# Tourist Visa to the UK



## gbroon79 (Feb 15, 2018)

Hi there,

I am going back to the UK for a few months with my Filipino girlfriend who is a senior nurse.

We are not married, and she quit her job at the hospital last month, as she wanted to look after her elderly parents, before coming with me to the UK and then back to the Philippines to look after them again.

However, my lawyer in the UK says that her application will be declined as she will not be able to prove that she will return back to the Philippines, even if I show our flight details and the date of departure. Her suggestion is that my g/f get a job and then ask for an unpaid month's sabbatical to the UK.

This is impossible as no responsible employer who give such a response to someone just in the door.

Can someone give me some suggestions, as surely this would stop 90% of Filipino's from visiting the UK.

Thanks


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## JRB__NW (Apr 8, 2015)

I don't know what to tell you. It seems incomprehensible to me that she quit her job right before a trip to the UK. Every Filipino knows how difficult it is to get a tourist visa to the US, UK, Australia, etc.. Certainly she could have arranged care for them until afterwards. Can she get her old job back and make the trip later?


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

The odds of a girl friend getting a visit visa to the UK are slim to zero and a lawyer will have no leavage and just take your money. Any hint of a relationship and the odd drop below zero.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

gbroon79 said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I am going back to the UK for a few months with my Filipino girlfriend who is a senior nurse.
> 
> ...


Hey gbroon, difficult situation indeed, as JRB said the unemployed have buckley's and none possibility unless wealthy it appears. (speaking from experience only with Australian immi) Does your GF own property? if she does and obviously has family in PH then you could probably sponsor her but so much easier with an official letter from an employer granting leave and the surety of employment with the company upon return. Marriage, fiancee visa? (not sure about that one) is perhaps another solution but not for everyone.

Not sure if your lawyer is general practice or specialises in immi law, best to seek advice from people that deal with your situation every day, ask a professional if sponsorship could work, this simply means you are responsible for her welfare, housing, food, medical and to ensure that she returns on the given date.
Good luck and I hope you find the answers you seek.

Cheers, Steve


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Gary D said:


> The odds of a girl friend getting a visit visa to the UK are slim to zero and a lawyer will have no leavage and just take your money. Any hint of a relationship and the odd drop below zero.


Fully agree. BTDT. Pretty much automatic denial and lawyer fees wasted.

Fred


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## PeterStenings (Jul 2, 2010)

gbroon79, difficult situation indeed, I agree what GaryD and Fred it is a shame she gave her job up, before getting the visa. Instead of paying lawyers fees for advice. be careful if you go to another lawyer and that lawyer says he can arrange no problem unless he has a magic wand he will just take your money (Immigration have list of bogus so called lawyers so please beware).
One option is I suggest you speak to your Local Citizens Advice Bureau, they are able to give you free advice. see below:

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/immigrati...-visa-for-family-and-friends-to-visit-the-uk/ 

This link will take you direct to the page headed Getting a visa for family and friends to visit the UK, look on left hand side and click.


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## gbroon79 (Feb 15, 2018)

Thank you all for your comments.

This is my fault really, as I am usually meticulous in my research but I never thought about a tourist visa being difficult to obtain as it was only going t be for a month.

So her choices are; she gets a job and somehow persuades her new employer to keep her job open for a month or she obtains a mortgage on a property or land?

Ok, again thank you guys.


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## SpaceLands (Feb 20, 2018)

What you read on the media about our borders being open is in my opinion dog excrement. The UK is VERY difficult to get tourist visas from visa required areas, plus you must have all your evidence to present the immigration officials upon arrival.

An idea is to ensure he has a regular income for a while, a return plane ticket, and some kind of proof she is returning. Trust me when i say this, our officials are some of the toughest in the world, whatever you may read in the media.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

All borders are tight/closed if you don't meet the criteria for a particular country and while we didn't make the rules we have to jump through hoops and pay copious amounts of money to abide by them.
Even though Benjie and I went through a difficult process it was well worth the heartache/frustrations to achieve our goal. I clearly understand Australian law and its complexities with regards to immi and whole heartedly agree with what appears to be a bureaucratic and somewhat frustrating system put in place for, simply border protection. I am sure the U.K. and other countries are similar but surmountable.

Good luck to all.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

The problem with the UK is we have no control rightly over EU immigration so to appease the right wing press we screw down non EU immigration.


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## MikenKeira (Jul 3, 2017)

Many years ago had the same problem with my GF (now wife). This is what I did and whether it holds now needs research;

1. Asked and paid the UK embassy to provide a statement noting that my GF and I have lived together as partners for x years/months. This was notarized.
2. Asked my father/relative to write an invite letter stating that she will stay for x weeks and would live and be provided for by him and his son (me). Also noting address and contact details of his home in UK.
3. Had a return ticket
4. applied for a family visa.
5. Provided my recent bank statements so it shows I can provide for the period of visit.
6. provided copies of my passport.
7. provided copies of my fathers passport.
8. Provided names and addresses of other relatives that could be contacted if necessary (i used my sisters).

These were part of the ' other information' that the application suggests, but doesnt tell what to provide for supporting material. If you provide no additional material you are not providing 'your' particular story and circumstances for consideration and they will probably refuse it on face value.

hope this helps and good luck and once you have the first visa the following applications become much easier as you are creating a history.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

MikenKeira said:


> Many years ago had the same problem with my GF (now wife). This is what I did and whether it holds now needs research;
> 
> 1. Asked and paid the UK embassy to provide a statement noting that my GF and I have lived together as partners for x years/months. This was notarized.
> 2. Asked my father/relative to write an invite letter stating that she will stay for x weeks and would live and be provided for by him and his son (me). Also noting address and contact details of his home in UK.
> ...


Yep, if you are serious and provide more than the basic info asked for from my experience (different country but similar border controls) then all the bells, whistles and hoops are overcome.

Good luck to the OP.

Cheers, Steve.


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