Its an educational forum you know, when people say "you learn something everyday" well we've learned today that we may well be in attends in the not too distant future
None of the 'troll' references and other negative comments were about you. They were about another poster in this thread ('jai_ren').
Ignore all the negativity, the majority of advice on here is well meaning, informative, and comes from genuine people who have experienced most of the problems that help is sought after. I'm sure your intelligent enough to go through the good and bad that's replied to your post. Good luck follow your heart but with an open mind and plenty of research.
Hi again EKU, We seem to be in similar circumstances, just at different points in our journey. These comments are correct ( the 'attends' comments aside - can't get involved in that conversation as I am still far too young and handsome for that particular affliction, and will be for years to come, hopefully) 1. If you can't go to see her until August, then so be it. You might choose to regard the waiting time as a 'trial by fire' of some sort. Let's put it this way - if she moves on, or you decide to move on, it was a lucky escape, and conversely, if you are both prepared to wait another five months before meeting, it shows the strength of the relationship. 2. Although you might get an invite to stay with her or her family, and tempting though the money-saving potential is - DO NOT DO THIS. Book yourself into a hotel. Get a double room. Prices are cheap, and service is good. If you choose to stay with her family and the relationship doesn't work out, you are going to have A ****ty Time. If she pulls away from you, you are going to be the most uncomfortable man in the Philippines. If you pull away from her, you are going to have to deal with the entire family, half of the Barangay and several hungry dogs. If you have a hotel room and it goes the shape of a pear, at least you can use it as a base for exploring other delights while you're there. 3. The Philippines is not full of crazed knife-wielding muggers, but the usual habits of not being flash, not being dumb, and not being unfriendly will carry you a long way. You really will find it a wonderfully vibrant and sweaty place to be. 4. Your new lady will want to show you off, and want to take care of you, so don't be too alarmed, and don't make any sudden, jerky movements when you find she has jammed a cotton bud in your earhole and is busily cleaning out your crud from therein. 5. Do not pack anything more than shorts and tee-shirts and not jackets, cardigans and woolies. You might want to pack a nice outfit, but think high summer in Britain during a heatwave, and pick and pack accordingly. 6. It isn't Britain, so avoid making negative comparisons out loud. (Positive ones are great though). Try the local food and be gracious if invited to eat with the family. You are not expected, as a man, to 'muck in' and help, although your efforts to do so will be appreciated. From personal experience, it's ok to lose interest after ten minutes and return to the hammock and the 'electric fan'. 7. You WILL be expected to pay for everything for you and your lady. And family members, friends, neighbours, opportunistic passers-by and hungry dogs who might accompany you on a trip out. 8. There are several dark and awful things in the Philippines that you should think very carefully about before shoving into your cakehole. Among these are; Baluk (see another thread - it's basically a chicken foetus in it's shell, head, beak and all) Adidas (Chicken feet) Small fish (likely to be completely full of bones) Dog Others which other members will undoubtedly add to this thread. But there is Halo Halo - which is probably the most decadent and wonderful of ice-creams, lechon baboy, empanadillas, ice cold Red Horse lager and many others which will delight your taste buds just as much as the others won't. 9. Chaos reigns there EKU, in the friendliest way imaginable. Jeepneys, tricycles, trucks, cars, horse and cart combos and bicycles converge at junctions without accident. Road rage is non-existent despite dubious driving habits. I never saw a speed limit sign, let alone a camera. Cables festoon every building, every second shop is a place to top up your phone, people are everywhere and they all seem busy. 10. I'm not sure that living there - I visited the north of Luzon and also Makati City - quite a contrast! - would appeal to me, or maybe I'm not being truthful to myself yet. But it was a fantastic place to visit, even though I felt a little like Gulliver in Lilliput, and couldn't quite fit into a tricycle while maintaining any sense of dignity. I chose not to inflict my bulk on a Calesa. 11. Study the place. There is so much information on the Net nowadays. Read tripadvisor for places to visit near to where you go. Where is she from? Do yourself and your lady a favour, and jump on a PA plane - it's a direct flight - 17 hours or so. (My longest journey was over 28 hours, 41 from door-to-door) You won't regret it! Tricycles are smaller than they appear. Cures all!
ekuman1964 me and my girlfriend first started out like you, we met through facebook and talked on there just as friends for about a year, at this point we decided to make ago of things. We applied for a visit visa, to be honest our first application was turned down but 2nd was successful. We also hadn't met until she arrived at heathrow, I would say like the others have that if you cant wait to see her its easier for you to go there, also on it will look good on the visa applications. I think the trouble you will have with the visit visa is that you can say you only been in contact through skype for 3 months. on our applications I provided screen shots of over a years worth of skype calls, facebook stuff, and viber messages and kakao talk messages. the visit visa is around £90 so try it and see what they say. I wish you good luck
. can anyone post a link to a definite UKVI statement that a couple MUST have met once--face to face--to get a fiancee visa ?
From the UK gov. site: Immigration Rules: Requirements for leave to enter the United Kingdom as a fiance(e) or proposed civil partner (i.e. with a view to marriage or civil partnership and permanent settlement in the United Kingdom) 290. The requirements to be met by a person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom as a fiance(e) or proposed civil partner are that: (i) the applicant is seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom for marriage or civil partnership to a person present and settled in the United Kingdom or who is on the same occasion being admitted for settlement; and (ii) the parties to the proposed marriage or civil partnership have met; and (iii) each of the parties intends to live permanently with the other as his or her spouse or civil partner after the marriage or civil partnership ; and
Alarm bells are ringing here, do not do anything or make any promises or commitments until you have been to the Phils and met her and her family. The people on this forum are very experienced and offer sound advice, ignore it at your peril.
