Mexican girlfriend visiting me in the UK for 6 months, will she have problems?
My Mexican girlfriend has bought a ticket to the UK for 6 months at the start of June. With a little over a month until she comes we've become a little concerned about whether immigration officers will have a problem with her or not. I am 34 and a UK citizen, she is 31 and a Mexican citizen. We have been dating for 6 months and I have visited her in Mexico twice. Her intentions here are to strictly be a tourist, no working, no studying. I work full time but we plan to travel around the UK together at weekends and to parts of Europe as well. The things she will have are:
- A letter from me saying I will support her in any way whilst she is here (as she won't have many personal funds)
- A return ticket home
- A lease for her apartment which she will sublet to a friend whilst she is here.
- A letter from her employer stating they will offer her a job at the company once back (She is a graphic designer for a fashion company)
- travel insurance for 6 months
Is the 6 month trip a huge red flag? Would we be better reducing the trip to 3 months?
We obviously want to spend as much time together as possible that's why we chose 6 months and we know that we don't have any ill intentions but are now a bit worried.
We'd really appreciate some advice and guidance if anyone has been in the same situation before.
Many thanks for reading.
Edit...
Thanks for all your help so far. It seems a lot is based on opinion which isn't really allowed on here. Could I please ask some specific questions?
- Has anybody had experience getting advanced entry clearance for something like this.
- Is entry clearance the same as getting a specific tourist visa?
- Would an advanced entry clearance mean she would not be interrogated before being let in?
We are thinking of reducing her time here to 3 months or less. This would mean she would keep her lease car she planned to sell which would be another tie to Mexico.
Best Answer
I'd say you're on shaky ground here.
UK immigration are looking for the ability to support oneself in one's own right. Your girlfriend's lack of funds will be a problem.
They're also looking for ties to the home country. You've already identified this. Anyone who can leave their daily life for as long as six months isn't really tied to it. Your girlfriend's letter from her 'employer' counts for little since they're proposing to offer her a job when she returns. Clearly she's not working there now in a role that she's tied to.
Her apartment will help but is sublet, which weakens the argument.
We can't say you'll be unsuccessful, but there are potential problems. Improving her finances, shortening the trip, addressing her employment situation will all help.
Don't be tempted to try to game the system by telling the border guards she's staying for a month or two and staying for six. Technically this might be legal, but it will raise questions on the next visit.
Good luck!
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How long can foreign visitors stay in the UK?
You can stay in the UK for up to six months. You can also apply to extend your UK Visitor Visa, as long as the total time you spend in the UK is not more than 6 months. It is also possible to apply for long-term visit visas if you travel to the UK regularly. These visas are valid for 2, 5 or 10 years.Can a Mexican visit the UK?
For Mexicans wishing to travel to the United Kingdom, they can stay a maximum of 180 days without visa. For more information, please click here.Can I leave the UK after 6 months and come back?
Your new Visitor immigration permission may not be for a further six months: the Border Force Officer may give you just the time you need to complete your studies, or six months minus the length of time you recently spent in the UK as a Visitor.How long can you stay in the UK without a vida?
It is a criminal offence under section 24 of the Immigration Act 1971 to overstay your visa without reasonable cause. If your visa has expired, you have 30 days to leave the UK voluntarily at your own expense before you face a ban on re-entry. Alternatively, you may seek to rely on the 14-day rule.Storytime HOW WE MET | Mexican Girl \u0026 British Boy
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Answer 2
In addition to Redd Herring’s answer I suggest that, if you decide to continue with a 6 month-long visit, as well as the documents you mention your girlfriend has her bank statements with her, and that you provide her with a full letter of invitation (see eg What should a sponsor tell the ECO?) plus a copy of your passport and your bank statements to prove your existence and that you can afford to support her. There is no published minimum funds requirement, but your invitation should state eg an estimate of the costs of the trip, that you’ll cover it all from income/savings, and that you’ll give her a weekly/monthly allowance for personal expenses whilst she’s here (if that’s your intention).
This may seem like overkill but if she’s arriving with little funds of her own, she may need to prove there and then that you can afford the visit. In effect, she should have all the documents that she’d need were she to apply for a visa with you as the 3rd party providing maintenance and accommodation.
It goes without saying that you must be at the airport to meet her and be available for any contact from Immigration during her landing interview. Also that she must be very careful in her conversations with Immigration, and to ensure she has nothing at all with her that might be interpreted as indicating intention to work during her visit.
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