Need urgent help regarding family visitor visa

[psridh]

Dear Gurus,

I'm really in need of your advice regarding family visitor visa. I'd like to invite my in-laws to the UK as my wife is due for delivery in May 2011. I'm looking forward to bring them here atleast by the 1st week of May. I have the following questions, but i'm also going through other relevant topics and taking notes along the way. As always would greatly appreciate your help.

Sorry if I'm asking the same questions which was addressed in the previous topics, its just that i couldnt find anything specific. Will appreciate pointers though.

1. How long is the family visitor visa valid for? (i heard its just 6 months when applying for the first time), is there any possibility of getting a 12 months the first time. If not can they stay with us for atleast 6 months (if granted visa that is) and go back to India and then make a fresh visa application for another 6 months, should they take a gap or can they apply straight away for a second term?

2. Do I need to show bank deposit to sponsor my inlaws or will payslips/bank statements suffice?
3. Do my inlaws need to produce their marriage certificate (just asking coz its a pain to get this in time)

Documents I'm send to my inlaws

1. Employers Letter confirming Salary
2. Sponser Letter clearly confirming my intention to bring them is looking after our new born (please let me know if this has to be attested?)
3. Payslips - last 3 months
4. Bank Stmts - Last 3 months
5. Accomodation details
6. Letter from GP/Midwife confirming the delivery date

Documents my inlaws need to submit at VFS India

1. Payslips/tax returns of my mother-inlaw
2. Sanctioned leave request from her employer (she's a govt servant) clearly stating the begining and end of her leave
3. Combined Property documents
4. My father-in laws tax returns (he's into business) and bank statements
5. His property documents
6. 2 VAF1B applications
7 Am i missing anything else ?

If they have to come here on 1st of May 2011, when is the best or the earliest time to apply for the Visa ?

Any help/advise will be much much appreciated. thanks

[vinny]

See also VAT1.5 Frequency and duration of visits and ECB9.5 What if applicant is not intending to travel straight away to the UK.

[psridh]

See also VAT1.5 Frequency and duration of visits and ECB9.5 What if applicant is not intending to travel straight away to the UK.

Thanks for the reply Vinny. I read through the docs, but its only general information, the only reason I'm asking is because there has been couple of cases offlate reported by my frends and their frends regarding successive application.

They say its safer to take a break of atleast 2 months before applying for a second term.

Also is it true the first family visitor visa is granted for no more than 6 months ? and earliest by when should they apply for the visa ?

I'd greatly appreciate if you or someone else could get back to me on the rest of queries, many thanks

[mulderpf]

Be very careful with your application. When you stated that you might want them to come for a year, what ties do they have back home if they are able to just go for a year? You have to prove that they have ties back home and do not intend to stay in the UK indefinitely. Especially with such a long holiday, it might be very difficult to prove!

Also, I was looking for this info but couldn't find it now, but I have read of people on here who were in a similar situation to you where the parents were refused a visa because they would be caring for the grandchild (e.g. working), rather than just visiting.

[psridh]

Be very careful with your application. When you stated that you might want them to come for a year, what ties do they have back home if they are able to just go for a year? You have to prove that they have ties back home and do not intend to stay in the UK indefinitely. Especially with such a long holiday, it might be very difficult to prove!

Also, I was looking for this info but couldn't find it now, but I have read of people on here who were in a similar situation to you where the parents were refused a visa because they would be caring for the grandchild (e.g. working), rather than just visiting.

Many thanks for your reply mulderpf, as stated in the topic, my mother-in-law is a govt servant and she can produce a leave letter from her employer showing the duration of leave. Besides she can also produce ration card, and prove that she has to look after her aged mother and father who're dependent on her. I think she can also produce a doctors certificate for that.

My father-in-law on the other hand is a business man, self employed, so he can show property details back home, details of his business, tax returns and other relevant docs showing he's financially active back home. Also he's a heart patient and is actively seeking treatment in one of the hospitals in the capital, we could get some doctor certificate stating need for frequent checkups. But it may be noted that my fatherin law intends to stay for only a short period like 2 - 3 months before going back.

Will this be enough ? thanks for the reply in advance

[batleykhan]

Your inlaws can come for a maximum 6 months on a visitors visa. There is no 12 months visa at all.

Your inlaws need to show they have good incentives to return home. The ones that you have outlined seems quite reasonable to me that they will infact return back home.

You need to produce documents to prove what you have said above to send with their application.

One word of advise, I would personally not make a mention of your wifes pregnancy and that she is expecting as quite often that leads the ECO to believe that your parents are probally coming here to look after their grandchildren and they can wronfully assume that to be some form of employment. A few people have been refused for this. Just say that you wish your inlaws wishes to meet you and your family as well as grandkids that they have yet not seen. That is more plausible reason to visit in my opinion.

Once they have been here 2-3 times then you may consider a longer term visiotor visa ( 2 & 5 yrs visa). However on any visitor visa they can only stay 6 months in a 12 month period

[psridh]

Your inlaws can come for a maximum 6 months on a visitors visa. There is no 12 months visa at all.

Your inlaws need to show they have good incentives to return home. The ones that you have outlined seems quite reasonable to me that they will infact return back home.

You need to produce documents to prove what you have said above to send with their application.

One word of advise, I would personally not make a mention of your wifes pregnancy and that she is expecting as quite often that leads the ECO to believe that your parents are probally coming here to look after their grandchildren and they can wronfully assume that to be some form of employment. A few people have been refused for this. Just say that you wish your inlaws wishes to meet you and your family as well as grandkids that they have yet not seen. That is more plausible reason to visit in my opinion.

