Fiance visa

[sk2307]

Hi All

I've been browsing through the forums over the last few days and find it very imformative and useful, kudos to all helping hands!

Basically, I'm in the process to apply the fiance visa for my partner who is actually in Burma. We have met a year and half ago (introduced by friend, that was in dec 2008) and we were in love shortly after few months later. I met her during my first visit while I was on Holiday for one and half month (my parents in Burma and I'm Burmese myself), I then had to go back to the UK.

After a year later, I went back to see her second time on november 2009. I was there for one month only. We been together for a little over one year (not living together) and please bear in mind that it's a long distance relationship. However we keep in touch every day by either calling each other, emails or gmail chat up to this very day.

Now, we are ready to move our relationship to the next step and would like to get married here in the UK and hoping to do so December or Jan 2011. Regarding with my financial and accommodation situation, I don't have much money in my current account (never overdrawn) due to investment in stock shares and also, recent purchased of 2 bed room house in the beginning of the year. I'm hoping to sell £15,000+ worth of shares end of this month for our wedding.

I have contacted a solicitor few days ago since I haven't got a clue where to start with this application proces. After a long discussion, he suggested that I need more time with my fiance (face-to-face) to show that we have a strong relationship. Basically, he suggested me to visit to Burma or arrange to meet her somewhere in Asia for instance in Thailand and then submit the application after the trip.

I certainly do not have a clue if that is required given that we have phone records, photos with my family together during my last visit back in dec-2009. Both she and I have the phone records of calling each other upto this date. If worse come to worst, I'm thinking to sponsor her to visit me for a month or so in the UK and submit the application after she gone back. Can this be possible?

She has a good paid job in Burma as a professional and she been to England on visit visa few years back that was before we met each other. She's also been to other asian countries through out her carrer. Though I met her in person twice as stated above, it seems very risky to apply the fiance visa and theres more chance of getting refused based on little time spent together.

Heres my questions and I'd be grateful if you anyone could help me out with these:

1) Given my financial situation, can I actually present to ECO that I have stock shares as the savings or liquid assets on top of my regular daytime job (my annual income is £25K+, not self employed and been working for same employer for more than 5+ years). If so, what documents do I require, my shares are with online brokers. Do I need to certify the print out from online shares account?

2) I have mothly mortage payment and the land registry details under my name, is that good enough for accommodation requirements?

3) Since we met only twice face to face before, would that be enough to proceed with fiance application or is it a big let down and would cause negative impact on the application?

4) Assuming I need more time with her face to face, would that be OK to sponsor her visit to the UK? The solicitor has adviced that chances of getting the visa is very slim and arranging a meeting in Thailand or elsewhere would be the best option instead. Any suggestions please.

5) The fees for solicitors in order to prepare the application is about £700 in total (no win no fees), however, after browsing through the forums, I guess I can do it without. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Many thanks in advanced.

SiKaung

[batleykhan]

Hi All

I've been browsing through the forums over the last few days and find it very imformative and useful, kudos to all helping hands!

Basically, I'm in the process to apply the fiance visa for my partner who is actually in Burma. We have met a year and half ago (introduced by friend, that was in dec 2008) and we were in love shortly after few months later. I met her during my first visit while I was on Holiday for one and half month (my parents in Burma and I'm Burmese myself), I then had to go back to the UK.

After a year later, I went back to see her second time on november 2009. I was there for one month only. We been together for a little over one year (not living together) and please bear in mind that it's a long distance relationship. However we keep in touch every day by either calling each other, emails or gmail chat up to this very day.

Now, we are ready to move our relationship to the next step and would like to get married here in the UK and hoping to do so December or Jan 2011. Regarding with my financial and accommodation situation, I don't have much money in my current account (never overdrawn) due to investment in stock shares and also, recent purchased of 2 bed room house in the beginning of the year. I'm hoping to sell £15,000+ worth of shares end of this month for our wedding.

I have contacted a solicitor few days ago since I haven't got a clue where to start with this application proces. After a long discussion, he suggested that I need more time with my fiance (face-to-face) to show that we have a strong relationship. Basically, he suggested me to visit to Burma or arrange to meet her somewhere in Asia for instance in Thailand and then submit the application after the trip.

I certainly do not have a clue if that is required given that we have phone records, photos with my family together during my last visit back in dec-2009. Both she and I have the phone records of calling each other upto this date. If worse come to worst, I'm thinking to sponsor her to visit me for a month or so in the UK and submit the application after she gone back. Can this be possible?

