<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ivor&mel &#064; Apr 16 2006, 10&#58;15 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Hi Andy and welcome back&#33;

I&#39;ve only been on this Forum since Feb, so I didn&#39;t come across the posts you made in July last year till now.
It seems that Pete and Keith advised you then that the easiest way is to get a fiancee visa (which is what Mel and I did this year) but it&#39;s too late for that now&#33; Still, you&#39;ve already been through the hassle of getting married in the Philippines, so we&#39;ll have to take it from there. I know you want to get the spouse visa as soon as possible - we all do&#33; - but there are no short cuts, unfortunately, either on the Embassy&#39;s part or on your part.

As John has just said, PREPARE - and prepare well. Read this forum, read Pete&#39;s site, understand the process and requirements, and ask questions about anything you don&#39;t understand, however trivial or minor it may seem. The process is not complicated or scary, just a pain. Just because you are married does not mean the the Embassy will automatically grant a visa&#33; Do the groundwork and make sure you have LOTS of supporting evidence - the more the better.

You talk to your wife online? I would advise you to point her to this forum and Pete&#39;s site too so that SHE can understand the process, since she is the the one that will have to be interviewed if the Embassy deem that necessary. Work on it together as much as possible. Yes it will take a lot of time when you&#39;d rather be talking about better things&#33; But it is both necessary and (eventually&#33 worthwhile&#33;

Without help, advice and support from this forum, Mel and I would most likely have had our application refused. This is the place for you to be if you want to get it right. There are people here who want to help, people with experience. Just listen to what they say and have said - even if you think it sounds like a waste of time: you will have to deal with the British Embassy in Manila and commonsense does not always apply&#33;

Ivor and Mel
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I could not have put it better myself, well done Ivor, nothing for me to add to that.

PETE