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molly75
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Jan 2008 : 11:52:17
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Hi, i was just wondering if anyone who has helped a Gambian friend apply for a visa, can give me some advice. My Gambian friend is coming to train/work in the UK, is the visa he applies for different to a tourist visa and is it more expensive? How long will the visa application take? Also last question, is there any website i can look on for advice? I've heard that many people are refused visas, has this been the case in your experience?
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2008 : 12:05:07
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please be careful on this one, there is a scam in Gambia where an "agency" can help you obtain a visa, they don't. these are the questions you need to ask,
what college/university are they going to,
how long for,
who is paying the fees,
how will they support themselves,
they are applying for a student visa, they are not a tourist??, if the application fails, there is no refund.
Can your friend not go the embassy in Fajara and collect the information forms himself. they are free.
try this web site www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk/thegambia
BE ADVISED IT IS A MINEFIELD. |
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sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2008 : 15:16:34
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molly75 - this site will help you through the system.
http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/
If you read it with care you will find all your answers.
There is big difference between visitors & student visa application & fees as you will see.
I do not have access to my files at the moment so cannot help you more.
sab.
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The world would be a poorer place if it was peopled by children whose parents risked nothing in the cause of social justice, for fear of personal loss. (Joe Slovo - African revolutionary) |
Edited by - sab on 28 Jan 2008 15:18:40 |
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Lily
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jan 2008 : 16:44:30
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Hi Molly
Your friend will need a letter from the College accepting them on to a course. This usually means that they will have had to pay a deposit. This can be quite a lot of money with mosrt of it refundable IF the visa is turned down.
With a genuine study visa they can also have a work visa which allows up to around 20 hours per week of work.
The College you friend wants to go to a a very good place to start because they will need to help with paper work/letter of acceptance
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molly75
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jan 2008 : 13:34:37
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Hi thanks for the advice. My friend will not be attending college in the UK he has been accepted to do his training to join the British Army. So he will have his own income as soon as he starts and when he's not at the training camp he will be staying with me and my family. I will be paying for his flight and any costs he may incur initially in the UK, as i have agreed to sponsor him.
Jambo thanks for the advice about the scam agency! Also thanks for the various websites posted and the advice. I will check out the websites and look for the information i need. Thanks again. |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jan 2008 : 18:33:36
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| why does he need a Visa, surely the army will do this for him, is a full british citizen?? or applying under commonwealth rules?? |
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molly75
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jan 2008 : 11:38:25
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No the Army do not do this for him, he has to arrange his own visa, flight and accomodation in the UK. No he's not British he is Gambian and is joining the British Army as a commonwealth soldier. He didn't want to join the Gambian army as he says it is corrupt!!??? But then i suppose the UK army is in some ways!!! |
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Lily
United Kingdom
422 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jan 2008 : 13:54:51
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Hi Molly
I know a Gambian in the British army - been in a few years and about to leave. It has proved to be very good for him financially (though he did tour Iraq and spent most of his time based in Germany!) and now that he's leaving he is going to get british citizenship and right of residence in the UK,
With his acceptance letter your friend should have little problem getting a visa to come (and go, as it were!) |
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molly75
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
Posted - 30 Jan 2008 : 17:40:47
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| Thanks for your posting Lily, it was nice to hear a positive story about your Gambian friend. I will pass this on to my Gambian friend and just hope that he doesn't have to go to Iraq!! |
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Serekundajock
United Kingdom
60 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2008 : 19:09:01
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| I think they only give out a certain amount of visas each day. So they would have to be in front of the queue. They are issued pretty quickly. |
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molly75
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2008 : 15:25:29
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| I think you must be right about them only giving out a small amount of visas per day, cos my friend has now been refused his visa twice!!!! The first time the sponsor letter was not signed, so they refused him. On the second attempt, they said he did not have enough knowledge of the British Army to come to the uk and join!! I thought this was the job of the army to decide this not the embassy???? He is not allowed to appeal and we are now stuck as to what to do now, anyone got any ideas? |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2008 : 18:21:50
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| does your friend have any correspondence from british army to confirm that he has been offered a post, that should be enough for them to give him a letter. |
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molly75
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
Posted - 17 Mar 2008 : 20:05:47
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| Yes he showed them the letter, but they said it is just a place on the basic training course, it is not a guaranteed place in the army! But to get a place in the army he needs to do the training, and how can he do the training if they won't give him a visa? They also said he doesnt have a set date for the training, but he cannot get this until the army know when he will be in the UK. The embassy are just being as awkward as they possibly can! Why are they like this? |
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 18 Mar 2008 : 06:11:21
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Molly75, most if not all embassies follow the laws of their countries in issuing visas. Every applicant has to meet the requirement in order to get a travel visa. Without these requirement restrictions there will be such a flood of immigrants in some countries to the extent that even you will be worried. It seems absurd to me that a private foreign citizen can enroll in the armed services of another country while a non-resident.
In any case there should be an anticipated date for this man to start his training; just like students can enroll for summer, fall, winter or springs classes there might be a calendar for each training regimen.
What I would suggest you do is this. Contact the British army about when the next training period begins and get a document from them that sets the anticipated start of your friends training, then submit that document to the embassy together with other relevant documents. |
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molly75
United Kingdom
86 Posts |
Posted - 18 Mar 2008 : 11:15:24
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Kayjatta, i understand what you are saying, but it very often it seems to be the wrong type of people that get the visas. Ive heard many cases of people getting visas into the uk and then not returning home or commiting crime. Then many genuine visitors get refused, it doesnt seem fair.
My friend is entitled to join the British Army because Gambia is a commonwealth country and a large part of the british army is made up of commonwealth soldiers. |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 18 Mar 2008 : 11:33:52
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| I am not understanding this if he has a guaranteed place for basic training, then he has a place and date confirmed that should be enough to get him a visa. how did he get the position, are his papers in order. |
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