Need advise for a visit visa to uk

[markwendellcruz]

I have British friend or a connection to be called that he invited me for a vacation in Bristol,. He is willing to pay my air fair and stay to their home with his family while i'm in a visit. My only part is to process my own visa application, he will provide all documents needed as part of being the sponsor.

This is my first ever flight outside the Philippines and i don't know how to start. Kindly help me guys what should the first step should I be. The possible documents or advises you can have to me. All your help and advises is really appreciated.

Thank you and God bless us all!

-Mark Wendell Cruz

[irishman12]

have you ever met him in person ? how long have ye known each other -why is he inviting you there? my advice is be careful .

[Michael Parnham]

Welcome to the forum markwendellcruz, I'm sure someone will try to guide you, my advice is be very careful!

[Terpe]

I have British friend or a connection to be called that he invited me for a vacation in Bristol,. He is willing to pay my air fair and stay to their home with his family while i'm in a visit. My only part is to process my own visa application, he will provide all documents needed as part of being the sponsor.

This is my first ever flight outside the Philippines and i don't know how to start. Kindly help me guys what should the first step should I be. The possible documents or advises you can have to me. All your help and advises is really appreciated.

Thank you and God bless us all!

-Mark Wendell Cruz

Hello Mark, welcome aboard Filipino UK forum.

Glad you found us here, and I hope we can help you.

It's only natural that our group would be concerned about you. Your first post was somewhat vaguely worded in connection with your friend.
However, I have no doubt your a sensible guy and would be careful about putting yourself in a vunerable position in a different country and culture.

Securing a tourist visit visa is notoriously problematic for many reasons.
Not least because approval or refusal of General Visitor (tourist) visa applications is principally based on the discretion of the ECO.
Basically there is no appeal process.

The major complication is the need by the applicant to prove a non-immigrant intent. Applicants wishing to come to the UK under a tourist visit must clearly demonstrate that they do not intend to remain in the UK on a permanent basis. Immigration law places this burden of proof on the applicant.
In order to grant a temporary visa, the ECO must be satisfied that the applicant has strong social, economic and family ties abroad that would compel them to leave the UK at the end of the temporary stay.

Unfortunately, in most cases it becomes difficult to overcome this presumption.

The UKBA page specifically for UK Visit Visa's can be found here with additional detailed information which can be found here and also explains what you are allowed to do while you are in the UK as a visitor.
It's well worth taking a good look around and checking out all of the links provided in those pages.
Anyone coming to the UK as a visitor, will usually be granted a visa with a validity for up to 6 months stay.

Anyone 'sponsoring' a visitor to UK should also review the UKBA webpage Sponsoring a General Visitor

In principle, you must be able to show that:-

- you are 18 or over
- you intend to visit the UK for no more than 6 months
- you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit
- you have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working or help from public funds, or you and any dependants will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends
- you can meet the cost of the return or onward journey
- you are not in transit to a country outside the 'Common Travel Area' (Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).
- you do not intend to take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public
- you do not intend to do a course of study
- you do not intend to marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership
- you do not intend to carry out the activities of a business visitor, a sports visitor or an entertainer visitor
- you do not intend to receive private medical treatment

You can downdload the application form and guidance notes from this page

Understand how to apply by reviewing the page Applying for a UK visa in the Philippines

Concerning the actual documents you'll need to submit in evidence, it really does come down to your personal circumstance but generally must contain:-
- information about you
- information about your finances and employment
- your accommodation and travel details
- information about your visit to the UK

As examples of the type of documents that could be supplied Here is the UKBA Guide to Supporting Documents for visiting the UK

For the General Visitor the application should be supported with some of the following documents for a sucessful application:-

- if you are employed, a letter from your employer granting leave of absence from your job for a specified period - the letter should also say how long you have been employed by that employer, in what job(s), and when you are expected back at work
- if you are self-employed, evidence of your business activities and financial standing
- evidence of any property you own in your home country
- if you are a student, a letter from your school or college stating the course you are on, its start and finish dates, and the dates of the holiday period when you intend to visit the United Kingdom
- evidence of any family or social ties and responsibilities to return home to
- evidence of any firm travel plans you have made
- bank statements going back over a period of several months
- evidence of savings/funds available to you during your stay
- evidence you can financially maintain and accommodate yourself in the UK with or without assistance from family/friends living in the UK but without resource to public funding or employment.

Your sponsor can help greatly by providing an invitation/supporting letter to confirm the support they will be providing in terms of financial assistance and/or accommodation.

If the sponsor is intending to totally support the visit then here are some of the key typical supporting documents that should be provided:-

- 6 months Bank statements
- 6 months pay slips
- Proof of address (eg utility bill, Council Tax etc)
- Accommodation details (including owner's agreement / rental agreement)
- Sponsors passport copy (Photo page, any relevant stamp pages)
- P60 (if available)
- The main reasons for wanting the applicant to travel at the specific time

The first and foremost thing that you need to keep in mind when applying for a visa for UK, is that you should have an intention to return to your home country. Have a well thought out travel plan, date of travel, duration of stay and reasons for travelling.

The absolute keys are going to be:-

- Reasons to return home that outweigh reasons to stay (in the mind of the ECO)
- Financial support / access to funds

Reasons to return home and strong/complelling ties differ from country to country, city to city, individual to individual.
Some examples of ties can be a job, a house, social and family relationships, a bank account, possessions etc
The ECO will be looking to see if the aspects of your life that bind you to your country outweigh those aspects that may cause you to be unwilling to return to your home country, or to attempt to change or extend your visa status.

The positive aspect of visit visa application is that of it's very low cost and risk. Visa refusals will clearly state the reasons and this will allow you to counter/overcome those in a subsequent application which can be made at any time.
So nothing to lose.

Good luck and hope you stay in contact here to share your experiences which in turn will be helpful to others who follow your path.

[markwendellcruz]

have you ever met him in person ? how long have ye known each other -why is he inviting you there? my advice is be careful .

Thanks for the response IRISHMAN12. No, I haven't yet met him in person. We have been connected since the beginning of the year 2013. We met in a professional's site, until we have exchanging emails and chats. Exchanging thoughts and ideas are merely the topics we talked until he invited me in their place for a cultural visit and experience what's life in UK.

[markwendellcruz]

Thanks Mr. Parnham for a welcome

[markwendellcruz]

Thank you for a wonderful response sir Terpe. This is really helpful and your advises are really appreciated. Visa approval is my goal so far and I hope I can make it. Thank you again and God bless us all.

[irishman12]

hi ,what type of chat? yahoo messenger or msn?have you used webcam ?why doesnt he visit you there in philippines?.

[markwendellcruz]

Hi IRISHMAN12, The chat was all about business idea. He is a businessman. We used skype in chatting, and in some times we used webcam in explaining some deeper idea. I send him emails thru my hotmail account. So far, his trip is scheduled in USA, he is considering the Philippines as his next business trip but so far, he is inviting me in their place for a short visit and we'll talk about the business idea. I am just an ordinary individual but he thought that my ability/ies is capable in doing the business he wanted. He and his family has the resources and i think that all matters for me that through of him and his family resources i could be a successful one and same with all of us wanted and dream to.