Getting Tunisians to UK - The Visa Thread

[Kris]

In this thread if anyone has any visa related questions or needs advice please post.

Also if you had visa difficulties and managed to get over them please contribute here as I had it a bit too easy.

Also if unfortunately you couldn't get a visa for your loved one I would appreciate if you would share the reasons so that people can prepare for what can be even more stressful than the wedding.


Also here are some quick useful links.

[link=http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1017170890115]British Embassy Tunis Visa Section[/link]

[link=http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/VAF1%20-%20FEB%202006_revised3,1.pdf]The form you need to get your loved one to the UK for holiday/visit[/link]

[link=http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/vaf2_nov_2005.pdf]The one you need after marriage for 2 years stay in the UK[/link]

You may also want to type an invitation letter along the following lines (please remember to personalise!).

---------------------------------

Entry Clearance Officer
Visa section, British Consulate
Tunis
Tunisia

Dear Sir / Madam

I am providing this letter in support of the application for a UK visa for Mr/Miss X, a Tunisian national passport number 1235465, to come to the UK in January 2006 for no longer 2 Weeks.

I am a UK national, in full employment as a (insert job) and own/rent my own home in (insert town).

I have known (loved ones name) for 2 years and have visited him/her in (town name), Tunisia X times in this period and have extended the offer for him/her to visit me in the UK for a short holiday.

(Name) will stay at my home and I will also be happy to provide any accommodation, financial support or otherwise necessary during his/her stay though my guest is financially self sufficient.

I have provided a budget of £xxx per week and a contingency of £xxx should their be any issues.

I trust that this letter, along with the attached documents provided is sufficient to successfully support his/her application for a UK visa, though if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me on my mobile phone +44 (xx) xxxxxxxx.

Sincerly Yours

Ivana Tunisian


-----------------------

Always think of how this application will look to the folks in the visa section remember to make sure that you have the following.

3 Months Bank Statements
3 months Pay slips
Letter from you boss/hr department stating your salary and your employment duration
Details on you accommondation (lease agreement/mortgage statement)
A colour copy of your passport and the bit with the Tunisian stamps.
Any hotel reciepts info about your visits.


Remember this is a guide based on experience, nothing compares to speaking with the Embassy and giving them the exact information that they need. Remember if they say no many of the reasons are valid ask yourself would you let in the 21 year old Tunisian girl/boy with no qualification or money with his 40 year old husband/wife who he met once when she was on holiday who again has no money either! (an extreme example) This may sound horrible but the guys there have an important job so when you put your application together put yourself in their shoes and also make sure that you vist back and forth before taking the plunge into marriage!

Regards,

Kris

[Bigbrother]

These comments ‘reasons for successful visa’ are from personal experience and ‘reasons visas are turned down’ are from chats I’ve had with others in a similar position.

Possible reasons why visa's are turned down:


Insufficient paperwork
Low Incomeof the spouse, especially if they have young children to support
Spouse Claiming benefits - even though the husband's/boyfriend's passport is stamped saying 'no recourse for benefits', the women may be able to claim extra benefits for herself if the husband is having difficulty finding work or if he is on a low income - the consulate doesn't want that scenario to happen!
If the man has been turned down for a visitors visa VAF1 and then applies for the VAF2 settlement/marriage visa then the consulate can start to get suspicious or become cynical about the whole thing. You basically have to let the consulate know your intentions from the start, especially when applying for the VAF1 i.e. it’s a serious relationship, it may lead to marriage etc. I don’t actually know of anyone since I’ve been doing research on this subject for 1.5 yrs who has got a visitors visa – the consulate think that once they’ve left Tunisia, they won’t return, especially if they aren’t working. They need to get written references from work/college/army to say that they will be coming back work/study.
If the husband appears to look dodgy/iffy then suspicion arises, and checks are made, which delays things
If you get refused, then there is an appeal, which can take months, I guess it depends on the circumstances. I know of someone writing to Tony Blair, hired a solicitor, and kept constantly in touch with the consulate, phoning, faxing …and finally got the VAF2 granted.[/ol]


Reasons for successful visa

Writing a letter to support your application is important as far as I’m concerned, I did this and I’m sure it was one of the reasons why we got our visa granted on the first occasion, within minutes of the interview. I wrote the letter by hand whilst I was there, with my maiden name and address

It would be a good idea for both parties to write a letter each, perhaps the husband/boyfriend can get character references from work, friends as it is his application after all.

I mentioned that we were in a genuine relationship, etc, I also mentioned the opportunities available in London, improving his English etc. I mentioned that I knew of a number of recruitment agencies that would be able to place him in a job that would suit his work experience, also that I would be registering him at the job centre. I said that I would be supporting him whilst he looked for work. I mentioned that he would be able to save and send financial support to his family .

