Xjyuk

I am a UK national and have a girlfriend who was born and lives in Belgrade, Serbia. I have visited her over there for a period of 5 days, but now we see that for her to come to the UK she must acquire a Standard Visitor visa.

She owns her own apartment in Belgrade, also has a stable job there where she has worked for 4.5 years. We hoped that she could quit her job there and come and live with me for 6 months, with me as her "sponsor" (I live in rented accommodation earning £35,000 per annum), then have her return to Serbia to get a Marriage visa.

The problem is we cannot find any clarity online as to if we should apply for her to come to the UK specifying for a short visit, like for 2-3 weeks only, or if we should state that she is coming for the full 6 months to be with me?

The above linked page, summarising what a SVV is for, states:

You can’t [...] live in the UK for long periods of time through frequent visits.

• 1) Does this mean it would be ok for her to live with me for one long 6 month visit?


• 2) If so, is it sufficient for me to show payslips/bank statements showing my earnings, and that she would stay with me without her having to declare large amounts of funds in her own bank account?


• 3a) Is it best to have her just stay for a short 2-3 week vacation visit, go back to her job, then apply for a marriage visa later down the road for her to come here and marry me?


• 3b) If the answer to 3a is yes, can she safely return for a second 2-3 week visit to the UK within that 6 month visa period?

In theory, yes, she can do this. The limit is six months, and if she plans to stay for six months or less, it's allowed. The problem is that she is likely to be denied, because a "genuine visitor" does not quit their job before traveling to the UK. That is probably only one of several red flags the visa officer might notice, but it is certainly among the most prominent.

One thing she certainly should not do is say that she's visiting for a short time and then remain for a longer time. While she would not be violating the terms of her admission, she would be vulnerable to suspicion of deception in a subsequent application for a visa or for entry. That can lead to a ban of 10 years.

With that in mind, some answers:

1) Does this mean it would be ok for her to live with me for one long 6 month visit?

Technically, yes, but the chance is good that her visa might be denied or she might be sent back at the border.

2) If so, is it sufficient for me to show payslips/bank statements showing my earnings, and that she would stay with me without her having to declare large amounts of funds in her own bank account?

She must always show her own bank account. The visa officer needs to have as full a picture as possible of her finances. On top of that, the more money she has, the more likely she will be seen as someone who isn't inclined to work illegally. If her bank balance is small, then you should show your financial records to show that you can support her. Adding money to her account for the purpose of the visa application is likely to lead to rejection of the visa application, and it can also lead to suspicion of deception, which is mentioned above. (Also see posts containing "funds parking".)

3a) Is it best to have her just stay for a short 2-3 week vacation visit, go back to her job, then apply for a marriage visa later down the road for her to come here and marry me?

Yes. That makes her life in Serbia look much more stable, meaning that she will be that much more likely to be granted a visa.

3b) If the answer to 3a is yes, can she safely return for a second 2-3 week visit to the UK within that 6 month visa period?

Absolutely. A couple of 2-to-3-week visits over six months is a much more reasonable pattern for two people with stable lives who are in a long-distance relationship.

I live in rented accommodation...

You'll need to show that your landlord has given permission for her to stay with you.