Quote Originally Posted by malchard888 View Post
Gavin,

Whilst all the above posts give good solid advice and it would be wise to heed what has already been posted, however when we applied I gave them nothing concrete at all just an assurance that we would abide by the rules and marry within the specified timescale and that worked for us and we got the visa. There must therefore be an element of luck involved and of course all the other information u provide will weigh in your favour if the ECO feels the relationship is genuine, so submit as much written evidence as u can and i am sure you be rewarded with a successful outcome.
The requirements are a little different these days.
Of course it's not possible to prove an intention, and likewise no concrete evidence is actually possible. Even receipts for a wedding dress and ring do not prove an intention.
But the caseworkers do not have discretion any more. Certain aspects need to be present.
It's no longer a case of what an individual Caseworker feels. It's more a case of which boxes get ticked.

No offence intended, but it's far better to be compliant and to provide all the evidence possible than to suggest it's all down to luck and what the ECO feels. Minimise all risks by whatever possible.

Refusals are no longer down to a single individual's feeling. Thank goodness for that improvement at least.