Thank you - very helpful indeed

The web page you sent does not link from the application process or a basic web search The staff at the visa application centre were unable to provide it as an option either.

"We can return your passport to you immediately so that you can travel back to Macau the same day but you must provide an original, signed letter of authority to someone who is able to submit your passport to the visa application centre in Hong Kong, in person, within 2 working days of your application being submitted. The letter should authorise that person to submit your passport to us and to collect it again once the visa decision has been made. The nominated person must submit your passport to the visa application centre within 2 working days. On receipt of your passport, your application will be sent to Manila for processing."

We were charged 540 HK$ for a Call Back service providing within 10 days. The fact that the option was not offered adds further ammunition. Indeed it would have cost us nothing to send over within 2 days had we known as one of Lyn's property managers is over their tomorrow.

Also they were not able to advise this process in the e-mail they sent - which was so badly written it defies belief that the UK government can sink so low.

So again a total fail by visas4Uk - it really gets worst the more we learn

I totally concur;

This will always be more difficult to establish if there is an existing romantic relationship between the applicant and the British citizen/permanent resident/sponsor

It is arbitrary and is frankly the main reason why we haven't bothered previously - and will probably give up now. Given your August weather confidence in being able to survive in October is diminishing fast....

PS I will be filing FOI requests on several parts of the process to ascertain exactly who is earning and where out of this process. Could be some very interesting stories in the answers.