Help required regarding Visit Visa for Chinese GF

[JamesB]

Hi, 1st post on here so will try and be brief and factual for you all to decide If I am making any mistakes or going to encounter any problems! Quite a nervous thing doing this for both of us.........

About us-

Met in Dubai last may where we both had residency Visa's, been together since then. I left dubai in December she left in January for Chinese New year where I flew to china and stayed with her for 3 weeks 22nd Jan- 15th Feb, visa in Passport and entry/exit stamps for China.
She has decided to stay in China now and do the Uk visitor visa in person in Shanghai (I will sponsor her), her UAE residency we have now cancelled. We intend her to stay for a maximum 3/4 months with a set itinerary which we will also take to meeting in Shanghai.

About me-

35 Separated
Been in new job in UK 2 months take home 2k per month, Only have 1 payslip.
New UK bank account so only have I statement.
Little savings now having spent 2k ish for new year in china!
Rented house which is in mothers name though the £600 per month rent I pay and is on bank statement.
Letter of invitation no problem from mother as house is in her name.


About her-

39 Separated
Unemployed now in China
No Savings as all her money from UAE she sent to her father and mother for her house (Thats in fathers name)
A dependant daughter 16 years old and at school.
Had numerous trips to the UAE before getting residency to stay with family there.

Long and short-

I am now supporting her family in China until we call time on relationship or as we plan we get married within a year and she can also work, (she is a highly skilled machinist in china and the UAE) and I can get her work here when allowed to do so. (She will have a private english tutor daily during her Visit Visa to improve her written english and reading-Do I mention this?)

Do we say we are a couple as neither of us are divorced, she has been estranged from husband for 4 years and lived away so can dissolve marriage easily in China, ( she is going to do this after the Visit Visa if we apply for Fiance Visa next time should she like the UK) Being separated should cause me no problems here? I am in the process of divorce now.

For Visa Application in Shanghai

I will send an itinerary for trip lasting 3/4 months max including visiting friends in Scotland and London with her and showing her our country, Provisional flight bookings and medical insurance for her stay here.

The Bank Statement

The Payslip

Letter of Invitation

A letter describing our friendship and the fact I stayed with her family in China

Sponsor supporting letter from Me.

Copy of my UK Passport

Would a character reference from a policeman etc help saying I am a of good character and law abiding help?

Your experience will be invaluable to make sure I make no mistakes, All advice is greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance

[JamesB]

Can anyone advise on any potential banana skins with this Visitor Visa please?!

[JamesB]

Anyone? I want to start the paperwork today?!

[MPH80]

It's very hard to comment on something like this because there's inevitably details left out.

However, here's the question (if I were an ECO) I'd be asking ... why is this woman going to return?

She wants to come for 3-4 months
She's unemployed
She's got a partner in the UK
She's got a daughter she's happy to leave (for 3-4 months!)
She's got no money
She's got no financial commitments in China - the house is in her Father's name.
You're supporting her family in China

I think that's a fairly big hole to plug personally.

On the plus side - she has family in China

M.

[JamesB]

She wants to come for 3-4 months..........

Enough time to improve her english and decide if she likes the UK enough to go for fiance visa next time, and spend our lives together (We are not children and she certainly does not just want to come here an a whim) Its a massive decision and one she/we will not take lightly.

She's unemployed.............

By choice, to do this. We both have/had residency in Dubai, In fact hers would still of had 2 years to run. The point of doing this now is she does not have to worry about getting employers letters etc or take a job and have a 3/4 month holiday straight away. She is highly skilled in a niche market. Sail Maker.

She's got a partner in the UK.................

This is the million dollar question, as we are both only seperated and not divorced are we best not to disclose this? Should the 3/4 month trial go to plan we will both make sure we are divorced before the Fiance visa. (easy for her as she has been seperated 4 years)

She's got a daughter she's happy to leave (for 3-4 months!).................

She has been working in Dubai for 4 years already........Sending all her money home to her Father to support the family.

She's got no money...................

She has penty, unfortunately its in her fathers account..........She lives like a Queen in china (Though in the eyes of the ECO you are correct) Though does the fact I am sponsoring her negate this fact?

She's got no financial commitments in China - the house is in her Father's name.
You're supporting her family in China.....................

Her father that does not work, the house is bought and paid for she has her parents and daughter to look after. I shall do this for her whilst she is in UK (though less than she sends them every month) But again I dont have to disclose this?

Thanks for your reply I want people to pick holes in this so I cover all bases.

[MPH80]

Enough time to improve her english and decide if she likes the UK enough to go for fiance visa next time, and spend our lives together (We are not children and she certainly does not just want to come here an a whim) Its a massive decision and one she/we will not take lightly.

