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Applying for a UK visitor’s visa for a foreign friend to go to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland can be very stressful. I am also certain that it is more difficult for people from some countries than for others. This is because the staff are concerned about the applic

It is worth pointing out here that a (British) UK visitors visa is valid for six months and multiple entries into the UK, although in practice, the first visa to be granted will usually be limited by a note pinned into the visitors passport. For example, if you have applied for a visa to visit friends for the month of, say, March, you would be granted a multiple entry, 180 day visitor’s visa with a letter, signed by yourself, pinned into your passport, which states that you wish to visit the UK from March 1st to March 31st and that you will not attempt to extend that stay.

The UK visitor’s visa also precludes you from access to public funds ” social security, unemployment benefit, et cetera. Most people are refused a UK visitor’s visa the first time because they do not have a strong enough, valid reason for going to Britain. If the reason is to visit a lover, then you have a far better chance if you can prove that you have had a continuing relationship for at least six months. At this stage of the proceedings, all your efforts should be directed at validating the reason for your visit or proving your relationship.

We should look more deeply into this latter matter. Most people from poorer countries wanting to visit the UK will need a sponsor. This can be a (prospective) employer or a friend. Be careful of exaggerating how long you have known each other as there are stamps in the friend’s passport to prove entry dates! However, you will need lots more evidence than that. A letter from a friend, boss or employer will help. Bank statements, restaurant menus, phone cards and photos will go a long way too. The onus is on you to prove your relationship.

Now is the time to get the ‘Visa Application Form’ or VAF from the embassy or its website. Their websites are very helpful and will inform you what you should enclose with the application for a UK visitor’s visa. However, a bare minimum would be: passport(s), VAF, fee, photos, sponsor’s letter and supporting proof and ‘evidence of a log-lasting, continuous relationship’ ie of at least six months standing.

The sponsor is, therefore, the key to making a successful (first) attempt at obtaining a UK visitor’s visa. The sponsor has to be prepared to act as guarantor for the applicant and the embassy staff will want to be able to check the sponsor’s ability to take care of the applicant.

This means that the sponsor has to provide a letter from his/her employer proving continued, stable employment and/or a bank book, proving that he/she has enough money to provide what he/she has pledged on the UK visitor’s visa application form; and proof of accommodation in the form of paid council tax bills, property deeds or a letter from the mortgage provider. Proof of marital status does not seem to be an issue for the sponsor or the applicant, although the question is asked of the latter. Some applicants are refused for apparently strange reasons such as:

“the person applying for a UK visitor’s visa has never left the country before”: this is usually quite easy to remedy if you live near a border.

“Mr. / Mrs. / Miss Applicant for a UK visitor’s visa has not proven strong enough social or economic ties to his/her country of origin” – they are saying they don’t trust you to go home after your visit. In this case, try to prove these ties with a letter from your employer, a letter from your bank, a letter from a ‘trusted person’ like a doctor, lawyer and proof of ownership of any real estate.

Approach the application for a UK visitor’s visa with caution; do not rush. It is better to get it right first time. Think about why you want to go to Great Britain; determine a ‘good reason’ and remember it – you will probably be asked. Be a solicitor for a day and support everything you say with irrefutable, written evidence.

Run through applicant’s story until he/she has it well-rehearsed (they will not want to see the sponsor and sometimes, he/she is not even allowed to wait on the embassy compound). The applicant for a UK visitor’s visa will be required to attend an interview the first time and this can be held in English or the applicant’s native tongue. The UK visitor’s visa will normally be available for collection the next day.

Warning: get a longer permit to stay than you need, because the UK visitor’s visa is valid from the day it is issued, but you probably don’t have a flight booked yet. You can be delayed getting there and coming back too. The rest of the 180-day multiple entry UK visitor’s visa may have to be cancelled on your return to help deter you from returning on that visa. If you have to do this, don’t return on a Friday because the embassy is closed on the weekend.

Finally, the best tip of all: do not lie, they will find out; it is their job!

If you require a UK visa to visit a loved one in Great Britain, don’t miss the free advice about getting a UK visitor’s visa on our web-based resource.. This article, How To Get Your Loved-One A UK Visitor’s Visa is released under a creative commons attribution license.