Work permits/Visa/entry into UK

[teeluckj]

I've been trying to get my head around the governments entry requirements and it is a little confusing to say the least. Perhaps I should start with my situation. I met somebody whilst I was on holiday in April, we kept in touch, slowly and surely. Email to telephone and just recently I went over to Thailand where she works to see her. Things have progressed and are at the stage of us both knowing that this is something we want, and something that works. Anyway she has decided that she wants to come to the UK and work, and of course this means that we can both be together. Myself and her are both at the beginning of this process and we both feel a little bewildered to say the least. I am looking for suggestions as to the best way forward for her being able to get over to the UK as soon as possible. Any advice, any words from personal experience would be very much appreciated.
Good day.

[kimmi]

hi teeluckj,

welcome to the forum..

just read more here in this forum and u will find a lot of posts same with ur questions..

and u can also visit the vfs website for more additional infos..

Goodluck..

[JAMZ]

Options are:

1. To be in a Tourist Visa - you need to know the requirements to apply for this - reason, money (savings) etc.

2. Fiancee or Spouse Visa - if you plan to get married already... There are members here who underwent the same situation, please try searching in this forum...

3. Work Permit holder - again, this is a different one. She needs to comply with the requirements before she could get one...

The British Embassy website in Thailand is very helpful and I recommend her to browse it.

[teeluckj]

First of all let me say thank you for the replies thus far, it is very much appreciated. Cheers. I've been browsing through the various visa sites and information pages and it seems like they are saying everything without actually saying anything. I would love to see some clear and concise details of requirements for entry into the UK, but that would be easy wouldn't it. Anyway, a couple of points. I would like to know the difficulty of obtaining a work permit(from the bits and pieces i have seen on here it seems far more difficult now with the inclusion of Poland into the EU), however she would not be looking for low skilled work. She went to college and holds qualifications, is an intelligent girl and would be looking for something akin to that intelligence. I'm guessing that this would increase her chances. She used to work in the office, for the past few years she has been in entertainment, singing to be exact. If say she was able to line up a job offer in this profession or any other, would it be as simple as gaining the clearance for her to come over or would the great rounds of bureaucracy come into play, i think i already know the answer.
Anyway, second point. I was wondering if anybody had an idea how difficult it would be to obtain a Spanish passport. She has Spanish blood, Spanish anncestry on both sides. It seems if it goes back further than the Grandparents then it is null and void, however i read the other day about a footballer who obtained an Italian passport through marrying somebody who had an Italian relative from 1834. Probably a long shot but the problems would be taken if she could hold an EU passport. Any ideas, any help, truly it would be appreciated. Excuse me for the long winded nature of this post. Cheers.

[KeithD]

Paragraphs

[joebloggs]

it seems like they are saying everything without actually saying anything.

yes just like scouser keiths posts

[ginapeterb]

Teeluckj

Firstly let me say, the reason you are getting replies that tell you everything and yet say nothing is simply because you are falling foul of the professional visa applicants.

Professional visa applicants went through entry clearance once, and because of that, they all of a sudden have become professional experts.

The fact of the matter is, some visa issues are so complex that they require the services of an Immigration law firm, there are many specializing in work entry permits, for a start you may need to contact one which specialiazes in UK I can forward you to one that I know, who are experts in helping foreigners come to UK for purpose of working.

Here it is.

http://www.workpermit.com/uk/uk.htm

Also, the reason why some of our contributors are relucant to answer your questions, is because your style of writing is non paragraphed, some of the moderators here, including myself often refuse to get involved in a post, that has no clear and concise timeline story, including the subject matter in easy readable paragraphs.

And thirdly, your request for information does not ask an specific questions, only to say

I am looking for suggestions as to the best way forward for her being able to get over to the UK as soon as possible.

I can tell you now without hesitation, that the best way and quickest way to get your Girl over to the UK is to simply allow her to apply for a limited time tourist visa.

Its cheapest way, and provided your girl meets the rules, there is no reason why she should not be granted a tourist visa, provided that she can satisfy entry clearance officers that she qualifies under the rules.

However you did ask what is the quickest way ? and this advice is good advice, whether her application will be successful under that category is another matter.

