My friend ... he's only gone and done it!

[jonnyivy]

I'll not mention any names here. Firstly, because he might be a member of this forum, and secondly because I respect him.

I have helped my friend for a long time now, trying to answer his questions about how to get his Filipina wife into the UK. Things have changed since I went through all the stress 10 years' ago getting my wife here. Trouble with my friend is, he has no money, a very small pension, and no house or belongings! He did try various ways to get his wife (whom he married in Philippines) here, but met a brick wall every time. He vowed to keep trying and bless him, went to Germany to live, brought his wife there direct from Philippines and stayed as a family for 8 months. Tara! ... He now holds the proper visa from the Embassy, has checked it all out and has bought the tickets to fly here from Germany very soon. He is so excited to get her here and I have congratulated him in his quest to find a way ... but I'm praying he won't have missed something out and is stopped at the Customs ...? Here's hoping he can just walk straight through with his wife and her visa's stamped in her passport ...

If he succeeds, then there is surely hope for others who are in the same situation, to never give up!

[andy222]

:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Michael Parnham]

I'll not mention any names here. Firstly, because he might be a member of this forum, and secondly because I respect him.

I have helped my friend for a long time now, trying to answer his questions about how to get his Filipina wife into the UK. Things have changed since I went through all the stress 10 years' ago getting my wife here. Trouble with my friend is, he has no money, a very small pension, and no house or belongings! He did try various ways to get his wife (whom he married in Philippines) here, but met with a brick wall every time. He vowed to keep trying and bless him, went to Germany to live, brought his wife there direct from Philippines and stayed as a family for 8 months. Tara!... He now holds the proper visa from the Embassy, has checked it all out and has bought the tickets to fly here from Germany very soon. He is so excited to get her here and I have congratulated him in his quest to find a way... but I'm praying he won't have missed something out and is stopped at the Customs ...? Here's hoping he can just walk straight through with his wife and her visa's stamped in her passport ....

If he succeeds, then there is surely hope for others who are in the same situation to never give up!

Very fortunate, if it works!! Good luck! :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Dedworth]

Well done that man - where there's a will there's a way :smile:

[grahamw48]

What sort of visa did his wife need to join him in Germany ? I'm curious as to how that works. :Erm:

[Longweekend]

Isn't it the same one that other people have used for Ireland and Spain? must be some EU thing, but there again we are also in the EU....:Erm:

[Arthur Little]

I have helped my friend for a long time now, trying to answer his questions about how to get his Filipino wife into the UK.

He vowed to keep trying and bless him, went to Germany to live, brought his wife there direct there from Philippines and stayed as a family for 8 months. He now holds the proper visa from the Embassy, has checked it all out and has bought the tickets to fly here from Germany very soon.

:biggrin: ... GREAT news, Jonny; :yeahthat:'s the kind of story we're delighted to read. :Jump:

Congratulations to your friend ... I'm cautiously :wink: optimistic that all should be fine. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Lastly - but by no means least - I'd like to commend the help you've given him ... :68711_thanx:

[joebloggs]

Isn't it the same one that other people have used for Ireland and Spain? must be some EU thing, but there again we are also in the EU....:Erm:

Yes, the Family Permit, but you're supposed to exercise your Treaty Rights and that means you need to be working, self employed or self sufficient :cwm25:

[jonnyivy]

Says it was the Schengen Visa to get her to Germany... followed the advice on the Surinder Singh group??

He did live in Phils with his wife for a year earlier though.

[Tawi2]

It's the Surinder Singh "route" mate, much used around Hounslow and suchlike places.

[grahamw48]

So his wife went to the German Embassy in the Phils and applied for a Schengen Visa ?

[Arthur Little]

So his wife went to the German Embassy in the Phils and applied for a Schengen Visa ?

Seems like it, Graham ... :anerikke: ... I didn't know Schengen Visas could be issued in the Philippines.

[Harry T]

Hmmm, if she only has a Schengen visa, I can't see how she will be admitted to the UK, but for their sakes I hope they come through.

[marksroomspain]

Seems like it, Graham ... :anerikke: ... I didn't know Schengen Visas could be issued in the Philippines.

Yes Arthur, they sure can, as myself and Jamie were planning that route - and even visited the Spanish Embassy in Manila - but decided to come to the UK after all the help from you guys on here...:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[tiger31]

That,s the route I,m planning before December. Germany in August, stay a few months, then onto UK. Fingers crossed.

[grahamw48]

So your wife will then apply for a Schengen Visa at the German Embassy in Manila ?

Anyone know the correct procedure ? :anerikke:

[jonnyivy]

I'm holding my breath at the moment, as I too am thinking it was all too easy. All above posts are correct, and his wife has even been working legit in Germany for the past 6 months. I can give you even more info on how he did it when he arrives in 2 weeks' time. They say God loves a trier, and by God he did! Every way he tried he met resistance until he read about this way. He doesn't like living there in Germany and can't wait to get back here.

On a separate issue, does anyone consider that different Customs entry points (airports etc.) are easier to get through than others? I ask this, because every time we land in Edinburgh, my wife just walks straight through (separate lanes of course). She only once got stopped and was asked where her husband was. She pointed over to me and was just waved on through - without them even checking me out!

London, on the other hand, seems much more strict!

