A Complex Situation

[ADKB]

Hey guys,

I need a little help here just getting my head round stuff. I'm a lifelong born-and-bred British Citizen. I met the girl of my dreams, but unfortunately, she's across an ocean over in America.

She's holds a Phillipines passport, of course. She has a US green card but nothing else, she's not a US citizen - but she's looking into citizenship, depending how much it takes. She's been there for five or six years.

We've been together for well over two years now.. and she's looking at moving over to the UK to be with me. Ideally we'd like to go for a co-habiting/civil partnership/whatever you want to call it visa, living together for a while before moving forwards with marriage. This is more for the benefit of both our families and friends, allowing them to warm to us and see us together for a while before we marry. If an engagement/marriage visa is the only option, that's the option we'll take.

There's plenty of details on this forum about citizens from the Phillipines moving to the UK, but I'm wondering how her being based in the US effects our situation, and how we can proceed. Any advice would be appreciated.

We've been accumulating evidence with visits, phone calls, gift reciepts, post office receipts, letters... all that stuff. We're not planning to make a move for a while yet while we both square things away, but we're trying to prepare ourselves for the future.

Thanks in advance, everyone!

[menchkin]

You can inquire with the VFS. Their website is www.vfs-uk-ph.com. Below is their contact info.

Call Center Contact number:
For PLDT 1-909-885-VISA (8472).
For Bayantel 1-903-VISAUK or 1-903-847285

[darren-b]

I don't think it makes that much difference the fact that your girlfriend is in the US or even if she became a US citizen. Either way she doesn't have any automatic rights to settle in the UK and hence will need to obtain a visa. She can only apply for an unmarried partner visa if you've been in partnership akin to a marriage (ie living together, shared finances, etc) for more than 2 years. So if she is to obtain a visa based on your relationship you will need to get married within 6 months of a visa being issued (or even married first).

Other options to look into are whether she can qualify for a visa in her own right. To get a work permit is difficult as you need to find a company willing and able to sponsor her. PBS Tier 1 (use to be HSMP) might be an option depending on her qualifications and current earnings (assuming she is working in the US).

[IainBusby]

This is quite a complicated situation and I hope others on here will correct me if I'm wrong, but I have a sneaking suspicion that because she is a Filipino citizen, she might have to return to the Philippines and apply for a visa at the British Embassy in Manila.
Iain.

[darren-b]

This is quite a complicated situation and I hope others on here will correct me if I'm wrong, but I have a sneaking suspicion that because she is a Filipino citizen, she might have to return to the Philippines and apply for a visa at the British Embassy in Manila.
Iain.

I don't believe there is any reason why you have to apply at the British Embassy in your home country.

For example I'm know I've seen on this forum in the past successful visa applications at the British Embassy/Consulate in Hong Kong. On a similar note my wife (prior to getting her British Citizenship) obtained both US and Canadian tourist visas at their Embassies in London.

[ADKB]

She can obviously come and go as she likes, so in theory she could go back to the Phillipines for the application if that is the case. The other option we have is to hold off a little bit longer than we planned so she can apply for and gain US citizenship, then come from the US which is obviously a bit quicker and easier thanks to the relationship between the US and UK.

[Jay&Zobel]

My Filipino friends (both greencard holders) who are now based in New York have applied visitor's visa to the UK (6 mos-multiple entry) early this year.

They provided all the requirements (bank statements, employment certificates, flight tickets, itineraries etc...) needed for the application. They submitted these at the UK embassy (New York) in 2 weeks they were granted the visas without interview.

In my part, I sent the following to my friends:
Letter of Invitation
Pictures of our Home as their Accommodation
Bank Stetements too (as their sponsor)

So I guess it is easier to apply visit visa from US than from the PI.

Upon arrival at the Heathrow airport, the immigration officer was quite strict. They were asked to show their itineraries for the whole 2 weeks, prepaid bus/train tickets etc... But my friends did not have those, they just said that we will be doing all the driving and touring them around the country so they did not have to buy the tickets... But, the officer still insisted that next time they have to provide these...

[Jay&Zobel]

This kinda sux though... When my family applied for visit visa (PI to UK) to attend our wedding, they were denied!

When my friends applied for the same visa (US to UK) to enjoy England, they were granted in no time!


Are they not telling us something?

[aromulus]

This kinda sux though... When my family applied for visit visa (PI to UK) to attend our wedding, they were denied!

When my friends applied for the same visa (US to UK) to enjoy England, they were granted in no time!


Are they not telling us something?

A "green card" makes a lot of difference.....

[Jay&Zobel]

A "green card" makes a lot of difference.....

Rich vs Poor
1st world vs 3rd world
Wedding vs Buying Entrance Fee Tickets to Museums (make England more richer)

Wha?! Im confused!

[joebloggs]

I don't believe there is any reason why you have to apply at the British Embassy in your home country.

For example I'm know I've seen on this forum in the past successful visa applications at the British Embassy/Consulate in Hong Kong. On a similar note my wife (prior to getting her British Citizenship) obtained both US and Canadian tourist visas at their Embassies in London.

yes i think she can apply from the states, as that is legally her current home, but if she was on something like a Visitor visa, then me thinks she would have to apply from the phils