My advice is to not bother with that route, since you are in a relationship with this woman, why dont you have her apply for a fiancee visa, akin a try-fly at least then you would be togther under the right umbrella, this is more expensive, but there is more of alikelyhood that your girl would be granted such a visa.

Your final question about Spanish passports ? I dont wish to point out the obvious, but how would any of us know about your girl obtaining a spanish passport, this is the FilipinoUK forum, not the SpanishFilipino Forum.

I can see why you are asking that, so that your girl can slip into Britain by being an EEC Passport holder, and finally ?

You have been asking for advice about the UK and as yet...you have not told us what nationality your girl is ?

Since she lives and works in Thailand, can we assume she is Thai ?

Or is she Filipino ? if she is Thai, then how can we help at this forum.

I think you need to look carefully at what you have written and then if we can help, come back with a more carefully written post, we are not mind readers mate, as much as we would love to be.

[teeluckj]

Well the fact that I am coming upon, registering and then posting on a filipino uk website suggests that, yes, she is of course filipino. Hardly to state the obvious is it.

Writing style, I feel like I'm back at school again. Quite why the structure of a question should count beyond that of its content, I do not know. But hey, fair enough, rules and standards are that. Please excuse the jumbled nature of the replies, jet lag and a lack of time are a wicked and unforgiving combination.

The reason that my queries are not exact is because I have just wandered into this whole thing and I am not in any way sure of the best path forward. Thus I was leaving myself in the hands of those who have an intimate and first hand knowledge of not only the system but also the best way around it, hoping that I could acquire some useful knowledge that would broaden my understanding and clear away some of the unknowns that stand in my path.

My point about being told everything without actually being told anything was in no way dircted at this forum or any of its contributors. I was speaking this in relation to the government and visa websites. The replies I have had here have been immensely helpful, and even if they had not been, then I appreciate fully the effort.

As for Spanish passports, well correct me if I am wrong but does the Philippines not have a decided and documented Spanish association(history lesson please!). Spanish blood flows throughout the country and its people, I assume that members of this forum carry with them a Spanish ancestry and therefore the question holds valid and true. Has anybody on this forum used this route, researched this route, or hold knowledge on this route or subject -this was my point and a very vaild one.

Thank you very much for the link to the specialists, very much appreciated. I have of course considered such an option but to be pointed in the direction of a trusted place is a help. Thank you.

The fiance visa, far far too soon, for the both of us. I don't think that this is an option. From what I have been looking at, looking through these last few days it seems the tourist visa is the best way forward. We could be together, we could take that time to be sure of each other and the relationship without taking drastic steps before they should be taken.

My specific questions are this;
What sort of time scale are we looking at from application to decision?
Are there any do's and don't's when it comes to the application itself. What would be a help, or indeed a hindrance, to any such application.
And finally, if anybody has a first hand experience of the tourist visa application process and has any relevant information that may be of help then that would be very much appreciated.

Maybe I'm feeling extra bulshy today, maybe it will get me kicked off the forum. Oh well. Thank you very much for taking the time to post a reply to those of mine, however structure and punctuation lessons are not only to be given, they are also to be learnt!!!

Thank you very much for your time.

[teeluckj]

Several days ago I posted a reply to that of the last one placed on this thread. My words were submitted and then were to be inspected by the moderater. Since my words had no foul or abusive language, no insults nor any other reason for them to be denied, I assumed that they would be posted with haste to the continuing discussions. However several days later this has not been the case.

I sincerely hope that my words have been denied a place within this continuing discussion simply because of time constraints and not the fact that they rode close to a nerve. My words were just as fair and just as cutting as those to the previous. I assumed that this forum was one of free speech, and not simply a place where words could be leant as long as they were what said moderater wanted to hear.

I will be looking in over the coming days and I sincerely hope that my last reply is added to the discussion.

[KeithD]

What are you on about, I moderate posts when I can be looking at them.

[walesrob]

Anyway, if anyone has successfully applied for a Tourist Visa, please share your experience here to help enlighten teeluckj.

I doubt she will get a Spanish passport unless she is directly related to a Spanish national, so we can discount that route.

