visit visa enquiry - please help

[cremegg]

Hi

My friend wants to visit the UK from Turkey. He would like to come over in March. Looking at the UKBA site, he needs to have had money in the bank for 6 months - the amount they ask for is extortionate for a Turkish person and just not doable for him. Anyway, he has £2000 in his account that he has saved up but it's a new bank account and so won't be 6 months old (from the school of keep your money under your mattress!)

He needs to be back in Turkey around May/June time to work for the summer so it won't happen this year if he has to wait 6 months before applying. So we were thinking of sponsorship - I can sponsor him.

My question is what do they look for in a sponsor? I know that I must not have any benefits etc which is ok. Do they expect me to have thousands in my bank, or just have an income and a little over to be able to support him (an extra person at dinner is not going to break the bank)

With his £2000 and my sponsorhip, would they still want him to provide 6 months statements?

Also, I was bankrupt a few years ago because of a failed business, will they do a credit search or just look at what my status is now?

Thanks

Cremegg

[vinny]

See also Visitors - visa application guide and Sponsoring a general visitor.

Similar to visitors to the USA, visitors to the UK should show strong ties to home country.