How can my girlfriend maximise her chances of getting into the UK on a tourist visa?
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I am a British citizen, currently living in Japan on a working visa. My girlfriend is a Japanese national, but has only lived in Japan for the past year (before that she lived in the Philippines).
We'd like to go back to the UK to visit my family this Christmas, but we're a bit worried about visas.
Before getting my working visa (which my company sorted out before I moved here permanently) every time I came to Japan I just turned up at the border and was given a 3 month tourist visa. I (probably naively) never even thought about the possibility of being denied entry.
However, my girlfriend was looking at the visa application documents online and it suggests bringing bank statements and other supporting documents. This, to me, suggests that there is a chance that my girlfriend will be denied entry.
She is studying the language while she tries to find a full time job, but the studying is all self-study and private classes so she isn't tied to any institution providing her with proof she is a student. She is also currently only employed part-time, with a very variable income.
Will just turning up at the border be OK? Should we print out some bank statements just in case? Should we apply in advance in some way? Can I (a British citizen) 'vouch' for her in some way? If so, how? I assume I can't just follow her through immigration.
visas uk tourist-visas japanese-citizens
edited Jul 24 at 22:05
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
asked Jul 24 at 7:31
Omegastick
1183
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I am a British citizen, currently living in Japan on a working visa. My girlfriend is a Japanese national, but has only lived in Japan for the past year (before that she lived in the Philippines).
We'd like to go back to the UK to visit my family this Christmas, but we're a bit worried about visas.
Before getting my working visa (which my company sorted out before I moved here permanently) every time I came to Japan I just turned up at the border and was given a 3 month tourist visa. I (probably naively) never even thought about the possibility of being denied entry.
However, my girlfriend was looking at the visa application documents online and it suggests bringing bank statements and other supporting documents. This, to me, suggests that there is a chance that my girlfriend will be denied entry.
She is studying the language while she tries to find a full time job, but the studying is all self-study and private classes so she isn't tied to any institution providing her with proof she is a student. She is also currently only employed part-time, with a very variable income.
Will just turning up at the border be OK? Should we print out some bank statements just in case? Should we apply in advance in some way? Can I (a British citizen) 'vouch' for her in some way? If so, how? I assume I can't just follow her through immigration.
visas uk tourist-visas japanese-citizens
edited Jul 24 at 22:05
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
asked Jul 24 at 7:31
Omegastick
1183
As a point of clarification, does your girlfriend have a Japanese passport?
– Greg Hewgill
Jul 24 at 7:42
Yes, she's half Japanese and switched from a dual citizenship to Japanese only a couple of years ago. Currently she has a Japanese passport.
– Omegastick
Jul 24 at 7:43
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I am a British citizen, currently living in Japan on a working visa. My girlfriend is a Japanese national, but has only lived in Japan for the past year (before that she lived in the Philippines).
We'd like to go back to the UK to visit my family this Christmas, but we're a bit worried about visas.
Before getting my working visa (which my company sorted out before I moved here permanently) every time I came to Japan I just turned up at the border and was given a 3 month tourist visa. I (probably naively) never even thought about the possibility of being denied entry.
However, my girlfriend was looking at the visa application documents online and it suggests bringing bank statements and other supporting documents. This, to me, suggests that there is a chance that my girlfriend will be denied entry.
She is studying the language while she tries to find a full time job, but the studying is all self-study and private classes so she isn't tied to any institution providing her with proof she is a student. She is also currently only employed part-time, with a very variable income.
Will just turning up at the border be OK? Should we print out some bank statements just in case? Should we apply in advance in some way? Can I (a British citizen) 'vouch' for her in some way? If so, how? I assume I can't just follow her through immigration.
visas uk tourist-visas japanese-citizens
edited Jul 24 at 22:05
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
asked Jul 24 at 7:31
Omegastick
1183
I am a British citizen, currently living in Japan on a working visa. My girlfriend is a Japanese national, but has only lived in Japan for the past year (before that she lived in the Philippines).
We'd like to go back to the UK to visit my family this Christmas, but we're a bit worried about visas.
Before getting my working visa (which my company sorted out before I moved here permanently) every time I came to Japan I just turned up at the border and was given a 3 month tourist visa. I (probably naively) never even thought about the possibility of being denied entry.
However, my girlfriend was looking at the visa application documents online and it suggests bringing bank statements and other supporting documents. This, to me, suggests that there is a chance that my girlfriend will be denied entry.
