Tourist visa in 2 days !!!!

[SteveL]

Hello everyone!
I’m a regular reader of this forum, but haven’t contributed much so I thought I’d change that by relating our recent experience applying for a visa for my fiancé, Rebella to come to the UK.
We both attended the visa application centre in Manila on 14th September to apply for a fiancé visa (well, I stood outside as I wasn’t allowed in) and the first surprise came when, after explaining our circumstances (Belle’s coming to stay for between 3 to 6 months but we won’t be getting married here, we will be returning to Dipolog next year to marry in front of several thousand members of her family hehehe) we were advised not to apply for a settlement visa as it was a waste of our money but to apply for a tourist visa instead (£67.00 compared to £585.00). After a long and calm consultation process between us later in the hotel (by this I mean she told me we were not wasting money so I’d better agree or she’d feed me balot) we agreed to “chance” the advice given.
So, armed with a new application form Rebella re attended last Thursday (she had to go back home to get her bank statement which she had forgot.....doh) and flew back to Dipolog Friday.
After a couple of anxious nights not being able to get hold of her (I was worried she had got caught up in the typhoon) we finally spoke Tuesday this week to find the passport complete with 6 month visa had arrived that day!!!
Total time from application to receipt, 2 working days!!!! Beat that I say hehe.
Belle arrives in Manchester on 21st October , so we will have our first Christmas together in Manchester. Hat’s off to the home office !

[PAT]

Thats great!... congratulations....

[girl england]

lucky Belle congrats to you

[LadyJ]

Hello everyone!
I’m a regular reader of this forum, but haven’t contributed much so I thought I’d change that by relating our recent experience applying for a visa for my fiancé, Rebella to come to the UK.
We both attended the visa application centre in Manila on 14th September to apply for a fiancé visa (well, I stood outside as I wasn’t allowed in) and the first surprise came when, after explaining our circumstances (Belle’s coming to stay for between 3 to 6 months but we won’t be getting married here, we will be returning to Dipolog next year to marry in front of several thousand members of her family hehehe) we were advised not to apply for a settlement visa as it was a waste of our money but to apply for a tourist visa instead (£67.00 compared to £585.00). After a long and calm consultation process between us later in the hotel (by this I mean she told me we were not wasting money so I’d better agree or she’d feed me balot) we agreed to “chance” the advice given.
So, armed with a new application form Rebella re attended last Thursday (she had to go back home to get her bank statement which she had forgot.....doh) and flew back to Dipolog Friday.
After a couple of anxious nights not being able to get hold of her (I was worried she had got caught up in the typhoon) we finally spoke Tuesday this week to find the passport complete with 6 month visa had arrived that day!!!
Total time from application to receipt, 2 working days!!!! Beat that I say hehe.
Belle arrives in Manchester on 21st October , so we will have our first Christmas together in Manchester. Hat’s off to the home office !

Wow! that's indeed a breaking record! You must have a really strong of supporting documents.. anyway, thanks for sharing us your story!

Welcome to you here and Congratulations to you both

[rusty]

Congratulations on your visa.

My wife is originally from Dapitan and we hope to visit there in January.

[Arthur Little]

Wow! that's indeed a breaking record!

TWO records, in fact ... getting a *TOURIST visa in the first place. Almost unheard of nowadays! And secondly ... having an application for one approved so QUICKLY!

Well done & Congratulations.

[aromulus]

My gast is flabbered !!!!!

Congrats!!!!

[Ji&Ma]

Thats great, many congratulations from us

[New Shoes]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but..................

Given that the general consensus here on the forum is that a Tourist visa is almost impossible to obtain, does Rebella have really good reasons to return to Phils when the Tourist visa expires. Such as a business, good job / employment etc??

I'm curios to know how come the visa was granted, especially so quickly

Oh and BTW, congrats on getting the visa!!

