Immigrating to the UK

[Priapus]

Hoping I can get some guidance from those on here. Busy finishing the UK tourist visa application and need some help.

My wife and I are each filling in our own applications. One of the questions is will anyone be sponsoring part or your whole trip. The accommodation we have booked is in my name, and on her application we have filled in 'yes' and given details that I have paid for the accommodation. Is this the correct approach? Or should we rather say she is not being sponsored, as sponsorship may reference a UK citizen. Hoping someone can help please!

Edit: @Priapus maybe you can help here? I've seen you've applied for a fair few UK visitor visas

Also wondering what docs we need? We're both employed but neither of us keep much money in our current accounts. We thinking:
1. Employment letters
2. Past 3 months payslips
3. Past 3 months bank statements
4. Past 3 months saving account balances.
Do we also need proof of accommodation?

So, that they will want to know is how are you funding the trip and where is the money for that trip coming from.

A sponsor can be anyone and not just a UK citizen.

The list of documents you listed is fine. As long as you can show you have funds and where they come from. Also if either account has had large deposits recently, do mention it and provide evidence where it came from.

There’s a term called “funds parking” where people dump large amounts of money in the account to prove they can fund the trip. This will get you a rejection.

When asked where you are staying; provide the actual address and include the proof. But the proof isn’t mandatory.

For your wife’s visa - say yes to sponsorship and provide your bank statements and slips as well and mention that you’re joining her. She must also include her bank details - they will want to see her financial status.

Feel free to DM if you have other questions.

Done this enough times I can do it with my eyes closed lol

 

[Priapus]

Spoke to the estate agent yesterday - got her fee down to 5% - So not as low as @Sinbad 's - but better than 7.5.

Also agreed to put the house on the market in the next three weeks or so. She's betting it's sold by March.

 

[syntax]

Spoke to the estate agent yesterday - got her fee down to 5% - So not as low as @Sinbad 's - but better than 7.5.

Also agreed to put the house on the market in the next three weeks or so. She's betting it's sold by March.

Agents are always so optimistic. I hope it works out
Our main house sold on the first show day, which was very welcoming.
The other properties took almost 9 months and the 3rd we are stuck with renting out as we couldnt sell it

 

[Priapus]

Agents are always so optimistic. I hope it works out
Our main house sold on the first show day, which was very welcoming.
The other properties took almost 9 months and the 3rd we are stuck with renting out as we couldnt sell it

She has a good track record in the area - been doing it for like 20 years in this area. She sold us this place and has sold the property next door 5 times and now recently sold it again, which is smaller, no gas and no solar panels - sold in 3 months. The other house down the street, sold in 4 months.

So, I am hopeful this place will sell.

It's right next to the school, in a boomed area and in a cul de sac. We have gas for cooking and hot water and full solar system. Te me, it's an attractive option for a young family.

But yeah, let's see how it goes.

 

[2026]

Spoke to the estate agent yesterday - got her fee down to 5% - So not as low as @Sinbad 's - but better than 7.5.

Also agreed to put the house on the market in the next three weeks or so. She's betting it's sold by March.

Best of luck, the property market was starting to get pretty tough when we sold ours.

 

[The Voice]

 

[heartbroken]

Not true. They’re very specific on the their site. They’re not interested in these documents and ask you not to include them.

In the 5 visitor visas I have had; I have never supplied them.

Strange, I get asked for these every damn time. Might be they don’t trust me

 

[heartbroken]

Not true. They’re very specific on the their site. They’re not interested in these documents and ask you not to include them.

In the 5 visitor visas I have had; I have never supplied them.

Dumb question, but why are you doing a visitor visa so often? I got the 5 year one after like my 3 normal one, just could deal any more. It was like R15k or something and them you’re set. I heard the 10 year one is difficult to get, so didn’t try.

 

[Priapus]

Strange, I get asked for these every damn time. Might be they don’t trust me

Asked for, by who?

Dumb question, but why are you doing a visitor visa so often? I got the 5 year one after like my 3 normal one, just could deal any more. It was like R15k or something and them you’re set. I heard the 10 year one is difficult to get, so didn’t try.

Yeah the first few times I hadn’t thought about it. Then I was going to do a 10 year one but didn’t want to risk the money for it.

I fly to UK in two weeks time, luckily my current visa is still valid. It’s my last visitor visa too as I am applying for the spouse visa in Feb

 

[prod]

It's really odd talking to my wife who's in SA and comparing food prices...seems like a lot of things are cheaper in the UK. Vice versa obviously as well but it's not as clear "UK is much more expensive" as people made it out to be before I came here. Except eating out...eating out is kak expensive

 

[gregmcc]

Except eating out...eating out is kak expensive

It all depends. I've been to some places where it was pretty good value for money and you couldn't make it for that price.

