# Spouse / Settlement Visa Qs



## Nicholas Crowe (Jun 4, 2012)

Hi Everyone. My name is Nick and I live in the UK. I am getting married this August to my American fiancé in New York. We have both done a fair amount of research into spouse visas and have decided to go down the route of doing the application ourselves instead of paying someone to look it over.

We have mainly got our information from the UKBA website but have come across a few grey areas. Most site do not seem to give too much away without getting you to pay for information so it’s a blessing to find this site with personal experiences with visa applications.

I have listed below some facts about me and my fiancé and also the questions which I hope someone can help us answer. Some of the questions may seem simple but they are mainly to reassure me that we have sufficient evidence .
*
Facts*

•	I am 22 (will be 23 when we wed in August) and she is 21 (will be 22 when we wed in August).
•	We have known each other now for 2 ½ years and have been officially dating roughly 15 months (engaged 3 months).
•	I have visited New York twice and she has visited the UK twice (roughly 2-4 weeks each visit).
•	I’m currently employed and earning £22,500 ($35000) PA. She has just graduated so doesn’t have a job.
•	We intend to live in my parent’s house while we save up a bit of money to get our own place. The house is a 4 bedroom house with currently; Me, Brother, Nan, and both parents living there.

*Questions*

*Evidence requirements*

I have listed below the evidence the UKBA site says we need to provide and what we intend to provide (Intend to provide is in the red). Just wanted to double check to make sure it is sufficient or any changes we should make.

•	2 recent passport photographs and your passport 
o	Fiancés passport and 2 recent passport photos.
•	evidence of your age and your partner's age
o	Mine and my fiancés birth certificates.
•	your marriage or civil partnership certificate
o	Marriage certificate obtained from local authority.
•	evidence that you were both free to marry or enter your civil partnership, if either of you was previously married or in a civil partnership
o	N/A
•	evidence that you have met
o	Pictures and written accounts of each time we have met.
o	Email receipts for; plan tickets, hotel accommodations.
o	Skype log (past 12 months – 6hrs daily avg.)
o	Emails to each other.
•	evidence of your English language ability
o	N/A
•	evidence that you can maintain yourselves and any dependants adequately without needing public funds
o	Bank statements / Wage slips dating back 6-12 months.
o	Will an income of £22,500 be enough to qualify?
o	Fiancés CV / résumé 
•	evidence of your accommodation
o	Written letter from my Father stating we can live indefinitely in his household.
o	Provide evidence than I am on the electoral register (shows I reside at my parents address).

1.	Can we apply for the settlement visa as soon as we are married? (E.g. we get married on Sunday, can we apply for the visa on Monday?)

2.	At customs I wasn’t going to declare I am going to New York to get married as my understanding it can get a bit messy. Would you agree?

3.	Can I pay for my fiancés visa? Or is it better that it comes from her bank account?

4.	We intend to use World bridge to purchase the visa (with priority service) but just wanted to clarify if this is the order we need to do stuff in;
o	Get my fiancés application up-to-scratch with all the required evidence. (2 folders, 1 with original documentation and 1 with copies)
o	Complete the application process on the World Bridge site.
o	Visit a Visa application centre to submit biometric data.
o	Post the application to UKBA in NY.
o	Wait for a response on the application.

5.	My current ESTA runs out 4 days after I intend to fly back to the UK. Will the US border control get a bit funny about this as I know with passports you need 6 months left before it expires to fly into the US?

6.	I’ve read another thread on this forum that legislation is changing around immigration into the UK. I wondered if / how this will affect my fiancés spouse application.

7.	How can we find out where the nearest biometric centre is? I remember seeing this somewhere before online but can’t for the life of me remember where it was.

8.	We intend to change her name of documents (e.g. passport) after she makes it over to the UK. Would this be advised?

I am sure more questions will stem from your responses .

Many thanks in advance!