She is studying the language while she tries to find a full time job, but the studying is all self-study and private classes so she isn't tied to any institution providing her with proof she is a student. She is also currently only employed part-time, with a very variable income.
Will just turning up at the border be OK? Should we print out some bank statements just in case? Should we apply in advance in some way? Can I (a British citizen) 'vouch' for her in some way? If so, how? I assume I can't just follow her through immigration.
visas uk tourist-visas japanese-citizens
edited Jul 24 at 22:05
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
asked Jul 24 at 7:31
Omegastick
1183
edited Jul 24 at 22:05
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
edited Jul 24 at 22:05
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
edited Jul 24 at 22:05
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
22.5k15885
asked Jul 24 at 7:31
Omegastick
1183
asked Jul 24 at 7:31
Omegastick
1183
asked Jul 24 at 7:31
Omegastick
1183
1183
As a point of clarification, does your girlfriend have a Japanese passport?
– Greg Hewgill
Jul 24 at 7:42
Yes, she's half Japanese and switched from a dual citizenship to Japanese only a couple of years ago. Currently she has a Japanese passport.
– Omegastick
Jul 24 at 7:43
add a comment |Â
As a point of clarification, does your girlfriend have a Japanese passport?
– Greg Hewgill
Jul 24 at 7:42
Yes, she's half Japanese and switched from a dual citizenship to Japanese only a couple of years ago. Currently she has a Japanese passport.
– Omegastick
Jul 24 at 7:43
As a point of clarification, does your girlfriend have a Japanese passport?
– Greg Hewgill
Jul 24 at 7:42
As a point of clarification, does your girlfriend have a Japanese passport?
– Greg Hewgill
Jul 24 at 7:42
Yes, she's half Japanese and switched from a dual citizenship to Japanese only a couple of years ago. Currently she has a Japanese passport.
– Omegastick
Jul 24 at 7:43
Yes, she's half Japanese and switched from a dual citizenship to Japanese only a couple of years ago. Currently she has a Japanese passport.
– Omegastick
Jul 24 at 7:43
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
As a Japanese citizen, your girlfriend does not need a visa to visit the UK:
You won’t need a visa to come to the UK
You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months without a visa.
However, you should bring the same documents you’d need to apply for a visa, to show to officers at the UK border.
- You may want to apply for a visa if you have a criminal record or you’ve previously been refused entry into the UK.
In your case, perhaps the most important document to show is a return ticket (or onward ticket) for your girlfriend to show that she won't try to stay in the UK. The fact that you have long-term residence in Japan will work in your favour.
answered Jul 24 at 7:46
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
1
why not mentioning girlfriend? Lastly: I would recommend also to have something to document the last fact.
– Giacomo Catenazzi
Jul 24 at 8:42
@GiacomoCatenazzi Having a relationship with a British resident can be damaging to the chances of admission, since the border officer may count this as evidence that they are intending to settle in the UK. In this case, I think it is not too big a risk, since Omegastick is not themselves resident in the UK.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 10:27
4
@MJeffryes That's very bad advice. Saying "friend" when it's actually "girlfriend" is deception and is a great way to be refused entry and possibly banned. This unfortunately happens every single day.
– Michael Hampton
Jul 24 at 14:02
@MichaelHampton I didn't advise it, but I explained the reasoning. Anyway, I'm not convinced that calling someone a "friend" instead of a "girlfriend" is really deception. Obviously, if the border officer asks if the pair are in a relationship, they should not lie.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 14:04
2
@MJeffryes I've read of UK immigration officers taking exception to the use of "friend" to describe someone in a romantic relationship. One might be able to talk one's way out of it if that happened, but it's probably better not to test those waters.
– phoog
Jul 24 at 22:10
 |Â
show 3 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
As a Japanese citizen, your girlfriend does not need a visa to visit the UK:
You won’t need a visa to come to the UK
You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months without a visa.
However, you should bring the same documents you’d need to apply for a visa, to show to officers at the UK border.
- You may want to apply for a visa if you have a criminal record or you’ve previously been refused entry into the UK.
In your case, perhaps the most important document to show is a return ticket (or onward ticket) for your girlfriend to show that she won't try to stay in the UK. The fact that you have long-term residence in Japan will work in your favour.
answered Jul 24 at 7:46
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
1
why not mentioning girlfriend? Lastly: I would recommend also to have something to document the last fact.
