Advice needed - Albania

[hignfu]

My albanian boyfriends visa expires in Sept, we have known each other for 1.5 years and have been together for nearly a year, we have never lived together as for a while I was not living in the area.

My question is can anyone advise what our best options are to stay together??

We have both been ignoring the Sept deadline hoping it would go away, but these things just don't do they (unfortunatly!)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

H

[Wanderer]

My albanian boyfriends visa expires in Sept, we have known each other for 1.5 years and have been together for nearly a year, we have never lived together as for a while I was not living in the area.

My question is can anyone advise what our best options are to stay together??

We have both been ignoring the Sept deadline hoping it would go away, but these things just don't do they (unfortunatly!)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

H
:cry:

What kind visa is he on?

[clairey]

Hi,

If you can tell us what grounds he is here on at the moment, then we can think about what you guys need to do next.

I've been through the process of getting a fiance visa for my husband at the British Embassy in Tirana, so if you need any advice, just let me know.

Claire

[hignfu]

Hello.....

He is currently here on a student visa..

H

[Wanderer]

Hello.....

He is currently here on a student visa..

H

Ok, in my opinion, ur options are:

1. Extend/new student visa, new course etc assuming he's finished his current one. Expensive tho - how did he fund his uni fees, no disrespect to Albania but it seems unlike he has rich parents.

2. Marry - can switch in-country from student visa so no need to home. Maybe need a CoA to marry - 395 pounds and the FLR visa immediately after is 385 pounds (I think) so more expense I'm afraid. Have to quick with this plan cos I think u need three months left on ur visa.

3. IGS - assuming he got his degree, I think he might qualify for this one-year scheme - check tho I'm not really familiar with it.

That's all I can come with for now!

[clairey]

Hello.....

He is currently here on a student visa..

H

Ok, in my opinion, ur options are:

1. Extend/new student visa, new course etc assuming he's finished his current one. Expensive tho - how did he fund his uni fees, no disrespect to Albania but it seems unlike he has rich parents.

2. Marry - can switch in-country from student visa so no need to home. Maybe need a CoA to marry - 395 pounds and the FLR visa immediately after is 385 pounds (I think) so more expense I'm afraid. Have to quick with this plan cos I think u need three months left on ur visa.

3. IGS - assuming he got his degree, I think he might qualify for this one-year scheme - check tho I'm not really familiar with it.

That's all I can come with for now!

Not everyone in Albania lives in abject poverty you know...

I'm afraid the only route I know about is getting married - I've not had any experience of other types of visa - sorry!

[Wanderer]

Hello.....

He is currently here on a student visa..

H

Ok, in my opinion, ur options are:

1. Extend/new student visa, new course etc assuming he's finished his current one. Expensive tho - how did he fund his uni fees, no disrespect to Albania but it seems unlike he has rich parents.

2. Marry - can switch in-country from student visa so no need to home. Maybe need a CoA to marry - 395 pounds and the FLR visa immediately after is 385 pounds (I think) so more expense I'm afraid. Have to quick with this plan cos I think u need three months left on ur visa.

3. IGS - assuming he got his degree, I think he might qualify for this one-year scheme - check tho I'm not really familiar with it.

That's all I can come with for now!

Not everyone in Albania lives in abject poverty you know... :roll:

I know! Whilst I've not been to Albania I've been to almost all the other Eastern bloc countries and I know what it's like for the majority. I was trying to find out if the OP's bf had independent means in which case he can go for another student visa. Or maybe the OP has funds and she can sponsor his further studies? Just looking for options!

[alba29]

Hello.....

He is currently here on a student visa..

H

Ok, in my opinion, ur options are:

1. Extend/new student visa, new course etc assuming he's finished his current one. Expensive tho - how did he fund his uni fees, no disrespect to Albania but it seems unlike he has rich parents.

