Hi, I don't know if this forum covers the United Kingdom but I thought I would ask my question here and see if anyone has ideas.
I have two Cambodian friends (brothers) in their 20's who tell me that they want to come to the UK. They seem to think it is a wonderful place and although I have told them about the horrible weather, unemployment and the cost of living they seem convinced that England is some sort of paradise. I don't want to encourage them to leave their beautiful country, culture and family in a way that would leave them either desperate to get home or unhappy in a place that they find not to their liking.
Before approaching the immigration department and ending up knee deep in paperwork I thought I would ask for advice about what type of visa they might be likely to be granted. One has a current Student visa for Thailand and one a work visa for Thailand. If they could get tourist visas I could accommodate and support them for a few weeks - but for months or years they would need to be at least partially self sufficient.
Can people suggest which type of visa is most likely to be granted and if there is a Khmer site that details the pitfalls of moving to the west.
Thanks a lot
Mark

Personally I have no idea, but please do report back on your progress. That sounds fascinating.

mark renaud wrote: Can people suggest which type of visa is most likely to be granted

None. There is no type of visa they are likely to be granted

and if there is a Khmer site that details the pitfalls of moving to the west.

There is, I remember reading a hilarious and insightful online Khmer-language article called "7 Reasons Why Bong Really Shouldn't Move to England." I can't remember the name of the site though.

It is getting extremely hard for young single guys like them to even get a tourist visa. The onus is on them to prove that they will not stay and work in the UK - in practice this is impossible, so they will probably be refused. If they get a tourist visa and decide not to leave, then you will be held responsible and they will be clandestine and unable to return to Cambodia to see their family. UK Immigration do not f'k around - even with a visa they may be refused at the frontier and sent back.

I have discouraged everyone in SEA that has asked me about moving to a western country. Frankly they have no idea. There is a 99% chance that they will hate it. That said, any friend of mine who went ahead and got the paperwork done and was granted a visa would get all the support I could give them.

If you have a sister, you and she could marry one each - samesex marriage being legal now - but even so, from what people say, it is a long and arduous process to bring your spouse to the UK to live.
Sorry I can't be more positive about this.
Good luck.

mark renaud wrote:Hi, I don't know if this forum covers the United Kingdom but I thought I would ask my question here and see if anyone has ideas.
I have two Cambodian friends (brothers) in their 20's who tell me that they want to come to the UK. They seem to think it is a wonderful place and although I have told them about the horrible weather, unemployment and the cost of living they seem convinced that England is some sort of paradise. I don't want to encourage them to leave their beautiful country, culture and family in a way that would leave them either desperate to get home or unhappy in a place that they find not to their liking.
Before approaching the immigration department and ending up knee deep in paperwork I thought I would ask for advice about what type of visa they might be likely to be granted. One has a current Student visa for Thailand and one a work visa for Thailand. If they could get tourist visas I could accommodate and support them for a few weeks - but for months or years they would need to be at least partially self sufficient.
Can people suggest which type of visa is most likely to be granted and if there is a Khmer site that details the pitfalls of moving to the west.
Thanks a lot
Mark

I think it is really hard for Cambodian to get a visa to any developed countries. The thing is that they are afraid that we will not come back to our home country after he gets there. To apply for tourist visa to those developed countries is really hard. We will have to go through with a lot of processes. However, there is always low level of being granted no matter how well our paper is. They just don't want us to go to their countries. The requirement of applying visa is really hilarious. I don't know if you ever heard all of these. When we are applying for tourist visa, we will be required to present our land or house certificate. Not to mention, we will be also required to have a bank account and in that account must has money from 3000 usd up to 5000 usd. Moreover, we will also need sponsorship letter from anyone in the particular country that you will be applying for. ( I guess it will not hard as you will sponsor them.)

However, there is always an or two options.
If they are going there or particular to UK for joining the workshop or seminar, it will be a bit easier. One of my co-worker just has been to England a few months ago. He told me that the process was really easy. They didn't ask him much and they also didn't require him to present all the things i mentioned above too. He were there to join a workshop invited by our partner organisation. Our partner organisation was responsible all the expense. In addition, they were convinced that he will come back home here Cambodia as he has family and job.

Another option is to try to apply for any scholarships in UK. This is what i am doing and i am hoping that i will get it one day. I felt that in order to get a visa, to live and experience the developed countries is applying for scholarship. Anyway, it is not easy though.

As a Cambodian, i do understand their feeling and thoughts about UK. We see our country differently from you guys. To be honest, i don't feel that Cambodia is a beautiful country despite the fact that we have Angkor Wat. However everywhere you go, you will see a lot of trashes and stuffs. We all were taught and told that European countries are clean and beautiful. That's why almost all of us want to go there. I guess if you were born and live here for almost your entire life, you will somehow find it not so interesting.

Hi Samouth . The reality is that large parts of Europe are very dirty. Air pollution is a big problem, especially in the UK. In Paris at the moment they are restricting the number of cars because the air is so dirty it is dangerous to breathe.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26257703

https://www.google.fr/search?q=UK+citie ... 61&bih=520

Also in many cities there is a lot of rubbish littering the streets, just like Cambodia.

I am not saying "Don't go there, Samouth", but you will be disappointed if you are expecting too much. If you go there, you should be prepared for real life.

Oz would be a far softer landing.

Canada > UK.

frank lee bent wrote:Oz would be a far softer landing.

Agree. At least it's not so frigging cold.
(And how to explain real cold to a Cambodian ?? Sometimes when I arrive in the European winter from Asia, I think I am going crazy, the cold turns me mental. Very hard to describe.)

Do you specifically want to go to the UK Samouth? I know the Australian govt also do scholarships.

Oz is pretty abundant for scholarship students.
hell expensive place though.