Inter-racial relationship ... Need help, please

[iamiyah]

Hi Everyone,

I am Iyah, I am a Filipina.I am here to seek advice. Here's the catch:

I am into a relationship with a guy living in UK. I am planning to visit him by March next year. I am now in the process of planning to apply for a tourist visa. I am currently based here in Egypt formy work so basically all my papers will be process here in Egypt.

I wonder if any one can give me a tip about the needed requirements I need to apply for the UK tourist visa.

One of the problem I might face in the interview in the consulate is that we haven't meet each other personally. I known him only thru a friend of mine living in the UK. Will this lowered my chances of being granted a tourist visa?

I wanted to meet him personally for the first time.I am planning to visit him for a week or two and then be back in Philippine as i have a month holiday in March. He told me he can apply for a sponsorship for me. Will it be possible??

How much will the fees will cost as well, as I decided that I will be the one to pay for the processing and my flight ticket, i just asked his help regarding the accommodation.

Please if someone can help me regarding my dilemma or will give me any advice that will help me to be granted a tourist visa, i will much appreciate it as i am already running out of time..I don't know where to start as well.

Thank you,
Iyah

[imagine]

hi Iyah,:Wave: welcome to the friendly forum, you found the right place for good help and honest advise,

tourest visa is very hard to get, you need to show you have reason to return, ie job to return to, employers letter to prove so, business , property ect in phil and proof all these will help,
and even if you do meet all the requirments a visa isnt guranteed ,

it would be much easier for your boyfriend to visit you when you return to philippines,
there are more knowledgable friends on here will advise you, good luck to you :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[iamiyah]

thank u very much Imagine for your response i appreciated someone took time to help me here..

*I have two years contract here in the hotel i am working and will have my Holiday for a month in March as per my contract. I dunno if that will be a strong point to convince the consulate that i dont have any intention staying in UK as i will travel back to Egypt to get my ticket goin to Philippines.
* i just worried it will be a problem because we havent meet yet.
*He is quite a busy man actually, so i decided i will be the one to visit him instead.
* as of the moment my saving is just 2k us dollars, will it be enough for the consulate since my bf said he will provide a sponsorship for me??

Hope more people can help me on this.Thank you

Godbless

[imagine]

your welcome, i cant myself advise you with more info, without risk i tell you wrong,

its late here in uk, keep looking back for answers , there are very knowledgable friends on here can advise you correctly ,i would think you will get answers quite soon if not this evenning maybe tomorrow :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

Hi, and welcome. :)

It will be MUCH easier for the British guy to visit YOU in Egypt...and not expensive for him.

It will also demonstrate to you how serious he is, and safer for you to meet a stranger on your 'home-ground'. ;)

You are very young.

Take a chaperone with you if you do meet.

[grahamw48]

See my reply on your other identical post. :)

[ConfusedMe]

:Erm: How about putting your friend in UK as your sponsor and not him?

When you apply for tourist visa, the consulate always think that your reason of traveling there is mainly for vacation. Showing less sign of you having relationship with someone there might be better.

Make sure you also show them proof that you have no intention of staying in UK and you have a reason of going back to Egypt or Philippines...

That's what I think... Good luck in your application:)

[iamiyah]

thanks or the esponse Mr.Grahamw48:Wave:

I understand his situation thathe cant visit me here in Egypt becaus of work circumstances thats why I am the one who decided to came there and meet him personally with my expense. However I told him that i guess its much better he will provide me a sponsorship letter as it will be much easier on my pasrt because I dont need to show a huge amount of money needed to prove I can support myself in that vacation alone.

I am already communicating with him for quite some months and i trusted him as He is my best friend's friend..

My only worry is that the consulate may I ask me how come I will visit someone I never met yet and he will be sponsoring me??

I need some advice.. Thanks a lot :)

[iamiyah]

Hi Ms.Confused me,

Thanks for your response. :Wave::Wave:

However i cannot put my friend as a sponsor since he is just still a student in UK. My bf has a stable job in London..

