Would like to sponsor my aunt to UK for 6 months

[peeta]

Hi all,

hope you are all well.

I would like to invite my aunt to visit me in the UK on visitor visa. She was previously made two visa applications (10 years ago) which were refused due to not submitting correct evidence.

She is recently windowed, lives alone and has no formal income (other than her savings and inheritance).

I would like her to spend 6 months with us in the UK>

How do I go about this please? I assume I need to establish the family connection to the case worker, how this can be proved in this case please?

any ideas or advice is welcome!

thanks in advance

[secret.simon]

First off, it is a bad idea for your aunt to stay in the UK for six months on her very first trip. That would suggest that she has no strong connections back in Sri Lanka and therefore she is an overstayer risk. That would complicate any future visa applications.

The main challenge that I think you will face is that you will need to prove that your aunt has such strong connections to Sri Lanka that she will leave the UK and return back there before her visa expires.

If she is a widow, living alone and with no ongoing job, what is to prevent her from moving to the UK and overstaying illegally with you? What is the imperative that will force her to move back to Sri Lanka before the end of her visa?

[peeta]

thanks Simon, valid questions.

She does not have to spend 6 months, even a month or two will be fine. In her case, how can I prove she will go back ? I am clueless...

any other in the same situation?

[contorted_svy]

does she own a home? does she volunteer or support other family members there?

[peeta]

she own the home with her children who are outside of the country. she has not got no immediate family members there...

[lolo2]

When we say strong connections to the home country is not only related to family, it also includes financial connections: properties/assets, money, businesses, etc.

Many applicants focus entirely in the family part and minimise or completely forget about providing financial evidence. UKVI want visitors to have and spend money when visiting the UK and see evidence that it will be difficult for the visitor to leave everything behind and stay.

If the applicant owns a house, they need to provide evidence of the ownership. That's a strong evidence, together with any other asset they have. The same with money, it does not matter how little it is evidence should be provided, this will be complemented by the finances from the family member in the UK.