Maid Refused Tourist Visa to UK

[martincymru]

Has anyone been refused UK Tourist Visa for their girlfriend/partner/wife and gone thro’ the Appeal process?

Had Rejection Letter today (Feb 27th 2014). The Letter is poorly drafted with bad grammar; printed on poor quality paper, barely legible.

Facts:
Filipina, aged 40, never married, no kids, 20 years Maid in Sg.
In relationship with me as Partner 5 years.
Planned visit April 25-30th.
Me as Sponsor (UK Citizen) provided all supporting particulars.
All forms completed fully.

Positive:
“Accept your Sponsor (me) has funds to support you”

[x9200]

I understand that what you have put between "" was in the rejection letter.

[quote="martincymru"]
Negative:
“No evidence of ongoing relationship”

[PNGMK]

Was she going as your maid or as an actual tourist?

IF the former she should be applying for some form of work visa (the US and Australia have them - domestic worker visa for accompanying your family).

IF the latter; try try again.

[zzm9980]

I'm confused by the ongoing relationship bit; is she your maid and you're referring to your employment relationship? Is she a girlfriend? Or both?

In the context of the US Embassy (and I assume UK is quite similar), she is a high risk. You being her only source of income and without a strong/solid employment history makes this visa suspect. This is exactly what someone who planned to relocate back to the UK would do if they wanted to bring their partner in without the proper full immigrant visa.

That said, for evidence of relationship:
Photos together. Evidence of other travel together (matching passport stamps, etc). Old boarding passes. If you didn't live together for a time, evidence of communication. Emails or call logs.

Airfare:
Buy refundable tickets, or get an itinerary through a travel agent with reserved seats but not booked.

"Not satisfied you are economically settled in Sg" vs. "or have any other ties in Philippines":
This is a tough one, because as you prove one point you disprove the other. Her land deeds and such in the Philippines are just as valid in the UK. How is she tied to Singapore besides you? Probably nothing, right?
I think if you include your lease (assuming its at least 1yr+ remaining) that names her on it, or a new maid contract that shows she's tied to you for the remainder of that lease you could prove the ties to Singapore. This may require you to postpone your trip until after you renew that contract.

[nakatago]

FYI: IIRC, ANA allows you to book tickets and not pay for them for up to 24 hours.

[martincymru]

Guys,

My reply:

I do not employ my girlfriend (The “Maid”

[PNGMK]

The only people I know who managed to take Filipinas to the UK have been married to them. Seriously tough country on Flips for some reason.

I wish you well.

[Primrose Hill]

We do have a friend here, that takes his maid from SG to North England. She is truly his maid. He has young family and he travels back to UK every 6-8weeks. Maid spends 6months out of every 12 in the UK.
In terms of whether he obtains the appropriate "maid" visa for her - I have no idea, I seriously doubt it.

On the other hand, we also have a local chinese SG thats married to a Thai and she kept being refused an entry visa to UK even as a tourist and she is married to the guy

[zzm9980]

(Playing Devil's advocate)

The way you word your reply is still confusing. You state that you do not employ your girlfriend "The Maid", but then ask specific questions on how to bring your girlfriend to the UK? Are you being rhetorical?

The nonsense about economics in Sg and ties in Philippines are just clouding the issue.

It's not clouding the issue at all. You essentially have to just convince them she will not stay. You do that by convincing them it is not in her financial best interests.

You're making the issue out to be too much of a binary black/white situation when it's not. It's all judgement on the part of the consulate officer reviewing her petition for a visa. If she isn't your girlfriend, then your guaranteeing her means almost nothing. They don't want another person to show up, decide to stay, and be on the public dole. I've brought my wife (Vietnamese) who has no job as a tourist to the US, UK, and Europe. Every time I've shown A) financial means of support for the trip (my paystubs and bank account) B) intent not to stay (plane tickets, employment verification at my Singapore employer, and a copy of our tenancy agreement in Singapore) and C) proof of my relationship to my wife (Our marriage cert and child's birth cert). C shows we're a couple and I have a valid reason and intent to support her, B shows I'll leave, A shows I won't be a burden on the system in whichever place I'm going. This is fairly standard for those from 'emerging markets' trying to get tourist visas to the first world. You haven't shown any of that for your Maid, especially 'C'. If she wanted to stay in the UK why wouldn't she ditch you? For $4ksgd in a POSB (which she could get out of an ATM anyway) and a benevolent ang moh employer? For all the embassy knows you met her at Lucky Plaza last week and were smitten by her.

[the lynx]

$4k is unfortunately not much. She needs much bigger digits because a return ticket would have wiped probably 3/4 of that $4k. So it is helpful if she has, say, $10k in her bank account. Note that the figure I mentioned is not authoritative but it will give the impression that she is financially independent.

But if you're paying for her way, the info here tells how:

If you’re not paying for your own way, or have friend(s) in UK who will support you, you should present them with the following documents:

Valid Citizen/Residence ID or Passport
Bank Statement
Address and contact details
Invitation letter stating their support

Edit: I noticed you mentioned you actually already applied as her sponsor with all the supporting documents. So it is moot now.

Will she still be employed during the trip? If she is, have her employer write a letter to state that she is legally employed by him/her and she has obtained the permission to take leave for the trip and that the employer is expecting her to return to her employment after the trip. This will be very helpful because it will clearly indicate her ties to Singapore and that she has no intention to do the runner once she steps in UK.

[martincymru]

Yes, valid points mostly.

Note the Maid is not my Maid, simply my girlfriend. She stays with her Employer.

I agree that perhaps my/our submission did not address all the points the Governor stated.

Nevertheless, my view (not strongly held since no evidence) is that any male who has a Sg based Filipina Maid as a live out girlfriend is going to be refused entry to UK. If that is the case (I have spoken to someone else who had identical experience; refused) then morally we should have been informed by UK Visa Application Centre prior.

[PNGMK]

Yes, valid points mostly.

Note the Maid is not my Maid, simply my girlfriend. She stays with her Employer.

I agree that perhaps my/our submission did not address all the points the Governor stated.

Nevertheless, my view (not strongly held since no evidence) is that any male who has a Sg based Filipina Maid as a live out girlfriend is going to be refused entry to UK. If that is the case (I have spoken to someone else who had identical experience; refused) then morally we should have been informed by UK Visa Application Centre prior.

Look mate... blame your countrymen who listen to too many talk back shows / read the DM too much and then complain to their local MP's about the 'flood of illegal immigrants and mail order brides' with no hard evidence.

We have the same problem in Australia and it's only when one travels outside the country do Aussies even understand that our 'illegal refugee' problem doesn't even register as an issue in other countries.

[zzm9980]

Note the Maid is not my Maid, simply my girlfriend. She stays with her Employer.

Ok that really clears things up.

I think anyone from a western country has a hard time bringing a girlfriend from a third world country to visit, especially without strong evidence of the relationship. If you could show you were living together and supported her financially it would probably be quite a bit easier.

[bro75]

Filipinos will have problems with tourist visas to developed countries from Singapore unless they have proof of high income (maybe SGD 3.5K/month or above), proof of stable employment or is a PR in Singapore. Single Filipino women are more closely scrutinized. What the consul is looking for to approve the visa is any solid ties (family, financial, employment) in the country of origin or country of residence so that the applicant will not be tempted stay in the target country illegally.