 

[prod]

It all depends. I've been to some places where it was pretty good value for money and you couldn't make it for that price.

True, need to shop around a bit more. Was just looking at Pizza Hut yesterday and saw a large pizza is like £20

But the pub nearby sells a very nice double bacon burger and chips for £10 so not that bad.

 

[gregmcc]

True, need to shop around a bit more. Was just looking at Pizza Hut yesterday and saw a large pizza is like £20

But the pub nearby sells a very nice double bacon burger and chips for £10 so not that bad.

Pub grub is often loads better and cheaper than reataurants. Plus you can have a decent ale with it.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Much agreed, Pizza Hut is ridiculous compared to the locals. Favorite place is a pub grill and pizza, prices are insanely low and the portions are saffer big My fave is a alf pounder pepperoni burger with chips for like 6.99!

 

[killerbyte]

Much agreed, Pizza Hut is ridiculous compared to the locals. Favorite place is a pub grill and pizza, prices are insanely low and the portions are saffer big My fave is a alf pounder pepperoni burger with chips for like 6.99!

There is a local pizza place here in Aylesbury that sells a 15-inch pizza for 8.99. It lasts me 2 meals! And it comes with free dipping sauce.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Geez that's a bargain of note. Cheapest one here I've found is 10.99 for a 15-inch

 

[2026]

It's really odd talking to my wife who's in SA and comparing food prices...seems like a lot of things are cheaper in the UK. Vice versa obviously as well but it's not as clear "UK is much more expensive" as people made it out to be before I came here. Except eating out...eating out is kak expensive

We've found that other than meats, the prices have been more or less the same in the long run. But frozen veggies are cheaper and better quality than SA for sure, almost half the price.

Frozen peas from Lidl, 99p while in SA you are looking at about R40 as the cheapest in SA
Frozen sweet corn, 1.45 while in SA its R50.

Overall our spending is about the same but having less red meats.

 

[syntax]

It's really odd talking to my wife who's in SA and comparing food prices...seems like a lot of things are cheaper in the UK. Vice versa obviously as well but it's not as clear "UK is much more expensive" as people made it out to be before I came here. Except eating out...eating out is kak expensive

Eating out (buying anything not from a supermarket) alcohol, rent.
For me those are brutally expensive.

Transport can be brutal depending on where you are, living outside london and trying to get in every day can be a crippling expense.

Some things here can feel quite harsh / expensive in the beginning. I had to pay my car insurance for the year upfront for example, but the car insurance was actually cheap comparatively.
Life and other types of insurance are ludicrously cheap compared to SA.

For the most part, while it can feel expensive, I find everything except the rent ok

 

[killerbyte]

We've found that other than meats, the prices have been more or less the same in the long run. But frozen veggies are cheaper and better quality than SA for sure, almost half the price.

Frozen peas from Lidl, 99p while in SA you are looking at about R40 as the cheapest in SA
Frozen sweet corn, 1.45 while in SA its R50.

Overall our spending is about the same but having less red meats.

I meal prep for most of the month. This month I made Cottage pie and chilli con carne. With lunch portions of Bobotie.
I think I cooked around 4kg of mince.
Made 25 dinners, stored them all in those foil dishes to get when you buy takeaway lasagne.
Total cost was 60 pounds.
I spend probably another 30 pounds buying other food stuffs over the month.
Also found a nice butcher down the road that sells good pork chops.
I eat a lot of mince because I really enjoy mince, so my red meat intake has not dropped since I left SA.
Next month I am thinking Bobotie and some sort of chicken dish for dinners.

 

[prod]

Eating out (buying anything not from a supermarket) alcohol, rent.
For me those are brutally expensive.

Transport can be brutal depending on where you are, living outside london and trying to get in every day can be a crippling expense.

Some things here can feel quite harsh / expensive in the beginning. I had to pay my car insurance for the year upfront for example, but the car insurance was actually cheap comparatively.
Life and other types of insurance are ludicrously cheap compared to SA.

For the most part, while it can feel expensive, I find everything except the rent ok

True, rent is very expensive and demand is very high. I've hopefully managed to get a property now and moving in this week, but it's honestly above what I wanted to pay but at least it's pretty big (4 bedroom) and allows pets, in a nice area, so it's a place we can stay for the forseeable future.

As for alchohol, I haven't really felt like it's much more expensive, I was looking at some whiskey and the bottles here are comparetively priced to buying at Whiskeybrother in SA (although WB is usually a tad more than the others). Also helps the get the stuff from Tesco that is on sale using the card - got a bottle of Dalwhinnie Winter's Gold for £20 recently. Guess it depends what you drink, I mostly drink Whsikey & beer, no idea how wine compares.