iam sure i've read cases where the visa has been refused, because the embassy has stated that the mother has not proved she has 'sole responsibilty' , becuase her own mother has looked after her grand daughter. but i wouldnt worry about that, i dont think it happens much. you just have to take nothing for granted with visa's and lunatic house (IND)

i married my wife many years ago, near 6 i think , i didnt even apply for a spouse visa til more than 2 years after we married, as my wife was at med school, and when she finished med school, we got a spouse visa we borught our daughter, but left her son who was 15 at the time with his aunt, so he could finish school and bring him when we were settled in the uk.

nearly 2 yrs went, and i realised i had to get my stepson here before he was 18, at 18 or older its nearly impossible to get a settlement visa then, i got him here dec 2006, he turned 18 in mid feb 2007, so he couldnt be put down on my wifes ILR app in may, i had to pay another fee, and also as he was now 18, there could be a chance he would be refused, as he is no longer seen as a dependant, but if you can still prove he is dependant, then you have a chance. which we did and he got ILR at 18, and only been in the uk 6 months.

i think you have to get your daughter here as soon as you can, the longer you leave it, the more chance that the embassy could say you haven't proved you have sole responsibilty, which if you leave her in the phippines, you live in the uk for say 4 years, and apply for a visa for her, i wonder if they would say you have 'sole responsibilty'. when you haven't been there much for those 4 years , but i could be wrong.

if i was you, i would do more research, phone up the embassy and ask, never get advice from one source, as that one could give you wrong info, which has happened to me a few times. but if you intend to leave her in the philippines with your mom or her father for years, then get her visa sorted out before your spouse visa runs out. just as i did with my stepson.

as i said before put on your spouse visa your daughters info, tick the box shes not traveling with you, but put in the extra info or a cover letter you want her to join you when your settled and shes finished school. so after you've been in the uk, 18 months or so, apply for a visa for her to come and join you in the uk, and when you apply for ILR, she can be put as a dependant without a extra fee, once she has her passport with ILR, iam not sure <18 can get ILR ? ,, need to find out, then take her back to your ex and mom, and if the same ruiles apply, you need to bring her back to the uk within 2 years or her ILR can be revoked? iam not sure again on a minor.. but i could be talking a load of ...

iam just saying if you can sort her visa out, once she has it, then it might not matter if she is with her dad or your mom, as she already has her visa. but then you might be able to leave her there for 4 years and not have a problem, but i dont know anyone who has left their child for 4 years and then applied for a visa. maybe iam wrong ??

also i sent money to my stepsons aunt, who looked after him, when my wife came to the uk, i used PNB online to send the money, they send you a reciept, which i keep each one, to prove that we had sent money to his aunt to care for him, and that we were financially responsbile for him. so if you send your mom or ex money, KEEP THE RECEIPTS as evidence.

it could be straight forward as your daughter is only 8. but dont take chances, if she is refused, maybe you can appeal , but its time and money, nevermind the stress and its not worth it, ive applied for 6 visa's and not had one refusal, as ive researched and made sure they cannot fail my apps. so keep on researching

and good luck,