I understand - my (now) wife came here on a tourist visa about 4-5 times before we got engaged and switched to a fiancee visa.

I would, personally, be blindingly open and truthful or you might cause yourself problems down the line.

Example - now "we are just friends and she wants to visit" would raise suspicions and a fiancee visa immediately upon return to China would be even more suspicious.

"We are together and this visit is to understand if she likes the UK and we can make a decision where to live, she then intends to return to China, complete her divorce and apply for a fiancee visa so we can marry in the UK" is more truthful and shows an understanding of the process.

She will have a private english tutor daily during her Visit Visa to improve her written english and reading-Do I mention this?

Having said be open and honest, you should be cautious about the studying element. There are visitor visas FOR studying and studying while here, even with a private tutor, might be considered a breach of visa. I, personally, wouldn't mention this at all.

(Note: We had a similar thing when my wife was on fiancee visa, we enquired about doing volunteer work at a local school - since she couldn't take employment - to be told that this would be considered employment and would be a breach of visa conditions)

She has penty, unfortunately its in her fathers account..........She lives like a Queen in china (Though in the eyes of the ECO you are correct) Though does the fact I am sponsoring her negate this fact?

No - your sponsorship only negates the need to prove funds for the trip. It doesn't mean that they won't be looking for financial ties to China to give a reason why she''ll return.

You've given lots of reasons for the visit - but throughout all of this you haven't actually addressed WHY she will return. To all intents and purposes it looks like she's already cut ties to China.

I don't know how you get around this - but I feel a well worded letter from her and you showing that you intend to follow the process would be sensible.

Personally - I would always advocate a letter from the applicant laying out their story. It tells your story the way you want it, rather than the bits and pieces you get in the form.

Think about it this way ... she needs to show (basically) three things in her application:

1) It's a genuine visit
2) She's got the funds for it (which you are showing)
3) She's going to return

I think you've got problems with 3 right now - which leads to doubts about 1.

I think you probably need to shore up your financial evidence too - I understand you only have one payslip and bank statement- but send evidence of your employment in the UAE. You should show evidence your mother owns the house (mortgage deeds/land registry) and the letter from her should confirm the commercial relationship you have. Your letter should outline the size of the house to ensure no overcrowding.

Copy of my UK Passport

Your passport copy should include all pages and should be certified.

Would a character reference from a policeman etc help saying I am a of good character and law abiding help?

Character reference for you makes no difference - it's her who is applying and her who they are interested in right now. As long as your finances are genuine - you're ok there.

I think, providing you can provide the truth about wanting to follow the process and the reason for the visit, you should be ok - but you're going to need to tred carefully. We had a friend who applied to visit a boyfriend recently and was turned down to the fact she didn't have a job at time of application - she had failed to include the new job she DID have (and would have been starting on her return) so it looks like she was cutting ties and leaving (despite her having a 7yo son).

If you want to be really cautious - I'd wait for a few months and build at least 2 more months payslips and bank balance - show a good healthy +ve balance too.

M.

[JamesB]

I would, personally, be blindingly open and truthful or you might cause yourself problems down the line.

Example - now "we are just friends and she wants to visit" would raise suspicions and a fiancee visa immediately upon return to China would be even more suspicious.



So I am better being honest and saying we are both seperated, but essentially still married? This is my biggest worry TBH......

The rest I now understand, I will elaborate the point she has always travelled to Dubai and returned home or extended Visa on time and the fact we want to pursue this relationship so will not jeopardise this with the 1st visitor visa application......

I will have payslip number 2 and statement number 2 in a week so will send 2 off I have also transferred 3k into that account now so it looks healthier after the China bashing!, though it was hard to spend money there.

The house is rented, only In my mothers name as I was away when it came up for rent, but the rent comes from my account and is on my statement, I can also send pictures of the fact I have 2 spare bedrooms etc?!

Thank you for your help.

[MPH80]

If the house is rented - you'll find there's probably a clause in the tenancy restricting the length of time visitors can stay.

As such - you'll need a letter of permission from the landlord.

You should include the tenancy agreement in the application.

[MPH80]

Oh - and a newly transferred fund of money into an account raises suspicions that the money is really there - include an explanation in your letter of where it came from.

[JamesB]

House is rented from my uncle, so its a simple you can rent the house for xyz a month ongoing. Hence why my mum just signed it for me whilst I was away..........

The 3k is a debt owed to me I get back this month which I will pay into my current account through a savings account to save answering questions about lending my brother money and getting it back.

What a pain this is. Why do so many people abuse the system so legitimate people have such a problem? Seriously thinking about working in HK or Shanghai to save all this effort and having to explain my every penny.........It isnt like our country is a desirable place to be. Under paid, over taxed everything expensive and crap weather, brilliant.