Short trip to visit sick family friend in the UK

[Noz03]

Hey guys, first post so go easy on me if I missed any obvious stuff.

I (a full British citizen) am actually writting this on behalf of my girlfriend who I live with in Turkey and I would like to take her with me to visit my sick grandmother for aproximately 1 week in early February. The problem is, she just graduated from university this year, isn't working any full time job and hasn't been accepted for her masters yet. She also has almost no money in the bank as her parents give her money each week. Is there any way?

My mother who is 100% British legally and by blood is planning to give an invitation letter, deed of her house, bank details with over 10,000 pounds and maybe a letter from my grandmothers doctor detailing that she has untreatable cancer (the main reason for this trip). Will this be enough? And is there anything else we can do?

I am actually engaged to my girlfriend although I was told it is better not to mention this unless we will apply for the expensive partner visa.

One more complication... Last year we travelled in SE asia, and actually spend around 4-5 months in Thailand (completely legally by using back to back tourist visas). I am also a bit worried they may consider this too long for a tourism stay, or am I just being paranoid?

Anyway, the question is: Would this situation be ok? And is there anything else I could do? Also, should my girlfriend book her flights in advance? We were planning to take cheap return tickets so in the case that we is rejected we would not be able to attain a refund. Or would it be better to take more expensive tickets that could be canceled if needed?

Thanks for any help at all. We have spent hours and hours going through online information but nothing is ever written so clear cut unfortunately

[Lucapooka]

It's a good reason to visit the UK if she can qualify for a visa based on her circumstances but she still has to fulfil the requirements of the visit visa rules the same as anyone else. She won't be given any compassionate consideration to visit her boyfriend's sick granny, in lieu of failing to satisfy those requirements.

[Noz03]

Well none of the requirements are so set in stone. The 2 things they want that I am most worried about are long term employment or proof that you are a student. This person is neither, as she is preparing for a masters next year but of which she has not yet been accepted by any specific university.

[Lucapooka]

Well none of the requirements are so set in stone.

Correct, but your question seemed to hint that you were hoping for the sick granny to be a vital component that would swing an otherwise difficult application. It won't!

[Noz03]

No I was asking if it would help to give a doctors note stating her condition as a legitimate reason. Although someone actually warned me it is a bad idea to use this as a reason but that never seemed to make any sense to me.

[Lucapooka]

A person in the UK does not need to be sick in order for a foreign friend or relative to pay them a visit. Nor is it necessary to provide a doctor's note to visit a person in the UK. You simply state that the purpose of your application is to visit that person. Nothing else is relevant.

[Noz03]

And considering that the foreign person is not currently working or studying anywhere, do you think they would generally be accepted?

Also, would buying nonrefundable return flights help the situation at all?

Sorry for so many questions, I just don't want my girlfriend to be rejected. It's also quite a lot of money to throw away if she didn't have a chance in the first place

[Lucapooka]

This application boils down to an overall risk assessment based on her profile, and it's not really possible to make predictions with regard to success. These decisions are often arbitrary but Turkish students are admitted as visitors to the UK by the planeload, and several times a day, so she stands as good a chance as anyone else in applying that category. The UKBA strongly recommends that tickets should not be purchased in advance of a visa decision. Furthermore, a confirmed return flight is no real indication of an intention to leave the UK.

[Noz03]

Turkish students are admitted as visitors to the UK by the planeload

I think you missed the important part of the story, she is not a student. She is currently not working or enrolled as a student anywhere. She is self studying for toefl before she will apply for a university in Germany, so nothing to show immigration.

[ban.s]

This application boils down to an overall risk assessment based on her profile, and it's not really possible to make predictions with regard to success.

as Lucapooka rightly pointed out, unfortunately, it's quite difficult for anyone here to predict success.

Non refundable tickets don't mean anything and are not required to be purchased in advance. You need to focus on evidences that prove her ties back to her home country. If you are unable to find anything tangible, you may still wish to take a chance based on other circumstancial evidences - in the worst case you'll lose the visitor visa application fee. You have to take a decision based on your priority and needs.

[Noz03]

This application boils down to an overall risk assessment based on her profile, and it's not really possible to make predictions with regard to success.

as Lucapooka rightly pointed out, unfortunately, it's quite difficult for anyone here to predict success.

Non refundable tickets don't mean anything and are not required to be purchased in advance. You need to focus on evidences that prove her ties back to her home country. If you are unable to find anything tangible, you may still wish to take a chance based on other circumstancial evidences - in the worst case you'll lose the visitor visa application fee. You have to take a decision based on your priority and needs.

Thanks. What other things could be used as evidence? At the moment the only thing I can think of is our rental agreement, but I doubt that holds so much weight.

Or is there anything else my mother who is inviting can do/show to help the application?

[ban.s]

visitor visa applicants need to provide two types of supporting evidence

1. evidence that the applicant would return back to the home country on completion of the visit (and not overstay)
2. evidence that the applicant can support him/herself in the UK without recourse to public fund.

any supporting documents from the UK based sponsor (e.g. accommodation proof etc) fall into # 2.

the applicant also needs to the find documents to prove her ties with home country to support #1