Mentioned anything that you feel will help you, even if you are on a low income/benefits etc now, that’s not going to be forever, you could mentioned work prospects and plans for the future.

With regards to the VAF2 application enclose MORE than what they ask for, I did! Anything that is going to help you, letters, postcards, photos, copies of flight tickets, the expensive mobile phone bills! I got myself a police check letter, however it takes about 40 days to come through, you can get the application form from your local police station, it cost about £10. If you’re bank statements/building society statements aren’t that fantastic, enclose loads of salary/wage slips. I got away with attaching an old building society statement which was about 6 months old and was very healthy at the time, certainly wasn’t at the time of handing it in J

If you know of anyone that is willing to offer a job to your husband a job, be it short term, then attach the offer letter with the application form. I’ve just recently advised someone to email recruitment agencies explaining you’re looking for work for your husband, attach their replies with

[Bigbrother]

Consular Card[/align]
Tunisian Embassy -Tel: 020 7584 8117
[/align]When your husband/wife arrives in the UK, they need to contact the Tunisian Embassy in London to get an application for a Consular Card, this is basically an ID card (or tracking) which is renewable every 2 years or when there is a change of address. It cost £3 and is an essential piece of documentation, especially when they travel back to Tunisia as they can get hassle at customs, which is what I've been told; someone being accussed of having a false visa and thencharged £1,000 when he went to apply for this British Passport. There isa list of documents you need to send, with a SAE.[/align]

[Bigbrother]

Indefinite Leave to Remain:[/b]
28 days before the VAF2 visa expires, contact Croydon (or your local Home Office in your area) for application form for Indefinite Leave to Remain – form SET M – I was told to use FLRM form if the husband/wife arrives some weeks/months after the visa was issued. It cost around £335 for a postal application and £500 for a same day appointment, basically you hand in the form and then get assigned an appointment there and then or a few days later, rather than waiting when you post it!

The husband/wife can stay in the UK indefinitely without a UK British passport, and can be out of the country, i.e in Tunisian for several months, don’t know the exact figure, but if it exceeds the stated amount, they have to re-apply again for the Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Forms:[/b]
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind...tion_form.html
Contact Number:[/b]
Croydon : 0870 606 7766 - [link=http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk]www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk[/link]

Passport:[/b]
[link=http://forum.tunisia.com/javascriptl('http://www.lifeintheuktest.gov.uk/htmlsite/');]http://www.lifeintheuktest.gov.uk/htmlsite/[/link]
Once the husband/wife has been here a total of 3 years, they can apply for a British Passport (they have to have the Indefinite Leave to Remain first I think!), they need to have done an ESOL course if their English isn’t very good as the test is computer based and they need to be able to read English.
[link=http://forum.tunisia.com/javascriptl('http://www.lifeintheuktest.gov.uk/htmlsite/');][/link]

[Kris]

"I don’t actually know of anyone since I’ve been doing research on this subject for 1.5 yrs who has got a visitors visa – the consulate think that once they’ve left Tunisia, they won’t return"

I feel so guilty had not one single problem not with visitor visa or the 2 year visa even her dad came to England a few years back again with no issues.

[Bigbrother]

I’m sure there have been people that have been successful on a visitors visa, it may have, I really don’t know, something to do with the persons background, may be the more privileged have no problems coming over for a visit/holiday, or to study. The less fortunate, not working, low income people will have to prove that they will return, and not get lost in the system, I think. I didn’t have one single problem either with the 2 year visa, don’t know if it was luck, or if the guy was in a good mood, or because we were the last couple to be interviewed and he wanted to knock off early …[8D]

[zdoula0]

im not going to be able to travel to tunis for the visa application, i dont have the extra cash to do so nor can i afford anymore time off school for kids, do you think this will effect his chances??

[Bigbrother]

As far as I know its not compulsory for the sponsor to attend, I don't recall reading this on the form, you might want to ring/email to confirm this. Best of luck with the visa application.

[Kris]

Your partner can for the interview on their own so that is not a problem.

Kris

[linsloolins]

Hello I am new to the forum. My fiancee is Algerian, we applied for a visit visa for him in Tunis in January but this was refused, again in Dubai (where we are working) again refused. We came back to Tunis and applied for Fiancee visa as we want to return to UK and be married, but this has been refused, They think once he gets to the UKhe will dissapear!! main reason given for refusal.

He is appealing against this decision, but can anyone tell me if his appeal is rejected. Can we at some point in the future apply again for a spouse visa.

We intend to marry in Tunis before returning to Dubai.

thanks for any help anyone can give us...