Sorry, forgot to ask in my first post, but I assume she already had a passport based on getting the visa so quickly. Is that correct?
Sean
Indeed. Has she not? She got it a while back in anticipation of going abroad with me.
Hi. Your advice is not too late at all and I am very grateful to hear from people that have been in the same situation. So the only things you really needed for your girlfriend was proof of her flight home and that she would return to Uni in China and some details of how you would support her? That's very interesting and sounds a lot simpler than what I have heard so far, such as the minimum bank balance. Have you got any sources you could point me to that you found useful when researching this please?
Many thanks
Sean
As for links, I'm afraid it was almost a year ago so cannot remember for the life of me! The links would have been through google and other expat sites- maybe Shanghai Expat? I found it pretty difficult as most links online with advice on this was mainly Brits with Thai girls, not Chinese. One thing my GF did was ring a couple of agencies in China for advice. They were very helpful.
And it wasn't as simple as it sounded! Just found the letter I sent- it explained that I (at the time) had around 14k in the bank and that I would be paid up until August that year, giving me around 30k or so overall. Anything else would be covered by me ma and pa (including, crucially, residence). Hope this will help further- I just completely forgot half of this stuff as it was so long ago!
List of attached documents referred to in this letter:
• Copies of emails from my mother, my father and my brother showing contact between my family and my GF
• Copy of my bank statement in China
• Copy of my bank statement in the UK (had a couple of hundred quid)
• Copy of my GF's bank statement (she had 10k in there- that I transferred over!)
• Copy of itinerary (this seemed fairly important)
• Letter granting GF leave from her college in Xiangtan University ( officially stamped)
• Copy of flight booking (big warnings in the embassy saying don't do this as you might still get rejected, but it was cheaper booking so soon)
• Copy of my contract with the school (proof of incoming funds)
• Letter from my college, confirming my monthly wage and future income until we went away
• Letter of sponsor from me ma
• Copy of me ma's bank statement
• Copy of me ma's passport (proof of UK residence)
There were also photos of us together from over a year before, proving we'd been going out for a while.