Like Joe Bloggs says the sooner you get your step-daughter in the UK the better. It was a shame that you did not apply for her visa at the same time as you applied for a fiancee visa for your wife. The longer you leave her in the Phil being looked after by somebody else the easier it will be for the embassy to give you a problem. And also she is seven now and i presume is already going to school in the phil. How good is her English/Spanish? she is still young enough now to pick up a new language without much difficulty in school but the longer you wait the tougher it will become for her. I got married in the Phil and applied for a spouse visa for my wife and step-daughter at the same time. All you have to do is prove that your wife has sole responsibility for her child. I needed an annulment to do that but as her dad has passed away providing that you can prove that then i dont see a problem. I asked the attorney who did our annulment about adopting my step daughter in the Philippines and was told by her that if you have the money, are prepared to wait a very long time and visit the Phil several times then you can do it. She said "it is better to try and adopt her in your own country" but i never looked into this. Anyway whatever you do you will never be able to change the name on her Filipino birth certificate to yours. So i am planning to change my step-daughters name to mine by deed poll and then when we apply for ILR and eventually citizenship her UK passport will be in that name. as one of our friends in the same position has already done. My advice to you is just get her here asap, get her settled in a school and worry about names and adoption afterwards
