Girlfriend Visitors Visa

[mattymx3]

Hi
Me and my girlfriend who is from the Philippines have known each other for 4 years and were planning on her coming here to the UK on a fiance visa. I have the 6 months current payslips and all documents needed except the letter from my employer. However, i was made redundant yesterday. If i am to find a job paying the £18,600 per year needed in say 2 weeks time, could i still use the 6 months payslips i got from the previous job 2 weeks ago? As it would take a month or so for them to get to her anyway via post. Or should we just apply for a visitors visa so we can be together for the 6 months while i earn the new payslips ? Would it make any difference to say we are boyfriend and girlfriend in the visitors visa, if we are then to go on and apply for the fiance visa when i get these 6 months payslips while she's here ?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated
Thankyou.

[noajthan]

A vist visa is not a gf/bf visa. And unless gf can prove she will return home at end of visit it may not be granted.
And a visit visa is not for residing, certainly not for 6 months.
You can see the difficulties around visit visas.

Best focus on original plan even if it leads to a slightly longer separation.

[Casa]

If your girlfriend decides to apply for a visitor visa she will have to declare that she has a boyfriend in the UK.

If she withholds this information you will have dug yourselves into a deep hole when the time comes to submit a fiance visa application as there will be no history of the relationship.

[mattymx3]

A vist visa is not a gf/bf visa. And unless gf can prove she will return home at end of visit it may not be granted.
And a visit visa is not for residing, certainly not for 6 months.
You can see the difficulties around visit visas.

Best focus on original plan even if it leads to a slightly longer separation.

Hi, thankyou for your reply.
Would it be okay if they know we are bf/gf for the visit visa, or would they refuse it ?
She would have a return ticket and a letter from her dad to say she is going to be working with her family in the family business on her return.
Also, as it would take about 1 month for her to receive the payslips and documents i would send for the fiance visa. Would they still be valid as there will be a gab of 1 month between my last payslip and her application date.

Thankyou.

[Casa]

The ECO may refuse the visitor visa if they believe there is a stronger reason for her to remain in the UK than to return to her home country, but you have no choice but to disclose the relationship if you have your hopes set on a fiance visa.

Withholding this and giving a false reason for the visit can be seen as deception and result in a ban for future visa applications.

As the sponsor of a fiance visa your most recent payslip & the corresponding bank statement must be no older than 28 days on the date the fiance visa application is submitted.

I would heed the advice noajthan has given you and accept a slightly longer period of separation, focusing on getting the fiance visa application spot on.

[CR001]

And why can't you courier the documents to her for the fiance visa application, it only takes 3-4 days to arrive.

[mattymx3]

The ECO may refuse the visitor visa if they believe there is a stronger reason for her to remain in the UK than to return to her home country, but you have no choice but to disclose the relationship if you have your hopes set on a fiance visa.

Withholding this and giving a false reason for the visit can be seen as deception and result in a ban for future visa applications.

As the sponsor of a fiance visa your most recent payslip & the corresponding bank statement must be no older than 28 days on the date the fiance visa application is submitted.

I would heed the advice noajthan has given you and accept a slightly longer period of separation, focusing on getting the fiance visa application spot on.

Hi
Yes our intention is to be totally truthful. If she has a letter from her dad stating that she will be working in the family business on her return, together with a return ticket, would that be sufficient you think ?

It says that you can pay to have help filling in the visa application to make sure it is correct. Any idea of how that would work ?

Also it says that you need to take a copy of the visa application with you to the visa centre. Would this just be a standard copy of her online application, or will this copy need to be hand written ?

Thankyou.

[CR001]

Hi
Yes our intention is to be totally truthful. If she has a letter from her dad stating that she will be working in the family business on her return, together with a return ticket, would that be sufficient you think ? Not likely if she is going to be 'visiting' for 6 months. Any parent can 'write a letter' but if she is not employed or studying full time, she has no real reason to return.

It says that you can pay to have help filling in the visa application to make sure it is correct. Any idea of how that would work ? Not a UKVI service. The mean paying an immigration advisor

Also it says that you need to take a copy of the visa application with you to the visa centre. Would this just be a standard copy of her online application, or will this copy need to be hand written ? The online one

Thankyou.

[Casa]

The ECO may refuse the visitor visa if they believe there is a stronger reason for her to remain in the UK than to return to her home country, but you have no choice but to disclose the relationship if you have your hopes set on a fiance visa.

Withholding this and giving a false reason for the visit can be seen as deception and result in a ban for future visa applications.

As the sponsor of a fiance visa your most recent payslip & the corresponding bank statement must be no older than 28 days on the date the fiance visa application is submitted.

I would heed the advice noajthan has given you and accept a slightly longer period of separation, focusing on getting the fiance visa application spot on.

Hi
Yes our intention is to be totally truthful. If she has a letter from her dad stating that she will be working in the family business on her return, together with a return ticket, would that be sufficient you think ? The ECO may not rely on a statement from a family member.

