Partner Refused Tourist visa, chances of Settlement Visa?

[-Woody-]

Firstly i apologise if this is in the wrong section. All the terms and types of visa is quite confusing to me.

Our story:

Im a british citizen and I met my Egyptian girlfriend back in April 2011 while on holiday. Since then i have been over to Egypt twice. We fell in love from day one and have called for hours every day and messaged each other over 100,000 times. We cant stand to be apart from one another. Im visiting her again next week and we intend to marry and have it legalized in the UK. I want to be with her as soon as possible but have commitments in the UK so cannot move to Egypt. We have applied for a tourist visa a couple of times but been refused on petty circumstances. After we marry we intend to apply for a settlement visa.

My questions are:

What are the chances of her getting a settlement visa after being refused twice for a tourist visa and applying so close after marriage?

We have also looked into a administration review of our refusal but have been quoted over £400. Are the success rates of appeals/reviews high? Would it be easier to try get a tourist visa then apply for settlement while in the UK?

This process is very upsetting, confusing and frustrating. How two countries can keep two people apart is heart breaking although i do understand why its like this. I just want the quickest and easiest way for us to be together in the UK and are running out of money fast.

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated

[MPH80]

What are the chances of her getting a settlement visa after being refused twice for a tourist visa and applying so close after marriage?

All cases are decided on their own merits - but providing you meet the other criteria (language, finance, relationship) - the previous tourist refusals shouldn't unduely affect the spouse application - although it might be looked at a bit more closely.

We have also looked into a administration review of our refusal but have been quoted over £400. Are the success rates of appeals/reviews high? Would it be easier to try get a tourist visa then apply for settlement while in the UK?

You cannot switch from a tourist visa to a settlement visa from within the UK - your partner would have to return to egypt anyway. I wouldn't bother if you're going to go down the settlement visa route.

running out of money fast

This concerns me. You'll need to show you can support your partner without recourse to further public funds. If money is already running out and we're talking about a couple of visits to egypt (at, let's say £300 each for flights + spending money) and two tourist visa apps (at £70 each) this might be a problem.

Also keep in mind that a settlement visa is £810 - over 10 times the cost of visitor visas.

M.

[-Woody-]

Thanks for your reply.

On the areas for applying for settlement, language is not a problem. I believed her to be English when we meet its that clear. Relationship concerns me as we have not been together long and would have married recently. Only thing we have to prove the relationship is my visits and our messages. Financially although I am running out of money fast as it stands I still have £2k but with the settlement visa costs this would go down. I am saving small amounts on a monthly basis.

[Kitty]

What were the "petty circumstances" given as the reasons for refusing the visit visa applications?

If you marry in Egypt and the marriage is legal in that country, then you won't need to "legalise" it in the UK.

On the other hand, if for some reason you cannot marry lawfully in Egypt, and you are just going for a ceremony of some kind, bear in mind that your partner cannot enter the UK with a spouse visa in that case. She would then need to come to the UK on a fiancée visa and apply for further leave to remain in teh spouse category after marriage in the UK.

[MPH80]

She would then need to come to the UK on a fiancée visa and apply for further leave to remain in teh spouse category after marriage in the UK.

Which - for info - is a further £550 (currently) - on top of the fees for the registrar etc.

Financially although I am running out of money fast as it stands I still have £2k but with the settlement visa costs this would go down. I am saving small amounts on a monthly basis.

You need to show somewhere in the region of £105pw after rent/council tax/essential bills.

Remember that if you can find someone willing to offer her a job that will help. Equally remember that third party support can be used - so if you have parents or siblings who would be willing to contribute they can - but they'll have to support the application and submit payslips etc.

language is not a problem.

Ok - cool - have you looked into the english language test and providers?

M.

[-Woody-]

Thanks for all replies, i appreciate all your help.

What were the "petty circumstances" given as the reasons for refusing the visit visa applications?

Bank statements in the wrong currency(two account available) and change of duration of visit on the 2nd visa.

You need to show somewhere in the region of £105pw after rent/council tax/essential bills.

I have this, if not more.

Remember that if you can find someone willing to offer her a job that will help. Equally remember that third party support can be used - so if you have parents or siblings who would be willing to contribute they can - but they'll have to support the application and submit payslips etc.

That wouldnt be a problem.

Ok - cool - have you looked into the english language test and providers?

M.

My partner has had a friend that recently got a settlement viss and she is aware of how this can be arranged.

Im still very concerned, confused and frustrated. I am afraid that due to the recent refused visa we would be wasting our time and money. I would also like her to come over before then as im aware its a lenghty process. Wish there was a easier and quicker way.

At the moment i think we will continue to proceed with applying for a settlement visa. Any idea whether it would be best to apply as a visitor sponsor in the meantime or as a married partner? They may think we only got married for the visa i'd imagine?

[MPH80]

Thanks for all replies, i appreciate all your help.

What were the "petty circumstances" given as the reasons for refusing the visit visa applications?

Bank statements in the wrong currency(two account available) and change of duration of visit on the 2nd visa.

Can you post the exact wording of the refusals - the second one (as you've described it) shouldn't have had an impact - being (as I've interpretted it) a change of duration from application 1 to application 2. If the form was inaccurate I could understand it though.

Im still very concerned, confused and frustrated. I am afraid that due to the recent refused visa we would be wasting our time and money. I would also like her to come over before then as im aware its a lenghty process. Wish there was a easier and quicker way.

I'd suggest applying for more visit visas would be wasting time/money.

At the moment i think we will continue to proceed with applying for a settlement visa. Any idea whether it would be best to apply as a visitor sponsor in the meantime or as a married partner? They may think we only got married for the visa i'd imagine?

As above - hold on and do it properly - myself and my wife did 3 years apart before we were able to marry and be together properly - and she's Peruvian! If you think Egypt is bad - try being 6000 miles away, but the time goes quick and skype makes like easier.

M.

[-Woody-]

Amen for Skype and Whatsapp! Still sometimes is not enough. The visa refusal is abit more complicated rather than petty.

The duration changed due to my holidays. We didnt think it would be a problem.

Refering to the bank statements - The first refusal stated that it was in the wrong currency, the second letter refers to this but request dated bank statements/transaction history proving income/living costs, this was NOT mentioned in the last refusal. They almost seem to make things up. This is why we believe we have a chance of succeeding with a review/appeal.

We did change sponsor as we applied with my mother as a sponsor(we thought with her being Egyptian visiting a male may be frowned upon). That visa failed also becuase my mothers statements were not convenient.

Do you believe we may have damaged our chances for a visa?

The refusal section, hope you can read it:

[mollbllm]

Not sure if OP was successful on this but has anyone with a similar experience of a refused tourist visa been successful with a later entry clearance for marriage. The refused tourist visa was for not disclosing they had a "friend" in the UK who they had visited previously and were visiting again. They are now married.