I have my contract here for two years and the reason i will go to UK is mainly to meet him personally.

Is my contract enough to prove my intention, that i will just stay there for a week or two and will come back again in Egypt to get my flight ticket for my holiday in Philippines??

Hope u can advice me thanks :)

[Arthur Little]

Hi Everyone,

I am Iyah, I am a Filipina.I am here to seek advice. Thank you,
Iyah

Hiya, Iyah ... first, :welcomex: to the friendly, online filipino/uk community. :)

Next ... let me assure you, there's absolutely NOTHING to feel guilty about - NOR, for that matter, anything to be ashamed of, in an inter-racial relationship :nono-1-1: Forums such as ours exist in order to foster, encourage and facilitate cultural integration ... thus ensuring as smooth a transition as possible, from one phase to the next. Hence, I have substituted the heading of your original thread with that which you've used for your second [almost identical] post, thereby removing the word *"stigma"... since *it most certainly does not - or SHOULD not - apply!

[Arthur Little]

However - visa wise - as Graham recommends in #6 of the newly-merged thread - it really WOULD be in the longer-term interests of you both, if your boyfriend WERE to visit YOU ... whether it be in Egypt or the Phils. UK Tourist Visas are notoriously difficult to obtain, because this route has been consistently misused in the past ... leading British Embassy officials to, not surprisingly, suspect that holders of these will fail to return from "whence they came", afterwards. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

'Stigma' ????

Nothing could be further from the truth where Filipinas are concerned. :NoNo:

There is nothing quite like walking down the street with a beautiful Filipina, and your chest all puffed up with pride. :D

[Terpe]

Hello there Iyah, welcome to the forum.

As everyone else has mentioned, it can be quite difficult to secure a visit visa.
However, the cost of the risk (visa application fee) is relatively small, so you may consider it worth risking. Why not?
There is really no security these days, only opportunity.

Just do everything you can do to satisfy the ECO (Entry Clearance Officer)

The key issues normally are to clearly show sufficient funding for the duration and purpose of your visit, and to clearly demonstrate that your reasons to return before visa expiry outweigh any reasons to overstay.

Your case is not uncommon, but puts you in a rather tricky position in that you wish to visit someone with whom you have a romantic link. This may prove too much for the ECO.

If your B/F really cannot find time for a meeting in Egypt and you want to make a visit to UK then it's better to at least give your best shot.
Your B/F would be advised to send a very good supporting letter, together with recent bank statements proving funding, details and supporting evidence of his employment and income, photocopies of his passport page and evidence of the accomodation available to you. He will need to clearly state the reasons for his invitation at this time (eg your contracted holiday time).

Your contract of employment in Egypt will be important and you need to secure a letter from your employers stating your position, time employed, contracted duration, details of income and confirmation of your approved holiday leave time and duration and the time they are expecting you to your job.

Good Luck

[Arthur Little]

As everyone else has mentioned, it can be quite difficult to secure a visit visa.
However, the cost of the risk (visa application fee) is relatively small, so you may consider it worth risking. Why not?
There is really no security these days, only opportunity.

Terpe makes a :gp: here ... the cost of a visit visa IS, indeed, minimal compared to that of the Settlement types. And there's nothing to prevent you from taking a chance. :NoNo: Just don't build up too much hope!


Just do everything you can do to satisfy the ECO (Entry Clearance Officer)

The key issues normally are to clearly show sufficient funding for the duration and purpose of your visit, and to clearly demonstrate that your reasons to return before visa expiry outweigh any reasons to overstay.

Your case is not uncommon, but puts you in a rather tricky position in that you wish to visit someone with whom you have a romantic link. This may prove too much for the ECO.

If your B/F really cannot find time for a meeting in Egypt and you want to make a visit to UK then it's better to at least give your best shot.
Your B/F would be advised to send a very good supporting letter, together with recent bank statements proving funding, details and supporting evidence of his employment and income, photocopies of his passport page and evidence of the accomodation available to you. He will need to clearly state the reasons for his invitation at this time (eg your contracted holiday time).