It says that you can pay to have help filling in the visa application to make sure it is correct. Any idea of how that would work ? If this is through the handling agent you can pay a premium fee to have a document check, but they won't complete the application for you. That's your responsibility. The premium fee also includes a separate lounge and your own assistant.

Also it says that you need to take a copy of the visa application with you to the visa centre. Would this just be a standard copy of her online application, or will this copy need to be hand written ? A copy of the online application which your girlfriend must sign.

Thankyou.

Edit: Beaten by CR001

[Casa]

VFS Global in Manila offer the following VIP services:

VIP premium lounge service
A VIP premium service lounge is available at the visa application centre. The service includes:
No queuing
Comfort and privacy
Personalised attention and service during the submission and biometric process
Free refreshments and snacks
Free courier pass-back
Free photocopying (maximum of 50 pages)
Free passport-sized photo (if required)
Free SMS and email alerts


https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/philippines ... ces.html#3

Edit: I also see that VFS in Manila do offer the additional service:
Form Filling Assistance
Digital Assist service is for applicants who need assistance in completing their online application on visa4uk. This service will allow VFS dedicated staff to complete the application form on the behalf of applicants.

The Digital Assist fee is Php 750 per application and available in Manila only. Payment can be made online or by cash when you attend your appointment at the visa application centre.

[mattymx3]

VFS Global in Manila offer the following VIP services:

VIP premium lounge service
A VIP premium service lounge is available at the visa application centre. The service includes:
No queuing
Comfort and privacy
Personalised attention and service during the submission and biometric process
Free refreshments and snacks
Free courier pass-back
Free photocopying (maximum of 50 pages)
Free passport-sized photo (if required)
Free SMS and email alerts


https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/philippines ... ces.html#3

Edit: I also see that VFS in Manila do offer the additional service:
Form Filling Assistance
Digital Assist service is for applicants who need assistance in completing their online application on visa4uk. This service will allow VFS dedicated staff to complete the application form on the behalf of applicants.

The Digital Assist fee is Php 750 per application and available in Manila only. Payment can be made online or by cash when you attend your appointment at the visa application centre.

Right i see. If it is only available in manilla however, does that mean that she will have to wait till she gets to the visa application centre before filling in the online document and they will help to get it right first time ?

[Casa]

I really don't know as this is the first time I've seen this 'digital service' offered by VFS Global. One word of caution though...I would be wary of relying on their 'expertise' as they are after all only agents and not UKVI immigration staff.

Their assistance won't guarantee the application is approved and there will be no redress if it's refused. The responsibility is still yours.

[mattymx3]

I really don't know as this is the first time I've seen this 'digital service' offered by VFS Global. One word of caution though...I would be wary of relying on their 'expertise' as they are only agents and not UKVI immigration staff. :idea

Thank you for looking into this for me. This is giving me a headache how difficult it is all made to be.

[Casa]

You may find this daunting at first, but you do have continuing support from the forum to see you through the process.

[CR001]

You may find this daunting at first, but you do have continuing support from the forum to see you through the process.

+1 and that is for any question you have, no matter how silly you think it might be, we will be here to help you (for free )

[noajthan]

A vist visa is not a gf/bf visa. And unless gf can prove she will return home at end of visit it may not be granted.
And a visit visa is not for residing, certainly not for 6 months.
You can see the difficulties around visit visas.

Best focus on original plan even if it leads to a slightly longer separation.

Hi, thankyou for your reply.
Would it be okay if they know we are bf/gf for the visit visa, or would they refuse it ?
She would have a return ticket and a letter from her dad to say she is going to be working with her family in the family business on her return.
Also, as it would take about 1 month for her to receive the payslips and documents i would send for the fiance visa. Would they still be valid as there will be a gab of 1 month between my last payslip and her application date.

Thankyou.

Anecdotally, the success rate for visit visas from Philippines is quite low.
It is hard to prove substantial ties to home country due to applicant's lack of property and business interests or professional grade employment etc.
And as a daughter the family ties are tenuous, after all there are many thousands of OFWs abroad in the world (no matter how strong personal/emotional family ties may be).

Suggest focus on fiance/spouse visa.

Don't forget fiance needs to complete the mandatory CFO/PDOS training before she will get her exit stamp to leave the country.
If not started suggest she enrols and gets onto it.
Good luck.

[mattymx3]

What is this PDOS and CFO ?

[noajthan]

What is this PDOS and CFO ?

Start here:
http://www.cfo.gov.ph/

[mattymx3]

Hi
My girlfriend from the Philippines plans to come here on a visit visa. However we are unsure of what ties to return to the Philippines she has that we could say. She will have just graduated college, so wont have a job to go back to just yet. All of her family and friends are there so we could say how all her family and friends are there for her to go back to. We're just about to apply for the visit visa but we are unsure of how to prove that she will return so that they grant her visa application.

Any suggestions on what she could say for proof of her return ?

any and all help would be appreciated
Thankyou

[noajthan]

Moved to correct forum as nothing to do with T1.

[CR001]

Topics Merged! Please keep ALL your questions on the same application in a single topic/thread (this one).

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