Family Visa or Tourist Visit Visa?

[IainBusby]

Hi there fellow members in this forum

I just want to ask your opinions because I have this confusion. I have been visiting UK for the past 2 years using the Family Visit Visa. But recently when I was back earlier this year, I applied again for a family visit visa but was refused for the reason the ECO was not convinced that I am genuine visitor in the UK since I just returned in the Phil from the UK and a month after wanted to return again.

And now, it was past how many months since I last applied. So, I am planning to apply again for a visa. But for this time, I am confused whether to apply for a Family Visit Visa again which my brother is my sponsor or a Tourist Visit Visa which my bf wanted to be the sponsor and be living with him entirely of the visit visa time. I once met him in the UK during my last visit but we were not in a relationship at that time and only during this past few months that we kept on communicating by net.

Please do advise me.


Cheers

If you wait a while you will probably get another visa, you have just applied too early after your previous visit. You're only allowed to visit for six months in a year, so if you've just returned a month ago, then wait another 5 months or so and you'll probably be OK as long as you have never overstayed before.
Iain.

[mastergidd]

Thanks for sharing me your thought Iainbusby.

But my concern, is what to kind of visa would I apply now? Would it rather be a Family Visit Visa or a Tourist Visit Visa? I have been refused early this year and wanted to re apply a fresh application later this year.

[IainBusby]

Thanks for sharing me your thought Iainbusby.

But my concern, is what to kind of visa would I apply now? Would it rather be a Family Visit Visa or a Tourist Visit Visa? I have been refused early this year and wanted to re apply a fresh application later this year.

Your best bet is to apply for a family visit visa again but you should only apply when you have been back in Phils for at least six months. This will be the reason you were refused. If people were allowed to get family visit or visit visas as soon as their previous visa had expired and they had retuned back to Phils, then that would be like living in the UK and going home for a short vacation every six months.

If that was allowed, which it was at one time I believe, then it would be an obvious loophole for people who would like to live and work almost permanently in the UK to abuse.

If you managed to get a family visit visa before then it's quite likely that you get one again, but you must follow the rules, ie, don't apply for visas to stay here more than six months in any one year period.

Iain.

[IainBusby]

(Sammy - try looking back at mastergidd's previous posts. In my opinion the refusal was justified.)

You stand more chance of getting a family visa than a tourist visa. But you should really mention your bf on your application because if you don't it may cause you problems at a later stage if you apply for a fiancee/spouse visa and the ECO see that you previously witheld details of your relationship.

At this stage I wouldn't mention anything about bf's. The reason I say this is that there was a member (or the gf of a member) on this forum who applied for a family visit visa to stay with her aunt which was refused. She later applied for a fiancee visa and she was refused again because she hadn't said anything about a bf or fiancee in the UK when she applied for the family visit visa.

As you have already had family visit visa(s) and have never told them about a bf on your previous applications, it's quite likely that if you tell them this when you apply for a family visit visa again, they may refuse because you never mentioned it on your previous applications.

I agree with the principle behind Darren's advice, that honesty is the best policy, but at this stage I think that telling them this is likely to lead to a refusal if you apply again for a family visit visa.

With regard to any future fiancee visa application, as long as you don't supply evidence of a relationship over a period which covers most of your visits so far, then I don't think the ECO will have grounds to refuse you a fiancee visa.

To avoid this sort of problem the scenario must be something like this, you went to the UK to visit your brother, while you were there you met a man, after a short time you got engaged, so at the end of your family visit you went home and applied for a fiancee visa.


Iain.

[mastergidd]

Thanks Iain.

I was about to ask darren about that scenario but you already read my mind. You are very smart! That was a great help.

Cheers xxx

[IainBusby]

The reason I say this is that there was a member (or the gf of a member) on this forum who applied for a family visit visa to stay with her aunt which was refused. She later applied for a fiancee visa and she was refused again because she hadn't said anything about a bf or fiancee in the UK when she applied for the family visit visa.

Hmmm... Telling lies on a family visit visa application, then potentially telling lies on a fiancee/spouse visa application in the future. Not the best advise, though if you do go down this path make sure your story lines up so the ECO doesn't realise.

Always telling the truth is very admirable trait and I wouldn't normally advise anyone to deliberately tell lies, but in this situation, where she has already lied (by omission), I think she's now in the position where she's damned if she does and maybe even damned if doesn't. She's already started on that particular road and I think that telling the truth at this stage would probably do her more harm than good.

Iain.

[darren-b]

Always telling the truth is very admirable trait and I wouldn't normally advise anyone to deliberately tell lies, but in this situation, where she has already lied (by omission), I think she's now in the position where she's damned if she does and maybe even damned if doesn't. She's already started on that particular road and I think that telling the truth at this stage would probably do her more harm than good.

Iain.

You seem to be suggesting the 'upping' of the dishonesty from the not mentioning of a boyfriend in the UK when applying for a visit visa to totally changing the story of their relationship if they ever apply for a fiancee/spouse visa. If the ECO works that out (not everyone is a confident liar when being grilled in an interview...) that could result in a ban.

To be honest in this case the ECO may well suspect something is up and look into any application in more detail anyway. Asking for a visa for 2 months, then staying almost 6, and then applying for a visa (2 year one..) immediately suggests there is something in the UK worth returning for (usually work or relationship).

[joebloggs]

if you dont decalre the relationship with your b/f, you could be refused entry if the Immigration Officer discovers it, because the IO will not accept that you have been honest and that you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit.

but if you mention a boyfriend that might simply alert the ECO as to the real reasons your coming and a good reason why you will not want to leave the UK.

but tell a lie, and your found out, wave your visa goodbye