She has a good paid job in Burma as a professional and she been to England on visit visa few years back that was before we met each other. She's also been to other asian countries through out her carrer. Though I met her in person twice as stated above, it seems very risky to apply the fiance visa and theres more chance of getting refused based on little time spent together.

Heres my questions and I'd be grateful if you anyone could help me out with these:

1) Given my financial situation, can I actually present to ECO that I have stock shares as the savings or liquid assets on top of my regular daytime job (my annual income is £25K+, not self employed and been working for same employer for more than 5+ years). If so, what documents do I require, my shares are with online brokers. Do I need to certify the print out from online shares account?

Yes it is ok to do this. Just present an up to date statement of value of your shares at the time you are making the application


2) I have mothly mortage payment and the land registry details under my name, is that good enough for accommodation requirements?

Yes this should be fine. You dont need an housing report as you are not sharing and if you and your partner live in it, it would be not overcrowded



3) Since we met only twice face to face before, would that be enough to proceed with fiance application or is it a big let down and would cause negative impact on the application?

It should be enough, and if you have photos of each other together, attach those with application to show you have met ( which is the essential requirement of a fiance visa

4) Assuming I need more time with her face to face, would that be OK to sponsor her visit to the UK? The solicitor has adviced that chances of getting the visa is very slim and arranging a meeting in Thailand or elsewhere would be the best option instead. Any suggestions please.

You have met the essential requirement of the visa,therefore there is no need to have further meetings at all. whatever you dont apply for a visitor visa as that will end in refusal and make any subsequent fiance or spouse visa more difficult

5) The fees for solicitors in order to prepare the application is about £700 in total (no win no fees), however, after browsing through the forums, I guess I can do it without. Please correct me if I'm wrong.


Yes you can do it without the need for a solicitor. There are enough people on here to help you in case of any difficulty. Just browse through the posts who have done thing successfully without the need of any solicitors

Many thanks in advanced.

SiKaung

[mrlookforward]

batleykhan has given you comprehinsive guidance already, but I would like to add something. You mentioned
"I have contacted a solicitor few days ago since I haven't got a clue where to start with this application proces. After a long discussion, he suggested that I need more time with my fiance (face-to-face) to show that we have a strong relationship. Basically, he suggested me to visit to Burma or arrange to meet her somewhere in Asia for instance in Thailand and then submit the application after the trip."


By reading what your solicitor told you, I think he has no idea about immigration rules/guidance. I would personally advice you to stay away from him. If you do decide to hire an immigration advisor/solicitor then it would be a good idea to get a recommendation from this board.

[sk2307]

Thanks very much for kind reply. We both felt upset and disappointed before but thanks to batleykhan and mrlookforward, we now realise that we are in a better position to proceed further.

I've just been reading through application form and was wondering if you could shed some light on this?

1) I've decided to prepare the application myself and DHL it to my fiance in Burma. Is VAF4A the correct application form to start of with?

2) Is there any guidance document or checklist for help completing the application form.

3) Other than my passport, do I need to signed, attested or certified by the solicitor in the UK for emails correspondence, phone card purchased list from online retailer and photos of us together, etc?

4) We have only about 15ish photos such as her and my family, both of us together. When I went back to see her for the second time, I ended up taking her photos instead of us together (silly me!), do I need more?

5) I'm going to ask family members to prepare a letter saying that we been in the relationship for a year and half etc. The question is should I need to certify them with a solicitor in the UK? I guess a written letter with a signature of the person is more than enough?

6) Finally, do I need to make an appointment for wedding registry prior to submitting the application?

Edited: 7) My fiance have just visited to BC in Burma and in the check list they provided to her, she said the evidence of any marriage arrangements made in the UK are also required by ECO. To be honest, we don't really want to spend big money on big venue for wedding reception and planning to invite only family members and close friends to our home in the UK for wedding celebration. I could provide the wedding invitation card but is this good enough?

Much appreciated.

[Kitty]

sk2307, yes, VAF4A is the right form. Check out threads on the forum about fiance visas (there are many!) for an idea of helpful documents.

Other than your passport, you should submit original documents wherever you can. You only need to have documents certified if they are not the original. Ensure that bank statements are on the bank's headed paper or stamped by them (for example if they are printouts for an online account).

the requirement that you intend to marry one another can be evidenced by things like:

Correspondence between you and your fiancee in which you discuss your plans for the wedding
Correspondence with the local register office (which should confirm to you for example that you can't book anything until your fiancee has arrived in the UK)
Correspondence with any suppliers to do with the wedding (even if it's only going to be a small affair, perhaps you are going to book a table at a restaurant for afterwards etc? Do your research in writing so that you get responses from local venues in the same way.)
Notes you have made on guest lists etc.