Your contract of employment in Egypt will be important and you need to secure a letter from your employers stating your position, time employed, contracted duration, details of income and confirmation of your approved holiday leave time and duration and the time they are expecting you to your job.

Good Luck

:iagree: ... so long as you can AVOID putting any undue emphasis on the romantic link. :rolleyes:

[sars_notd_virus]

Hi Everyone,

I am Iyah, I am a Filipina.I am here to seek advice. Here's the catch:

I am into a relationship with a guy living in UK. I am planning to visit him by March next year. I am now in the process of planning to apply for a tourist visa. I am currently based here in Egypt formy work so basically all my papers will be process here in Egypt.

I wonder if any one can give me a tip about the needed requirements I need to apply for the UK tourist visa.

One of the problem I might face in the interview in the consulate is that we haven't meet each other personally.


Thank you,
Iyah

I agree with everybody let your bf visit you wherever you are in the world!! ...however, if its not really possible for him to visit and meet you then heres the link for u to read and understand
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/egypt/applying/?langname=UK%20English

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/egypt/applying/documents/?langname=UK%20English

welcome to the forum!!

[Rosie1958]

thanks or the esponse Mr.Grahamw48:Wave:

I understand his situation thathe cant visit me here in Egypt becaus of work circumstances thats why I am the one who decided to came there and meet him personally with my expense. However I told him that i guess its much better he will provide me a sponsorship letter as it will be much easier on my pasrt because I dont need to show a huge amount of money needed to prove I can support myself in that vacation alone.

I am already communicating with him for quite some months and i trusted him as He is my best friend's friend..

My only worry is that the consulate may I ask me how come I will visit someone I never met yet and he will be sponsoring me??

I need some advice.. Thanks a lot :)

Hi Iyah

You could be putting yourself at risk flying to the UK to meet your “boyfriend” who you have never met before. I would strongly advise you to think this through carefully and if I were in your shoes, I certainly wouldn’t even contemplate it. Besides coming here to meet a stranger, you are a young female and could be quite vulnerable in a country that isn’t known to you. I don’t wish to be an alarmist but anything could happen!

Egypt is only about 5 to 5.5 hours flight from UK and packages are cheap. In my opinion, if your boyfriend is seriously interested in meeting you, he would find a way to do so. If he holds a British passport, he won’t need a visa to visit Egypt and therefore it would be far easier if he put himself out as well as being safer for you in your host/ home country environment.

Please do take care and don’t ignore your “boyfriend’s” apparent lack of enthusiasm.

Good luck
Rosie

[ConfusedMe]

Just give it a shot... I was based in Middle East for work before. My mates applied for tourist visas and seem to get good and fast results... i hope it does too in Egypt... Make sure you are with your friend when meeting up this guy... Better to be safe than sorry :)

[grahamw48]

Well I'm sorry, but for the guy to be 'too busy' to see you, and to be prepared to let you put in all this effort and expense to see HIM, all sounds a bit one-sided and ungentlemanly to me. :NoNo:

It's your life though. :)

[ConfusedMe]

It is quite risky though I agree.
Hi Iyah

You could be putting yourself at risk flying to the UK to meet your “boyfriend” who you have never met before. I would strongly advise you to think this through carefully and if I were in your shoes, I certainly wouldn’t even contemplate it. Besides coming here to meet a stranger, you are a young female and could be quite vulnerable in a country that isn’t known to you. I don’t wish to be an alarmist but anything could happen!

Egypt is only about 5 to 5.5 hours flight from UK and packages are cheap. In my opinion, if your boyfriend is seriously interested in meeting you, he would find a way to do so. If he holds a British passport, he won’t need a visa to visit Egypt and therefore it would be far easier if he put himself out as well as being safer for you in your host/ home country environment.

Please do take care and don’t ignore your “boyfriend’s” apparent lack of enthusiasm.

