Hello I'm Louis from Kingston upon Thames, UK

[louismc44]

Hi all.
My girlfriend Olivia is hoping that she can get a visitors visa to come and visit me here in the UK..
We have chatted online in yahoo web site for 2 years and 4 months.
We have got to know each other as well as anyone can over the internet... I have sent off a invitation letter and copies of my special papers i.e. banks, council tax, passport copies and a few other documents..
I hoping that she will get this visia, but 1s I would like to ask anyone on here if they have been through this before? If they have, could they give me some advice?
Many thank you's Louis

[Tawi2]

Hi Louis,I have just been to the Bentall Centre to do some christmas shopping I am going to the Philippines tomorrow I am now officially skint people on here have done as your asking,have you met her in person yet?That helps immeasurably.good luck and merry christmas,which part of the Philippines is your lady friend from?

[Englishman2010]

Hi Louis and a belated welcome to the forum

In answer to your question, it really is pot luck as to whether your female friend will get a tourist visa....in my opinion it is much simpler (and cheaper) for you to go there and see her. Plus the Philippines is a wonderful country to visit.

[Bluebirdjones]

Louis, don't want to sound too defeatist, but as Tawi mentions, if you've never met ie you've travelled to the Philippines, then your changes of a successful visitor's visa are greatly diminished.

Additionally, you've put "complicated" as your status... hinting that you're still married ? going thru a divorce ?
If that's the case, again you're chances are greatly diminished.

Sorry ... I'm being realistic.

[andy222]

All I can add is what the guys have already said. Go over there and meet her and get plenty of evidence.,

[louismc44]

Hi there Tawi2
Thank you for your reply, no we have not met in person as I said before we have only chatted via webcam site on yahoo. This we have done for 2 years and 4 months now. There were times when I thought this is crazy falling for a woman miles and miles away, in another country and another world apart from mine here in the UK. I even told her that this is crazy and it won't work. But I have fallen for her and and I hope to meet her one day soon. Then we can see if we can take our relationship up another step higher?

[louismc44]

No I am not married ,nor have I ever been married...So I don't know where this came from? As I wrote up above. We're only chatting via yahoo webcam site We have sent each other many cards, letters and photos of ourselves over these last past year and 4 months. Spoke many many times on the phone too.

[louismc44]

It looks cheaper to try and get her to come here first. I can not cope in a hot country for very long. and if it comes to the push, I will have to shove myself on over there somehow?

[louismc44]

Thannk you for your welcome and to everybody else too..

How much is a tourist visa?

[Englishman2010]

It looks cheaper to try and get her to come here first. I can not cope in a hot country for very long. and if it comes to the push, I will have to shove myself on over there somehow?

It's your choice Louis, but you will be missing out on a lot if you don't go to the Philippines. The only way you can really understand their culture is to go there, explore, spend time with the locals and see what day to day life is really about.

I wouldn't worry about the heat - The hotels and shopping malls are air conditioned.

I'm not so sure it's cheaper to get her to come here Flights booked in the UK and departing from the UK are among the cheapest in the world. With careful planning, round trip flights from LHR to MNL should be IRO £395 - £550. A round trip flight from MNL - LHR is probably going to be IRO £800 depending on the GBP/USD exchange rate, plus there is the £65 cost of a tourist visa for your good lady, the £30 Filipino citizen travel tax and untold other expenses.

Get yourself over there and enjoy it

[louismc44]

Olivia wants to try and get a tourist visa. She reckons she as all the documents to meet the Embassy rules
She has proof of owning her own house, proof of 10 years in the same job. proof of a decent bank account what else could they want from her?

[Terpe]

Hi all.
My girlfriend Olivia is hoping that she can get a visitors visa to come and visit me here in the UK..
We have chatted online in yahoo web site for 2 years and 4 months.
We have got to know each other as well as anyone can over the internet... I have sent off a invitation letter and copies of my special papers i.e. banks, council tax, passport copies and a few other documents..
I hoping that she will get this visia, but 1s I would like to ask anyone on here if they have been through this before? If they have, could they give me some advice?
Many thank you's Louis

Hello there, and welcome to the forum.

In principle most of the comments given are true.

