wiser1

1) can somebody please tell me how it is possible to get my cousin here on a temporary basis? we will be providing money etc to look after her and accommodation etc

2) can someone explain if you have a indian passport with a UK visa and you live in UK, what countries can you fly to? without having to obtain another Visa

any help would be greatly appreciated

Bipat

1) Need a little more info. presume your cousin is an Indian
passport holder?
What do you mean by temporary?

A general visitor visa allows up to 6 months stay. A cousin is not covered for a 'family' visa.
Look up: 'Home Office UK Border Agency site'.

2) Depends which countries you want to fly to.
For Europe look up: 'Schengen Visa'.

IndianFriend

Hello wiser1 and to BE. Hope you enjoy your stay here.

Re Your queries, I'll just add to what Bipat has already said :

1. Presuming your cousin want to visit UK for a short stay. She will need a 'tourist' visa, dont think she is eligible for any other. For this you have to scan a sponsorship letter clearly specifying
a) you will be bearing all her costs while in the UK
b) you are both related...mention exact relationship not just Uncle/Niece etc.

c) mention that you are a British citizen and permanently living in UK for ____ number of years
d) attach with the letter proof of your residence, passport copy and if possible, past 3 months' Bank statements

This will be very useful in processing the Visa application smoothly

2. If an Indian national and India passport holder with a UK visa, IMHO its virtually impossible to get visa, processed in UK,to most countries unless there are some countries with Visa on arrival or some Gulf (Middle East) countries which in any case require local sponsors. SO best to get ALL visas from India before departure.

Hope this info helps. I am sure other members incl Bipat will have more inputs.

Cheers

Bipat

Just to add to IndianFriend's post. If your cousin buys her air tickets at a reputable travel agent, they will arrange the sponsorship letter and email it for you to sign.

The tourist visa application to UK is quite lengthy with much info. needed. Also your cousin if working she will have to provide tax return information.
However it is much easier than it used to be, an interview is no longer necessary and other requirements such as notary evidence of your signature have been dropped.

If I understand it correctly you can get a Schengen Visa in UK for the European countries it covers by applying to the Embassy of the first country you plan to travel to.

wiser1

where can i get the sponsorship form from for her?
and also is there any truth in this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_re...ndian_citizens so if i have a indian passport with uk visa, can i travel to these countries?
yeah for the schengen visa say i could go to the French embassy to get it right? or am i looking along the wrong lines?

Bipat

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Sponsorship letter: as I said in previous post an Indian travel agent will do it for you. From quick search I could only find the below site.

http://www.sampleinvitationletter.in...sitor_visa.php

But from personal experience if visitors have return tickets bought at a travel agents, the document proof of your house ownership or lease is no longer necessary.

Other countries: I wouldn't put trust in Wikipedia, go to the web site of the embassy of the country you want to visit.

Please access the sites I mentioned in my first post.

IndianFriend

There is a lengthy Visa application form as Bipat has said, and this has a section for details about sponsor. But a letter from the sponsor is necessary too. Check this link http://www.vfs-uk-in.com/. This is where you apply online for a visa and then have to submit the attachments in original, so that's when you will have to give the letter. I am not sure if there is any separate 'sponsorship letter' as such. Bipat or some other members might be able to help you on that.

I am quite certain that except for a handful of countries, you would need to apply for Visas in India before travelling. I know it's a tough job to get Visas while travelling. You could check with the embassy/high commission of the particular country too.

Cheers

Bipat

The wording of the sponsorship letter is not specific if all the info is there.
We used to just write our own letters for visitors but in the last two years or so travel agents that they have used have insisted we sign there own pre-printed letter. Which speeds things up. Nowadays many people from India come to UK for holidays with package tours staying at hotels so the hotel address is all that is available.
There are many people with Indian passports living full time in the Uk and they have no trouble travelling to Europe. Other countries I don't know.

wiser1

thank you for the help i really do appreciate it

i will obtain the schengen visa from one of the consulates, and also i will check the embassies of other countries i am wishing to travel too

i am having a look at the sites posted now, is there any other information that would possibly help me in these circumstances