2. Marry - can switch in-country from student visa so no need to home. Maybe need a CoA to marry - 395 pounds and the FLR visa immediately after is 385 pounds (I think) so more expense I'm afraid. Have to quick with this plan cos I think u need three months left on ur visa.

3. IGS - assuming he got his degree, I think he might qualify for this one-year scheme - check tho I'm not really familiar with it.

That's all I can come with for now!

Not everyone in Albania lives in abject poverty you know...

Well done Claire. I was just about to write the same...but you are very quick. My mum's had her interview yesterday and it went really well. They asked her to bring a couple of documents and hopefully once she supplies them with this they will issue her the visa. I have just written to them today also.
Albaxx

I'm afraid the only route I know about is getting married - I've not had any experience of other types of visa - sorry!

[clairey]

Sorry Wanderer, wasn't having a go at you. I'm just very protective of my adopted country.

Out of interest, I saw my friends last night who have just got back from Albania where the got an EEA Family Permit on the basis of their marriage. It turns out the British Embassy kept their original marriage certificate, so now they can't apply for a Schengen visa. Should the Embassy have kept it? And is there anything they can do short of reapply for another copy from the town hall in Albania where they married?

[Marco 72]

I'm pretty sure they kept our marriage certificate too (my wife is a US citizen on an EEAFP). In fact, I think both the British consulate and the Home Office kept the certificates we mailed them. We used to have three certificates and now we've only got one.

[clairey]

The Home Office didn't keep ours, they just took a photocopy and handed it back to us.

In Albania we applied for a fiance visa first of all, so obviously we didn't have a certificate to hand over.

[Marie B]

Out of interest, I saw my friends last night who have just got back from Albania where the got an EEA Family Permit on the basis of their marriage. It turns out the British Embassy kept their original marriage certificate, so now they can't apply for a Schengen visa. Should the Embassy have kept it? And is there anything they can do short of reapply for another copy from the town hall in Albania where they married?

How strange, I have friends in exactly the same situation, I wonder if they are the same people or just coincidence?! I guess if the Embassy have started keeping marriage certificates this might be a regular occurance now.

When my husband applied for his spouse visa (April 2005) the British Embassy in Tirana handed back our marriage certificate but kept some of my financial documents such as original invoices, pay slips etc. which I needed back for my tax return. I rang them and they sorted out everything they could find and handed it back, they were quite helpful about it although some of the documents were still missing. I had submitted a complete set of photocopies and was in Albania at the time though so it was relatively easy. It might be worth a phone call to see but I think they only hand documents back to the applicant or spouse, it might be worth finding out if a member of his family can collect it.

Otherwise the only option is to obtain another marriage certificate from the registry where they married. It is possible to deposit an overseas marriage certificate at the General Register Office in the UK and then if you need certified copies for anything you can apply for them any time. Either that or get a few from the register office in Albania - they are needed for everything!

[clairey]

Out of interest, I saw my friends last night who have just got back from Albania where the got an EEA Family Permit on the basis of their marriage. It turns out the British Embassy kept their original marriage certificate, so now they can't apply for a Schengen visa. Should the Embassy have kept it? And is there anything they can do short of reapply for another copy from the town hall in Albania where they married?

How strange, I have friends in exactly the same situation, I wonder if they are the same people or just coincidence?! I guess if the Embassy have started keeping marriage certificates this might be a regular occurance now.

Is he from Korca and is she Dutch???

When my husband applied for his spouse visa (April 2005) the British Embassy in Tirana handed back our marriage certificate but kept some of my financial documents such as original invoices, pay slips etc. which I needed back for my tax return. I rang them and they sorted out everything they could find and handed it back, they were quite helpful about it although some of the documents were still missing. I had submitted a complete set of photocopies and was in Albania at the time though so it was relatively easy. It might be worth a phone call to see but I think they only hand documents back to the applicant or spouse, it might be worth finding out if a member of his family can collect it.

Otherwise the only option is to obtain another marriage certificate from the registry where they married. It is possible to deposit an overseas marriage certificate at the General Register Office in the UK and then if you need certified copies for anything you can apply for them any time. Either that or get a few from the register office in Albania - they are needed for everything!