Thanks,
Dave

[Sophie]

Congratulations Steve and Belle

[jaishann]

Hello everyone!
I’m a regular reader of this forum, but haven’t contributed much so I thought I’d change that by relating our recent experience applying for a visa for my fiancé, Rebella to come to the UK.
We both attended the visa application centre in Manila on 14th September to apply for a fiancé visa (well, I stood outside as I wasn’t allowed in) and the first surprise came when, after explaining our circumstances (Belle’s coming to stay for between 3 to 6 months but we won’t be getting married here, we will be returning to Dipolog next year to marry in front of several thousand members of her family hehehe) we were advised not to apply for a settlement visa as it was a waste of our money but to apply for a tourist visa instead (£67.00 compared to £585.00). After a long and calm consultation process between us later in the hotel (by this I mean she told me we were not wasting money so I’d better agree or she’d feed me balot) we agreed to “chance” the advice given.
So, armed with a new application form Rebella re attended last Thursday (she had to go back home to get her bank statement which she had forgot.....doh) and flew back to Dipolog Friday.
After a couple of anxious nights not being able to get hold of her (I was worried she had got caught up in the typhoon) we finally spoke Tuesday this week to find the passport complete with 6 month visa had arrived that day!!!
Total time from application to receipt, 2 working days!!!! Beat that I say hehe.
Belle arrives in Manchester on 21st October , so we will have our first Christmas together in Manchester. Hat’s off to the home office !

happy christmas to you both.

[LadyJ]

happy christmas to you both.

Did someone just said Christmas Oh yes! Christmas is coming soon!

[somebody]

Did someone just said Christmas Oh yes! Christmas is coming soon!

I thought Christmas started for Pinoys in September Lady J your turning into a Brit


Congrats on getting the tourist visa and so quickly

[SteveL]

I hope you don't mind me asking, but..................

Given that the general consensus here on the forum is that a Tourist visa is almost impossible to obtain, does Rebella have really good reasons to return to Phils when the Tourist visa expires. Such as a business, good job / employment etc??

I'm curios to know how come the visa was granted, especially so quickly

Oh and BTW, congrats on getting the visa!!

Thanks,
Dave

Hi Dave
Rebella is a trainee nurse with one exam to go before qualifying. Im just as surprised as everyone the visa was granted so quick, I can only assume someone was watching us from above.

[SteveL]

Thanks all for your support and kind words, as for Christmas, my present is arriving 20th October! But I will be a gent and wait a day before unwrapping...........hhehehee

[Queenbee]

Hi Dave
Rebella is a trainee nurse with one exam to go before qualifying. Im just as surprised as everyone the visa was granted so quick, I can only assume someone was watching us from above.

HEY GUYS CONGRATS!I ALSO APPLIED FOR A TOURIST VISA JUST LAST wEDNESDAY AND THE SAME DAY I GOT A TXT FROM THEM THAT ITS FORwARDED TO THE EMBASSY FOR PROCESSING,,,REAL SCARED N EXCITED AT THE SAME TIME FOR THE RESULT,,,I wISH TO SPEND MA XMAS N NEw YEAR wITH MA MAN N FINALLY MEET HIS FAMILY,,IT'S JUST A 20 DAY HOLIDAY AS I HAV TO GO BACK FOR UNI HERE BACK HOME,,,

HOw CAN I TRACK MY APPLICATION?HUHU

[wachovia]

Before the VFS, it can be done in 24 hours. But now, with most people I know, it's normally 2 days for visit visas.

[Queenbee]

Before the VFS, it can be done in 24 hours. But now, with most people I know, it's normally 2 days for visit visas.

REALLY??ITS NOT 2 MONTHS OR SOMETHIN??I LODGED MY APPLICATION LAST wED, U THINK THE RESULT OULD BE GIVEN THIS wEEK???HUHU I HAVE TO FLY AGAIN TO MANILA TO GET MY STUFF since im from cebu,i thought it ud take like about 2 to 3 months that's why me told them id pick it up myself...

[aromulus]

Did someone just said Christmas Oh yes! Christmas is coming soon!

I hope you are not contemplating starting an Amyburple style thread.......

[Jay&Zobel]

WOW that was quick too I'm very surprised but congratulations!!!

[vbkelly]

Hello everyone!
I’m a regular reader of this forum, but haven’t contributed much so I thought I’d change that by relating our recent experience applying for a visa for my fiancé, Rebella to come to the UK.
We both attended the visa application centre in Manila on 14th September to apply for a fiancé visa (well, I stood outside as I wasn’t allowed in) and the first surprise came when, after explaining our circumstances (Belle’s coming to stay for between 3 to 6 months but we won’t be getting married here, we will be returning to Dipolog next year to marry in front of several thousand members of her family hehehe) we were advised not to apply for a settlement visa as it was a waste of our money but to apply for a tourist visa instead (£67.00 compared to £585.00). After a long and calm consultation process between us later in the hotel (by this I mean she told me we were not wasting money so I’d better agree or she’d feed me balot) we agreed to “chance” the advice given.
So, armed with a new application form Rebella re attended last Thursday (she had to go back home to get her bank statement which she had forgot.....doh) and flew back to Dipolog Friday.
After a couple of anxious nights not being able to get hold of her (I was worried she had got caught up in the typhoon) we finally spoke Tuesday this week to find the passport complete with 6 month visa had arrived that day!!!
Total time from application to receipt, 2 working days!!!! Beat that I say hehe.
Belle arrives in Manchester on 21st October , so we will have our first Christmas together in Manchester. Hat’s off to the home office !

