hello everyone,

I want to share my experience especially to those fiancée visa applicants. I owe something to this forum for our success and am sure this will help others as well.

Fred and I first met online through Yahoo Chat last Oct 2005. He, then, visited me after 4 months. Before that, we were already contemplating on applying for a visa coz we were truly and madly in love, we could feel a great future if we’re together. We prepared enough despite the fact that our relationship was only 7 months by the time we applied (May 26). After 1 month and a week, ukvacs scheduled me for an 8:00am interview on July 19.

Here’s the list of docs we submitted:

IDENTIFICATION:
Passport, NBI Clearance, NSO-SECPA Birth Certificate
Sponsor’s Birth Certificate
Full copy of sponsor’s passport, personal details and Phil. Immigration stamp in full color
Scanned copy of sponsor’s driver’s license

EVIDENCE OF ACCOMMODATION:
Deed of Property
Property Details (highlighted our sole use of the room)
Mortgage Statements: Year 2005 and Year 2004
Letter of No Objection from the joint owner

EVIDENCE OF FINANCIAL CAPACITY:
Payslips: Nov 2005 – Apr 2006 (included a scanned copy for May)
P60 end of Year Certificate, 2005 - 06 and 2004 – 05
Letter of Employment ,Copy of Full Contract Details, Calling cards
Bank Statements from Nov 2005 – Apr 2006
Letter of Claim Payment for the policy surrendered
Norwich Union Surrender Value Illustration
Transaction Details: E-Savings Account

EVIDENCE OF RELATIONSHIP:
Letter of Support from the Sponsor
Provisional Booking for the Wedding
Provisional Booking for Wedding Lunch
E-mail Transcripts
Chat Logs: Oct 2005 – May 2006
SMS Log of Gary
Screenshots of Chat Sessions
MoneyGram Receipts
Flower Receipts
Telephone Bills

EVIDENCE OF MEETING:
Boarding Passes and E-tickets, Hotel and Restaurant Receipts, Photos
Letters, Postcard, Used Phone Cards, Used Call and Text Cards

OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENT:
Birth Certificates of Sponsor’s Dependants

-------- Lastly, I gave these additional docs during the day of interview:

Scanned/internet copies of bank statements, payslips, chat logs and screenshots of our chat for june-july. I also included an email from his kids that will show they accept me as their step-mum.

MY ADVICE/TIPS:

The day before your interview, take time to get to know where the embassy is. Study the area around it. Being a Davaoeno, I didn’t know that it’s not permitted to just stay anywhere. It’s in a financial/business district so every stranger is considered a “threat”.
Before you go to interview, relax your mind and body with a long soak in the tub (if possible). It eases the tensions you have. Be comfy, wear something semi-casual.. that is a blouse and slacks/skirt. I arrived there at 7.30, I wasn’t allowed to hang around and the guard instructed me to go back at 7.50 and go somewhere. I think it was Mini-Stop (at the back of the building) where you can wait and eat something. Btw, guards don’t pity you even if it’s drizzling outside. You can’t go to the shed (outside the exit area) of the underpass and wait there. A guard will tell not to hang around , they are suspicious of just anyone. A police guy will go up with you to the 15th floor.

Opt to be interviewed in English. It’s a big plus. A lot of applicants want to have an interpreter though they understand the language well. Be confident and consistent with your answers. Some questions may be repeated in a different manner. You may be distracted with the look of the eco but please maintain eye contact. I found out they wear very casual clothes. Well I was expecting they would wear a suit so I was surprised but then I felt comfortable right from the start. There are only 4 interview rooms, don’t chat too much with the others while you wait coz eco just call up your name anytime. Between you and the eco is a glass, don’t be afraid to say if you can’t hear it well coz he/she will adjust the volume for you. Also, don’t be afraid to ask the eco to repeat the question if it’s not clear to you.

Some questions that were asked from me:
Why do you want to go to UK?
When and where did you first meet and in person
When and where will the marriage take place
About his kids: their names and ages, where do they live, how often does he see and spend time with them?
What does he do, what do I do..
When is his birthday
If I have seen the kids or not.

The eco will be taking notes on the computer, typing as you speak and sometimes ask another question while he/she types your answer. So be very attentive and stay focus even if he doesn’t look at you.

When you are told to wait outside, do so with much patience. Some were given a definite time to go back and some were not. In my case, I was waiting for like forever there. I figured out, they normally discuss your application inside once you are done with the interview process. It’s like the eco or/and assistants will hold conference inside whether you are entitled for an entry to UK or not. There are hidden cameras in the embassy. Behave yourself even if you are waiting for long. I felt like they monitor everything once you are inside...your look, facial expressions, gestures and behaviour count during and after the interview. Think of it as if the interview doesn’t end there. A lot of applicants there were impatient on the results.

There were many refusals that day, mostly family/visit visa. I guessed I was the only one for fiancée visa So, I was lucky somehow that mine was different and the long wait was all worth it.. they gave me the visa. You’ll know you are denied if there’s a white paper (refusal letter, appeal form) along with your passport and it will be read and on how to appeal will explained for you.

I hope this helps a lot. More power to the forum!!!