I have been reading the posts about applying for visas for Turkish citizens coming to the UK. Its good to hear that some people are successful as i understand it to be a difficult process. I am going to Istanbul with my boyfriend in June to apply for a visitors visa for him. I have collected photographs, telephone bills, emails, wage slips, he has a letter from his employer, copies of his national service, his passport and his old passport showing that he visited Germany a couple of years ago. He doesnt have his own home or anything but i am more concerned with what i put in the sponsor letter i need to write. Any help or advice would be really appreciated. We have been together a year this June and we will celebrate our first anniversary together whilst i am visiting him. I cant wait to see him next week. Looking forward to any help at all

Hi paulam594
I have only just last week come through this process for my Turkish fiancee and this was after her first refusal, my advice paulam is to have one sole sponsor, it could be your mum or dad just someone with a healthy bank balance but remember when sending this evidence to your boyfriend to scrub out the account number. I have been reading alot about this process and also visited my local M.P. and there advice was to have one sole sponsor, when you have more than one it is more information they have to check for. The second most important rule is to ensure he has enough money in his bank account even if he lends some money to show a healthy balance they want to see that he can support himself when he comes to the U.K. I would also strongly reccomend you see your local M.P. to obtain a letter to supply with all your other documents I am sure this is a huge help. Best of luck

Hi there
Came back from Turkey last week after spending a fantastic 2 weeks with my boyfriend. We went to Istanbul to apply for his visa. We applied at the Visa Application Centre with all the paperwork (they refused to take the proof of relationship documents we had collected) and paid our money. We were told to come back 3 days later to collect his passport which was a nightmare as i was flying home on that day. Got a phonecall from my boyfriend just before i was due to board the plane saying he hadnt got his visa and they had just given him back his passport, bank books and the original copies of paperwork i had given him. No explanation as to why. I cried all the way home. On checking my emails i had one from the consulate which i had sent before going to Turkey. It explained we should have got either his passport with visa or passport with letter asking him for interview. I emailed them back explaining what had happened and if they could ring my boyfriend to let him know. On Monday morning of last week my boyfriend rang me to say they had told him it wasnt a rejection on his application but we had applied too soon and that they were keeping all his documents and we should reapply nearer the time he wants to visit. Something more positive i can tell you. Anyway we are going back the last week of september first week of october when i am visiting my boyfriend again. Im also taking a copy of the email the lady sent me after she rang my boyfriend. Advice to anyone is apply nearer the time but still take with you everything and more you can think of. I wont be happy till he has that visa in his passport. Thanks to the people who replied to my original post as well your advice was helpful. Roll on September!