Once they have been here 2-3 times then you may consider a longer term visiotor visa ( 2 & 5 yrs visa). However on any visitor visa they can only stay 6 months in a 12 month period

Brilliant, that's spot on batleykhan! exactly the information i was looking for. I would definitely take your advise and make sure the purpose of the visit is altered to visiting grandchild and us instead of childcare. It makes a lot more sense now. One thing though, lets say the inlaws are granted visa for 6 months, can they then go back to India and apply for second term asap or does that sound likely for a refusal? Many thanks for your response.

[mulderpf]

A visitor should not, for example, normally spend more that 6 out of any 12 months in the UK.

I don't think there are any compelling reasons for them to spend more time here. Personally, I would not try and come back within 6 months after my last trip.

[ukbuddy]

Hi psridh

Did you your in-laws visa sorted ?

-U

[psridh]

Hi psridh

Did you your in-laws visa sorted ?

-U

Hi ukbuddy

Sorry about the late response, the inlaws havent applied for visa yet, I'd be sending the relevant docs this week and they'd most probably apply the second week. But I'll surely post the outcome here. thanks

[psridh]

Dear Friends,

My in-laws application for visitors visa to Uk was refused on the grounds that they dint provide enough evidence of funds to support their trip.

I can see the refusal is more like a mistake from my in-laws part as they missed out on a crucial document of savings account statement from the application. Which was a costly mistake.

What I'd like to know is what options do I have now, given that my mrs is due to deliver in less than months time and I was so hoping atleast her mother would be here by that time.

It seems the ECO made the decision based on my Father -in laws currently financial status. He had just a few hundred rupees in his current account, but held about 25k in his savings, they basically used up all their amount for a little shopping, ticket and other travel related expenses.

I've now asked my father inlaw to pool in another 75k into his savings account and then go for an appeal. Can anyone here help me understand what the best option is at this point. Should I go for an appeal or should I wait and then apply. I just dont know what to do as I feel so desperate and helpless as the time is running out on me.

If I go for an appeal this is what I'm hoping to do ... I'll get my father-inlaw to produce the 'missing' savings banks statement and appeal to the ECO along the lines of 'we apologise as we missed to include the savings statement which shows adequate amount in savings money to support us for our return journey and other expenses .. blah blah blah ...

Does anyone think the ECO will be convinced by this, or I have no go but to apply in a months time. If I was to appeal, can i use the same docs that I used before, which now includes the saving statement as well. Do i need to pay for the appeal ? any help will be much appreciated. thanks

[geriatrix]

What I'd like to know is what options do I have now, given that my mrs is due to deliver in less than months time and I was so hoping atleast her mother would be here by that time.

If you decide to appeal, there is no chance that they will receive a visa in time to be with you in the next 4 weeks.

Apply fresh, and provide bank statements of the accounts where the money is being held. If you they now try to transfer money from different accounts into one ... the ECO may question the source of these transfers. To avoid this risk, provide bank statements of all the accounts you wish to use to show availability of funds.

Also make sure that your cover all aspects of the requirements (e.g. - strong ties to home country) in the new application, so that the ECO has no excuse to refuse this time around.

IMHO ...

[psridh]

Thanks Sushdmehta, as always appreciate your speedy response. I'm wondering if I were to get my folks to make a fresh application, they'll obviously have to mention they were previously refused visa on such and such grounds. And explain exactly what additional proof/evidence is being produced to make a case now.

Questions are.., do you envisage any sort of issues with this fresh application approach when in a state of refusal, and besides does the money need to be held in any account for any period of time per se ? Roughly how much money do you reckon should they hold in bank as liquid cash ?

Also in the fresh application do I need to give any sort of reference to my refusal letter like ref. no or something in the new application ? Thanks in advance.

Regards
Pravin

[psridh]

Hi All,

Finally the inlaws VISA has been stamped, they re-applied on the 6th April and received the passport yesterday 29th April. This time around I got them to make a fresh application stating I was going to sponsor their entire trip and provided all supporting docs. That was it. Me and Mrs very happy that my mom in law could make it in time for the delivery.

Thanks a lot for all your help and advise.
Regards
Pravin

[ukmigrant2011]

Hi All,

Finally the inlaws VISA has been stamped, they re-applied on the 6th April and received the passport yesterday 29th April. This time around I got them to make a fresh application stating I was going to sponsor their entire trip and provided all supporting docs. That was it. Me and Mrs very happy that my mom in law could make it in time for the delivery.

Thanks a lot for all your help and advise.
Regards
Pravin

Dear Pravin, Congratulations for sorting out the visa. May I request you to post the list of documents you submitted as Sponser.

Cheers

[psridh]

Hi All,

Finally the inlaws VISA has been stamped, they re-applied on the 6th April and received the passport yesterday 29th April. This time around I got them to make a fresh application stating I was going to sponsor their entire trip and provided all supporting docs. That was it. Me and Mrs very happy that my mom in law could make it in time for the delivery.

Thanks a lot for all your help and advise.
Regards
Pravin

Dear Pravin, Congratulations for sorting out the visa. May I request you to post the list of documents you submitted as Sponser.

Cheers

Hi ukmigrant2011, thanks, you can find the list of documents I'd send at the beginning of this thread, items 1 through 5, except item 6. Hope this helps. thanks

[ssh4478]

Hi Psridh,

Thanks for the info and congrats for the visa granted.
I want to know if you supply all your original or photcopes of your original docs to ur in-laws for the visa purpose.

Thanks