Daz178

Hello,

I recognise this might not be so pertinent to Spouse visa etc but I really am lost right now and need some advice relating to the UK visa.

It's a long post so I can quickly summarise if you don't have the time here;

-Tourist visa denied because not enough ties to Philippines. Has a job but doesn't pay well by western standards.
-I want GF to experience UK to know if she will be okay before I commit to marriage. We are compatible living together, but only experienced this in Asia.
-Skip to the bottom to see the options I believe I have right now, and if there's anything you can suggest otherwise.

As for my background, I'm 24 year old British born citizen who after University went travelling with friends and stumbled across the girl of my dreams in the Philippines of all places. There is not a day goes by without a video call from the day I first left the Philippines to now.

I initially spent 3 months travelling (August-Oct 2016) with my GF when we first met, then returned 6 months later (April 2017) for a 17 day holiday (the most my employer would allow).

In August 2017, we then decided to apply for a UK tourist visa for a 2 month visit which got declined.
In the application we included:

-Her job at the time contract showing her salary (25K Peso p/m, roughly £367).
-A formal new job offer dated 2 months after planned arrival in UK. Including salary and start date, fully signed and agreed to by my GF as her employer at the time refused any holiday longer than 1 week.
-I live with my parents, who own the house outright so proof of deed, council tax & energy bills. Also, invitation letter saying its fine to stay for 2 months and they will provide food & drink for the duration.
-Letter of sponsorship and bank statement showing £20k of funds, showing I am willing to support her for the majority of trip (flight, food & attractions and hotel accommodation).
-We provided detailed itinerary of the trip, with accurate costings where I opted to be prudent and over estimate daily costs. I own a car so travel would be relatively cheap but I accounted for petrol in the costings.

Before the application I deposited £2.5k into her bank account so we could provide proof of funds as she had very little because she recently had to shell out most her savings for her dad to pay for medical bills and a prosthetic limb due to a bad accident.
This wasn't a loan in anyway, I didn't expect the funds to ever be returned, regardless of any situation. It's purpose was to help provide security for her travels and return should the trip not go as expected. I understand in hindsight that pre 6 months statements would be examined.

The reasoning given behind the visa getting declined was:

-Even though employment ends before the planned trip and we have a contract of job offer ready on return "we are not satisfied that your circumstances in the Philippines are settled, and furthermore, as you state you cannot afford to fund the trip without your partner*, there's not sufficient evidence to leave the UK at the end of the visa".

*I mentioned it in application that yes for a 2 month period my funds are necessary for it to be viable (as would most people from 3rd world countries staying in the UK for 2 months).

I'm not oblivious to the fact that they were basically saying the wage is too poor and you have little to no other assets which give you reason to return. What I also believe didn't help was the fact that she had never left the Philippines before.

Then following the decision and unhappy in my job I quit and have spent the last 4 months together, travelling round the Philippines and other Asian countries (Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore) to spend more time together and get some stamps on her passport. My parents and even my 82 year old granddad flew out before Christmas to meet her (she has a great relationship with my family who she regularly calls). I have only just recently had to return due to having a few assessment centres for new jobs which was always the plan.

So looking forward, I can't keep going to the Philippines as it's starting to affect my career aspirations. The obvious solution is marriage. Don't get me wrong, I love this girl, but I want to experience living together in the UK. I want her to experience the weather, the culture, the people and see how she fares being so far away from her family, who she's very close to.
And then if all goes well I will take the plunge and there's already a ton of info on this forum so I can grasp the bulk of the process.

The advice I need is, is there anything else we can do to potentially get a tourist visa. Even if it's just 2 weeks.

The options I have currently are;

-She needs to find a job abroad which pays better for atleast 6 months before applying.
-She studies at University again. I'd only let her go for genuine studies, and she is interested in a change of career. But is this sufficient still? I don't know.
-Apply again, after 6 months of making a large deposit in her bank so she doesn't have to show where it came from. I suspect this has a poor chance of swaying any decision.
-Marriage.

Sorry for such a long post, but basically what I am asking, can you identify any other options?

SanDiegogirl

First things first.... there is no visa applicable "for experiencing living together in the UK".

Bearing in mind that she had a very low paying job, you deposited money into her account and were paying for her whole trip, she has very little strong ties to the Philippines and unless you can change this situation considerably there is little chance of a visitor visa.

You do not qualify for an unmarried partner visa so your options are:

- she obtains a work visa (unlikely unless she has skilled job as per short list)
- student visa - she has to be accepted by recognised college/university and fulfill Tier 4 Student requirements
- you get married and you sponsor her for spouse visa.

angie_329

what about a fiancee visa? The fiancee can then come to the Uk for up to six months, during which time before the expiry of the visa you can marry. you will need to show preparations for the marriage in the application, but if the relationship does not work out and you decide not to marry within the six months, then she will have to return home.

BritInParis

A very expensive and difficult route to take if you're not genuinely intending to marry.

angie_329

True, though it sounds like the OP is hesitating re marriage until his partner can be in the Uk and see how they both get on there. He did mention study in the Uk for her... that may be a better option to give them some time together.

Daz178

Fiance visa isn't an option, I don't want to go down any route which might jeopardise future chances of her ever being able to live in the UK.
Also, I have no intention of marrying in the UK and I'd much prefer a wedding in her hometown where her family can be there, and luckily my family have the privilege of being able to travel.

So it appears there is not really any viable alternative. Can you please share your thoughts on whether you believe if she were to get a job outside of Philippines it might increase her chance of a tourist visa?

Thankyou so much for the responses, it's a very tough situation I'm in right now and it's helping clear my head in regards to my next move.

BritInParis

I think the visitor visa is a non-starter, even if she gets a job outside the Philippines, particularly as she's already had a refusal. If the intention is for her to experience living in the UK then two to four weeks isn't going to make much difference. Anything over four weeks and an ECO is going to quite rightly question what kind of job would allow someone so much leave.

A student visa is probably the only realistic option other than marrying.

SanDiegogirl

No, getting a job outside of the Philippines would not help.