Hi Folks! Im new here and new to Basingstoke. Dating a filipina, she is Bisaya and we have been 'together' for almost a year now. Hoping to get info and support as I begin the process of getting her here and getting married.
Hi Steve and welcome. How did you meet her and have you been to the Philippines yet? IMO, the best idea is for you both to marry in the Philippines. In order for you to get her a spousal visa to join you in the UK, you must earn £18,600 per year. It is not easy these days.
Welcome aboard. Your journey of discovery is starting, LDR can be heart breaking, but be patient, the rewards at the end will be infinite.
aboard Maayong Buntag im a bit further down in the southwest where is your lady from what Island and how did you meet?
Hi everyone! Thanks for the welcome We met a year ago in Malaysia, we were both working there - but I was only there a couple of days before travelling on to Australia. We kept in touch and I made the effort to stop off there again! Since then she went back to the Philippines but every time I worked in Malaysia I paid for her to come and stay with me - I've been to the Philippines twice already and stayed with her family who are all wonderful, welcoming people. My work situation has changed and I no longer travel east but I still earn well over the £18k someone mentioned so that wont be a problem. She is from Mindanao originally (and proud of it ) but now lives in Lian, Batangas I have a plan - first try to get her here on a visitor visa for a couple of months, its the quickest way but least likely to succeed I think - but it is reasonably cheap to apply so no great loss if she fails. Failing that (or even if she succeeds and then goes back after a while) we will apply for Fiancee visa and marry here, if that fails the last resort is to go to the Philippines and get married there but I don't know how easy that is and if she can even come back here after we are married! Now I'm pretty sure you guys will tell me I'm doing it all the wrong way round right?
Not really. But as you say, getting a visitor visa can be tricky. Why do you feel that a Fiancee visa might fail? Basically, if you meet the criteria, which isn't that difficult if you earn a good bit over 18k, then why not give that a shot? If you were to marry your gf in the Philippines she will still need a (spouse) visa, though the process is marginally easier than going for a fiancee visa and you get a holiday in the Philippines to go with it!
Why bother with the visitor visa if you plan to marry any way. She may not get it and then, even if she does get it, they might not let her in once they find out she has a boyfriend/fiance here. If you're going to do a fiance visa then I'd just do that from the off. It seems you've met up enough times to show a genuine relationship. just make sure you are REALLY thorough with documentation. Because they'll fail you on the smallest thing if you don't take care. Basingstoke eh? I know it well. It's my prime Ice hockey location!
The only reason for going for the visitor visa is that (I've heard) it's possible to get approval in weeks rather than the months required for the Fiancee Visa
I also heard that a visit here along with the photos at Bucks Palace etc and a return to the Philippines on time will look good on the Fiancee visa application
We all have different ideas on the way to go, Steve. I wanted the wedding in the Philippines because it is a cultural blast and it was also better for the most important person as it was near my wife's island so all her family could be there.
I can see the appeal of marrying there - my family aren't interested but hers are, her Mom and Grandma would be over the moon if we got married in the Philippines!
2 WEEKS!!?? Really? So what was your route? You went to Philippines and got married there right? How long does that take to organise? what are the problems doing it that way? I have a lot of documentation collated already but I'm stuck trying to figure out what to do with it all! Scouring the internet seems to bring up a different list of requirements everytime I look!
The spouse visa took 2 weeks from the day my wife submitted her application: We got married in June and she arrived here in the UK at the beginning of October. The rules change from time to time so maybe thats how you arrive at your conclusion on what you find on the internet. Have a look at this thread on Spouse Visa application. It covers eligibility and what you need to compile as part of your application, etc. http://www.british-filipino.com/sho...se-Visa-Under-New-Rules&highlight=Spouse+visa
