Some UK holiday visa advice

[Lizzie2579]

I am currently looking into the information needed for my boyfriend to get a holiday visa to the UK in June. I am going to see him in May and we are going to fill out the forms needed and then we're hoping he will be able to come to England the end of June if it goes well, if not, then later in the Summer. We will be applying for a general visitor visa that lasts for 6 months and he's hoping to come a couple of times in the 6 months.
It says it helps for me to sponsor him and that I need to write a letter stating my relationship to him, the purpose of the visit and where he will stay.
I was just wondering if anyone has done one of these and how to word it, I want to do it right so I can give him the best chance of being successful.
We are planning on going to a few different places during his visit and I will probably help him out a little with money. He will pay for his flights and most of the accommodation to it will just be days out etc I will help with. On the UK border agency site it says if you are helping financially with their trip or they are staying with you you should show copies of your bank statements and payslips OR a copy of your savings book. I was just wondering which would be the best for me to do. I am self employed so I dont have payslips and I have quite a bit saved so would this be the best copies to show?!
Any advice would be gratefully received! Its so hard to even get a holiday visa, I dread sorting out the settlement visa if we get that far!

[snow_girl]

What country is he from? You don't need an actual visa if you are coming as a tourist for 6 months unless maybe you're from South Africa.

[Jazi]

Hi there, I was just wondering where is your boyfriend from?

I'm from Australia and went to the UK this past June for a month and a half, I didn't have to do any visitors visas and as far as I'm aware I can stay in the UK for up to the 6 months (with the same conditions as a visitors visa basically.)

I know that the UK has travel agreements with quite a few countries which means a lot of countries aren't required to actually apply for a 'visitors visa' Have you made sure that your boyfriend isn't from one of these countries?

as for the visa.. if you go for that option or not I would still suggest your SO to bring photo copies of bank statements/payslips WITH HIM to border control to prove that he will be able to support himself, the recent payslips also show that you have some ties to a job back home.

and if you are going to go through with applying for the visa I would say use all the evidence you've got. throw all you can at it to make sure theres no way they can question granting you the visa :P

[lucybelle]

https://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/v...u-need-a-visa/

This will tell you if he needs the visa or not.

[kiara_silver]

Im going to the UK for about 6 months, a little less, and i don't need a visa or anything other then my passport. As long as your under 6 months I think your good. But im not 100% but you can look online.

[Lizzie2579]

He is from Turkey and yes he definitely needs a visa, even just for a short holiday...unfortunately I dont think there will be a problem for him to get one as he will have done his military service, he has a passport, he speaks and writes really good english, he has never been in trouble with the police etc so im hoping it should be relatively easy. I have printed the guidance forms and I'm pretty clear on what he needs to take to the visa centre its just the stuff I need to provide im a little unsure of like how I word the letter and what bank statements to show!

[lucybelle]

The more documents you have, the better. Print out all bank statements you can possibly think of. Hell, get a letter from your bank stating how many years you've been with them. Have him do the same.

Can't give you advice on the letter, but google it. People have done this before you, there's got to be info on the internet somewhere.

[Lizzie2579]

Thank you, I will definitely do that, I think I'll do bank statements and savings account, I cant do payslip though :/ and I will google it! Thanks!