Type C visa for Filipina Girlfriend

Hello

It’s my first time for applying for a type C visa for my Filipina girlfriend and I have a few questions and looking for any advice that might be useful

Regarding income I have been on social welfare and starting a new business but I also can work and show earning as a truck driver or bus driver if required

I have about 4K in the bank and wonder is there any chance of me getting the visa

Any advice what is the beat picture to put forward

Fastmover wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 29, 2023 9:36 pm

It’s my first time for applying for a type C visa for my Filipina girlfriend and I have a few questions and looking for any advice that might be useful

So you intend her to visit you, not stay permanently? For the latter you should apply for a long stay (D) visa (and for which you can't be on welfare).

Fastmover wrote: ↑

Thu Jun 29, 2023 9:36 pm

I have about 4K in the bank and wonder is there any chance of me getting the visa

Well, who are you in the equation? If she's just your girlfriend, not a spouse or anything, it might be slightly questionable for you to sponsor her, especially since you cannot sustain herself without social welfare.

Hello yes as per the heading I am inviting her to stay as a visitor for a duration under 3 months.

Why would it be questionable for me to sponsor my girlfriend to visit. It seems perfectly plausible to me to invite my girlfriend to visit me for a holiday. Can you offer some advice based on some real world experience or are you just offering your opinion

Right, apologies - I didn't express my thoughts clear enough, my mistake. Let me redo it.

You're absolutely in your right to sponsor your girlfriend to come here for a visit, but things need to be considered, such as:
- you'd have to show that you've been together for a while and such, since legally speaking, you're a complete stranger (and if a random person pays for someone's trip, it rings alarm bells), so consider attaching some evidence of relationship.
- in terms of sponsoring, you'd have to state how much money you will spend and what you will pay for; from what I've seen, just return flights might be costing over 1k, so you'd have to do some budgeting and figuring out how much you can spend to ensure it's both enough for your girlfriend and there's still money left for you! Otherwise visa officer might consider it additional strain onto public funds.

I don't think we, strangers on the forum, can say how much is enough and how much isn't (it's up to you to do calculations). If you have employment, you're better off attaching it, so it can be taken into account when calculating all this.

For short visit visas, it would be better if she could show proof that she will be able to pay for her visit by herself - at least to some extent. Your sponsorship helps, but it is not the main determining factor.

Having a boyfriend/girlfriend doesn’t mean or guarantee anything in the eyes of a visa officer. If the situation arises that she arrives in Ireland and then you two break up, she will be on her own without you sponsoring her, and she will need to prove that she can still support herself rather than relying on social welfare.

meself2 wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 30, 2023 12:27 pm

Right, apologies - I didn't express my thoughts clear enough, my mistake. Let me redo it.

You're absolutely in your right to sponsor your girlfriend to come here for a visit, but things need to be considered, such as:
- you'd have to show that you've been together for a while and such, since legally speaking, you're a complete stranger (and if a random person pays for someone's trip, it rings alarm bells), so consider attaching some evidence of relationship.
- in terms of sponsoring, you'd have to state how much money you will spend and what you will pay for; from what I've seen, just return flights might be costing over 1k, so you'd have to do some budgeting and figuring out how much you can spend to ensure it's both enough for your girlfriend and there's still money left for you! Otherwise visa officer might consider it additional strain onto public funds.

I don't think we, strangers on the forum, can say how much is enough and how much isn't (it's up to you to do calculations). If you have employment, you're better off attaching it, so it can be taken into account when calculating all this.

We’re together 1 1/2 years I’ve been over to see her last year. No problem attaching proof of relationship I suppose what I’m looking for is an idea of what is accepted as sufficient funds. She will be here for three months and I will be working for the time she is here.

When I was hoping for some replies with real world figures and experiences with the immigration on arrival

littlerr wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 30, 2023 12:46 pm

For short visit visas, it would be better if she could show proof that she will be able to pay for her visit by herself - at least to some extent. Your sponsorship helps, but it is not the main determining factor.

Having a boyfriend/girlfriend doesn’t mean or guarantee anything in the eyes of a visa officer. If the situation arises that she arrives in Ireland and then you two break up, she will be on her own without you sponsoring her, and she will need to prove that she can still support herself rather than relying on social welfare.

Have you experience with a type C visa...Can you give me an indication how much your girlfriend had saved

Most countries have long stopped having explicit requirements as to how much a person should have before applying for a visa. Requirements for short visit visas are simple - a person needs to prove that:
(1) They have sufficient ties in their own country so that they will abide by their visa conditions and return to their country after the stated visit. This means they should have the likes of employer letter, and (2) they need to be able to support their intended stay either by themselves (savings / bank statements in their own name), by nuclear family members (bank statements in the applicant’s parents names for example, with an authorisation letter) or by a business entity (for example by her company).

She needs to prove the money she or her family has can support her entire stay. If you state she will visit here for 3 months, she should have the budget for 3 months of accommodations, utilities, food, return flights, medical insurances etc. As long as her savings and her itinerary check out, there shouldn’t be any issue. I’ve seen people who have visas approved with only 1,500 euro in their account claiming they want to stay in hostels and taking public transports for most of the stays, and I’ve also seen people who have visas refused with more than 10,000 euro in their account claiming they will travel in extravagant styles.

As you are not married and you do not meet the requirement of being in a long-standing de-facto relationship, the financial support submitted by you will be taken into consideration as a supporting document, but will not be a determining factor.