to Cyprus and she wouldn't stay in the UK because I am working and living in Cyprus and we are living together. Maybe it counted against us, but also maybe she has no current employment or assets also counted against us, but her work is seasonal and 8 months of the year so there is an explanation for that.

[meself2]

I didn't realise it would be this complicated and thought it was closer to the VWP for the USA.

Nope. Look up "visa refused" on these forums. It's quite a challenge to get a visa for certain categories of people.

• You state that you are currently self-employed. However, from the information and documentation available to me, I am not satisfied that you have any income or assets in Cyprus.

There is nothing that links her to Cyrpus (her current country of residence), which is a problem in this case.

I thought as well me being a British citizen would help with the application i.e she's not coming alone

It's a double edged sword (it also means she has a place to live indefinetely), but yeah, hiding the relationship would be unwise.

but also maybe she has no current employment or assets also counted against us, but her work is seasonal and 8 months of the year so there is an explanation for that.

Explanation is indeed present, but it's not the case of "everyone is approved by default unless something is off" - it's the opposite, your girlfriend needs to prove that her situation is satisfactory to get a visa.

I'm not a visa expert, so others are welcome to chime in, but I'll be frank - I don't think there's an easy way to overcome it. She would ideally have something that has ties to Cyprus, like a permanent role, and get a few payslips which also show she can afford it as well.

[alterhase58]

For UKVI the main concern around visitor visas is "will the visitor leave at the end of the stay". Without firm evidence of ties to the home/residence country they will opt for caution, íf in doubt they'll refuse. Being British as such doesn't help.

[Johnny100]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for the late reply, I only just got round to it. I went to the UK alone in the end, and when I returned to Cyprus, we went to Vienna for a short trip.

Yes, I was hoping because of her immigration history i.e numerous trips in the EU and returning to Cyprus everytime, alongside my ties to Cyprus (current employment, car, bills etc) and good standing and honesty it would be approved but as you both said, I think the timing didn't help, i.e her currently being unemployed and in addition not having any utility bills etc.

I would hope going forward, an employment contract, savings, regular payslips and similar to increase the ties for her to Cyprus would help with the travel visa.