Desperate for Some Advice Re Visitor Visa Application

[ant101]

My apologies if any of the below has been covered in other posts, but as I have a few questions I thought it would be better to post a new topic!

I am a UK Citizen and aged 43 and my partner is from The Philippines and only 23. We initially met through a chat room online 6 months ago and over the past few months it has become very serious between us. In August I took the plunge and travelled there to meet with him and we spent 2 weeks together, where I met his family and we got to know each other much more.

We have now decided that it would be a good idea for him to come to the UK for 6 months and basically see how we go with him living with me. And this is where the problems start, as neither of us really have a clue the best way to go about applying for a General Visitor Visa, suffice to say-whether to just lay our cards on the table and be completely honest about the fact that, having spent the past few months talking everday on the phone, my visiting there and meeting his family, him talking with my family regularly, that the next step we would like to take is for him to stay with me in the UK for 6 months. Or would we be better saying we are just friends incase they think we are going to attempt to instigate a civil partnership while he is here.?

The initial problem we want to get over is that whoever is looking at the application is probably going to see a guy of 43 from the UK who is with a guy of only 23 from a poor country with little money-And then make the assumption that he is just with me for money and to get out of The Philippines. I was going to write in my sponsor letter for him the absolute truth-that he has NEVER asked me for any money or anything else for that matter, and has only ever expressed a desire to be with me. We both in a nutshell just want the opportunity to be able to try living together and take it from there slowly. He would have to return to The Philippines after 6 months as he has been offered a job there, which is being held open for him until he returns from the UK, we have the letter from the employer which he would take to his visa interview-and I would also be travelling back with him to stay for a month. So would this be ok to put that in a letter of sponsorship, together with the info about how we met, feel about each other etc?

The 2nd thing I am slightly concerned about is that, presently I receive public funds-namely housing/council tax benefit and Income Support. I am actively seeking employment though, and from what I have read, the fact that I am in receipt of benefits should not be enough grounds for a visa to be refused, as they are my benefits and not his. And providing that him living with me does not mean I or he is entitled to extra money this should not be a cause for refusal. I have also been saving like mad and, with the help of some family members, have funds of almost £5,000 specifically set aside for the 6 months that he would be here for-would this be enough as in my mind it would be-but obviously it is not what I think that matters! I am also taking out medical/health insurance for him for his stay, firstly incase he needs it but also to try and show the visa people that we have thought everything through and are trying to be responsible.

The final problem that is causing me a great deal of worry is that my home is a 2 bed property and I am a tenant of a housing association. Because I wanted to do everything by the book I telephoned them and asked them if they would be willing to write me a letter stating that I am a tenant of theirs and that it would be ok for my partner to stay with me as an unpaying guest for upto 6 month. I did not think that this would be a problem as it does state in my tenancy that I am allowed to have guests to stay. Their response was that they would not authorise someone staying with me for that length of time, and, besides which, I would also have to inform Housing Benefit etc! I am quite happy to do this but it still does not solve the problem of them not being willing to give me permission to have him here-in which case I am prepared to break the rules regarding them, as in my mind this stupid rule serves no purpose whatsoever. And I did wonder also if they maybe breaking some sort of human rights law by refusing my request, as in essence they are making it difficult to give our relationship a chance in refusing to give permission for him to stay with me, which may seriously damage our application for his visa.

I do apologise for banging on and I really do hope that someone out there could maybe point us in the right direction, as we really do not want to muck our application up.

[mulderpf]

Let's see if I can answer some of your questions...

1. You say your partner wants to apply for a visitor visa to see how it goes for him living here. A visitor visa is not for trial living together and there should be a very realistic expectation for him to leave after 6 months. Coming here to see if you can live together does not address that expectation, as it would then seem like he is likely to stay if things pan out the way that you want.
2. The funds seem reasonable - I think the accepted minimum is £172 per week.
3. The immigration officer wouldn't really care too much about medical insurance.
4. Do you really think it is fair that the tax-payer pays to have your partner come and live with you at their expense for 6 months. I'm no expert in benefits, but there is definitely no breach in human rights as you have only met this guy once!

A visit visa is probably not a feasible option. As your partner has a job lined up back home and you don't have a job here with substantial savings, why don't you join him in the Philippines to see how it is living together?

Even if he had to apply for a fiance visa, he can't work for 6 months and you'll have to get a civil partnership within those 6 months. You probably qualify, but based on everything you say, it definitely seems like you should be the one to go over to the Philippines.