Should I use an agency to help my Thai girlfriend get a UK visa for a short visit?

@James *******

I think she shall be ok with that, you will get to the UK on 7 anyway.

The 2 letters we reicived both gave reasons for rejection the first that i had insurficent funds as i was or am disabled The 2nd refered to them being concerneed about her returning and as for proof of details my mother put every thing down . Now i wouldent even bother too go back got a better life here than there

Charlotte, as unfair and ridiculous as it sounds, if the applicant has tattoos, that might also cause the consular to reject the applicant. Sadly the "true" reason for rejection is not always stated.

Yes Ken i did a long time ago . When i tried to get mine back after 1 rejection I sent my wifes book book for car even letters from the big man and my wifes old head teacher Also my mums bank details showing pension payments plus had a large bank ballance her own house paid for and a written assurence we would be staying with my mother Another rejection stamp in her passport give up then

@Pa**

I'm sorry your mum never got to see your daughter.... it shouldn't be left to someone having a bad hair day or quotas to decide and rob someone of the chance of showing and seeing the love of a family member... :-(

I know I shouldn't complain... but I'm really disgruntled with some of the UKs visa regulations it stops the wrong people from entering but the gives rights to the people that go to the UK to abuse the systems...there should be some reciprocal agreement with Thailand for visit visas.... sorry forgoing on about it... I've lost faith with my homeland...

@Ken ******

There are 56 countries and territories that do not need an entry visa for stays of up to 6 months in the U.K. Only 52 countries are allowed to enter Thailand under the visa waiver rule. So you could actually say the UK is more lenient than Thailand on visa issues. The UK, like Thailand requires many countries to obtain a visa beforehand because many decide not to leave.

That was all i wanted Ken to take my wife and my daughter to see my mother no intentions of staying . In hind sight i should of just took my daughter as my mother died without seeing her

The UK system for a visit visa is so frustrating they would do well to copy Thailand 30 day visa on arrival....much simpler....ok if people want to reside in the UK then go through all the reasons why and what for... but if just want to visit family....

@Ken ******

Again, it is subjective. Different embassy officers may see things differently. When dealing with claims it may come down to the individual officers subjective reasoning. i am not defending it, just saying it is a difficult subject and not cut and dried. I do not know of any of the many people I know here personally who have been rejected.

How can they prove they have reason to return that is acceptable....we used exactly same format for my wife last July (excepted) as my daughter this January (rejected) there doesn't seem to be any uniformity.....

Yes Richard ive lived here 17 yrs and i was later told that because im disabled this was the reason she got refused Even though she had 2 young kids ,on the form it mentiond about the children would be looked after by her family

@Paul *********

For every story like this, i can give you 5 where people got the visa and did not use an agency. This is over the 36 years I have been here. The one major criteria the UK uses is evidence that the person will return home at the end of the visa period. In the cases you mention i can only guess that they saw something that led them to believe differently.

As stated before my then partner got refused twice and she ownd house New car and 2 motor bikes all paid for by me . But was the same did,nt want to pay rip off agencies

C'est La Vie Replied

No she has not re-applied she got rejected in late January....she has since married her UK boyfriend when he came over this April...I advised that they waited a little while before she trys again...she got the year wrong when she first met her then boyfriend when asked on the phone...you would have thought they could see this because the day and month were correct.

I successfully got my wife a visit visa last July using exactly the same format we used for my daughter... the phone call my wife got from UKVI was so different my wife was joking and laughing with whoever was on the other end...where as my daughter's caller must have already had a bad day as he sounded a miserable s*d she said.

UKVI staff do the phone calls, although if they have to speak Thai it will be one of the ECO's Thai assistants. You are absolutely right. They will try to catch out applicants on the phone and if something is said that doesn't tie in with the application it can be used for a refusal. I coached my GF on what/what not to say, and we were OK. Did you re-apply? There is no doubt that a refusal, and then a successful re-application is good business for UKVI!

I'm sure they make a lot of errors....when the applicant receives a phone call to verify particulars sent....who is making that call UKVI or VFS Global.. they did their best to catch my daughter out and got her really confused....then used the contents of the phone call as why it was rejected...in the end are they acting professional or looking at rejection quotas

@Ken ******

I can't comment on the contents of your letter which may well have been "bullshit". However, my point was the all refusals have to be explained, even if the explanation is bullshit. UKVI do make errors with applications.

Sorry

@He***

you are very wrong...my daughters rejection letter was pure made up bullshit...

I must say it is not only money. First I apply for UK visa been rejected although we have plenty of paperwork showing our income and saving, but very little proof of our relationship (the rejected reason was simply they don't think we know each other) in actual fact we been together for few years. But we re apply again with enough photography, email conversation when he is away etcetera, boom granted and easier from there on. #note-I am not Thai.

I'm sorry but you are wrong. Every refusal must be explained, so that the reasons can be addressed. Edit: a "Refusal Notice" that explains why the visa has been refused is included with every refusal.

No

It doesn't. They don't have to give an explanation

In addition, every rejection must be accompanied by a letter clearly explaining the reasons for the rejection, so it's nonsense to say it's a numbers game or arbitrary.