[Terpe]

I'm holding my breath at the moment, as I too am thinking it was all too easy. All above posts are correct, and his wife has even been working legit in Germany for the past 6 months. I can give you even more info on how he did it when he arrives in 2 weeks' time. They say God loves a trier, and by God he did! Every way he tried he met resistance until he read about this way. He doesn't like living there in Germany and can't wait to get back here.

The SS route was always pretty popular route. Over the years the UK has tightened the rules in an attempt to prevent people using EU regulations in such a way that can be construed as circumvententing UK immigration rules.
It got to the stage where UK was actually given written warning that the ECJ would make a ruling. Not sure if that ever happened.

Despite all that though, In January 2014 UKVI implemented the now well known
Regulation 9 (Surinder Singh Cases) (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/294755/FOI_30270_-_Annex_B_-_Notice_02-2014_-_Surinder_Singh_-_redacted.pdf)

For those considering that route it's essential reading and well worth reviewing that linked document.

It's a huge interest here in the forum to understand how your friend came to satisfy the regulations. Especially since he was self-sufficient and Family Permits are normally not issued on that basis.
Additionally, he was only resident in Germany for 8 months. Again not meeting the Centre of life requirements.

I wonder if UKVI considered him to have "transferred the centre of their life" from Philippines to Germany then on to UK. Seems unlikely, but plausible.

I'm also wondering if the recent rulings from European Courts against UK might have been a major influencer. Take a look here (http://curia.europa.eu/jcms/upload/docs/application/pdf/2014-12/cp140182en.pdf )


Where third-country nationals hold a ‘residence card of a family member of a Union citizen’, the United Kingdom cannot make their right of entry subject to the requirement that they must first obtain a visa

Whatever the reasons I hope you can secure some very helpful information and find the time to share knowledge here :xxgrinning--00xx3:

Your friend is a very lucky man.

[grahamw48]

I agree. It IS of huge interest and significance to some forum members.

Any accurate and detailed reporting of the couple's experience would be most appreciated. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[tiger31]

It still seems like a minefield to me. I,m just gonna land in Germany and hope for the best. :biggrin:

[jonnyivy]

I will indeed let everyone know how and what he needed to do to gain his visa. I was surprised he got that but it must be legit because her passport has been stamped with her visa already. He will arrive just under a week from now. I know he did read an awful lot of literature before he set off. It has been nearly 11 months now he has been there but he says he could have came here sooner but he didn't have the money for the flights ?? Time will tell ... I know there will be doubters, me included ... but my god I will be happy to see him walk through my front door with his wife !..

[Michael Parnham]

I will indeed let everyone know how and what he needed to do to gain his visa. I was surprised he got that but it must be legit because her passport has been stamped with her visa already. he will arrive just under a week from now. I know he did read an awful lot of literature before he set off. It has been nearly 11 months now he has been there but he says he could have came here sooner but he didn't have the money for the flights ?? Time will tell ... I know there will be doubters, me included ... but my god I will be happy to see him walk through my front door with his wife !..

I'm waiting in anticipation, good on 'em if it's successful! :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

Thanks Jonny.

Keep us posted. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Abigail]

On a separate issue, does anyone consider that different Customs entry points (airports etc.) are easier to get through than others? I ask this, because every time we land in Edinburgh, my wife just walks straight through (separate lanes of course). She only once got stopped and was asked where her husband was. She pointed over to me and was just waved on through - without them even checking me out!

London, on the other hand, seems much more strict!

I would say it very much depends what side of the bed that particular immigration officer got out of on that morning. Yes the rules are all there and should be followed but how closely things are checked when arriving in different places is all down to the individuals working there. For example I had a seafarer arriving in Manchester to join a vessel in dry dock and they phoned me to say he would be denied as the ship he was joining would not sail within seven days. I asked where to find the rule that said it must be seven days and after a lot of phone calls they came back saying the actual wording is that the vessel must sail within a reasonable time, that one officer had just decided that meant within seven days. There is no telling how each officer will decide to interpret the rules that day.

[jonnyivy]

Yup,...all,s good,...he walked through customs late last night, no problems. I,m sure for him the wait was worth it, almost 10 months in Germany. He,s now off looking for houses as he is currently staying with his friend quiet near to us. My wife is so happy to have another Filipina in our area.

[Michael Parnham]

Yup,...all,s good,...he walked through customs late last night, no problems. I,m sure for him the wait was worth it, almost 10 months in Germany. He,s now off looking for houses as he is currently staying with his friend quiet near to us. My wife is so happy to have another Filipina in our area.

Congratulations, well done! :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Arthur Little]

Congratulations to your friend ... I'm cautiously :wink: optimistic that all should be fine. :xxgrinning--00xx3:


Yup,...all,s good,...he walked through customs late last night, no problems.

:smile: Seems my optimism was well~founded!

Whilst I'm dead against a system that allows continentals to exercise their so~called 'EEA Treaty Rights' to surmount the wearisome hurdles (not to mention the frightful expense :yikes:!) we Brits must face in bringing non-European partners to settle in our homeland ... I'm extremely pleased one of our fellow countrymen has successfully bypassed the iniquitous Minimum Income barrier(s) due, in no small measure, to your efforts on his behalf. :xxgrinning--00xx3: