Visit Visa Extension

[Susie73]

Hi,
I hope someone can help!

My partner of 2 years is a South African national, I am a UK national.
We applied for a visit visa for her which we got. It expires 21st Jan 2017. She has only visited the UK for a total of 21 days of that 6 months.
We plan to go back to UK at the beginning of Jan 2017 and need some advice please:

1. What are the chances of being successful in extending her visit visa for another 6 months? She will leave UK in April to return to South Africa for 1 month while we apply for our fiancee visa
2. What things do the immigration look for when assessing these cases?
3. How long do these visa take to process?

Many thanks for any help, gratefully received...

[Casa]

Hi,
I hope someone can help!

My partner of 2 years is a South African national, I am a UK national.
We applied for a visit visa for her which we got. It expires 21st Jan 2017. She has only visited the UK for a total of 21 days of that 6 months.
We plan to go back to UK at the beginning of Jan 2017 and need some advice please:

1. What are the chances of being successful in extending her visit visa for another 6 months? She will leave UK in April to return to South Africa for 1 month while we apply for our fiancee visa
2. What things do the immigration look for when assessing these cases?
3. How long do these visa take to process?

Many thanks for any help, gratefully received...

1. Zero chance

2. Compelling and compassionate circumstances, such as being too ill to travel, war breaking out in the home country or a natural disaster.

3. Not applicable as your fiancee won't qualify for an extension.

[Susie73]

Thanks for your quick reply..
So basically then, she will have to return to SA and apply for a new visit visa from there?
Will they consider another visit visa immediately after the first one finishes?
Thanks

[CR001]

Will they consider another visit visa immediately after the first one finishes?

Highly unlikely. She is clearly not a 'genuine visitor'.

[Susie73]

OK. If we were to apply for a visa to join a partner, it is very hard for us to prove we have been living together as it is not legal to live together unmarried in the Middle East.

Would immigration understand accept that we have no joint bills or housing contract? We have plenty of photos, proof of holidays together, she looked after me twice during major surgery this year.

We plan to marry later this year in the UK. I feel we are being pushed into doing it sooner than planned and maybe for not the right reasons.
Thanks again

[Casa]

OK. If we were to apply for a visa to join a partner, it is very hard for us to prove we have been living together as it is not legal to live together unmarried in the Middle East.

Would immigration understand accept that we have no joint bills or housing contract? We have plenty of photos, proof of holidays together, she looked after me twice during major surgery this year.

We plan to marry later this year in the UK. I feel we are being pushed into doing it sooner than planned and maybe for not the right reasons.
Thanks again

An Unmarried Partner visa comes under a great deal of scrutiny and without the mandatory documented evidence of at least 2 years co-habitation in a relationship akin to marriage the application will fail.

The ECO will want to see proof of joint commitments during the full 2 year period, such as joint finances, both names on a tenancy agreement or property ownership, and utility bills.

Photos and holidays together, as far as the ECO is concerned, will show nothing more than a close relationship, which won't be sufficient.

[Susie73]

Thanks Casa and CR001 - I may well be back with further questions.
This is very hard to find correct and relevant information. There seems to be blocks every step

[CR001]

There is no block to what you want to do. You wanting her to effectively 'live' here temporarily on a visitor visa is against the rules. She also cannot get married in the UK if she only has a standard visitor visa.

Apply for a fiance visa, get married in the UK and then switch to a spouse visa.

Or

Get married abroad and apply for a spouse visa.