How to be with my English Guy

[rhylyn5]

Good day!

I'm new here, I would love to hear advice from anyone who can help me regarding with the situation of my English boyfriend and I (Filipina). We wanted to be together and live together in England for the sake of our relationship..

We tried to apply for a tourist visa before but were refused due to lack of supporting documents that I'll be going back to the Philippines. During that time I wasn't permanent to work, but at this time that I'm permanent to work, is it possible to use it as one of the supporting documents that I will return to Philippines if I lodge again another tourist visa?

Thanks!

[Terpe]

Hello Rhylyn, welcome to Filipino UK

Visit visa key issues are :-
- having sufficient finances available (either your sponsor, you or jointly)

- compelling reasons to return to your home country

If the ECO feels that, on balance of probabilities, the applicant has more reasons to stay in UK than to return home then the visa will not be granted.

There's really no definitive proof you can offer to support an intention to return home. Just depends how the ECO views your application and overall personal circumstances.

Reasons to return home and strong/complelling ties differ from country to country, city to city and individual to individual.
Some very typical 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 how the aspects of life that bind you to your home country outweigh those aspects that might cause you to be unwilling to return, or to attempt to change or extend your visa status.

If you make a search here in the forum you'll find plenty of threads to inform you

The cost of the visit visa low and decision made within a couple of weeks
Always worth the chance

[Michael Parnham]

Welcome Rhylyn, I'm sure you'll find what you need because you've come to the right place. Good luck for the future!

[andy222]

If you are in a serious relationship, get married in the Philippines and apply for a Spouse Visa - as long as you meet the criteria.

[Harry T]

The applying for a visit visa by either a friend or Gf really is just a lottery. Late last year, a friend of mine - a filipino who works in Taiwan - applied for a visit visa. I had agreed to sponsor her, sent a supporting letter, bank statements, proof of accomodation, copy of my work contract, and she supplied her various documents.

The refusal came back with three points:

1. She didn't have a letter of permission from her employer.

2. They were not satisfied that we had met.

3. That on the balance of probabilities they felt she may not return home to Phills.

There is no right of appeal.

To say i was off was putting it mildly. On the application there is no mention of having permission from employers. There is nothing on the application about having met the sponsor, and the final and all encompassing in the balance of probability, "we feel you may not return home", well that applies to every visit visa application.

More or less at the same time her friend in Phils - who is unemployed - applied for a visit visa to visit her Bf. She too, was refused with the all important, "In the balance of probability" reply.

However, since then, she has applied for a fiancee visa - been granted that visa and is currently in the UK and getting married in 2 days' time.

So, what I would suggest is, whatever route you go down - and I would suggest the fiancee visa. That's providing you have proof you have met your b/f, you should apply for the fiancee visa - providing you meet all the relevant requirements. If you have never met your boyfriend, then you cannot apply for a fiancee visa.

There are two other choices. First is the tourist visa, but that is only for 6 months. You cannot marry on that visa and you have to return after 6 months. The final choice is your b/f visits you and you get married in the Phills. Then you can apply for a spouse visa, but he needs to get various paperwork done in the UK before he leaves for Phills.

My advice to you if you have proof you have met your b/f, then try the same as my friend's friend. She had visit visa refused, then applied for fiancee visa and was granted.

Good luck in whatever way you choose.

[rhylyn5]

Thank you everyone for giving me helpful advice and tips.. We will take it and look forward for the next step we should do..

[Padmeiste]

Hi Everybody



I am the Very Lucky English guy to be going out with the OP.

So lets explain the story a little so you all get a better understanding.

I met my beautiful Filipina (Rhylyn) in December 2012 and fly out to the Philippines every 3 months to see her we are very much in love and she is the girl of my dreams! Now as you can imagine its hard on the both of us with the distance between us and only seeing each other every 3 months. I have always wanted a better life for her and more importantly for us to be together! and aswell as that its the expense of going backwards and forwards to the Philippines. So ideally I would like her to move to England and live with me. we are in a very serious relationship and have lots of photos together and passport stamps to backup our love and dedication to each other.

As Rhylyn has already stated she applied for a tourist visa to come to UK for 1 month we gave them everything they asked for and more and still declined it on a few things. Mainly her job not been permanent (it is now) and the fact she went to Australia in 2012 and they wanted to know how she supported herself (well ask in the beginning then) so you can imagine our frustration and upset when it got declined

So do you advise we apply for her to come here again on a tourist visa? or ideally we just want to be together permanently! She is smoking HOT so I would like the Permanent option and deep down I know she will love England and How Green it is here! (the cold will be a shock for her! BUT on a HOT Summers Day I know England will take her breath away

Any advice is really appreciated

[grahamw48]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Yes, it would be lovely if we could all just bring our g/f over for a visit (and only costs about 80 quid for the visa). HOWEVER, in the real world the immigration people look at all such requests in the same way...ie, what are the chances of this young lady overstaying ?

As has been previously stated, visitor visas are a total lottery, depending upon how the person looking at the application judges it. MOST are rejected unless the applicant (your lady) has demonstrated with EVIDENCE clear and pressing reasons for returning home after her visit.

Yes, it's discriminatory and unfair, but that's how it is (mainly because of the 1000s of from OTHER 3rd world countries who've abused the system in the past).

So, by all means apply if you feel that you can meet the basic requirements as her sponsor, but be prepared for a refusal. A refusal will not affect any further applications for other types of visa, such as a settlement visa (fiancee, if only engaged or spouse if you've already married there in the Phils).

If you do actually want to marry each other, then the fee is going to be over £800 and you (sponsor) will need to be able to meet all income/employment and accommodation requirements. Additionally, your partner will need to pass certain tests, like proficiency in English.

[sars_notd_virus]

So do you advise we apply for her to come here again on a tourist visa? or ideally we just want to be together permanently!

Completely up to both of you.
If you want to live permanently together then why apply for a tourist visa ?
Just do it properly, get married and apply for a settlement visa.

[Padmeiste]

Thank you all very much for your replies! your knowledge and advice is worth its weight in Gold!

So we are going to get Married in Phils and then apply for a spouse visa to come here to live with me in UK is this the best method out of the options?

And I read something about needing to fill in some paperwork before I marry her in the Philippines before I go there Is this right? and is there a minimum amount of time I need to go to the Philippines for before I marry her? I have been going out to here for the past 2 years every 3 month's

Everybody on here - Thanks a Million!!!!

[Terpe]

Please make some time to review the appropriate forum threads.

Gauge how your own circumstances match the requirements and ask specific questions where clarification is needed.

As a start to help with your above questions look here at Marriage in the Philippines - New CNI - March 2014

I'd suggest you initially consider a visit duration of around 3 weeks in order to get married.
It's possible to achieve on less time with some luck
Either way you need to have all the paperwork ready to apply the marriage licence.

[Michael Parnham]

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Harry T]

Good luck, my best advice is allow plenty of time for the wedding to take place, a few formalities to complete and waiting time in phills, if you can allow 4 weeks then do so, this will take the pressure off you both.
Good luck and keep us posted.