Another Tourist Visa or Fiancee Visa?

[Englishman2010]

I've learned today that the appeal I lodged on behalf of my G/f regarding the refusal of her Tourist Visa has been refused, and there seems very little point appealing again.

As my g/f has only just started a casual job working in a factory in Cavite and earns about 4000 php a month she is never going to be able to save up enough money to get anything worth having in the bank.

Therefore, my thoughts now are that there isn't really any point even bothering to submit a fresh application when I go back there in Aug/Sept or Dec/Jan as the Embassy seem to completely disregard what I have as the Sponsor, despite being able to show a good salary with plenty of surplus after my monthly bills have been paid and adequate savings and investments.

Which has now got me thinking about whether it is worth submitting a Fiancee Visa application instead? As I think we are more likley to satisfy those requirements than we are the Tourist Visa requirements.

I know that you have to get married within 6 months, but TBH if we live together for 4 or 5 months first, we will know if we want to get married anyway. I'm thinking about next year now, after my trip in Dec/Jan. By then I will have had 5 holidays with her over a 16 month period.

I know I should read the old posts first, but I haven't as I know the rules keep on changing, so if anyone with very recent experience of a Fiancee Visa can chip in I would be very grateful.

Questions:
You have to get married in 6 months, but if we don't and she goes back home after 6 months (ie, we just used it as an expensive tourist visa), if we left it another 6/12 months and re-applied for a fiancee or spousal, would it go against a future application?

TBH I would actually prefer to get married in the Phil's.

I can look up all of the requirements on VFS, but quickly, what is the cost? and what is required, eg:
6 months bank statements and or building society savings accounts.
share certificates
pension fund statements
6 months salary slips and P60
Mortgage statements and property valuations
Photos of us together
Copies of IM chats/SMS messages (I always back SMS up in Google Mail)
Anything else you can think of?

Thanks for your help, and please don't bock me and tell me I should have looked it up first, I know I should

[stevewool]

hi there so sorry to read that again yyour aplication and appeal has not been granted , but after reading lots of messages form you before, your gf has found work , you must be pleased she has done that,you have wrote some good points in past threads and i have taken notice of many, myself and emma went straight towards the fiancee visa after reading so many thta did not get the tourist one ,

[stevewool]

i cany answer some of your questions but 6 months is a long time living with some one and getting to know if you are both suitable, what have you both to lose???,my only wish after doing it this way is not getting married in the phils , i would have loved that but we can always have a blessing, i think you have answered your own question here and what you are asking on here about what you may need , you are nearly there , the cost is betwen £600 and £700 , othere things you may need i can advice you

[Englishman2010]

Thanks Steve
Yes, like you I have decided it is going to be the easiest way, and as you say, 6 months living together is long enough to really get to know if we are right for each other.
I can't do anything until next year now, as I already have 2 future flights booked, plus I am not divorced yet either
At 45080 Php, the cost is a bit steep, but broken down monthly it's only £100 or so.
I would prefer to get married in the Phil's as typical of all Filipina's she has a very large extended family who all want to attend, whereas I can probably scrape together a handful of people here I would actually want to invite

Questions are as follows:
1. If the 6 months expires and we don't marry, and she goes back, can we re-apply for another fiancee visa at a later date - or preferably a Spouse Visa if we marry in the Phil's?

2. If we married in the UK, how soon after the marriage could she work? If we then applied for a Spousal Visa, could she stay here beyond the 6 months until the Spousal is granted, or would she still have to return to the Phils?


3. What is the fully list of supporting docs required (would I need a copy of my Decree Absolute, whenever I get it)

Thanks

[stevewool]

well number 1, i dont know the answer at all , number 2 i think once you are married she can work this has confussed me if you are getting married and have got married in the 6 months i think its automatic that she is allowed to stay, i will check that myself, number 3, yes the origanal decree absolute , copy of passport birth cert, pictures of home , a letter of undying love , a letter from your employer, i did not offer my pensions just savings accounts and bank accounts but if you blank out the accont numbers and sort code place a letter stating the reason why because of iit might get into other peoples hands but are willing to give them if they call you, there are lots of other things but just commen sense but rember if you are getting maried there then it may be differant what they need and time too arrange

[joebloggs]

Questions are as follows:
1. If the 6 months expires and we don't marry, and she goes back, can we re-apply for another fiancee visa at a later date - or preferably a Spouse Visa if we marry in the Phil's?

2. If we married in the UK, how soon after the marriage could she work? If we then applied for a Spousal Visa, could she stay here beyond the 6 months until the Spousal is granted, or would she still have to return to the Phils?


