Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

We have two infants and my wife is planning to visit the Uk to visit some family there. My wife and kids have the Uk visa and we are trying to get one for our maid/nanny who has been with us for 5 months, so my wife can have some support during the travel. We have been advised that the UK rules stipulate that a domestic servant can only accompany the principle visa holder if they have been in employment for atleast a year. My question is whether theres anybody out there who has been able to get a Visa despite the servant not having been in employment for a full year? If so, how was the exception made? Or is this a very hard/fast rule? Appreciate the help!

Why don't you go ahead and apply anyway. There is a 50-50 chance or maybe less but you may get lucky.

Thanks, we were thinking of it, but the feeedback we get is so negative from everybody and we are limitted in time so cant afford to have the passport kept too long. Plus its quite expensive and the money is not refunded if they dont issue the Visa. Thats why we thought if we can get 'find' even one person who has managed then we will go ahead!

For a start stop calling your maid/nanny a servant! How un-pc is that!

Secondly where does she come from and why don't you just get her to apply for a visa herself instead of telling anyone she is employed by you.

If that fails - then shock horror, your wife and family with have to do what Mr and Mrs Bloggs on the street do and look after the children yourself!

a servant is one who serves, im also a servant to my company and have no shame in that. 'domestic servant' is a term defined in the visa rules which is why im using it here.

if you can help, pls do so. if you cant, than have no time for your judgement calls.

Chocoholic wrote:For a start stop calling your maid/nanny a servant! How un-pc is that!

Secondly where does she come from and why don't you just get her to apply for a visa herself instead of telling anyone she is employed by you.

If that fails - then shock horror, your wife and family with have to do what Mr and Mrs Bloggs on the street do and look after the children yourself!

All the Mr and Mrs Bloggs here have a servant or two.

salkad, why don't you hire a nanny in the UK for a short-term assignment with you - then no worries about a visa. This is the first time in a long time I've heard the term "servant" outside of an old novel. How about domestic helper, since they are helping your family manage domestic duties.

salkad wrote:a servant is one who serves, im also a servant to my company and have no shame in that. 'domestic servant' is a term defined in the visa rules which is why im using it here.

if you can help, pls do so. if you cant, than have no time for your judgement calls.

well said oh servant of the world

man why u wanna take a servant to england :S u can find many there. not sure whether they will be trusthworty, drunk or stealing things from your house (cos thats england for you ). but u could try. problem is if u do take ur maid with you and once she gets a visa, do you think she will stick around with u guys? are u guys ready to loose your money if she does this? sorry but who knows some1 might offer something good and better then what u r offering/

where is she from by the way?

salkad wrote:a servant is one who serves, im also a servant to my company and have no shame in that. 'domestic servant' is a term defined in the visa rules which is why im using it here.

if you can help, pls do so. if you cant, than have no time for your judgement calls.

well said oh servant of the world

man why u wanna take a servant to england :S u can find many there. not sure whether they will be trusthworty, drunk or stealing things from your house (cos thats england for you ). but u could try. problem is if u do take ur maid with you and once she gets a visa, do you think she will stick around with u guys? are u guys ready to loose your money if she does this? sorry but who knows some1 might offer something good and better then what u r offering/

where is she from by the way?

Thanks people. I guess getting a nanny from within the UK is the easiest option. Much appreciate your comments.

For future, if anybody else has gone through such an experience, pls post as Im sure we are not the only ones facing such issues (however trivial they may sound to anybody else)

You still haven't answered some fundamental questions which would help us to help you!

WHERE is your nanny from????

Why doesn't she just apply for a visa off her own back, if going as your hired help is an issue?

Yes yes. UK is throwing visa's away. Choc's have you ever read your own country visa application forms ?

A chance in hell she has of getting a visa on her own. If it was that easy wouldn't all the labourers just migrate to UK since obviously we know how troubled they are from watching panorama and reading the independant.

Well they won't give her a visa as hired help as she doesn't meet the criteria, but you never know. Until we know what her nationality is you can't say she won't be given one of her own. So don't assume anything.

salkad wrote:a servant is one who serves, im also a servant to my company and have no shame in that. 'domestic servant' is a term defined in the visa rules which is why im using it here.

if you can help, pls do so. if you cant, than have no time for your judgement calls.

You are an employee with a designation, and I am sure it isn't Vice President-Servant. Your housemaid/nanny is your employee. She is also the one who does all the dirty work that Madam is now above doing and she also is your childrens mother-by-proxy. Show her some respect.