A sponsored UK visa - help?

Can anybody offer me some information on the way the British Embassy works in Santo Domingo when a person is applying for a 6mth visitors visa to the UK and is being sponsored?
E.mails are left unread and phone calls are directed to an answering machine when I have tried to contact them as instructed on the UK Government visa website in London.
I have all the forms, letters and documents here in the UK to apply for a visitors visa for my friend, which I am about to courier out to Puerto Plata. My friend has his passport ready and is intending to take the documents down to Santo Domingo in person. Should he just turn up 'on spec' during office hours - or should we try and get an appointment in advance?

I am confident that he will have all the information they will require when he goes but as the postal service is pretty non-existent where he lives, the safest way is to deliver by hand - but it is a pretty long round trip if he has to return at a later date - and how would he be notified of this?
I dont really want to travel back to the DR just for this if I can possibly avoid it .
If anyone has personal experience of getting a UK sponsored visitors visa recently I would be grateful for some advice.
No lectures on sankeys, dominican love affairs or money grabbers please or info on US or Canadian visas - all irrelevant in my case!
Thanks everyone,
Belkis

Here we go!

Hillbilly said:

what is....no, I'd better not.

According to the papers, most of the consulates-except the US- are now on a "first come, first served" basis.

Taking bets it won't happen very soon... IMPO.

HB

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This was just the sort of reply I was hoping not to get - After 11 years visiting the DR and two spells of living there I hoped not to get lumped in with the "hopelessly in love gringa" scenario! As I say, it is irrelevant in this case and I would like to repay a favour or ten to a good friend of mine by giving him a visit to the UK expenses paid!

If anyone does have any "first hand " experience of the British Embassy I would be grateful for any constructive advice.

I would have thought that if the visit is to be sponsored it would be more straightforward.
Thanks Mariel - I will keep you posted!

The reality doesn't match the website!

BushBaby said:

Forgive me if this sounds harsh - it isn't meant to be at all BUT, didn't you know after all these visits of yours that we have a British Consulate in Puerto Plata??? PM or e-mail me & I will give you Tel No., Fax. No., Person to contact & address - I worked in the same office for 4 years!!

DON'T get your hopes up that a "Sponsored" trip is gong to be any easier than a normal visa request - it isn't!! A 'Temporary Work Visa' is possibly the easier one to get but a CONTRACT will have to be drawn up with a lawyer in England & signed by both parties, to get that application on the road!!

Is there a HURRY on this visit? If so, forget it as the application may take 3 or 4 months to pass through even IF it is approved!!

Good Luck (me thinks you might need it) - Grahame.

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Grahame,
Thanks, yes I know that there is a Consulate in Puerto Plata but I dont recall anyone seeing him with a view to getting a visa or am I wrong - if so, what help can he offer?
Having trawled through the UK government website for visas abroad they give the impression that it is a matter of days or perhaps weeks to wait for an appointment. Where does the 3 or 4 months come in and if that is the case, what is the holdup between the application being approved and the visa being granted?
Is the problem - Dominicans being allowed to leave the DR, or being allowed to enter the UK?
We were hoping to have our friend over for a big family party in September - is this going to be a pipe dream, do you think?
I would appreciate your advice and help,
Thanks
Belkis

Sponsored visa

[Grahame,

Thanks - great advice, it just happens that I have been in contact with a good friend of mine who has given me exactly the same information as your excellent reply even down to the rude Dominican female staff in the Embassy. Her friend took his application to Mendez and he said that the service he offered was fantastic. It took him 3 months to get his sponsored visa from start to finish - with help from Mendez telling him what documents would get him a faster application process. My friend said that one particular woman at the Embassy was incredible rude and unhelpful - she obviously has a reputation.My friend is now happily married to her ex-animation Dominican and they are about to renew his 1 year visa - I wish them luck.
I have decided to courier the documents out shortly and hope that Mendez can help us - the deadline is 18th September. If not I will chase it up when I go back in October.
Thanks again for a positive and helpful reply - much appreciated!
Belkis

QUOTE=BushBaby]When I worked in that office the following was the rule for applications. It MAY have changed in the last 3 1/2 years, so you need to check it out with Mendez who is the Consular Agent there!

1) The applicant went into the Puerto Plata office with all the relevent paperwork & deposited it (along with the appropriate fee) with Mendez.

2) the pa[erwork/application was sent to Santo Domingo for analysis & they would then request any "Update" information required. (Delay number one!!).

3) An appointment date would be set to their pleasure (not offering alternatives) which normally wouldn't be convenient to the applicant due to work commitments (delay number two - trying to get a new appointment organised!).

4) once the interview had taken place, & IF all paperwork was in place satissfactoraly, the inteviewing officer would deliberate for "A few days" before sending the acceptance/rejection back up to Mendez (delay number three as normally the applicant had to CHASE for the decision!!).

5) Once the decision is received at the Consular offices in Puerto Plata, the decision was normaly delayed in being passed on to the applicant due to the consulate officers being "Honourary" in status & most likely not in the office for a few days to allow time for follow up telephone calls!! (Delay number four).

The 'Delay' is with the Visa issuing section of the Embassy i.e British Government regulations for entry, rather than the DR authorities not letting the applicant leave the country!! Any Government paperwork/website, is written in "Best-case" scenarios & are seldom kept in reality. Add to that that some of the workers at the Embassy in Santo Domingo embittered ladies (most of them) who seem to think that every male applicant is a "Sankie" & most female applicants are only after some British man's money, & you start to get the picture. YES, I am biassed, I used to have regular arguments with them down there on their work ethics. I didn't WORK for the consulate, but "Brits" would come to me 'As one of their own' & ask me to assist if I could. I like to ehlp people & as a result got into many an argument & was often told off by my then boss for "interfering"!!

PLEASE, the Embassy needs to be convinced that your friend HASTO COME BACK TO THE DR, for "family reasons", for his work commitments, to continue his studies or whatever!! If the Embassy staff get the slightest whiff of your friends insinserity in this matter, the visa will be denied ... immediately & without recourse!! IF you can get your local MP to support his application stating what he will be doing in the community, so much the better for his application!!

If the paperwork. application & fee is ready to go down NOW, it is possible for the visa to be issued by August IF YOUR FRIEND KEEPS ON TOP OF THE CONSULATE & EMBASSY by ringing regularly!! E-mails, faxes etc to Santo Domingo, will keep them appraised of his & YOUR need for an answer & (in my humble opinion) will show them your integrity & credability in sponsoring this person FOR THE TIME PERIOD AGREED!! Any commitment as to ensuring he is put on to the plane for returning to the DR at the END of the agreed period, will strengthen his (& your) case.

Hope this helps - Grahame.[/QUOTE]