Visitor Visa Help

[prathibhaevelyn]

Hi,

I'm an international student on Tier 4 student visa. I just finished my masters and extended my student visa for Phd. I plan to invite my mother for my masters graduation ceremony in July. I do not have enough funding evidence for sponsoring her. But she has can sponsor by herself with sufficient funds in her bank account. I'm planning to book an accommodation for her near my university. In this situation, is it better for her to apply for a visitor visa for tourist purpose to this country or is it better for me to send an inviting letter to her and ask her to show her own funding? Also please let me know what other documents would she need for applying.
Note: She has got a US B1 visa for 10 years and has visited US three times in the past.

Thanks in advance.

[Lucapooka]

If the main purpose of the visit is to see you, a family member, then she should select the family visit category. Family visits are not exclusively contingent on the sponsor supplying financial support. She can still choose the family visit category and provide evidence of her own means of support, provisional hotel booking etc. The UKBA are filtering for people who may remain in the UK and claim benefits and nothing about your parent's situation indicates that.

[prathibhaevelyn]

Hi Lucapooka, Thanks for your prompt response. I'm glad that there would not be any issues on bring her here for my graduation ceremony.
FOllowing documents we are about to submit, please let me know if any addiitonal documents required.

* 6 months Bank Statement of my mother with sufficient funds for trip.
* Hotel booking confirmation reciept.
* Do we need to keep booked air ticket? or shall we book the airticket once the visa has been approved?
* Property Documents on her name, and valuation document.
* My Invitation letter (I hope this require if she makes through family visit)
* Letter from university for date stating my graduation ceremony.
* Photocopy of my Passport and my BRP.
* My utility bill for my address proof.
* My Phd University offer letter.

[Lucapooka]

There is no need to book a flight until the visa has been emitted. The UKBA will not expect to see this arrangement in advance.

[prathibhaevelyn]

Thanks all for your suggestions and advices.
My mother got her UK general visitor visa today dated from the 15th of May 2012 to the 15th of November 2012.

She is planning to visit us from the 5th of June till the 5th of September 2012.

But we need her for our critical time from the 10th of January 2013. So we are planning to apply for a new family visitor visa in the month of December so that we will have her for the time we need in January 2013. But we read the guidlines for the duration of stay in the UK on a visitor visa and it says that "A visitor should not, for example, normally spend more that 6 out of any 12 months in the UK". So we were wondering if when she comes back in January with new visa, she would be able to stay for the whole 6months or for only 3 months.

Also would like to know the chances of getting approval for applying visitor visa 2nd time within short period of time.

Thanks in advance

[Lucapooka]

If she is issued another visa she is entitled to remain for the extent of that time. What is unclear is whether a person who has already spent spent 3 months in the UK, and then states they want to stay for another 6 months in the same annual cycle, will be granted a visa on that basis. So, it all depends how you go about declaring your truthful intentions and the discretion of the ECO based on the genuine nature and purpose of the visit.

[prathibhaevelyn]

Hi Lucapooka,
Thanks for your prompt response,

What is unclear is whether a person who has already spent spent 3 months in the UK, and then states they want to stay for another 6 months in the same annual cycle, will be granted a visa on that basis.

Does this mean chances are there to getting approval if we declare the genuine reason as they are coming for my maternity. What is the chance of getting approval?

If chances are really less of getting 2nd approval, then we will try to avoid my mom's travel for this time and apply fresh visa at the time of Dec 2012.

Please advice us on this.

[Lucapooka]

the discretion of the ECO

[prathibhaevelyn]

Thank you.