Hi all

[Grace05]

As I said before
I just got back from the Phils last Friday 7th Sept 2012
I have to tell you this.
When I got there, I went to a hotel.
I ask him how much it cost to stay the night? He told me 400 ph.
But around 2 am the F .....ker. call me up and ask for another 400 saying my time is up.

Then Olive family invited me to go to the beach with them on Saturday. I said ok thank you. Then when I turn up to go there, about 40-50 were there to meet me. I was told that I have to pay for everyone fare to the beach and I had to buy all their foods and drinks. I said to them, no way mate.

Then the next night I was invited by one of her brothers to join them for dinner, when I got there. He ask me to pay for the meal, no way mate, I am off. Then the next person was one of her sisters in law came around with a hard luck story..would I lend her 2000 ph. I said I did not carry money as I only had a visa card..This went on many times with her family and so called friends I ask Olive about this, and she said it is the custom of the phils to ripped off us white folk al over the land...
I told her if she don't protect me from these F ....ers I am off out of here. she got the message and began to tell them all to keep away from me..

I also told her that I have only come to see her and get to know her only..I don't really care or like the country, but I did find a Rose in the phils..This is Olive, she is totally different from the rest of them, she knows what they are like and she don't like it either...

. I also let it be known that I am not here to marry her family or her friends. you have to make this very clear to them at the very beginning...I am only here to Marry Olive no one else..the rest can go to hell for all I care..

Another time, we were tying to get a taxi and when one came over to us..he ask Olive for double fare because I am white, Olive bless her soul took very bad to this man and told him who do you think I am? this happen on a few occasion, they insulted Olive by making out because she is with me, then she is a hooker..Everywhere I want people stopped and stared at us. Some even tittered and pointed out to us..Basically these people have no respect for their own people let anyone a while person like me..

To be fair..I did meet one or two very nice decent folks...they did not ask me for anything at all..in fact they were very kind to me and treated me with great respect which I am accustom too..

At times I'm in a wheel chair . ,Cathy Pacific is the coupany to be flying with..They treat you like gold..

One more thing I need to let you all know..Don't ever let them take your visa card away from your sight. Twice they tried to do this me and I had to tell them, no way mate am I going to let that card our of my sight..

Hi louismc44,

I am a filipina and married to an english man. I live here in UK for more than two years. I went back to philippines last year with my daughter and my husband for a 20 days holiday, and our taxi fare had double the price and I told them "how did it happened that I have to pay double the amount?" they said because I came from abroad and my husband is foreigner and we got lots of money. I was really piss-off. I hated it. I had fight with the taxi drivers alot. They swear at me and I ignore them. I couldn't believe how stressful it was. All you have to do is try to be calm as much as possible and just ignore those people, which what I did. When I pay them the money and if they won't accept it because they want more, I ended up telling them that "take my payment or else I am leaving and not paying.

[louismc44]

Hi Terpe
I just looked at that site you gave me
There is a level at A1 on there.
When you say B1 I get confused.
Is it the Al level that she needs or is it the B1 level that she needs?
I believe that the B1 is for student and nurses.
Is that right. yes or no?
Thank you
Regards
Louis

[louismc44]

Hi Grace
Thank you for your message which I read with great interest.
I want back the 2nd time with a bit more clued up to what life is like over there.
Basically they are very nice people as I got to know a lot more about them on that 2nd trip..
The Spanish were there for a long time, maybe if the Brits were there first things might have been a lot different?
Although I am not saying that the Brits are perfect either.
Now if it had been the Irish who had been there 1st...lol...
Also the Japs took a lot of liberties with them too in the WW2

Cheers Louis

[Terpe]

Hi Terpe
I just looked at that site you gave me
There is a level at A1 on there.
When you say B1 I get confused.
Is it the Al level that she needs or is it the B1 level that she needs?
I believe that the B1 is for student and nurses.
Is that right. yes or no?
Thank you
Regards
Louis