Nick


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

> Hi Everyone. My name is Nick and I live in the UK. I am getting married this August to my American fiancé in New York. We have both done a fair amount of research into spouse visas and have decided to go down the route of doing the application ourselves instead of paying someone to look it over.


Hi Nick

Same for many here. My partner and I were quoted a stupid £1800 for what transpired to be a most straight-forward application. This forum saved us £1800! You don't need lawyers or advisers for a regular application.



> We have mainly got our information from the UKBA website but have come across a few grey areas. Most site do not seem to give too much away without getting you to pay for information so it’s a blessing to find this site with personal experiences with visa applications.


It's because it's one-size-fits-all guidance rather than them trying deliberately to withold information - though it's an arduous task making sure you don't miss all the pitfalls (again, that's what this forum is great at).




> *
> Facts*
> 
> •	I am 22 (will be 23 when we wed in August) and she is 21 (will be 22 when we wed in August).
> ...


All that is fine - should be straight-forward! There is a chance that the finance limit for a sponsor (no children) might soon be rising to £27500 (one of the changes being mooted by the government at the moment) but this hasn't been announced yet.



> •	2 recent passport photographs and your passport
> o	Fiancés passport and 2 recent passport photos.


Include a photocopy of your passport bio pages too - only needs to be a photocopy because your passport will already be on record with the UKBA.

See whether your parents can supply a title deeds proving that the property is theirs (copies can be obtained from Land Registry for £8).

All other evidence seems fine.




> 1.	Can we apply for the settlement visa as soon as we are married? (E.g. we get married on Sunday, can we apply for the visa on Monday?)


Yes - though it's a good idea to wait until your certificate is ready (so you can have any mistakes rectified - unlikely). 

(Question 2 I don't know - someone else will know though)




> 3.	Can I pay for my fiancés visa? Or is it better that it comes from her bank account?


I paid for my fiancée's visa and there was no problem.



> 4.	We intend to use World bridge to purchase the visa (with priority service) but just wanted to clarify if this is the order we need to do stuff in;
> o	Get my fiancés application up-to-scratch with all the required evidence. (2 folders, 1 with original documentation and 1 with copies)
> o	Complete the application process on the World Bridge site.
> o	Visit a Visa application centre to submit biometric data.
> ...


Perfect. You'll need to follow the instructions on the Worldbridge site for priority applications. They'll tell you that you must write "PRIORITY" or something like that on the packet. 

(question 5 I don't know)



> 6.	I’ve read another thread on this forum that legislation is changing around immigration into the UK. I wondered if / how this will affect my fiancés spouse application.


We don't know yet. We're waiting on the (expected imminent) announcement and, despite all our speculations and worries, we don't actually KNOW what will be happening (e.g. do people on current FLR and spouse visas have to ensure they earn the minimum thresholds before they apply for ILR, and will third-party sponsors be permitted). Therefore, all you can do is have a "what if" plan in mind (e.g. figuring whether you can earn £27500 a year within 2 years - just in case because we don't know who it will apply to)





> 8.	We intend to change her name of documents (e.g. passport) after she makes it over to the UK. Would this be advised?


We're doing this now (just after receiving our FLR visa - similar to spouse visa but for people who married in the UK). Your fiancée will need to apply for a new passport via the US Embassy in London (and then get her Biometrics Residency Permit updated) but it seems fairly straight-forward.

Hope this helps with some questions!


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

> 1.	Can we apply for the settlement visa as soon as we are married? (E.g. we get married on Sunday, can we apply for the visa on Monday?)



If you have the marriage certificate. It depends on where you're getting married, but it could take a couple of weeks to get this and it is required for your application.




> 2.	At customs I wasn’t going to declare I am going to New York to get married as my understanding it can get a bit messy. Would you agree?


Customs only cares about what you're bringing into and taking out of the country. Immigration, however is another story. There is absolutely nothing wrong with going to the US to get married. You don't have to volunteer the information, but if asked, be honest about your intentions. 

3.	Can I pay for my fiancés visa? 

Yes.