3. What is the fully list of supporting docs required (would I need a copy of my Decree Absolute, whenever I get it)

Thanks

sorry to say i'm surprised they even let your g/f appeal (seeing shes not a family member, so she only has limited rights to an appeal)

1) yes you could, but they might ask why you didnt get married within the 6 months and if your applying for another fiancee visa, they might wonder if your just using it as a visit visa.. but if you married in the phils later instead, i wouldnt expect you to have any problems doing that.

2) on a fiancee visa, she cannot work til she has been granted FLR.spouse visa ? you mean if she came on a fiancee visa and you married and applied for FLR ? no she would not have to go back to the phils, as long as you married and appiled for FLR within the 6 months of the visa being granted, she would be here legally until she knows the outcome of her FLR visa app even if her fiancee visa had now expired.

3) if your applying for a fiancee visa and you can get a letter from the judge/lawyer stating that you will be granted a decree absolute within the next 6 months you could try and apply for a fiancee visa now, bit of luck you could be granted it..

[-sillybilly-]

Hi there!
I know you are a very confused. But i just wonna share with you my experience regarding choosing the type of visa we were supposed to get.

I was still on my annullment process and when i was nearly getting the finality i went to this agency called Manila Visa for a free consultation. I was told that the best way to get is the spouse visa. Wait till i sorted out my annullment, get married and apply for a spouse visa. In that case i can work right away as soon as i get in the UK. Not like the fiancee visa, they said that its the most tricky one and besides its going to cost you more from fiancee visa fee, plain ticket, 6 months not able to work, wedding expenses, pay the spouse visa fee, and all that lot.

Wedding in the Philippines is not that expensive. Mind you weve only invited our close friends and relatives. I think we have less than 50 persons in total. Spent about £1000 more or less!

And now i am just waiting for my new passport so we can apply for a spouse visa.

You just have to think about it very well which one would you really prefer.

Hope it helped a bit.

[Arthur Little]

Hi there!
I was told that the best way to get is the spouse visa. Wait till i sorted out my annullment, get married and apply for a spouse visa. In that case i can work right away as soon as i get in the UK. Not like the fiancee visa, they said that its the most tricky one and besides its going to cost you more from fiancee visa fee, plain ticket, 6 months not able to work, wedding expenses, pay the spouse visa fee, and all that lot.

Wedding in the Philippines is not that expensive. Mind you weve only invited our close friends and relatives. I think we have less than 50 persons in total. Spent about £1000 more or less!

You just have to think about it very well which one would you really prefer.

Hope it helped a bit.

I'm sure it WILL ... I'd certainly go along with THAT as being the most cost-effective approach!

[stevewool]

thanks this has helped me too

[stevewool]

no one knows everything but if everyone shared all they know look how clever we all would be ,, and this is what this site does

[darren-b]

I'm sure it WILL ... I'd certainly go along with THAT as being the most cost-effective approach!

If though you haven't managed to get a tourist visa it doesn't though give you the opportunity to live to live together in the UK for a few months first. To me that was priceless, and going by what Englishman2010 he is thinking on similar lines.

[Englishman2010]

If though you haven't managed to get a tourist visa it doesn't though give you the opportunity to live to live together in the UK for a few months first. To me that was priceless, and going by what Englishman2010 he is thinking on similar lines.

Although this is a more expensive route than other options, for me, living together for a few months is a real advantage. Whilst I am happy that my relationship will last, you cannot realyy get to know someone by spending a couple of weeks in a hotel with them every 3 or 4 months.

I'm still considering the possibility of treating this as a very expensive tourist visa and at the end of 6 months, letting her go back to the Phil's so that we can get married at a time to suit us, not because the visa might run out.

Even if the Fiancee Visa is £600+, I think it represents good value to me if I get to spend quality time with my g/f. It's only £100 a month when you break it down......plus of course the cost of her return flights and a monthly shopping allowance

Well, you can't worry about the cost of love and happiness. I was thoroughly miserable for years of marriage to my ex and that cost a fortune.

[stevewool]

last statement says it all , go for it and 6 months will be a fantastic holiday and knowing at the end of it you have made the right choice too , what ever that may be

[purple]

Hi Englishman2010,
I too got my tourist visa denied last May. Me and my b/f was frustrated because we were expecting it will be granted.
Now we are planning on putting another tourist application. He came here 2 weeks ago for his 3rd time this year and he is coming back in 14 days to spend two months here in Phils. We are also planning on getting married (civil) next month, that is less than 30 days from now.

My question here, is that do we need to apply tourist visa for me? I have no intentions on living in the UK, I'm only going there to stay with my finace (soon to be husband) as he is currently working there and planning to move here permanently by the next year.

I've posted a thread here and so far only darren-b has given me some advice.

Will somebody give us an advice too?

Would it be sensible to apply for tourist visa after we get married? and what are the chances of me to have that visa. I work at home (virtual assistant) for my boss in the US.