What I'm saying to you is this:-

1. UKBA has a list of approved tests and associated approved providers.
2. There is no such thing as a test called A1. That is just the designation of the level of qualification required for spouse visa.
3. Not all of the UKBA approved tests are evaluated at level A1 - Some have a higher level and may be too demanding for some students.
4. Each test has it's own evaluation scoring. The UKBA approved list clearly indicates the level at which they accept for each test ( for example, IELTS test has a minimum level B1 which equates to a score of 4. UKBA will not accept any score less than 4 even if the actual score of the student was equal to A1 level such as 3.5)
5. Your wife needs to select a test which she feels comfortable with and also a testing centre that she can get to easily.
6. Many people on this forum and beyond have elected to take the test called IELTS. The minimum score is 4 which is a level of B1. Despite this being higher than the A1 required they have felt comfortable to take this with their skill level as they felt this was also more convenient with a convenient test centre.

The B1 level of IELTS is certainly not enough for nurses etc.

[louismc44]

Hi Terpe
Thank you very much
You have explain this to me very well indeed.
I am more clear now than I have ever been before on this subject and I am happy to say that the test called 'IELTS'. this is the name of the one that my wife is now taking next week.
Once again you have come up with the trumps on this site
Thank you all for your great help and maybe in time I too will become a bit of an expert and be able to offer some good help and advice to others who chose to travel the same path as I am doing here now today...
For there is nothing worst them giving wrong information to someone in need of help.
With kind regards
Louis

[Terpe]

Thankyou Louis, for your kind words.

[louismc44]

Hi Terpe
You are very welcome mate
I am happy to also tell you....That my wife Olivia passed her General Training English Test today...Overall 5.5
Reading, writing, speaking and listening...And thank you again for your great support.
With kind regards from us both
Louis & Olivia

[Terpe]

Hi Terpe
You are very welcome mate
I am happy to also tell you....That my wife Olivia passed her General Training English Test today...Overall 5.5
Reading, writing, speaking and listening...And thank you again for your great support.
With kind regards from us both
Louis & Olivia

Great news that Louis
My congratulations to Olivia

[louismc44]

Thank you Terpe

[louismc44]

Hi Terpe
How are you?

Please
A couple of questions
Do we have to pay for the visa application online only now
Is the manager's cheque no longer use now?
Regards Louis

[Michael Parnham]

Yes I believe so Louis!

[Terpe]

Hi Terpe
How are you?

Please
A couple of questions
Do we have to pay for the visa appicaton online only now
Is the manager's cheque no longer use now?
Regards Louis

Yes Louis, Michael is correct.
Payment can only be paid online.

[louismc44]

Thank you Terpe
Another question please
We fill in our 1st form 3 months ago, but only now we can send it
I am wondering if we should refill it in again as the old one is 3 months old? Thank you Louis

[louismc44]

Thank you Michael

[Terpe]

Thank you Terpe
Another question please
We fill in our 1st form 3 months ago, but only now we can send it
I am wondering if we should refill it in again as the old one is 3 months old? Thank you Louis

Hi Louis,
Got to be honest I don't know for sure.
As I recall there is a limited time period for how long it can be saved.
Have you updated it on a regular basis? If yes you'll be OK

Otherwise you'll need to start over.
I don't believe the form will let you submit.

Anyway can you post your experience here?
This thread of yours is becoming a must read

[louismc44]

Hi Terpe
The application form I am talking about here is this one...APPENDIX 2 (VAF 4A NOVEMBER 2012)
FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT FORM
We already fill this is back in late Dec 2012 but because Olivia had to re-sit her English test again We could not complete our forms. But we did complete this one above mention. Do you think we should fill this one in again...Thank you
Louis

[Terpe]

If there's nothing date sensitive then it should be OK

If it was me I'd just fill it out again just to be sure everything was up to date. But then that's me. Minimise any risk.

Can't see any reason not to fill it out again other than a few minutes of time.

Just my 2 centavos.

