Originally Posted by Steve.r
Soooo........what difference will there be in application if you say fiancee instead of gf ??
For instance, (hypothetically) if I were to propose to my gf and she accepts, am I more likely to have her visa approved in that scenario ?Well basically, a girlfriend per se CAN only apply for a Visit Visa (and, literally, hope for the best!) UNLESS she's seeking a Family Visitor's Visa ... the regulations for which, are similar ... as defined in Joe Bloggs' response.
If, on the other hand, she were engaged, she would be EXPECTED to apply for a *Fiancee Visa ... in order to [at least, partly] satisfy the Entry Clearance Officials that the relationship was one of substance.Furthermore, to [complete] the process, the applicant would need to fulfill the terms & conditions of the *latter by marrying within the visa's period of validity, i.e. 6 months ... or else return to her homeland immediately, in the event of the relationship breaking down and/or any other change of plan.
It stands to reason, therefore, that an application for a fiancee visa application [which is nearly 10 x times more expensive than the "tourist" version] is much more likely to convince the ECO of the genuine nature of a relationship... and hence has a far greater chance of success.
In BOTH cases, however, the criteria to be met includes a sponsor's duty to provide suitable accommodation for, and support an applicant financially - WITHOUT having to resort to claiming public funds - for the duration of the visa.
I trust the foregoing covers your questions (hypothetical and otherwise) adequately.
