Where do I provide sponsorship documents

[takechair]

Hello there!

I'm looking to sponsor my girlfriend to visit me in the UK from Guatemala. I understand I need to provide sponsorship documents showing my income, bank statements, citizenship, suitable accomodation etc. However how do I provide these documents. Do i bring them to the airport - what would the procedure be when i get there? Or do i send them to her in Guatemala? Its a bit confusing.

[Lucapooka]

You send them to her location and she submits them with her application (in Bogota Columbia). However, Guatamalans don't need to apply for visit visas for the UK.

Is she unable to provide her own financial means for this visit?

[takechair]

Hey thanks for your reply. Yeah i know she can apply on arrival in the airport right. But then would i need to send her the documents and then she brings them to the airport with her? Because it says here...

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... rsarrival/

...that i need to bring them to the airport. But then how would that work? Its so confusing. Thats right she only has $500 not enough for her visit i need to provide the rest!

[Lucapooka]

Really depends on her situation and how well you know her.

If she already has a few stamps in her passport (showing she has visited other countries) and has credit cards, she may not need anything; or at the very least she should have a letter from you inviting her to stay. If she does not have any financial means of her own, and you are completely funding her visit, then it gets more complicated. Have you actually met? What does she do?

[takechair]

Hi! Yes I know her pretty well i think we spent 4 months together last year. She was my Spanish teacher there, she works in a school so doesn't get paid very much. She's going to come over for 3 months so $500 really isnt going to go far its going to be me really completely funding her visit. Not sure if she has a credit card. She visited Mexico before she has a visa in her passport for that. Thats all. So i guess I will send her something like the sponsorship letter and sponsorship declaration in the 'sticky' section. But as to my supporting documents im not sure whether to send them to her or bring them to the airport?

[Greenie]

Hi! Yes I know her pretty well i think we spent 4 months together last year. She was my Spanish teacher there, she works in a school so doesn't get paid very much. She's going to come over for 3 months so $500 really isnt going to go far its going to be me really completely funding her visit. Not sure if she has a credit card. She visited Mexico before she has a visa in her passport for that. Thats all. So i guess I will send her something like the sponsorship letter and sponsorship declaration in the 'sticky' section. But as to my supporting documents im not sure whether to send them to her or bring them to the airport?

she will need to provide them to the immigration officer at the airport in order to obtain entry as a visitor. you will not be able to go over to where she is, and she will not be able to go over to where you are, until she has been granted entry. She needs to make sure she has your contact details in case they want to speak to you.

[takechair]

Hey thanks for your response! Yes that makes perfect sense. But what is confusing me is that it says here...

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... rsarrival/

... to bring the documents to the airport. What do you make of that?

[Lucapooka]

I think for the very small percentage of people whose circumstances are in doubt, it's good for them to be met at the airport by their sponsor. It's a judgement call that is difficult to predict or know the outcome. They don't stop everyone and profiling is used to filter for anyone who might look out of place.

In the past, my Brazilian girlfriend never had any problems visiting me in the UK and was never asked any questions on her arrival other than the purpose of her visit. She was never asked to show any supporting documents.

I think the reason for this is because she was 30 at the time, did not look poor, had other visa stamps in her passport to the USA and others, and could speak fluent English. If, indeed, she had been asked for supporting documents she would have shown her credit cards, papers relating to her work etc. I certainly never gave her any letter saying she was coming to see me although that is what she told the officer she would be doing. She was self-sufficient in spite of me.