Help! Standard Visitor Visa -the Rubik's Cube of bureaucracy

[tyldob]

Hello everyone,

I am currently in the process of planning my assault on the web of red tape that is the UK General Visitor Visa for my girlfriend in Indonesia.

She plans to stay here for approximately 14 days and then leave as is her legal duty. However, after looking at the requirements for the visa, there is a frequently occuring and ambiguous statement that says she needs "sufficient funds". Try as I might, I have found no elaboration of what constitutes sufficient funds.

The sufficient funds is a natural predator of intercontinental romance it would seem.

My girlfriend is an English teacher and earns a reasonable amount of money (relative to her locale, that is). I however have a wonderful retail job (and you know how much they pay) that doesn't leave me with loads of money, plus, my bank account is still bed ridden with overdraftitus from the university years.

From what I know, this means that I cannot sponsor the visa and we have no clear target of what to save for to get the visa.

After some thought however, we came up with the following strategies.

1. Create an itinerary with generous estimates, and raise funds in an account to prove we can afford it.

2. My flatmate, who is no relation to my girlfriend, is the sponsor of the visa.

3. Win the lottery.

4. Meet geographically half way in Syria, I have heard the weather is lovely this time of year.

But from anyone else's experience or knowledge, what does sufficient funds actually mean and how can we obtain them to get the most basic of visas?

I look forward to any replies and thank you in advance!

[noajthan]

Most important thing to do is to demonstrate visitor's ties to home country to ensure the visitor will return home at end of stay.

Good luck.

[tyldob]

Thanks for your reply Noajthon,

I get what you mean, but other than a letter from her employer, how else does one demonstrate that? A family picture or letter from her parents?

[Casa]

The itinerary plan with a budget is a good one...in addition to Noajthan's advice on the importance of showing ties to the home country. The ECO will be most concerned that you may give your girlfriend such a good time here that she won't be keen to leave.

[secret.simon]

Standard Visitor Visas - The rubix cube of bureaucracy

a natural predator of intercontinental romance

my bank account is still bed ridden with overdraftitus

I just love the colourful vividness of your language. What did you study at uni? Have you looked into writing dramas in your spare time? Or a (non-paying) hobby or career that utilises your vocabulary and expressiveness more fully?

I however have a wonderful retail job

Hopefully that is more substantive than stacking shelves.

Remember that if the relationship were to progress further (in the direction of matrimony), you would need to demonstrate an annual income of £18,600 per annum to have her stay in the UK as a spouse.

a letter from her employer, how else does one demonstrate that? A family picture or letter from her parents?

Both good options. The letter from the employer should say that the employee (your girlfriend) has leave of so many days and is expected to resume on a specified date. That strengthens the case that your GF will leave before then.

The fact that the parents and family members will remain in the home country is also a good link back to the UK.

I would suggest that she not state that she has a BF in the UK at any time, merely that she is coming to the UK to explore the culture or something equally anodyne.

The itinerary plan is also a good idea, as it would show that she is travelling the UK on her own.

a natural predator of intercontinental romance

Remember that the Home Office is not here to judge situations based on emotions. It is here to ensure that Rules that are drafted by elected ministers are met.

[noajthan]

Thanks for your reply Noajthon,

I get what you mean, but other than a letter from her employer, how else does one demonstrate that? A family picture or letter from her parents?

Job, yes;
Educational commitments (eg enrolled at uni);
Family ties;
Assets - house, land (or business interests) & etc.

[noajthan]

4. Meet geographically half way in Syria, I have heard the weather is lovely this time of year!

Syria is not visa-free for Thai nationals.
- but many countries are.

So you could meet each other halfway:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requ ... i_citizens

[Casa]

@secret.simon the golden rule in visa applications is never to withhold information that might adversely affect a visa application either at the time of submission or in the future. If the existence of a boyfriend isn't declared in this visa application, and the relationship progresses to marriage the background history would be non-existent when submitting a fiance or spouse visa application.

[secret.simon]

@secret.simon the golden rule in visa applications is never to withhold information that might adversely affect a visa application either at the time of submission or in the future. If the existence of a boyfriend isn't declared in this visa application, and the relationship progresses to marriage the background history would be non-existent when submitting a fiance or spouse visa application.

True, Casa. But the ways human relationships develop in coming together and growing apart are too diverse to align completely with rules and laws, be they of a religion, ethnicity or nation-state. Excuse the philosophical frame of mind.