However, as I always stress, the visit visa is a very low cost option. So always worth a try.
There's no appeal for refusal, but also no problems when re-applying.

Hopefully, with some research on the UKBA website and with some research on here you will be in a much better position to overcome the key issues for the ECO.

Basically, your g/f must convince the ECO that she has absolutely no intentions of being an immigrant.
That she has strong and compelling evidence of ties/reasons to return the Philippines that will logically outweigh and reasons to stay in UK. This needs to be the major focus for any application.

There will also need to be clear evidence of sufficient funding for the duration of the visit, together with reasons for making the visit.

Personally, I wouldn't suggest you make too much of the romantically linked relationship in the application.

Do some research and get back with any clarifications needed.

[Tawi2]

If she does come louis she wont be short of pinoy friends,theres lots in Kingston and the surrounding areas,I saw loads today in Bentalls and theres a few pinays/pinoys work in Bentalls also,and just a few miles from there is the european headquarters for Iglesia ni Cristo which brings lots of pinays into the area Hope everything works out for you

[louismc44]

Hello Terpe
That is an interesting point you have made there about not stressing the romantic version of our relationship. I have here a copy of the letter that I would like to send her in regards to my invitation to come and visit me here in the UK..I would like to post this to you here in this Thread if this is ok with you? Louis

[louismc44]

Hopefully, with some research on the UKBA website and with some research

What is a UKBA website?

[joebloggs]

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/vi...tion/visiting/

has your g/f any immigration history ? i mean has she ever visited other countries ?

[louismc44]

Hi joebloggs
No never travel out of the Philippines.

[Bluebirdjones]

No I am not married ,nor have I ever been married...So I don't know where this came from?

... it came from here....

Additionally, you've put "complicated" as your status... hinting that you're still married ? going thru a divorce ?
If that's the case, again you're chances are greatly diminished.

I merely suggested, trying to cover all bases .... not accused, nor applied some moral judgement on your "status".
You asked for advice and help ....... I merely provided some.

Don't shoot the messenger just because you don't like the message.

I don't think I'll bother in future.

Happy bleedin' Christmas

[grahamw48]

I knew you were trying to be helpful.

Of course we know NOTHING.

Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[johnboy999]

It looks cheaper to try and get her to come here first. I can not cope in a hot country for very long. and if it comes to the push, I will have to shove myself on over there somehow?

You can go there without having to apply for a visa and stay for up to 21 days, so that is hardly long, but long enough to give you an idea if you really are compatible when you meet in person.

[louismc44]

Hey..I just joined this site and how was I to know all the rules and I was not shooting you either..so please don't get the wrong end of the stick OK? Happy xmas to you too

[louismc44]

Hi joebloggs

Can I send you a copy of my invitation?. I would like you to add or take away anything wordings that you may think could hinder us? Regards

[louismc44]

I've just notice this on my first blog...

SurreyAge: 67
Posts: 33 Status :
ComplicatedRep Power:

[joebloggs]

Hi joebloggs

Can I send you a copy of my invitation?. I would like you to add or take away anything wordings that you may think could hinder us? Regards

this will give you some idea louismc44

http://www.londonelegance.com/transp...tionLetter.pdf

[louismc44]

Hi joebloggs....
Thank you for this link, I see what you mean. one has to keep it really cool.
Amazing

[louismc44]

In fact i think what you said to me is totally negative and i don't want any negative advice from you anyway
also i think you are the kind of person who likes to put othrs down to your low level

[grahamw48]

In fact i think what you said to me is totally negative and i don't want any negative advice from you anyway
also i think you are the kind of person who likes to put othrs down to your low level

Excuse me !

This is a friendly and helpful forum and there is no room for flaming on here.

If you have nothing pleasant to say to other members, particularly at this time of the year, kindly don't say anything at all.

[louismc44]

I did not start this, if the person had only ask me if I was married or having a divorce then I would have said no, but oh no he had to go and make implications towards me without chyecking with me first. and not only that he was damn right rude with it too.
So I surgest to you that yu do the same, read and maybe you might learn somethng too?

[joebloggs]

come on guys time to move on
were all adults on here, no point in arguing over a misunderstanding

[grahamw48]

I've moved on...well and truly.