Does the declaration of porperty and absolute deed of sale will suffice to link myself here in the Phils.

My mum is the one who's got some properties as an heir to her deceased parents.

Hope you will give me some advice.

Thanks,
Honey

[Englishman2010]

Hi Honey, I'm sorry but I can't answer your questions, but as a Visit Visa costs 40K Php less than a Fiancee Visa I would try that first. If you are married to a British Citizen it may well go in your favor? As it only costs 5K Php, its not a major loss if they say no. VFS are very quick, it took less than 2 weeks for them to process and refuse my g/fs application.

Good luck and best wishes for your wedding and future lives together

[darren-b]

Going back to your original question "1. If the 6 months expires and we don't marry, and she goes back, can we re-apply for another fiancee visa at a later date - or preferably a Spouse Visa if we marry in the Phil's?"

Really not advisable, though you don't need wedding plans, the visa is issued on the basis that you will get married. You are going to have to produce really good reasons to show why you didn't get married. I'd personally expect a refusal if you applied for a fiancee visa, and maybe a tough interview if you applied for a spouse visa.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

If you marry you would require a family visit visa, the main difference being is that you have the right of appeal should it be refused.

[sars_notd_virus]

I know that you have to get married within 6 months, but TBH if we live together for 4 or 5 months first, we will know if we want to get married anyway.

i think u will have no problems re-applying for fiance visa once the first application is granted ...marriage is a major thing and 4-5months is not enough to decide if you are both into it,so goodluck with ur plans and visa application.

[darren-b]

i think u will have no problems re-applying for fiance visa once the first application is granted ...marriage is a major thing and 4-5months is not enough to decide if you are both into it,so goodluck with ur plans and visa application.

Definitely, though Englishman2010 is talking about living together in the UK for 4-5 months after having a LDR for a lot longer.

Having 4-5 months living together in the UK before getting married which fiancee visa allows is far better than the spouse visa which allows no time.

[darren-b]

My question here, is that do we need to apply tourist visa for me? I have no intentions on living in the UK, I'm only going there to stay with my finace (soon to be husband) as he is currently working there and planning to move here permanently by the next year.

As I think I may have said in your other thread, if your husband can show the UK will not be his main home in the near future, then it will increase your chances of getting a tourist visa. If he can't then it will basically make it impossible for you to get a tourist visa.

[joebloggs]

Definitely, though Englishman2010 is talking about living together in the UK for 4-5 months after having a LDR for a lot longer.

Having 4-5 months living together in the UK before getting married which fiancee visa allows is far better than the spouse visa which allows no time.

spouse visa is for those already married, they've already made that decision to wed, in my case i had known the misses for years b4 we wed.

how many people do you know on here, who came to the uk on a fiancee visa and didn't wed ? ( i know of only 1 - who didn't even make it to the uk).

some people are still happliy married and they only met once

its different for everyone
i

[darren-b]

spouse visa is for those already married, they've already made that decision to wed, in my case i had known the misses for years b4 we wed.

how many people do you know on here, who came to the uk on a fiancee visa and didn't wed ? ( i know of only 1 - who didn't even make it to the uk).

some people are still happliy married and they only met once

its different for everyone
i

I don't know of many people who came to the uk on a fiancee visa and didn't wed, but I do know of far more who went the spouse visa route whose marriage failed very quickly. Unless though you can find stats issued by the UKBA it's impossible to really tell as not everybody will admit their failure.

Yes everybody is difference, but I will continue to argue that being together in the UK before you get married is a good idea for everybody (be it tourist or fiancee visa) who have only had a LDR.

[LEAHnew]

spouse visa is for those already married, they've already made that decision to wed, in my case i had known the misses for years b4 we wed.

how many people do you know on here, who came to the uk on a fiancee visa and didn't wed ? ( i know of only 1 - who didn't even make it to the uk).

some people are still happliy married and they only met once

its different for everyone
i

Do you know me Joe but we made it here in the Philippines...got married finally after almost 4 years
We're not intended to do it coz very expensive route it's just complications from papers...but in the end very worth it

Just a reminder to our Gentlemen here...Doing the fiancee visa route is very hard decision for a parents to allow their daughter to marry in a foreign land....so make sure u mean it and sort all legal concerns....and give the parents assurance (by keep them informing about the wedding plans) that you are very sincere to their daughter and wanted to marry
I'm saying this based on my experiences...