We took photocopies of EVERYTHING and they gave us back all our originals - it does seem weird they've started keeping originals now. They also kept some of his pay slips and his reference letters from his job. However, it was the horrible little man from the embassy that everyone I know hates, so he may have done it out of spite. He also charge my friend a fee for his EEA Permit (!) until one of the British girls spotted it and gave it back to him.

[alba29]

Out of interest, I saw my friends last night who have just got back from Albania where the got an EEA Family Permit on the basis of their marriage. It turns out the British Embassy kept their original marriage certificate, so now they can't apply for a Schengen visa. Should the Embassy have kept it? And is there anything they can do short of reapply for another copy from the town hall in Albania where they married?

How strange, I have friends in exactly the same situation, I wonder if they are the same people or just coincidence?! I guess if the Embassy have started keeping marriage certificates this might be a regular occurance now.

Is he from Korca and is she Dutch???

When my husband applied for his spouse visa (April 2005) the British Embassy in Tirana handed back our marriage certificate but kept some of my financial documents such as original invoices, pay slips etc. which I needed back for my tax return. I rang them and they sorted out everything they could find and handed it back, they were quite helpful about it although some of the documents were still missing. I had submitted a complete set of photocopies and was in Albania at the time though so it was relatively easy. It might be worth a phone call to see but I think they only hand documents back to the applicant or spouse, it might be worth finding out if a member of his family can collect it.

Otherwise the only option is to obtain another marriage certificate from the registry where they married. It is possible to deposit an overseas marriage certificate at the General Register Office in the UK and then if you need certified copies for anything you can apply for them any time. Either that or get a few from the register office in Albania - they are needed for everything!

We took photocopies of EVERYTHING and they gave us back all our originals - it does seem weird they've started keeping originals now. They also kept some of his pay slips and his reference letters from his job. However, it was the horrible little man from the embassy that everyone I know hates, so he may have done it out of spite. He also charge my friend a fee for his EEA Permit (!) until one of the British girls spotted it and gave it back to him.

The embassy now states that all documents must be originals or certified copies from a UK solicitor.If you wish to submit originals they will not be returned!!! I normally send a certified copy of my passport only because if I start taking copies of every piece of document that I supply them with and have to pay the solicitor for that service, I guarantee you that with the amount of information we provide and how many times my parents have come over here... I would be bankcorrupted. But sometimes you need the original documents...and it's best to make a certified copy!!!!

[clairey]

Yes, we had to pay £150 to certify all the documents of ours that the embassy wanted for my in-law's visas. But how can you get an Albanian marriage certificate certified by a UK lawyer when they won't let you into the UK without taking the marriage certificate???

[Marco 72]

Isn't it possible to have the documents certified by a public notary, rather than a solicitor? They would probably charge less.

[Marie B]

Is he from Korca and is she Dutch???

Oh, they're not the same, he's from Kukes and she's from Sweden! They are trying to get another marriage certificate from the registry where they married (up in northern albania, easier said than done).

It is possible to apply for more than one marriage certificate, I wish we had done this - might do on the next visit. I know when I got back everyone wanted me to send them my original marriage cert. to change my name, I wouldn't do it for most in case it got lost in the post. Only sent it to the passport office (big risk with their reputation!) for new passport and then used passport to obtain new driving licence. One credit card would only accept original marriage certificate in the post so I closed the account. Our marriage certificate is now looking very tatty after two shengen visas and an Irish visa application!

I had noticed the British Embassy in Tirana now only accepts certified / original documents, what a pain, but I'm still surprised that they seem to have started keeping marriage certificates.

[alba29]

Yes, we had to pay £150 to certify all the documents of ours that the embassy wanted for my in-law's visas. But how can you get an Albanian marriage certificate certified by a UK lawyer when they won't let you into the UK without taking the marriage certificate???