– Giacomo Catenazzi
Jul 24 at 8:42
@GiacomoCatenazzi Having a relationship with a British resident can be damaging to the chances of admission, since the border officer may count this as evidence that they are intending to settle in the UK. In this case, I think it is not too big a risk, since Omegastick is not themselves resident in the UK.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 10:27
4
@MJeffryes That's very bad advice. Saying "friend" when it's actually "girlfriend" is deception and is a great way to be refused entry and possibly banned. This unfortunately happens every single day.
– Michael Hampton
Jul 24 at 14:02
@MichaelHampton I didn't advise it, but I explained the reasoning. Anyway, I'm not convinced that calling someone a "friend" instead of a "girlfriend" is really deception. Obviously, if the border officer asks if the pair are in a relationship, they should not lie.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 14:04
2
@MJeffryes I've read of UK immigration officers taking exception to the use of "friend" to describe someone in a romantic relationship. One might be able to talk one's way out of it if that happened, but it's probably better not to test those waters.
– phoog
Jul 24 at 22:10
 |Â
show 3 more comments
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
As a Japanese citizen, your girlfriend does not need a visa to visit the UK:
You won’t need a visa to come to the UK
You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months without a visa.
However, you should bring the same documents you’d need to apply for a visa, to show to officers at the UK border.
- You may want to apply for a visa if you have a criminal record or you’ve previously been refused entry into the UK.
In your case, perhaps the most important document to show is a return ticket (or onward ticket) for your girlfriend to show that she won't try to stay in the UK. The fact that you have long-term residence in Japan will work in your favour.
answered Jul 24 at 7:46
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
1
why not mentioning girlfriend? Lastly: I would recommend also to have something to document the last fact.
– Giacomo Catenazzi
Jul 24 at 8:42
@GiacomoCatenazzi Having a relationship with a British resident can be damaging to the chances of admission, since the border officer may count this as evidence that they are intending to settle in the UK. In this case, I think it is not too big a risk, since Omegastick is not themselves resident in the UK.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 10:27
4
@MJeffryes That's very bad advice. Saying "friend" when it's actually "girlfriend" is deception and is a great way to be refused entry and possibly banned. This unfortunately happens every single day.
– Michael Hampton
Jul 24 at 14:02
@MichaelHampton I didn't advise it, but I explained the reasoning. Anyway, I'm not convinced that calling someone a "friend" instead of a "girlfriend" is really deception. Obviously, if the border officer asks if the pair are in a relationship, they should not lie.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 14:04
2
@MJeffryes I've read of UK immigration officers taking exception to the use of "friend" to describe someone in a romantic relationship. One might be able to talk one's way out of it if that happened, but it's probably better not to test those waters.
– phoog
Jul 24 at 22:10
 |Â
show 3 more comments
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
up vote
6
down vote
accepted
As a Japanese citizen, your girlfriend does not need a visa to visit the UK:
You won’t need a visa to come to the UK
You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months without a visa.
However, you should bring the same documents you’d need to apply for a visa, to show to officers at the UK border.
- You may want to apply for a visa if you have a criminal record or you’ve previously been refused entry into the UK.
In your case, perhaps the most important document to show is a return ticket (or onward ticket) for your girlfriend to show that she won't try to stay in the UK. The fact that you have long-term residence in Japan will work in your favour.
answered Jul 24 at 7:46
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
As a Japanese citizen, your girlfriend does not need a visa to visit the UK:
You won’t need a visa to come to the UK
You can stay in the UK for up to 6 months without a visa.
However, you should bring the same documents you’d need to apply for a visa, to show to officers at the UK border.
- You may want to apply for a visa if you have a criminal record or you’ve previously been refused entry into the UK.
In your case, perhaps the most important document to show is a return ticket (or onward ticket) for your girlfriend to show that she won't try to stay in the UK. The fact that you have long-term residence in Japan will work in your favour.
answered Jul 24 at 7:46
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
edited Jul 24 at 22:27
answered Jul 24 at 7:46
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
answered Jul 24 at 7:46
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
answered Jul 24 at 7:46
Greg Hewgill
22.5k15885
22.5k15885
1
why not mentioning girlfriend? Lastly: I would recommend also to have something to document the last fact.
– Giacomo Catenazzi
Jul 24 at 8:42
@GiacomoCatenazzi Having a relationship with a British resident can be damaging to the chances of admission, since the border officer may count this as evidence that they are intending to settle in the UK. In this case, I think it is not too big a risk, since Omegastick is not themselves resident in the UK.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 10:27
4
@MJeffryes That's very bad advice. Saying "friend" when it's actually "girlfriend" is deception and is a great way to be refused entry and possibly banned. This unfortunately happens every single day.