I request the OP to disregard my earlier advice, but keep in mind that by stating that she has a BF in the UK, the applicant GF will have proven a possibility of settling in the UK and that possibility would need to be countervailed by equal or stronger evidence of links to the home country.

[Casa]

My other point would be that the itinerary would be on the weak side if she was claiming to be following it all on her own.

[tyldob]

Once again, thank you everyone for your helpful advice and replies; apologies for the delay in mine.

I just love the colourful vividness of your language. What did you study at uni? Have you looked into writing dramas in your spare time? Or a (non-paying) hobby or career that utilises your vocabulary and expressiveness more fully?

I studied Film Production in university and I still write in my spare time. And yes, my talents and skills are wasted in retail. In terms of earning £18,600, I am well aware of this and plan to give the middle finger to the retail sector as soon as possible, for more reasons that just the romantic ones.

I would suggest that she not state that she has a BF in the UK at any time, merely that she is coming to the UK to explore the culture or something equally anodyne.

I have to agree with Casa on this one, I know a guy who knows a guy who said that they stretched the truth this way on their visa application. And somehow, the man found out about it! Anyway, there were no serious repercussions but the Home Office did bring it up every time since. All rumours and superstition I'm sure, but not worth risking for the long run.

Also, the itinerary is definitely a couples one. What female in their right mind would go to the Harry Potter Studio without dragging their unfortunate male counterpart along too?

But on a serious note, the address she will be staying at is my one. It's like a free hotel and I'll be damned if I have her staying in a cheap backpackers' hovel.

The letter from the employer should say that the employee (your girlfriend) has leave of so many days and is expected to resume on a specified date. That strengthens the case that your GF will leave before then.

Job, yes;
Educational commitments (eg enrolled at uni);
Family ties;
Assets - house, land (or business interests) & etc.

The itinerary plan with a budget is a good one...in addition to Noajthan's advice on the importance of showing ties to the home country. The ECO will be most concerned that you may give your girlfriend such a good time here that she won't be keen to leave.

Excellent advice Ladies and/or Gentlemen! I reckon this will be most useful! I guess to show family ties, we will need a copy of her Mother's house deed or employment? And Casa, if I could somehow prove to the ECO that my girlfriend has a Maid back home and I don't even have a dishwasher then I think that won't be a problem.

Syria is not visa-free for Thai nationals.
- but many countries are.

Poor Thais, they have it as hard as Indonesians.

Ty's Conclusions:

Right, from our discussion thus far, I have concluded the following conclusions.

- Itinerary and Budget, along with bank account loaded with dabloons.
- Letter from employer stating granted holiday start and end dates.
- Mother's passport and house deeds (my girlfriend does not own any property, she's from Jakarta not Tunbridge Wells)
- Some form of proof that she actually has a better quality of life there with her parents than with me at my current state of existence. i.e domestic workers and a really cute dog.

Ty's Confusions:

Alas, I'm not so good with red tape so the following still confuses me.

- Above mentioned proof about better quality of life. What does this kind of paperwork look like?
- The Home Office specifically asks for only 3 parts of information and any others will be disregarded unless asked for (but no clue as to what paperwork is actually needed on a case by case basis). Do we submit every bit of paperwork that you guys have suggested at the same time or wait until asked? I don't want them to reject the visa for not having enough paperwork. I understand that they are only doing their jobs, but we all know how officious the bloody government can be.

Once again, thank you very much for your replies, you have been very helpful and insightful! I think if I get through this successfully, I should write a how-to so other people in the same boat won't be as confused as I am.

[noajthan]

Once again, thank you everyone for your helpful advice and replies; apologies for the delay in mine.

... And yes, my talents and skills are wasted in retail. In terms of earning £18,600, I am well aware of this and plan to give the middle finger to the retail sector as soon as possible, for more reasons that just the romantic ones.

You could leave messages in the herb aisle by rearranging those little pots with the initial letter on them.

Syria is not visa-free for Thai nationals.
- but many countries are.

Apologies, my mistake with country; was meant to help but obviously doesn't.

[tyldob]

noajthan, maybe I could write my notice in herb pots? And no worries about the countries, I guess Thailand is a more commonly requested query.

But on another serious note, does anyone know what sort of official paperwork (other than a letter from the employer) is needed to prove that she has ties to her country?

On the plus side, her mother is an accredited translator so getting English copies of the paperwork shouldn't be an issue... I hope.

[tyldob]

http://www.immihelp.com/visitor-visa/young-persons.html

Specifically for the US, but I reckon the same principles apply for both nations.

What do you guys think?

[Casa]

IMHO looks good.