A question about visitor visa and fiance visa photos

Visitor visas and fiance visas require proof of a substantive and on-going relationship.  Let's have a workshop about it!

Would regulars in this forum please check the photos at http://londonelegance.com/transpondia/vafphotos/

Do you agree?  Disagree?  Is there a problem here?  Please get *very* specific about it!

If you were the ECO what would you say?

Seeking commentary about this!

Your comment?

I guess the thing about those photos is that they're not even looking at each other - the body language makes them look indifferent to each others' presence, however I think they are just bad shots that anyone might have among their photos. On the plus side they don't look posed. If I was the person deciding the applicaiton, I would look for photos that showed the couple had travelled together or attended family functions together as well as looking at the body language. If these were the only photos a couple submitted I might wonder about the relationship, depending what other evidence they had submitted.

If it were my desk that these came upon, my first reaction would be "mail-order-bride" or something to that effect.

Unless those photos were sent with a gosh-darn great explanation as to the bored and un-loving appearance of the woman (medical probs with physical display of emotion?) I would say DO NOT SEND.

One would (should) assume that if you are applying for a fiance(e) visa, that you are blissfully happy with the person you are with...that is one emotion that should certainly show in the pics you send.

I hope it's just that she is looking away.

I don't have any pictures of myself and fiance with other family members. 

Now, I'm getting a bit worried, particularly since my fiancee won't be at the intervew.

We are cuddling and smiling in our pictures, though.

If those were the only pics the couple sent in, I'd say no (unless the supporting application materials were really above-board).

They're wearing the same clothes in all three...which makes it seem like they just took the pics quickly to throw them into the application.

The woman does look like a mail-order bride.  She's not interested in the guy.  And the guy looks too pleased with himself--like he's gotten a good deal on a car/bride or something!   

Actually, to me they look more like a long-married couple having a seriously off day...

Just to repeat.

1. They all come from the same moment, and it's one where no one else is around, as if the photos were taken in secret;

2. the woman never looks at the guy's eyes; he's clearly in charge: the last one almost looks as if he's manhandling here: there's a definite lack of mutual energy in these.

that said, I find the idea of having to bring photos a bit offensive.

I had thought that she looked reluctant, and he looked more like having a short-term interest - or trophy.  And it was from a single roll of film, which most people noted also. 

I did not pick up on the "mail-order bride" perception, and I grateful for that.   I would think that a mail-order bride would appear very eager.   

In the end, they opted to go with another advisor and I don't know how it actually turned out.   

I could swear I've seen more than one photo of Posh & Becks in exactly that last photo's pose...

yeah and look at the state of THEIR marriage! I wouldn't give either one of them a marriage visa!!

Yeah - that was my point.  I agree they certainly don't look like those desperately in love and wanting to enter into the joys of marriage - they look like they've already been there, done that!

I agree.  The same outfits, the "obviously taken within a few hours of each other", the no eye contact, the way she always looks like she's pulling away from him-in the one it actually looks like she's trying to hide her face.

The first one isn't too bad, because it looks like they're holding hands, and if it was with other photos of them actually looking cuddly and happy together it would look more like "strong, quiet love" than "we hardly know each other and don't really like touching each other much."  But the three together-bleh.

He looks like he's trying really hard to pretend he loves her, and she looks like she's just along for the ride-but seriously, she looks kinda grossed out by him in the hugging picture.  Like his arms around her feel icky.  It's like when you have to hug someone you don't really like-you barely touch shoulders with them and keep your head turned away.

Thanks fr posting this, Garry!  What fun!

I didn't read that far into it. I thought they looked fine. I've had plenty of photos like that taken of me right when I've gotten off a plane and haven't slept in 100 years, all while alongside my bright-eyed-bushy tailed husband.

I thought they were fine.

Same clothes, same day? Yeah... I suppose... but so? Lots of couples don't have loads of photos together. For ages David & I had only 1 photo together, as no one else was ever around to take them and we didn't want to give our camera to a stranger or do one of those arm-length photos.

So I thought they were fine!

It does seemed a bit staged.  As a real couple one would thing you would have more photos to choose from then the Posh and Becks style. 

Actually, to me they look more like a long-married couple having a seriously off day...

I agree. Couples aren't always starry-eyed and lovey dovey 24 hours a day.  The photos might be unusual for a couple that had only recently started dating, but perfectly normal for a couple that had been together a while, and maybe living together.