– Michael Hampton
Jul 24 at 14:02
@MichaelHampton I didn't advise it, but I explained the reasoning. Anyway, I'm not convinced that calling someone a "friend" instead of a "girlfriend" is really deception. Obviously, if the border officer asks if the pair are in a relationship, they should not lie.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 14:04
2
@MJeffryes I've read of UK immigration officers taking exception to the use of "friend" to describe someone in a romantic relationship. One might be able to talk one's way out of it if that happened, but it's probably better not to test those waters.
– phoog
Jul 24 at 22:10
 |Â
show 3 more comments
1
why not mentioning girlfriend? Lastly: I would recommend also to have something to document the last fact.
– Giacomo Catenazzi
Jul 24 at 8:42
@GiacomoCatenazzi Having a relationship with a British resident can be damaging to the chances of admission, since the border officer may count this as evidence that they are intending to settle in the UK. In this case, I think it is not too big a risk, since Omegastick is not themselves resident in the UK.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 10:27
4
@MJeffryes That's very bad advice. Saying "friend" when it's actually "girlfriend" is deception and is a great way to be refused entry and possibly banned. This unfortunately happens every single day.
– Michael Hampton
Jul 24 at 14:02
@MichaelHampton I didn't advise it, but I explained the reasoning. Anyway, I'm not convinced that calling someone a "friend" instead of a "girlfriend" is really deception. Obviously, if the border officer asks if the pair are in a relationship, they should not lie.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 14:04
2
@MJeffryes I've read of UK immigration officers taking exception to the use of "friend" to describe someone in a romantic relationship. One might be able to talk one's way out of it if that happened, but it's probably better not to test those waters.
– phoog
Jul 24 at 22:10
1
1
why not mentioning girlfriend? Lastly: I would recommend also to have something to document the last fact.
– Giacomo Catenazzi
Jul 24 at 8:42
why not mentioning girlfriend? Lastly: I would recommend also to have something to document the last fact.
– Giacomo Catenazzi
Jul 24 at 8:42
@GiacomoCatenazzi Having a relationship with a British resident can be damaging to the chances of admission, since the border officer may count this as evidence that they are intending to settle in the UK. In this case, I think it is not too big a risk, since Omegastick is not themselves resident in the UK.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 10:27
@GiacomoCatenazzi Having a relationship with a British resident can be damaging to the chances of admission, since the border officer may count this as evidence that they are intending to settle in the UK. In this case, I think it is not too big a risk, since Omegastick is not themselves resident in the UK.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 10:27
4
4
@MJeffryes That's very bad advice. Saying "friend" when it's actually "girlfriend" is deception and is a great way to be refused entry and possibly banned. This unfortunately happens every single day.
– Michael Hampton
Jul 24 at 14:02
@MJeffryes That's very bad advice. Saying "friend" when it's actually "girlfriend" is deception and is a great way to be refused entry and possibly banned. This unfortunately happens every single day.
– Michael Hampton
Jul 24 at 14:02
@MichaelHampton I didn't advise it, but I explained the reasoning. Anyway, I'm not convinced that calling someone a "friend" instead of a "girlfriend" is really deception. Obviously, if the border officer asks if the pair are in a relationship, they should not lie.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 14:04
@MichaelHampton I didn't advise it, but I explained the reasoning. Anyway, I'm not convinced that calling someone a "friend" instead of a "girlfriend" is really deception. Obviously, if the border officer asks if the pair are in a relationship, they should not lie.
– MJeffryes
Jul 24 at 14:04
2
2
@MJeffryes I've read of UK immigration officers taking exception to the use of "friend" to describe someone in a romantic relationship. One might be able to talk one's way out of it if that happened, but it's probably better not to test those waters.
– phoog
Jul 24 at 22:10
@MJeffryes I've read of UK immigration officers taking exception to the use of "friend" to describe someone in a romantic relationship. One might be able to talk one's way out of it if that happened, but it's probably better not to test those waters.
– phoog
Jul 24 at 22:10
 |Â
show 3 more comments
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As a point of clarification, does your girlfriend have a Japanese passport?
– Greg Hewgill
Jul 24 at 7:42
Yes, she's half Japanese and switched from a dual citizenship to Japanese only a couple of years ago. Currently she has a Japanese passport.
– Omegastick
Jul 24 at 7:43