6


> .	I’ve read another thread on this forum that legislation is changing around immigration into the UK. I wondered if / how this will affect my fiancés spouse application.


Changes have been rumored for a while and could be officially announced at any time. At the moment, however you need to show that you have £111.45 left over after paying rent and council tax. (It is expected that there will be a minimum salary requirement in the future) Third party support is allowed in the future, maybe not.


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## mehemlynn (Nov 16, 2011)

Nicholas Crowe said:


> Hi Everyone. My name is Nick and I live in the UK. I am getting married this August to my American fiancé in New York. We have both done a fair amount of research into spouse visas and have decided to go down the route of doing the application ourselves instead of paying someone to look it over.
> 
> We have mainly got our information from the UKBA website but have come across a few grey areas. Most site do not seem to give too much away without getting you to pay for information so it’s a blessing to find this site with personal experiences with visa applications.
> 
> ...


Technically, yes; in reality maybe not - you will need to get a copy of the marriage certificate. In some cases that takes about 2 weeks (although I do think there are several people who said they received theirs earlier by taking it in - I bet someone will comment more)



> 2.	At customs I wasn’t going to declare I am going to New York to get married as my understanding it can get a bit messy. Would you agree?


Answer the questions you are asked, don't offer information; be polite. I don't think there are any issues with getting married in the US as long as you can prove you are going to leave again (once again someone else might remember differently). Definitely carry in your carry on your return flight info, etc. to prove you aren't staying.



> 3.	Can I pay for my fiancés visa? Or is it better that it comes from her bank account?


I bet Joppa or Nyclon might have a feel for this one. The board is quiet through tomorrow because of the Jubilee. [It's fine - Joppa]



> 4.	We intend to use World bridge to purchase the visa (with priority service) but just wanted to clarify if this is the order we need to do stuff in;
> o	Get my fiancés application up-to-scratch with all the required evidence. (2 folders, 1 with original documentation and 1 with copies)
> o	Complete the application process on the World Bridge site.
> o	Visit a Visa application centre to submit biometric data.
> ...


That looks like the process to me.



> 5.	My current ESTA runs out 4 days after I intend to fly back to the UK. Will the US border control get a bit funny about this as I know with passports you need 6 months left before it expires to fly into the US?
> 
> 6.	I’ve read another thread on this forum that legislation is changing around immigration into the UK. I wondered if / how this will affect my fiancés spouse application.


There is a proposal that the UK sponsor must make 25,700 (I think that is the number - there are several threads about the proposed changes). If it is put into effect, then it will be a hard number. If that is the case then you will need to do something to increase your income to bring your wife to the UK. These are currently only proposed; plan for the worst, hope for the best.



> 7.	How can we find out where the nearest biometric centre is? I remember seeing this somewhere before online but can’t for the life of me remember where it was.
> 
> 8.	We intend to change her name of documents (e.g. passport) after she makes it over to the UK. Would this be advised?
> 
> ...


Sorry I don't have more for your questions. Also all of my answers are assuming you are a UK Citizen. Replies are in with the questions


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## Nicholas Crowe (Jun 4, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your answers! It looks like I am on the right line which is a bit of a relief!

I hope that the new legislation isn't brought in for a while otherwise that will be an unwanted spanner in the works!

Does anyone have a template of how they submitted their application? E.g. a contents page I could look at for ideas.

The current format I'm using goes a long the lines of;
1.	Abstract (Explaining what the document is etc)
2.	Evidence of Maintenance (My Maintenance evidence and my Fiancée’s)
3.	Evidence of age (My Birth certificate, copy of passport page, my fiancée’s birth certificate and passport)
4.	Evidence of marriage (Marriage certificate)
5.	Evidence of meet-ups (meet up details including; pictures, written accounts and receipts)
6.	Evidence of Accommodation (written letter from Father stating we can live indefinitely in the house, copy of the deeds)
7.	Appendix 

There be 2 copies of the above in 2 separate folders; one with all the original documents and one which contains the copies.