Good luck
Rosie

[imagine]

its not a good sign your bf sitting back and let you do all the running ,just doesnt seem right somehow,
though it may seem negative to you right now the advise and opinions from Rosie and graham is something you should think over

[iamiyah]

Hi Everyone,

Thank u for the warmest welcome you had given me, i am overwhelmed.:Hellooo:

First and foremost, thank u for the moderator for the warmest welcome Mr. Arthur Little and for taking the time in editing my post title and making it well constructed. Cheers!:Wave:Wouldlike to mention as well Mr. Imagine, Ms Rosie, Mr. Graham,Ms.Confused me, Sars_notd_virus and Terpe for the information regarding my quiry.:heartshape1: Thanks everyone

I didnt realize i will be in a difficult situation in applying a tourist visa to visa my bf.:Erm:

I just would like to get any advice as I made up my mind that i will visit him in March if ever given a chance, I am the one who decided to pay all my expenses even my bf offered his help for financial matter however I turned it down. I want to prove to him that what i am feeling for him is genuine and I am not someone who just after him because of what he have (Lets admit the fact that this stereotype about an Interracial relationship exists). I am actually not afraid to travel alone in UK, if ever will be a given m best friend will always be there for me as he was a friend of my bf.

Here's my question:
1. would it be much better if he will apply for me an sponsorship even though I am the one to cover my flight ticket, only the accommodation in UK he will sponsor me in reality. But in the letter, we will state he will be the one to support me in everything..

2. Would the consulate ask me about my relationship with him..will it be much better if i said we are only friends and he just invited me or should i say that i have a romantic relationship with him and the reason why i am flying in UK is to meet him personally?

3. How much amount of money should need to show during the interview (bank account)?

4. will it be much difficult to obtain a tourist visa if u are romantically connected with the person sponsoring you?

5. Is my contract not enough evidence that i will not stay in UK, I will be a bridesmaid in a wedding for my cousin in March as well (thats why i planned to take my annual vacay in March), is the wedding invitation can be used a a proof as well??

5. If i get denied (hopefully not pls) in visa, is there any chance i can apply again?how long will it be??:bigcry:

Im sorry i have a lot of question,im just really looking forward to meet him on my holiday in March..Thank you so much everyone..i hope to hear from someone again..

Regards,
iyah

[KeithD]

Regardless of your feelings it is HIS job to visit you. The main reason for this is 'proof of relationship' for any future visa applications (Spouse/Marriage), as the guy visiting you is strong proof of this, and this is one of the main points required by the visa.

[andy222]

Like Keith said if he wanted to be with you he would find a way.

[grahamw48]

Don't EVER think about putting any untruths in a visa application, no matter what type of visa.

If you ARE interviewed, or when considering any sort of communication from you, this is exactly what the ECO is looking for and they are trained to extract the truth. ;)

[imagine]

i would have thought the wedding invitation and request to be brides maid might be enough alone?without mention of boyfriend, if hes not mentiond its not a lie,
but im no expert its just a thought,

however it would be a mistake to lie if that question is asked with regard to visa, if a lie is found out , you may never be allowed a visa again

[joebloggs]

you've a better chance than many filipina's applying from the phils because your in Egypt, so you have some form of immigration history but many tourist visa's are refused :NoNo:

[ynwa]

is your bf dont have at least 1 week holiday in a year at work to visit you?
I like chasing game, so i prefer him chasing me than me chasing him:icon_lol:

On the brighter note, just try your luck, we will all rejoice if get it, if not friendly and helpful people will always be here to help you.:)

[iamiyah]

thanks for your kindest response. :Wave:
However i am still in a doubt that i might be granted a tourist visa due to certain circumstances I am facing.. i am planning to ask my bf to visit me first here if possible,before i apply for a tourist visa. hopefully he will agree..

