Why was I refused a UK entry clearance

Question

]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?

Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. — JoErNanO, May 12 '17 at 19:55
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 '17 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 '17 at 18:30
@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 '17 at 19:26
@GayotFow, I understand that. But I want to know if there is a way for me to get approved at this rate at all? What to do? Forget about visiting the UK? — Nazar Beiar, May 17 '17 at 19:39
At the moment I suggest you instruct a top-tier solicitor to make representations. We're talking serious coin here. Or fix the deficiencies and make a fresh application. If you have questions about connect the dots, ask Chx, this is his thread. — Gayot Fow, May 17 '17 at 19:52
@JonathanReez no, it's a sponsorship/credibility issue. the canonical is fine. — Gayot Fow, May 17 '17 at 23:27

score 2 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 16 '20 at 10:18

2

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.

edited Jun 16 '20 at 10:18

Community

1

answered May 12 '17 at 23:00

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 '17 at 23:18
The OP has nothing to lose by sending some complaint emails to the embassy and home office and making some noise. – May 13 '17 at 02:51
@greatone source this claim please. What "some noise" could achieve? You made a similar comment which is now in chat and it was immediately refuted by rightly claiming the UKBA you wanted to email doesn't exist. You can try public.enquiries@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk but you will get nowhere, I am willing to bet dollars to donuts. In a fair and just world the whole situation wouldn't arise or would be trivial to solve, yes. This is not that world and especially not that year. – May 13 '17 at 03:08
@chx email the embassy. Tell them you are considering legal actionThe worst outcome is they'll say no. You will miss 100% of the shots you don't take. The OP has a really strong case. The ECO outright lied. I've seen a similar decision overturned. – May 13 '17 at 08:47
The worst outcome is they'll say no - or a "black mark" on your already spotty immigration record. How do you know? I don't. I wouldn't rule this out.
– May 14 '17 at 06:27
@chx, is there a way for me to visit my girlfrind in the UK at all? Am I already doomed? – Nazar Beiar May 14 '17 at 13:13
@NazarBeiar giving such advice is hard. My understanding is that you can't do anything but perhaps you should ask Gayot Fow on chat, he is more knowledgeable. I feel uneasy about giving such advice to just give up but at the same time that's my (a random stranger on the Internet, mind you) understanding. – May 14 '17 at 15:27
1

@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. – May 15 '17 at 11:42
@Nazar Beiar if you're really too scared to complain, submit a new application telling them why you think the previous decision was wrong. – May 15 '17 at 11:43
@greatone, I am not scared of complaining. I just want my complaint to be constructive, based on facts. Like I said before, I want to send my check-list to them. It's a sheet where a person ticks what documents I have provided. One needs this sheet in order to get their passport back. I have not got it, therefore I messaged and asked them to give me a copy.Hopefully, I will be able to prove them wrong having these evidence. – Nazar Beiar May 15 '17 at 20:06
@Nazar Beiar do you have a copy of your application form? – May 15 '17 at 22:21
@NazarBeiar it's not about connecting the dots. – Gayot Fow May 15 '17 at 23:28
@greatone now that is valuable information. – May 16 '17 at 01:43
@GayotFow meaning? – Nazar Beiar May 16 '17 at 17:19
@greatone, yeah. – Nazar Beiar May 16 '17 at 17:20
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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 '17 at 09:57
@GayotFow, what is it, then? – Nazar Beiar May 17 '17 at 18:17
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 '17 at 18:29

Why was I refused a UK entry clearance

1 Answers1