[Yossarian]

No personal experience of Tourist Visas, but I have a friend who managed successfully and quickly to get two consecutive Tourist Visas for a woman he met in the airport lounge at Dubai...

What was the recipe for his success?

She: have worked overseas for several years and made return trips to Phil.

He: be the MD of a largish international company; have a friend who lives in Phil and owns a villa on Boracay that high-ranking members of the British Embassy use...

So, if you can follow the same route, should be no problem

Otherwise, do like most of us poor oiks have to do and go down the Fiancee/Spouse route

[joebloggs]

What are you on about, I moderate posts when I can be looking at them.

yes scouser keith, you've been told off

visit visa difficult to get at least a 30% refusal rate.

i go on a thai fourm, i'm not thai and my wife is not

[Pepe n Pilar]

I have applied for a tourist visa and just followed the requirements on the checklist. My sponsor had forwarded me all the necessary documents needed from him. I had my visa after 14 days and no interview done.

[joebloggs]

I have applied for a tourist visa and just followed the requirements on the checklist. My sponsor had forwarded me all the necessary documents needed from him. I had my visa after 14 days and no interview done.

good for you , but the govs own stats show at least a 30% refusal rate for 2005-2006 ..

[aromulus]

good for you , but the govs own stats show at least a 30% refusal rate for 2005-2006 ..

Gov stats.????

You still believe in Santa....????

With this shower, presently in power, you cannot trust a word they say or publish.

[Pepe n Pilar]

Before i applied for the visit visa i have heard from some people that i have a very small chance of obtaining a visa because it is my first time to travel, properties should be under my name but i have just presented tax declaration of our properties, then my Cert. of Employment, a bank acct and a cert. of leave from work. As long as you submit genuine papers i think there is no reason for you to be denied. Good luck.

[joebloggs]

Gov stats.????

You still believe in Santa....????

With this shower, presently in power, you cannot trust a word they say or publish.

what no santa , you can tell little joe that

well going from experience with gov stats, unemployement, number of eastern euros here, then the refusal rate must be alot higher than 30% , which maybe it is, just becuase you got a visa itsme_iye i'm to say not everyone else will

and a link from the beeb, and don't tell me the beeb lie

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6768405.stm

[teeluckj]

I have applied for a tourist visa and just followed the requirements on the checklist. My sponsor had forwarded me all the necessary documents needed from him. I had my visa after 14 days and no interview done.

itsme_iye, thank you especially for the info. Thanks to all other contributors as well, much appreciated.

itsme_iye, may I ask you some specific questions. I don't wish to sound rude, and please feel free not to answer if you don't feel comfortable, but could i ask you about the length of time that you are coming over to the uk for. Also, did you have to declare this intended time when you made your application.

Thank you people, I appreciate your time and effort a whole lot.

[Bridget]

itsme_iye, thank you especially for the info. Thanks to all other contributors as well, much appreciated.
Also, did you have to declare this intended time when you made your application.

Thank you people, I appreciate your time and effort a whole lot.

I have been to UK twice with tourist or visitor visa. In the application form ,theres a question that ask, when do you intended to go to UK, and also during the interview , the EOC asked me what is my purpose of coming to UK. Your visitor should demonstrate to the ECO that she have no intension to overstayed in the UK and that she will abide in the rules that as a visitor she is not allowed to work and that she is going to leave UK on or before her visit visa expires.
I hope this helps. Goodluck.

[Bridget]

Hi teeluckj,
You can mention in your supporting letter the length of time you wanted her to stay in the UK, but as a visitor the maximum is only 6 months.

[Pepe n Pilar]

Hi Teeluckj, i have presented my certificate of leave from work for 3 weeks. My sponsor had indicated in his Sponsorship letter the lenght of stay that coincides with his vacation which is 3 weeks.

[teeluckj]

itsme_iye, Bridget, you guys are darlings. Thank you so much for the information. Cheers. I'll be posting further questions, so I'll catch you then. Have a good day.

[Bridget]

itsme_iye, Bridget, you guys are darlings. Thank you so much for the information. Cheers. I'll be posting further questions, so I'll catch you then. Have a good day.

You`re welcome Teeluckj.

[Pepe n Pilar]

You're welcome Teeluckj