Sponsor Letter Query

[cracker]

Who should sponsor my 6-yr old stepdaughter for her settlement visa? Me as the British Citizen or the biological mother, my Filipino wife who will be applying for her settlement visa at the same time?

[mochyn]

you as the British citizen

[Rozen]

Make sure your wife has proof of SOLE CUSTODY!

[cracker]

To all you perspective applicants, there is hope. We got visas for my Filipina wife and her 6-yr old daughter. Now get this, we are both unemployed and I had less than £10,000 in savings. Custody of children under the age of 7 is automatically given to the mother, but we obtained consent for her to travel just in case. I presented the embassy with a budget plan to demostrate that I understood how long my money would last and I outlined in my sponsor letter our plan of how and where we could find work. I also obtained an "employability letter" for my wife from a local employer. I don't think there was any 1 thing that made the difference, but all together I presented a strong case, oh, and yes, apparently they do accept internet print out bank statements, well, they did with me. What else are you supposed to do if its an on-line account???

[brit72]

Fantastic news. Maybe you can give me some advice? How does someone prove sole custody? My husband to be wants to apply for visa for his little girl (he has had full custody for 4 years) but we are not sure what to provide in way of evidence except for birth certificate and letter crom mother who is happy for child to go. Anyone got any ideas? No point getting legal paper as this proves nothing as sole custody could have been granted anytime. (eg just in order to send child overseas)

I gather this is a very tricky one and lots of dependents get rejected. Particularly hard if father is the carer/sole parent as this is rarer I guess.

Also when filling in aplication form for her VAF4A in section 8.5, am I the sponsor or is it her father who is applying at the same time?

Apologies for jumping on your post but it is so relevant to our situation it weemed silly to start another thread!

[cracker]

My understanding is that in the Philippines legal custody of any child under the age of 7 yrs automatically goes to the mother, therefore any case involving a child over the age of 7 or where the father has been grantedy custody by the court, it should state in the court's 'Decision' papers where the custody shall be granted. Other than that, I would suggest that legal advice should be sought and the letter you have from the mother permitting travel should be notorised, as we did......

[cracker]

The British Citizen is always the sponsor....