[joebloggs]

Do you know me Joe but we made it here in the Philippines...got married finally after almost 4 years
We're not intended to do it coz very expensive route it's just complications from papers...but in the end very worth it

Just a reminder to our Gentlemen here...Doing the fiancee visa route is very hard decision for a parents to allow their daughter to marry in a foreign land....so make sure u mean it and sort all legal concerns....and give the parents assurance (by keep them informing about the wedding plans) that you are very sincere to their daughter and wanted to marry
I'm saying this based on my experiences...

how could i forget you
but your reason for not marrying was for legal reasons not becuase you didnt want to

its not the spouse visa fault that a marriage fails, people shouldn't rush into it, but then who are we to say whos marriage will last, i'm sure there are many who met only once and are happily wed after many years

you would also need to looks at the number of people who came on a spouse visa compared to a fiancee visa..

stats dont mean a thing, if i stick my head in a oven and my feet in a fridge, stats say im doing ok !

[Sim11UK]

Definitely, though Englishman2010 is talking about living together in the UK for 4-5 months after having a LDR for a lot longer.

Having 4-5 months living together in the UK before getting married which fiancee visa allows is far better than the spouse visa which allows no time.

I see your point here, but there was no way we were going down the fiancee visa route...Wasn't even an option, would have been horrible getting married over here....You could spend some time in the Philippines?

Like has been said, best not to rush into things, take your time.

[Englishman2010]

The Fiancee Visa is the best option for us as she doesnt have a decent job or any money over there, and I have a good job over here. There is no way I could spend any more than 2 or 3 weeks at a time over there, and going over there 4 times a year is becoming very expensive when you consider flights, internal flights, hotels, presents and spends, airport parking and taxi's in the UK...etc
The main advantage of the FV is that it means we can spend a good 4 months together to really get to know each other and see if we really are destined to spend the rest of our lives together. Cost wise, it works out cheaper than me going there once during the same time, and is a massive saving if I were to go twice. Cost isn't the major concern, although it is still an important consideration as any money saved on my own travel will be used to support my g/f while she is here, and can also be used to pay for a wedding and spousal visa ...etc
My g/f doesnt mind if she gets married here, as we can always go back to the Philippines afterwards and have a blessing and party for her friends.
As I have a trip over there in a couple of months and another in Jan 2011, I'm not going to rush into anything now. I will see how it goes on the next two trips, and we will decide if its the right thing during my trip in Jan next year

[stevewool]

hi there well it sounds like the best way to me , a few more tips there ad then once you are ready bring her here and start the fv sounds simple when you read it ,

[Sim11UK]

The Fiancee Visa is the best option for us as she doesnt have a decent job or any money over there, and I have a good job over here. There is no way I could spend any more than 2 or 3 weeks at a time over there, and going over there 4 times a year is becoming very expensive when you consider flights, internal flights, hotels, presents and spends, airport parking and taxi's in the UK...etc
The main advantage of the FV is that it means we can spend a good 4 months together to really get to know each other and see if we really are destined to spend the rest of our lives together. Cost wise, it works out cheaper than me going there once during the same time, and is a massive saving if I were to go twice. Cost isn't the major concern, although it is still an important consideration as any money saved on my own travel will be used to support my g/f while she is here, and can also be used to pay for a wedding and spousal visa ...etc
My g/f doesnt mind if she gets married here, as we can always go back to the Philippines afterwards and have a blessing and party for her friends.
As I have a trip over there in a couple of months and another in Jan 2011, I'm not going to rush into anything now. I will see how it goes on the next two trips, and we will decide if its the right thing during my trip in Jan next year

Sorry Englishman, my post wasn't meant personally at you, was just a bit annoyed at darren-b, saying fiancee visa is best.

It's up to couples to decide, which suits them best. Neither one is better than the other.

[joebloggs]

Sorry Englishman, my post wasn't meant personally at you, was just a bit annoyed at darren-b, saying fiancee visa is best.

It's up to couples to decide, which suits them best. Neither one is better than the other.

yes each to their own, what ever suits you both best

[Arthur Little]

Sorry Englishman, my post wasn't meant personally at you, was just a bit annoyed at darren-b, saying fiancee visa is best.

It's up to couples to decide, which suits them best. Neither one is better than the other.

with you on the one hand, Simon [your 1st paragraph]. But not entirely on the other, because:

To MY mind, at least, the fiance(e) route is an unnecessary waste of money ... UNLESS work commitments determine the maximum amount of time an applicant's sponsor can spend in the Phils. Admittedly, for someone like me ... who's lucky enough to be retired ... the choice is more easily made (and one hell of a lot less expensive!). I mean WHY pay nearly seven hundred quid to bring your betrothed to the UK, incur the hugely-inflated costs of even the smallest ceremony here ... and then be forced to fork out [roughly] the same fee AGAIN just a few months later ... to allow your [by then] lawfully-wedded spouse to remain in this country for the next two and a bit years?? Incredible!

However, I'm totally with you in your second statement; it IS up to couples themselves to decide.