Visa is finally on it's way...

[ginapeterb]

Originally posted by ivor&mel@Feb 28 2006, 01:41 PM
Great news indeed - it's about time the Embassy ventured the real world! I just wish I could understand their criteria for deciding who to interview and who not... So many people seem to be getting visas sans interview now, which is making me wonder more and more why they have "chosen" Mel... I still have a feeling that maybe they are concerned about the age difference. When I brought this up in my original post, Pete said it is unlikely to be a reason to deny the visa, but in the transcript of the ECO's Interview Summary for Gina, I notice the words "the age difference is acceptable" - implying that there IS an unacceptable age difference? Hmmm... one more week and then maybe all will be clear.. But it's bloody nerve-wracking!

Ivor

Quoted post

Well Spotted Ivor, yes it is on the interview summary, hmmmmm you have been researching very hard, remember of course Ivor, Ben Croucher was a stick in the mud, he is not at the British Embassy Manila anymore, he has been posted elsewhere, so its unlikely you will have the pleasure of him on your Fiancee's interview.

Pete

[ginapeterb]

Just to support Ivor here in his quest, I would like to re-iterate that age difference in itself, is no reason to deny a visa, Let me take this further, and ECO cannot deny a visa simply because he or she thinks the age difference is too great.

The only way this could be expressed is if the ECO thought the age difference would be likely to have a greater chance of the relationship not subsisting in the future, Gina and I were discussing this earlier, when we commented on the High Divorce rate in UK, 1 in 4 ends in Divorce, the national trend is higher than the British-Filipino trend which actually has a very low drop out rate, (if thats the right word to use).

In Gina's interview transcript, which by the way was not supposed to be given to us, it was a mistake, and got caught in the middle of our paperwork, the age difference was referred to as accetable ? although no one knows what determines whether age is acceptable, again this refers to the inbuilt personal prejudices of each individual Entry Clearance Officer, this is why the whole system stinks, as they are allowed to act arbritarily, Ive always said, the key to decisions made in the affirmative are always based on best evidence and probability of a subsisting relationship.

Whenever a refusal is made, the reasons for a refusal, starts with a preamble, like this:

"The Entry Clearance officer is not satisfied that xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"

Again clear proof of an arbitrary decision making based on each individual officers prejudices and quirks.

But that is sadly the system, its one we all have to deal with, the song "Always Look on the Bright side of Life" springs to mind especially the lyrics that read "Lifes a peice of s.....when you look at it " would probably be sang at just about the moment a visa denial is issued.