partner or friend for visitor visa to the UK?

casspider · #1 05-29-2009, 09:35 AM

I was just curious what people thought about the best way to apply for the visa in regards to stating either that you are in a relationship with the applicant or just friends?

I have heard that if you state that you are just friends they are more wary of this as the dominican may meet a new partner here in england and then not return?

Although if you say you are in a relationship then 'YOU' may be a good reason for the applicant to not want to return?

just want to gather as much info as possible before starting application process so i know we have everything in place.

Also if they were to stay in my parents home where i live i was going to include a seperate letter from my parents stating that they are ok with them stopping in our home. but do my parents then also need to provide copies of bank statements etc or will they just need mine as i am going to be the sponsor?

Thanks in advance for any replies

emj_08 · #2 05-29-2009, 09:44 AM

Sounds like you are thinking of applying for a temporary (visitor) visa. In that case, the applicant must show proof that they will return to DR when the visa expires. This is very hard to prove for most people. They need to have tons of money in the bank, own a business, have children/dependants, have travelled abroad before, be very educated, and be very successful in DR. The chances of getting a visitor visa are slim to none, and most people don't qualify.

If those things DO apply in this case, the application will ask you where the person is going to stay, the places they intend to visit, etc. And yes, providing a letter of invitation is a must.

casspider · #3 05-29-2009, 10:45 AM

they have a car, 1000USD in their bank, 2 jobs, have travelled to germany before (got a visa there for 3 months but returned after 1 month wich the embassy said would look good if wanted to travel again)

just wondering best answer to give for whether just friends or a partner?

AnnaC · #4 05-29-2009, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casspider

they have a car, 1000USD in their bank, 2 jobs, have travelled to germany before (got a visa there for 3 months but returned after 1 month wich the embassy said would look good if wanted to travel again)

just wondering best answer to give for whether just friends or a partner?

What did "they" put on the application for Germany? Is it a couple?

If you are using the term "they" instead of he/she for fear of what members will say, don't worry, I absolutely do not allow that in this forum so please feel free to post exactly what you mean.

AnnaC · #5 05-29-2009, 11:16 AM

BTW in case you do not have it, here is a link to Q&A http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/FAQ.aspx#Q18

casspider · #6 05-29-2009, 11:18 AM

they were in a relationship when he travelled to germany but had no car and just 1 job. and was granted the visa.

its just i heard that it may be difficult to get a visa if they are just your friend? or does this not really make any difference?

emj_08 · #7 05-29-2009, 01:28 PM

Just a thought, and this might only apply to Canadian immigration, but I have heard that applying for a visitor visa is tricky if they suspect you are in a relationship and are pretending to be just friends. If they suspect romance, that's a red flag to them that the person will not likely go back to DR. So maybe friends is best, and get the letter from your parents. Couldn't hurt!

daydream · #8 05-29-2009, 02:16 PM

Have your parents met him/her? Because if they are writing a letter of invitation claiming to be good friends with him/her then they will need to provide details of when/where they met him/her, how long they have known him/her etc. etc. So if they haven't met him/her then you could be starting a whole list of lies and he/she will need to be on the ball if they interview him/her to verify any of these lies.

IMO I wouldn't go down that road if they haven't met him/her. It's not worth lying.....if he/she slips up in an interview and they find out he/she you could be refused another application to the UK for up to 10 years. Why lie? At the end of the day one person will tell you it's harder to get if you are just friends and then someone else will say it's harder if you are in a relationship......when it comes to visitors visas each case is different but the weight of the decision is based on the applicant and what ties they have to return to the DR. That's the key here......not whether they are your friend or partner.

Was he/she married to the German or just partners? Did they go to Germany on a visitors visa? They will also ask him/her in the application the reason why he/she visited Germany.

I wish you the best of luck whichever route you decide to take....let us know how it goes

casspider · #9 06-01-2009, 09:02 AM

They were in a relationship when he went to germany. and yes it was just a visitors visa.

and the letter from my parents, i was meaning just for them to give consent for him staying at my house. they will not be claiming to know him, i just wondered if they had to prove that they were allowing me to have him stay in their home?

i have also been wondering if the letter of invitation is litterally just a letter that i write or is it a type of form you get from the embassy and fill in and pay to send for the invitation?

Manxcat · #10 06-07-2009, 11:04 AM

I have recently applied for a UK visit visa for my Dominican 'friend' to visit me in the UK. The first application was refused because he did not have enough money in his bank to support himself whilst in England, even though I had said I was supporting him and paying for everything.

From the feedback I received from the british consulate in the UK, the most important areas seem to be that the Dominican needs to have enough funds available to them to pay for accommodation/food etc if needed whilst in UK and also prove the ties to the DR which will make them return, ie work and family commitments (letter from employer to say they are in full time employment and have been granted annual leave).

Also, it was indicated that the Dominican must have sufficient funds themselves to pay for return travel to DR. I could get no specific idea however of what was meant by "sufficient" so we have estimated at £1500 for 'spends' in addition to me funding travel (accommodation/food etc will be at my house). It must be money that the Dominican has himself, not that the sponsor will be providing on arrival in UK

I have also sent over plenty of evidence of my financial position, by bank statements and wage slips so the consulate here can see I can afford to keep him.

I am waiting for the results of the second application just now, so I can let you know any more feedback I get which may help you make a successful application. If we get it I can let you know what info I sent to the consulate