If a visa get denied, how many months you need to wait to reapply again??

hoping for your kindest response.

cheers,
iyah

[Englishman2010]

i am planning to ask my bf to visit me first here if possible,before i apply for a tourist visa. hopefully he will agree..

iyah

As others have said, your b/f should make the effort to visit you in Egypt. A week package holiday in Egypt can be found for as low as £150 from the UK. If he can't be bothered to find the time or money to visit you, my advice is to forget him and move on. I'm concerned that you say you will ask him to visit you. If he really had commitment, he would be telling you he had booked a flight to Egypt and was coming to see you, you wouldn't need to ask him to come.

[sars_notd_virus]

I will be a bridesmaid in a wedding for my cousin in March as well (thats why i planned to take my annual vacay in March), is the wedding invitation can be used a a proof as well??



to make it easier, why not let your cousin sponsor you instead.
..and whilst here, booked a nice accomodation and let your bf pay for it , am sure he wont mind!!...
theres a lot of plans you want to do all at the same time and sometimes you cant have it all...you need to have an itinerary if you ''really'' plan to just visit the UK.

[iamiyah]

Thanks everyone for your help and support to my inquiry regarding my application for tourist visa.:Wave:

we already decided that he will come and visit me in the Philippines first on March as i got my 30 days holiday by that time.:heartshape1:

This will be our first meeting personally. Will this give me a better chance in the future to be granted a tourist visa for London. i will be back in Egypt on April and planning to visit him in London by September and will apply here on Egypt. I am planning to visit him in London as my turn, just to be fair with him. ( I am afraid to get a visa denied if I apply now before I come back in Phil on March as I haven't meet him by this time and plus that will be for sure a factor that may affect the chance of being granted a visa.So i decided we will meet first in the Phil and then I will apply by August for a tourist visa in London. I dont know anyone in London except my best friend who is in college now and him).
Hope someone can advice me then..Thanks a lot.:Wave::xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

That sounds like a much better idea. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[iamiyah]

i actually be a bridesmaid in a wedding in the Philippines not in London,however i just saw the possibility it might be a good reason to show to the interviewer i dont have plan to stay longer in London:Wave:

[Stevie]

Hi and first of all good look for your future and I hope it works out! ;)

Be aware the UK government is under pressure to reduce the number of immigrants for financial reasons. It can not stop EU people from coming and staying in the UK so it is targeting everywhere else. I understand about a third of applications are unsuccessful.

I would advise against trying for a visitor visa if your intention is to eventually marry and live here. A visitor visa is aimed at visiting relations or for a genuine holiday only. Any deception could result in a refusal and in these circumstances there is no appeal process and automatic not allowed to reapply for 10 years.

If and when you do eventually apply for a visa for the UK you have to show clear proof you can support your self during your stay. I have some friends who have successfully applied for a UK visa and they tell me they could show about £5K personal funds plus regular salary statements into their bank account. In addition their employer had to provide written proof there was clear intention to return home to the same job. Their opinion is this is the amount required for you to demonstrate to the entry officer you could support your self in a hotel plus any local transport and food costs and of course return air fares. They base this on the worse case scenario that if you and your sponsor have a disagreement that the UK government will not incur any cost for deportation etc.

For anyone thinking of applying for a work visa I understand that some allowance is made for certain jobs and in particular professional ones that pay good salaries and the UK is in short supply of.

Plan carefully and thoroughly and have available documents to backup any statements. There is a check list that accompanies the visa application process and I would suggest this is an essential part of your planning. All supporting documents have to be supplied in English.

[grahamw48]

Very helpful Stevie :xxgrinning--00xx3:....oh, and welcome to the forum. :D

[Stevie]

Very helpful Stevie :xxgrinning--00xx3:....oh, and welcome to the forum. :D

Thank you Graham and I hope it does help :xxgrinning--00xx3:

I know a Chinese applicant who was refused because although she had funds in her bank account they were a recent deposit as a gift from her parents. She was paid cash and therefore could not demonstrate a regular job to go back to. Also it did not help her application for a visitor visa when her mother answered the phone from the visa office and stated she was looking for a husband in the UK :omg: She was accused of deception!

[grahamw48]

:laugher:...FAIL !