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]I am a nineteen years old student from Ukraine. I have got a girlfriend in the UK, I met her in February, 2016. She's visited me four times since. Last time she was here she invited me to visit her in the UK. I decided to go this summer for 20 days. I submitted an invitation letter from her. It tells our story, how we met and the list of her supporting documentation such as:

  • a copy of her passport confirming that she is a british citizen;
  • another copy of her passport showing that she's been to Ukraine (stamps at the border);
  • her payslips from work and a bank reference showing that she can support me in case of emergency and her home address;
  • her letter from uni showing her home address;
  • her tickets, insurance, booking confirmation letters for Ukraine, again, showing that she did travel to Ukraine;
  • two photos of ours;

She also wrote that I would not need money for accomodation and food since I am staying with her at home. I have also submitted my cover letter telling our story and supporting documentation:

  • reference from my uni confirming my status as a student;
  • my student ticket confirming the same;
  • tickets to the UK and back;
  • my travel insurance;
  • my birth certificate (showing that I am my father's son) - to prove that I am related to my sponcor (Dad, who is living in Ukraine). Therefore it's obvious that my sponcor is my Dad, not my girlfriend. It is clearly stated in my online visa application.
  • photos of me and my girlfriend ( we had 4 photos overall); And my sponsor's(dad's) supporting documentation:
  • his references from work showing his occupation and wage;
  • his references from banks showing that he will sponcor 1000 pounds on my trip;
  • a copy of his passport;

Lately, I have been refused of a visitor visa. Below is the explanation:

What exactly should I have done differently, and what I can do ensure a successful subsequent application?

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  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.
    – JoErNanO ♦
    May 12, 2017 at 19:55
  • 1
    One weird thing is that the refusal letter dings you for not submitting photographs (even though you did submit photos) even though the official guidance specifically says not to provide photographs (except the required passport photos).
    – Zach Lipton
    May 12, 2017 at 23:06
  • @JonathanReez I think marking some questions duplicates and providing the standard canonical V 4.2 a + c (and sometimes 'e') answer to them is unhelpful. Some of the cases are quite unique and are not answered by the canonical. It appears in this particular case errors were made by the ECO who missed completely some of the evidence OP provided and indeed the ECO's explanation was contradictory however we throw the stock answer at the OP? How helpful is that?
    – Augustine of Hippo
    May 17, 2017 at 18:30
  • @GayotFow what is your take on this?
    – JonathanReez ♦
    May 17, 2017 at 18:57
  • @JonathanReez People bring bfs and gfs from Ukraine all the time. I just finished helping on a very same type of application for a bf/gf rendez-vous. I have been telling the OP (below) that it is not a connect the dots exercise like he is insisting. Lots of people do it and get disappointed, this is not a mortgage application where you connect the dots! And I have already pointed out that VFS are removing documents before sending them along and the way to cure it. "Chx" has already answered and I would not be discourteous by adding another answer.
    – Gayot Fow
    May 17, 2017 at 19:26

1 Answer 1

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You are screwed by a darkening world and that is the truth.

This is our canonical answer to UK visa refusals. This answer talk about long term relationships in the context of UK visas.

There's extremely little you can do. Let me quote the summary of this article for you:

appeal: Relatively cheap, little risk of having to pay costs of other side, relatively quick (although still quite a lengthy process for applications made outside the UK), can sometimes submit new evidence, the judge can make factual findings for him or herself and must make his or her own decision on the case.

Judical review: Relatively expensive, risk of having to pay costs of other side as well as your own legal costs, can recover own costs if succeed though, whole process is a very lengthy one but there is a chance that the other side may give in at an early stage, no new evidence can be submitted, judge restricted to reviewing lawfulness of decision on certain error of law grounds, judge will generally not substitute his or her own decision.

However,

As of July 2013 it is only possible to appeal to the immigration tribunal against refusal of a visit visa where the grounds of appeal are on human rights grounds.

That's where this story ends: you hardly have grounds for an appeal and I suspect that you would lack the funds for a judical review and it's risky anyways.

Sorry.

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  • I agree with the first statement however I don't see how the article on long term relationships help. This is a young man in early university. The advice in there to explore other methods of entry is not applicable. I have my doubts marriage is anywhere remotely close at this point.
    – Augustine of Hippo
    May 12, 2017 at 23:18
  • The OP has nothing to lose by sending some complaint emails to the embassy and home office and making some noise.
    – user58558
    May 13, 2017 at 2:51
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    @chx a black mark for pointing out their mistake? Delusional! I'm saying this because I have seen someone successfully do this. The ECO refused her application based on something that was contrary to what was stated in the application. She emailed the embassy and a week later she got an email telling her to send her passport. The ECM had overturned the decision. This was in 2015.
    – user58558
    May 15, 2017 at 11:42
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    @NazarBeiar based upon your question and comments thus far, you are seeing the application stage as a connect the dots exercise, but it's not.
    – Gayot Fow
    May 17, 2017 at 9:57
  • 1
    I think marking some questions duplicates and providing the standard canonical V 4.2 a + c (and sometimes 'e') answer to them is unhelpful. Some of the cases are quite unique and are not answered by the canonical. It appears in this particular case errors were made by the ECO who missed completely some of the evidence OP provided and indeed the ECO's explanation was contradictory however we throw the stock answer at the OP? How helpful is that?
    – Augustine of Hippo
    May 17, 2017 at 18:29

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