[louismc44]

Thank you Terpe
Olivia has an appointment at the Embassy on Thursday 14th Feb
Louis

[Terpe]

Thank you Terpe
Olivia has an appointment at the Embassy on Thursday 14th Feb
Louis

She has an appointment at the Embassy ??
Or at the VFS application Centre?

[louismc44]

Hi Terpe
What is the difference? they are all part the same thing, aren't they?

[melovesengland]

They are different louis. she needs to book the appointment with VFS where she lodge her application. VFS will then send it to the embassy for them to review the application.

here the link of VFS. http://www.vfs-uk-ph.com/

[Michael Parnham]

Hi Peter, can you please clear up a problem I can't seem to get my head round. The IELTS certificate expires after two years, which means for most or all those that come to the UK that the certificate has expired by the time they put in an application for ILR, so do they have to do an IELTS exam again before the ILR application, please keep it simple such as, yes/no.

[louismc44]

They are different louis. she needs to book the appointment with VFS where she lodge her application. VFS will then send it to the embassy for them to review the application.

here the link of VFS. http://www.vfs-uk-ph.com/

Yes thank you that is what we did..but at the end of the day they are all linked into the same system...right?

[Terpe]

Hi Peter, can you please clear up a problem I can't seem to get my head round. The IELTS certificate expires after two years, which means for most or all those that come to the UK that the certificate has expired by the time they put in an application for ILR, so do they have to do an IELTS exam again before the ILR application, please keep it simple such as, yes/no.

Can't give a yes/no answer. Too many twists and turns.
Also nothing to do specifically either IELTS or with specific certificate expiry.

All applicants for settlement will be required to demonstrate a knowledge of language and life in the UK by passing the Life in the UK test and by presenting a speaking and listening qualification at intermediate level (Common European Framework of Reference level B1) or above.

[louismc44]

Hi all
We put in our application for a settlement visa about a week ago now (for my wife Olivia)
Roughly on average how long do they take to give us an answer one way or the other?

[Terpe]

Hi all
We put in our application for a settlement visa about a week ago now (for my wife Olivia)
Roughly on average how long do they take to give us an answer one way or the other?

The majority get a decision within 6 - 10 weeks

[louismc44]

Thank you Terpe
We will just wait this one out then
Oh by the way
When Olivia was at the visa centre in Manila
Although we did ask to have the interview in English
but the officer who Olivia saw there ask her to speak in Tagalog.
And also copy all the list of her documents down in Tagalog too?
Now why would they do this when Olivia ask to be interviewed in English?
Were they checking up to see if Olivia really knew her English and could translate all her English document back into to Tagalog?
Seems strange to me, but maybe that is the way they do things over there?
Regards
Louis & Olivia

[Terpe]

Thank you Terpe
We will just wait this one out then
Oh by the way
When Olivia was at the visa centre in Manila
Although we did ask to have the interview in English
but the officer who Olivia saw there ask her to speak in Tagalog.
And also copy all the list of her documents down in Tagalog too?
Now why would they do this when Olivia ask to be interviewed in English?
Were they checking up to see if Olivia really knew her English and could translate all her English document back into to Tagalog?
Seems strange to me, but maybe that is the way they do things over there?
Regards
Louis & Olivia

Was this at the VFS application centre?
or was it at the British Embassy ?

[louismc44]

Hi Terpe
Yes it was at the VFS application centre.

[Terpe]

Hi Terpe
Yes it was at the VFS application centre.

Ah, OK Louis, that was an appointment to submit the application. It was not an interview to support her application.
Those interviews are only undertaken by an Entry Clearance Officer at the British Embassy.
It would be highly unlikely that an interview would be needed.
If she indicated that she would prefer any needed interview to be conducted in English then it would be.

VFS are a private company working in a business releationship with The British Embassy to handle the front-end visa application submissions. They have absolutely no input or influence concerning the visa assessment or decision.

It's the waiting time now Louis.
I sincerely send all good luck and best wishes to you both for a speedy and positive outcome.