Help! Ancestry Visa

[Willishall]

Sorry to bother you all with this, but just a couple of queries regarding the UK ancestry visa. I’m a British National, and my girlfriend is a Canadian. Her grandparents are Scottish, and reside in Scotland, and she wants to move to the UK.

Getting her Grandparents birth certificates should be fine, along with her birth certificate, and marriage certificates relating to her mother’s change of names, (she’s been married twice and my girlfriend took her step fathers name)

What we’re wondering about is the proof of funds. She’d be living with me, so we’d enclose a copy of my tenancy agreement and a signed letter from myself confirming she has somewhere to stay rent free until she can find work, and that I’d be willing to help support her until she does so.

I could also include a copy of three months worth of bank statements, explaining my income and expenditure to prove I could support her. However, I have a less than perfect credit rating due to being made redundant a couple of years ago (but I am now working again and hope to sort out my credit rating once we’ve sorted out my girlfriends visa.) Would they run a credit check on me, and would this harm her application rather than help it?

I’d also include a letter from her parents and grandparents assuring that they would be willing to provide support for her, should she need it; Would that count for anything?

In addition to this, how much money should she have in her bank account, and for how long, to prove she can support herself without resorting to public funds? She's thinking of borrowing some money from her parents to boost her bank account above the 2000CAD mark, would they ask a lot of questions about this?

Thanks, and sorry if these are stupid questions. Just we've been trying out best to get all this sorted out on a tight budget, and keep hitting brick walls.

[MPH80]

There isn't a fixed amount in an account to prove you can look after someone.

They won't run a credit check on you - but you should also provide your payslips for the same period so that it all ties up with your bank statements. If you were applying for a spouse visa - they would be looking to see an additional £110 per week in your account spare.

You'll need a letter from the landlord as well as your tennancy agreement because I bet you'll find there's a clause about visitors and how long they can stay.

If the parents/grandparents are going to provide support as well - they'll need to show evidence of their finances too.

On the idea of putting a lump sum in her account - she'll need to provide an explanation of where it's come from (and that it's hers permanently) or it'll be regarded as attempting to convince the ECO of funds that don't really exist - which is, I think, what's she's attempting to do.

M.

[Willishall]

There isn't a fixed amount in an account to prove you can look after someone.

They won't run a credit check on you - but you should also provide your payslips for the same period so that it all ties up with your bank statements. If you were applying for a spouse visa - they would be looking to see an additional £110 per week in your account spare.

You'll need a letter from the landlord as well as your tennancy agreement because I bet you'll find there's a clause about visitors and how long they can stay.

If the parents/grandparents are going to provide support as well - they'll need to show evidence of their finances too.

On the idea of putting a lump sum in her account - she'll need to provide an explanation of where it's come from (and that it's hers permanently) or it'll be regarded as attempting to convince the ECO of funds that don't really exist - which is, I think, what's she's attempting to do.

M.

Thanks for the advice! So, if I provide bank statements for 3 months showing a disposable income of £440+ a month, that should be enough? Would her getting a credit card out help at all, she won't actually use it but they might like the idea it'd be there in case of emergency.

And I'll get a letter from my landlord, they already know that I'm planning on having two sharing a room.

Then evidence of her parents income (they're quite well off so would show pretty healthy bank balances) and a letter of support from them.

Do you think all this would be enough?