# FLR(M) application questions - Advice needed!



## AustinBrown (May 8, 2012)

Hello everyone,

I am currently filling out the FLR(M) application, and I’m hoping someone here might have filled this out previously and be able to help me answer a few of the questions. 

Let me give you some background. I first came to the UK on a student visa, in September 2009, did a Master’s degree here through September 2010. During that time, I met my (now) civil partner in November 2009, and I moved into his flat in January 2010, and have been there since. When my student visa neared expiration at the end of January 2011, I applied for, and was granted, a Post-Study Work Visa. This expires on 24 February 2013. This being the case, I am now applying for the Spousal / Civil Partner visa, as we entered into a civil partnership in June 2012.

Taking all of this into account, I have a few questions with filling out the application. 

Question 1.19 asks: ‘Home Office reference if you have one.’

I’m not, honestly, sure if I have one. How would I know? If so, where would I locate it? I’m honestly guessing I don’t, but I’m not sure.

Question 3.15 asks: ‘If your sponsor was not British from birth, when did your sponsor obtain settlement?’

We’ve talked some length about this one, and I’m not sure how to answer it as my partner is Spanish by birth, and is therefore entitled to be here as much as a British person, so, is this simply the date he moved to the UK, or is there some way of finding this date?

Question 3.1 6 then asks, ‘On what basis did your sponsor obtain settlement in the UK?’

This is really an extension of the above question, if anyone has any information that might be helpful.

Section 5 Immigration History poses a few queries for me as well.

Question 5.2 asks, ‘If yes, [to the previous question] when did you enter the UK?

I assume this is asking when did I initially enter under my first UK visa, correct?

Question 5.3 asks, ‘In what category were you issued a visa?’

Obviously, my initial visa was a student visa, but I was later granted a post-study work visa. Would I place both in the boxes provided, or just my initial visa? If I don’t place both here, it does not seem that there is a second place to provide the second visa.

Question 6.9 REALLY confuses me. It asks ‘Have you lived together permanently in the UK with your sponsor since your last grant of limited leave to remain as a partner?’

As I’m currently here on a post-study work visa, and not as a partner of any sort, this question poses quite an issue. I have lived with my partner since I was granted my Post-Study Work Visa, but that was not a visa as a partner, so, neither ‘Yes,’ nor ‘No.’ is accurate here. Advise, PLEASE?

In the ‘Financial Requirements’ section, question 7.3 says, ‘From the list below, please indicate the financial source(s) and the amount of income you and/or your sponsor wish to rely on to meet the financial requirement:’ In our case, we can mark ‘Income from salaried employment,’ as we both have permanent full-time employment, and together make more than the minimum £18,600 threshold. But, next to this it says, ‘Current annual salary’ with a box. Is this asking for my salary alone, or mine combined with my partner? The way it’s worded really doesn’t make this clear.

Later it again asks for ‘You and your sponsor’s total combined income from salaried employment?’ and I would think this would not be the same as the previous box, but I can’t be certain either way. 

I also have a few questions in Section 9, about the ‘Biometric Residence Permit.’

In 9.4 it asks for the location and details of having your fingerprints taken. Now, I had them taken before my student visa in 2009, and I have all the details for that occurrence, but I have somehow lost my receipt for when I had them taken in February 2011 for my post-study work visa. I know that they were taken in February 2011 in London, at one of the post offices that offers the service, but I genuinely don’t recall exactly where, and when I searched for the post offices that provide the service, there are several more than there were two years ago, and to name any particular one would be, at most, a guess on my part. Can I just list the date as ‘February 2011’ and the location as ‘London’? It seems broad, but that really is the only information I have.

If anyone could help me to better answer any or all of these questions, I really would be most thankful. If not, I will try to call the UKBA, but I can only assume that will be hours on hold for not very helpful responses.

Thank you all again!

Austin


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

AustinBrown said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I am currently filling out the FLR(M) application, and I’m hoping someone here might have filled this out previously and be able to help me answer a few of the questions.
> 
> ...


Have you kept any correspondence from Home Office when you got your PSW visa? Reference # should be on it.



> Question 3.15 asks: ‘If your sponsor was not British from birth, when did your sponsor obtain settlement?’
> 
> We’ve talked some length about this one, and I’m not sure how to answer it as my partner is Spanish by birth, and is therefore entitled to be here as much as a British person, so, is this simply the date he moved to the UK, or is there some way of finding this date?


