# What is sponsoring a general visitor?



## 1bellb (Feb 24, 2013)

Hi,
I am a British Citizen living in the UK and I have been looking all over the UK Border Agency website to find out how to help get a friend of mine who lives in India to visit for 3 weeks for a holiday as a treat from me.
I found these Sponsorship Visa Forms but I don't quite understand exactly what they are as I don't find the site very clear. So I just have a few questions about them.

If I complete a Sponsorship Undertaking Form from your website and send that off what happens next?
Does my friend still need to apply for a Visa at his end or will he not have to do anything until he lands here in the UK?
--If he still has to apply for a visa does he apply before, after or during my application for sponsorship.
And also after completing a Sponsorship Application Form, where do I send it? I found no address to send it to.

Thank you in advance
Ben


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

1bellb said:


> Hi,
> I am a British Citizen living in the UK and I have been looking all over the UK Border Agency website to find out how to help get a friend of mine who lives in India to visit for 3 weeks for a holiday as a treat from me.
> I found these Sponsorship Visa Forms but I don't quite understand exactly what they are as I don't find the site very clear. So I just have a few questions about them.
> 
> ...


First, read UK Border Agency | Sponsoring a general visitor.
There is no sponsorship form as such for a general visitor. SU07/12 is for settlement visa for family member.
Your friend has to apply for his visitor visa himself in India. You just send him your supporting documents, which he submits to UKBA there together with his own.
Ask your friend to read UK Border Agency | Applying for a UK visa in India.


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## 1bellb (Feb 24, 2013)

Joppa said:


> First, read UK Border Agency | Sponsoring a general visitor.
> There is no sponsorship form as such for a general visitor. SU07/12 is for settlement visa for family member.
> Your friend has to apply for his visitor visa himself in India. You just send him your supporting documents, which he submits to UKBA there together with his own.
> Ask your friend to read UK Border Agency | Applying for a UK visa in India.


So basically sponsoring a general visitor is basically a reference. I dont send my form off to the UKBA, I just send sponsorship letter to him alone with copies of my supporting documents and he sends it all off when applying for the visa. Is that correct?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Yes. Except that in India, he hands over his documents when he goes for his biometrics at one of the 12 visa application centres.


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## 1bellb (Feb 24, 2013)

Joppa said:


> Yes. Except that in India, he hands over his documents when he goes for his biometrics at one of the 12 visa application centres.


Ok, thanks for the help


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## Kdt (Mar 5, 2014)

1bellb said:


> Ok, thanks for the help


I'm glad I caught this thread in a timely manner as I'm in a similar position.

After seeing my Indian friend in her country a few times, I'd love her to see the UK so we're working on a way to make that happen.

I'm willing and able to sponsor her entire visit but at a loss how to go about it. Right now, I'm familiarising myself with that *Sponsor a visa applicant: form SU07* document. 

What did you end up doing, Ben?

--- KDT


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## Kdt (Mar 5, 2014)

Kdt said:


> I'm glad I caught this thread in a timely manner as I'm in a similar position.


Timely? I'm only a year out. Oops.


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