lucky you both you nearly beat me

[wachovia]

REALLY??ITS NOT 2 MONTHS OR SOMETHIN??I LODGED MY APPLICATION LAST wED, U THINK THE RESULT OULD BE GIVEN THIS wEEK???HUHU I HAVE TO FLY AGAIN TO MANILA TO GET MY STUFF since im from cebu,i thought it ud take like about 2 to 3 months that's why me told them id pick it up myself...

I think they will inform you once your passport is ready for pick-up? Probably the 2-3 months wait is done when they need to check on your documents? But if they're all ok, it's normally just 2 days.

[Pepe n Pilar]

Well done SteveL that was so quick!!!
Congratulations!

[kimmi]

Congrats Steve and Belle..

[aryM]

Congratulations...!

Hope my Visit visa application will be approved too. Was really worried about it, I don't know if my family and my work are enough reasons to prove that I'll be coming back here after 2 months., i don't have properties, big bank savings, and etc.

[JAMZ]

I hope you dont mind, to those who were granted the Tourist Visa, how much money does an applicant need just to play safe, so I can have a knowledge...

My parents will be applying for UK Tourist Visa and they plan to travel together. My mother is just a housewife but she has savings derived from monthly remittances I send her regularly and she owns some properties like lawn lots in Heritage Park in Taguig and conjugal house and lot with land title.

My dad is employed, I dont think i'll have a problem with my dad because he has work to return to and has properties like family car and conjugal house and lot with land title both in the city and the province.

My parents, of course, plan to travel back to the Philippines at the same time. They will travel to the UK to take my child (already a visa holder) here to join us and will take advantage of visiting some historic places here in the UK.

With these, do you think they have greater chances of being approved?

Please, hope to read your inputs here.

Thanks a lot!

[liane]

Though I am 4 weeks late, I wanted to say Congratulations. Well done! Have a nice Christma holidays!

[Arthur Little]

I hope you dont mind, to those who were granted the Tourist Visa, how much money does an applicant need just to play safe, so I can have a knowledge...

My parents will be applying for UK Tourist Visa and they plan to travel together. My mother is just a housewife but she has savings derived from monthly remittances I send her regularly and she owns some properties like lawn lots in Heritage Park in Taguig and conjugal house and lot with land title.

My dad is employed, I dont think i'll have a problem with my dad because he has work to return to and has properties like family car and conjugal house and lot with land title both in the city and the province.

My parents, of course, plan to travel back to the Philippines at the same time. They will travel to the UK to take my child (already a visa holder) here to join us and will take advantage of visiting some historic places here in the UK.

With these, do you think they have greater chances of being approved?

Please, hope to read your inputs here.

Thanks a lot!

From reading the above, it would seem to me that your parents have the wherewithal ... and can, equally, demonstrate sound reasons for returning to the Phils following their proposed visit. Definitely worth a try!

[jonathan47]

steveL i would suggest that you didn't say you mahal was coming for 3-6 months in your application i see this as no ECO worthy of the name would grant you a visit(tourist)visa on that basis as its not a visit it is aperiod of time for you to live together before commiting to marraige, i would be very careful if they find out you have not told the truth and stated she was coming here for 2-3 weeks you may have future problems when applying for spouse or susequent fiancee visas.... the right advice was for you to apply fiancee have left before the 6months was ended and marry your mahal in philippines and applied for spouse for her to join you

just my opinion and wish you all the best, i would warn other forum members to be careful when applying for visit visa they can be difficult to obtain without job bank account reason to return to ph and accomadation rented or owend, even if you are the most reliable sponsor going ,fiancee or spouse is always the correct way to go
regards

jonathan

[Arthur Little]

My mother is just a housewife ...

Housewife & Mother ... the two MOST important ... yet so often UNDERRATED roles ... on this earth!!