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

Nicholas Crowe said:


> ...There be 2 copies of the above in 2 separate folders; one with all the original documents and one which contains the copies.


*One folder* (bundle, or binder, depends on how fancy you are going) *per application*, with the *photocopy marked as 'COPY', and placed immediately behind the original.* No need to number the pages as the UKBA will rearrange your documents according to their organisational system once they open your application and supporting documents. 

You might also want to make an exact duplicate of the bundle from page one to page last-no need for copies of copies, of course, but should UKBA contact you with a question during the determination process you will be able to quickly answer questions if you have an exact copy of what you submitted to the UKBA. 

It's a nice keepsake, too, and you may find yourself referring to it when you are in the process of applying for the ILR. Someone recently suggested putting it on a disk.


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

> *One folder* (bundle, or binder, depends on how fancy you are going) *per application*, with the *photocopy marked as 'COPY', and placed immediately behind the original.* No need to number the pages as the UKBA will rearrange your documents according to their organisational system once they open your application and supporting documents.


Unless attending in person for same-day Priority Service - where the interviewing officer's life would have been made much easier if we'd separated our copies into an entirely different bundle!  We know now what to do for ILR.


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

2farapart said:


> Unless attending in person for same-day Priority Service - where the interviewing officer's life would have been made much easier if we'd separated our copies into an entirely different bundle!  We know now what to do for ILR.


O hey, now that's interesting-you'd think they would want it the same as the posted sets. That's something to make a note of for the ILR, you're right!


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

AnAmericanInScotland said:


> O hey, now that's interesting-you'd think they would want it the same as the posted sets. That's something to make a note of for the ILR, you're right!


Yes, he wanted them in separate piles, but was very nice about it - said there was no rush in us separating out the copies (he'd go and get our passports checked out while we did it). We felt like two new and incompetent office juniors with paperclips everywhere!


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

2farapart said:


> Yes, he wanted them in separate piles, but was very nice about it - said there was no rush in us separating out the copies (he'd go and get our passports checked out while we did it). We felt like two new and incompetent office juniors with paperclips everywhere!


Lol, I can see that in mind's eye (probably because I've been the office junior with paperclips everywhere).

Was there nothing in the Guidance Notes that the copies should be in a separate bundle for the one-day-service application? There should be!

ETA: I'm going to go through the Guidance Notes very soon to see if they say anything about that for the ILR. It just seems to me they should say something, but it also seems to me having the copies immediately behind the originals, the way they want it for posted applications and supporting documents submittal, would be a lot easier for them-it's a bit of a :confused2: if you ask this retired bureaucrat.


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

It might even have been his personal preference. 

There is also the fact that he only wanted bank statements and proof of marriage (plus proof we were free to marry) and so probably didn't want to wade through the mountain of payslips, bills, deeds, photos and history-of-all-pets-owned!


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## Nicholas Crowe (Jun 4, 2012)

So to sum up your conversation, I should do the following;

*One-day-service application*

If we go to a one-day-service place we should put the original and copies in seperate folders.

*Postal Application*

If we post our application we should have 1 folder containing both original and copies. The original copy of the document just before the copy of it.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Nicholas Crowe said:


> So to sum up your conversation, I should do the following;
> 
> *One-day-service application*
> 
> ...


Since you are getting married in the US, your only option is a postal application. UKBA do not offer in-person appointments in the US for spousal visas.


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## chek (May 30, 2012)

Am applying for a spouse visa soon is it compulsory to have a birth certificate because I have lost it am a british citizen by nutralisation and the spouse visa is for my husband in Nigeria


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## Nicholas Crowe (Jun 4, 2012)

chek said:


> Am applying for a spouse visa soon is it compulsory to have a birth certificate because I have lost it am a british citizen by nutralisation and the spouse visa is for my husband in Nigeria


You can purchase a new one for £9.25 on the Direct.gov website. I know this as I did it just the other day!

