General Visit Visa Concerns...

[andreapg]

Hi everyone, I have a few questions about the general visitor visa. This is the current situation between my boyfriend and I.

We have been together for 3 years. Each time I've come to the UK, I've been detained for questioning because I didn't have a job. My boyfriend is able to financially support me (and has plenty of documentation to prove this). And in the states, I'm financially supported by my mother (who I live with) so I had chosen not work so I can be flexible with flight dates to be with my boyfriend. The last time I was granted entrance, I was advised that I would need a visa the next time I make a trip because it's "suspicious" that I have no means of income and that I'm able to spend long periods of time in the UK.

I have never overstayed my allowed time in the UK. I have never been refused entry. But, since I was advised to obtain a visa if I was going to be making frequent trips to the UK, I want to try for the 6 month general visit visa. As a couple, our intention is to eventually be married but we want to spend time as much time together in a regular boyfriend/girlfriend relationship as we can. I do now have a part time job in the US but it is a family business, very casual work (there hasn't been any work in the last 3 months), and I get paid in cash.

The only part of the visa application that worries me is the job part. I know they want to feel certain that I will return (and I always do! I want to follow the rules), but since my job is casual (and doesn't mind me leaving for months at a time), will this be a problem? I can have my boss write a letter explaining the job situation. But, as I'm submitting my bank statements too, there will not be any income shown. I have some payslips but they're months old.

I have every intention in returning to the states (in fact, I want to come back in May, so I won't even stay the full 6 months). My dad is going to provide a letter and his own bank statements to show that he is willing and able to make any deposits into my bank account should I need them. Do you think I'll have a hard time getting this visa application accepted?

I have not applied yet, I'm only preparing my documents at this point. Any advice is welcome, thank you!

[cs95tdg]

The two key areas that you will need to satisfy when applying for a visit visa are:

1) That you can maintain and accomodate yourself during your visit, without recourse to public funds.
2) That you intend to return to your country of residence at the end of your visit.

It's the second point which you appear to have trouble with. What you need to show here is how strong your ties are to your home country. Some examples of how this can be done are: Employment commitments - i.e. a letter by your employer confirming your holiday period & that you will return to work after that. Education Commitments - if you are in fulltime/parttime education, proof of that. Family ties, Any other commitments you have to where you live, which will show that you will return...

Your reasons could be a combination of one or more of the above. It would make things easier for your application, if your employment situation were more formal. I'd suggest that you give some thought to what other ties you can show as well that.

[vinny]

Just wanted to mention that I am American and my bf is from the UK. I always get a hard time when I go to England because every time I've come in, I was unemployed. On my most recent visit, I stayed for 5 months (and was detained for about an hour and a half, as usual). We had decided around the 3rd month that I was there, to go to Paris for 2-3 days. Going through Gare Du Nord was fine, fast, easy, the quickest passport stamp I had ever received. But, coming back, I was detained for almost 2 hours because I foolishly forgot to bring my travel documents with me. When I went to Paris, I had essentially left the UK and in taking the train back to England, I was asking for permission to enter the country again. Seems obvious now.

I had assumed that since Paris was a train ride away and we were only staying for 2 night, and I had already received my "leave to enter for up 6 months" stamp, that I would be fine but that was NOT the case. I got the biggest scare in the gare du nord passport control, I was told there was a good chance that I would be sent back to the states, I spoke to 3 different I/O's and eventually, the last woman sympathized and understood why I had made that assumption and allowed me in. Very scary!!!

I'm only letting you know so you can be sure that if you are going to France, that your girlfriend should have all her documentation with her.

I'm trying for a general visit visa this weekend for 2 months. I'll post a new thread letting everyone know of the outcome.

As the title suggests, I've just sent my application today. I have my biometrics appointment on Wednesday. I'm feeling really nervous because I keep reading people's threads here on why they've been refused.

I've attached a letter from my employer stating my occupation, salary, length of employment and that he expects me to return mid-May. I attached some pay slips but they are from July (because I was in the UK from August until January of this year). I've attached bank statements too but since I wasn't working, because I was away, there's nothing in there (maybe 2 dollars or something).

I have letters and bank statements from my parents and my boyfriend (who is English) who can show that they more than accommodate my finances. I don't think I'll have any problem proving that I won't need "work or recourse to public funds".

I have letters demonstrating my social ties to my home country and my boyfriend's attached all the paperwork from his employer and his house. I'm just nervous that because I don't have recent payslips, I'll be refused! It seems like a silly detail but I feel like a lot of people who have been refused have been over little details. Can anyone ease my mind on this? Am I freaking out for no reason or is this a valid reason to be refused?

If this comment is with regard to some on-going thread about you and your circumstances, it would make more sense for those who are interested to hear about your situation, if you attached your sequel to that existing story.