If he is Spanish, you can just apply for residence card on form EEA2 under the European regulations instead of FLR. It costs nothing and requirements are much less. In any case, unless he has lived in UK for 5 years, he isn't regarded as settled and you can't apply on FLR.



> Question 3.1 6 then asks, ‘On what basis did your sponsor obtain settlement in the UK?’
> 
> This is really an extension of the above question, if anyone has any information that might be helpful.


See my reply above.



> Section 5 Immigration History poses a few queries for me as well.
> 
> Question 5.2 asks, ‘If yes, [to the previous question] when did you enter the UK?
> 
> I assume this is asking when did I initially enter under my first UK visa, correct?


Yes.



> Question 5.3 asks, ‘In what category were you issued a visa?’
> 
> Obviously, my initial visa was a student visa, but I was later granted a post-study work visa. Would I place both in the boxes provided, or just my initial visa? If I don’t place both here, it does not seem that there is a second place to provide the second visa.


Your Tier 4. It's obvious from your passport and their record what your current visa status is.



> Question 6.9 REALLY confuses me. It asks ‘Have you lived together permanently in the UK with your sponsor since your last grant of limited leave to remain as a partner?’
> 
> As I’m currently here on a post-study work visa, and not as a partner of any sort, this question poses quite an issue. I have lived with my partner since I was granted my Post-Study Work Visa, but that was not a visa as a partner, so, neither ‘Yes,’ nor ‘No.’ is accurate here. Advise, PLEASE?


Answer No.



> In the ‘Financial Requirements’ section, question 7.3 says, ‘From the list below, please indicate the financial source(s) and the amount of income you and/or your sponsor wish to rely on to meet the financial requirement:’ In our case, we can mark ‘Income from salaried employment,’ as we both have permanent full-time employment, and together make more than the minimum £18,600 threshold. But, next to this it says, ‘Current annual salary’ with a box. Is this asking for my salary alone, or mine combined with my partner? The way it’s worded really doesn’t make this clear.
> 
> Later it again asks for ‘You and your sponsor’s total combined income from salaried employment?’ and I would think this would not be the same as the previous box, but I can’t be certain either way.


Combined salaries. Some people combine with other incomes like rent and investment and savings to meet the target. You do know you have to complete Appendix 2 as well?



> I also have a few questions in Section 9, about the ‘Biometric Residence Permit.’
> 
> In 9.4 it asks for the location and details of having your fingerprints taken. Now, I had them taken before my student visa in 2009, and I have all the details for that occurrence, but I have somehow lost my receipt for when I had them taken in February 2011 for my post-study work visa. I know that they were taken in February 2011 in London, at one of the post offices that offers the service, but I genuinely don’t recall exactly where, and when I searched for the post offices that provide the service, there are several more than there were two years ago, and to name any particular one would be, at most, a guess on my part. Can I just list the date as ‘February 2011’ and the location as ‘London’? It seems broad, but that really is the only information I have.


Just give your best guess as to the actual date.



> If anyone could help me to better answer any or all of these questions, I really would be most thankful. If not, I will try to call the UKBA, but I can only assume that will be hours on hold for not very helpful responses.


I strongly advise you to apply on EEC2 even if he has lived in UK for 5 years, as it costs nothing and you are almost certain to be approved for residence card.


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## agentsmith (Jan 1, 2013)

AustinBrown, Your replies above have been very useful to me as well. Thank you very much. 

I have a question regarding the personal statement - is there anything particular it should contain and length it should be.


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## AustinBrown (May 8, 2012)

Joppa said:


> If he is Spanish, you can just apply for residence card on form EEA2 under the European regulations instead of FLR. It costs nothing and requirements are much less. In any case, unless he has lived in UK for 5 years, he isn't regarded as settled and you can't apply on FLR.




Hello Joppa,

I want to thank you for your very detailed response to my initial query. Since posting, I have spoken to a local immigration advice service in my area, and they also advised, as you did, that I apply for the EEA2 EU Residence Card, which I have now done. It was, as you advised, much cheaper, less demanding, and shorter, than the FLR(M) application. But, regardless, I went ahead and provided all the evidence I could, so hopefully we should recieve the Certificate of Application in the next month or so.

Thank you very much again!

Austin


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