I would post the link(s) but I have yet to make 4 posts


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## chek (May 30, 2012)

I was not born in uk, guess would have to get it frm my country


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## dc7 (Jan 26, 2012)

Nicholas Crowe said:


> Hi Everyone. My name is Nick and I live in the UK. I am getting married this August to my American fiancé in New York. We have both done a fair amount of research into spouse visas and have decided to go down the route of doing the application ourselves instead of paying someone to look it over.
> 
> We have mainly got our information from the UKBA website but have come across a few grey areas. Most site do not seem to give too much away without getting you to pay for information so it’s a blessing to find this site with personal experiences with visa applications.
> 
> ...



Nick, great to read your story, as it sounds similar to mine!

We are currently compiling our documents ourselves before I fly over to NYC in a week's time to complete our folders and send it all off.

We have been in contact with an immigration advisor in the UK for a one-off fee and have also gained a lot from scouring this forum. It's a blessing as you say.

A couple of things stood out to me:

1) The COPIES comment. Is this a prerequisite from UKBA? We have been looking to attach all the real docs (payslips etc) but are you saying it is essential for them to have copies of the whole lot too?

2) Are you going ahead with the contents and appendix idea? I have been thinking about this today and wondered on it's importance.

3) I have just written a letter explaining my work situation as I've been working various prt time jobs since Feb (I.T. tutor, 2 bar jobs, music performance etc, with the promise of a 22k a year job in September.)

If anyone has any advice/input, it would be much appreciated.

Hope this is a helpful hijack!


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## Nicholas Crowe (Jun 4, 2012)

dc7 said:


> Nick, great to read your story, as it sounds similar to mine!
> 
> We are currently compiling our documents ourselves before I fly over to NYC in a week's time to complete our folders and send it all off.
> 
> ...


Hi DC7,

I hope the trip is a successful one! 

In response to your questions;

1) My understanding of why you need to provide copies as well as the original is shown below;

If UKBA needs to keep hold of a document for evidence and there were no Copies of it available they would keep the original one instead. This would suck if it just so happened to be your birth certificate or another important document!

2) Come to think of it I will probably skip providing a contents page and an appendix as it sounds like they rearrange the documents in their own order. 

3) I'm pretty new to all this Expat stuff so I'm not too sure how UKBA looks at 'promised future incomes'. That said, a previous post in this topic mentioned about a minimum amount left over at the end of each month (£100ish free each week). So if you currently have that free then I can't see it being an issue. Don't quote me on that though!


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## Nicholas Crowe (Jun 4, 2012)

So, it is getting a lot closer to the wedding than when I last posted! 11 days to go! 

I am coming near the end of preparing the Visa application and had a few quick questions;

Regards to maintance, how does it now work? I know they changed the minimum income threshhold to 18k (we have no children), but do they still take into account a minimum amount of spare cash P/W on top of the new legistration? 

My situation is the following;


 I earn £23.5k a P/A which works out to be £1475 take home per month.
 I have direct debits of roughly £750. 
 Past months I have spent the remander as disposable income (e.g. I've spent it!)
 I read in previous threads the Maintance part takes into account just Council tax and House Rent. As I only pay £150 house rent, how much will UKBA see as spare cash? £1325? Or £750?

How many bank statements should I supply? I have bank statements dating back years but I would assume the previous 6-7 months is sufficent?

Is there such a thing as 'using too many polypockets'? I've organised it very well so each evidence is in its own polypocket etc. Is this going OTT?

Any other gotchas I need to look out for since the previous legistration?

Cheers in advance!


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## Nicholas Crowe (Jun 4, 2012)

Seems on further inspection of the Statement of intent document I found a few gotchas! (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/news/soi-fam-mig.pdf)



> 174.
> The evidential requirements are:
> a.
> Salaried employment:* All of the following must be submitted:*
> ...


Looks like this answers one of my questions in my previous post  (I need 6 months bank statements).

Can't believe I missed the 'supply an employment contract and letter from employment' part! Good job I double checked.


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