Oh no Claire... I am sorry if I didn't sound very clear. No you can't certify the albanian marriage certificate in UK... i suppose the easiest thing is to get a couple of spare marriage certificates from the register office (civil office) in Albania and as they come in different languages, you may be OK to use them for different purposes. I had my original English marriage certificate lost by the HO when I got married 7 years ago. I sent it with my application which anyway they refused it as I needed to go back and get EC.Now I have a couple of copies from the register office in London. Anyway I don't send my parents anymore certified copies of my documents. I only certifie my passport. I then send one original payslipp and a bank statement. One of the many many offer letters from the bank for the house mortgage... you know the bank always sends you loads of papers... and I suppose as long as they have our names on it the embassy staff seem happy with those but it all depends on individual cases because by now my name is more or less familiar in the embassy as my parents have been over here more then 8 times... but to tell the trueth I am so sick and tired of certifying my passport all the time.

[Wanderer]

My albanian boyfriends visa expires in Sept, we have known each other for 1.5 years and have been together for nearly a year, we have never lived together as for a while I was not living in the area.

My question is can anyone advise what our best options are to stay together??

We have both been ignoring the Sept deadline hoping it would go away, but these things just don't do they (unfortunatly!)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

H
:cry:

I'm reading that there is the new IGS visa scheme for Non-EEA students graduating this year - gives u another year providing he can find an employer. Sort of one-year Work permit

[mirnat]

Claire

Going back to your previous posting of not being able to apply for a Schengen Visa without the original Marriage Certificate - the same thing happened to me. The British Embassy in Tirana retained our original Marriage Certificate and unfortunately because we assumed we'd get it back, we didn't make a copy before submitting it (lesson learnt there - take copies of everything!). However, I drew to the Embassy of Belgium's attention my husband's visa itself which states "spouse of [then gives my name]" as proof of our relationship in the absence of the Marriage Certificate which they seemed to accept as they gave him the Schengen Visa. I also gave the Embassy of Belgium a copy of a letter I had written to the Entry Clearance Officer in Tirana that dealt with my husband's spouse visa application asking her for a copy of our Marriage Certificate from their files.

The British Embassy in Tirana seem however to be up to their usual in not dealing satisfactorily with my request! Although the ECO emailed me back (but only after I'd sent a second chaser letter!) to say that she had passed my request to the Visa Enquiries section that day, that was now over 4 weeks ago, and despite sending her further chasing letters/emails - nothing!

My husband and I are going on holiday to Albania in August so we're just going to try and get another copy of our Certificate from the office where we married, which, if I know the way they do business in Albania, should be ok if you slip them some leke!!

[clairey]

Hi Mirnat,

My friends tried what you did at the Dutch embassy, and pointed out that his visa say "spouse of xxx", but they wouldn't budge
They're going to get his Uncle to go to the town hall in Korca to get some copies. I've got 3 copies of mine, just in case!!

Very jealous you're off to Albania, which part are you going to?

[mirnat]

We are going to spend one week in Tirana and one week in Shkodra where actually we're staying by the beach in Velipoje - looking forward to it!

Actually, since my posting I received my original Marriage Certificate back from the British Embassy in Tirana - wonders never cease!!!

Did u sort out your summer holiday/Schengen Visa?

[clairey]

Yes we got there in the end thanks! Off to Portugal for 2 weeks - can't wait! Now I just need to get my husband to start studying his Life in the UK book and he can apply for naturalisation in December and we won't need a stupid £1 per minute Schengen visa again!!

I'm very jealous - missing Albania a lot at the moment! Tell me what the new airport is like in Tirana when you get back!!

Cx

[mirnat]

Glad to hear u got things sorted!

Kinda jealous you're off to Portugual though - my ex-boyfriend (before my husband obviously!) was Portuguese so went there quite a lot!!

When I left Albania to come back with my husband in March, the new airport in Tirana was already up & running - it's very nice, clean & organised there now!!