# Spouse Visa - Spelling Error!



## HarleyWills (May 30, 2014)

So I am happy to report that after a whirlwind of a process, last week I received my spouse visa (sent priority, took 10 business days) and in their speedy expedition, they misspelled my middle name printed on the visa as "Chisty" instead of "Christy." Thanks for the new name! I've emailed visa Sheffield to see if I should mail it back (no response yet...) but as I'm travelling in 3 weeks, don't exactly have the time to send it back and wait for them to correct THEIR mistake and send it back to me.

I'd love to get y'alls advice on 1. Is it imperative I get the error corrected before I travel? Obviously my middle name is spelled correctly on both my passport and the other expired UK visa in my passport. The mistake is only on this shiny new spouse visa. I am also running low on spare pages in my passport, and if they have to rip this one out, I'm likely going to have to get more pages in my passport at some point in the near future. 

OR...

2. If it's not imperative that I change it before I leave, can/should I change it once I'm in the UK? The OCD in me hates that it's incorrect. And do you recommend I bring supporting documents with me when I enter the UK in case I have any trouble at Customs? What sort of documents would you recommend (i.e. birth/marriage certificate, copy of VAF4A, 40+ pages of bank statements with hubby's name on them)?

Thanks so much for all your continued help! Just when you think it's over, there is more to be done! Positive vibes to all!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

You should really get it changed. It's too bad if you are travelling in 3 weeks but a discrepancy like this isn't a trifling matter. OK not your mistake but still has to be corrected. Wait for reply to your email.


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## HarleyWills (May 30, 2014)

Joppa said:


> You should really get it changed. It's too bad if you are travelling in 3 weeks but a discrepancy like this isn't a trifling matter. OK not your mistake but still has to be corrected. Wait for reply to your email.


Thanks for your quick reply, Joppa. I was afraid of that, but would rather do it right.


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## HarleyWills (May 30, 2014)

Well, an update for those in similar situations or if this is helpful to know...after waiting about a week total, 3 emails, and 2 phone calls later, I have sent my passport/visa back to Sheffield with a cover letter detailing all the information they told us to provide. They also said they'd reimburse the cost to mail it since it was their error. All in all, straightforward if only a bit difficult to get a straight answer. Also hilarious, the name they addressed my email to was not even close to my actual name (my middle name is STILL Christy, and doesn't start with an M?!?), which makes it even more worrying that they're now meant to correct their initial spelling error in the first place. Whew, well, fingers crossed (again). 

Good news -- at least the stress of waiting for a decision is over. Bad news -- the anxious waiting feeling is back. What's another few weeks when we've been waiting this long anyway??!

I'll update on how long it takes to get my corrected visa back for those interested! Anyone else been in a similar situation and had to send back a visa with a spelling error?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Thanks for the update.
Yes, they should correct their mistake and glad things are progressing.
As expected, error with names must be put right to avoid any future hassle and delay.


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## HarleyWills (May 30, 2014)

For anyone following my story, I have sent my visa back 8 August, and still have not received confirmation that they're sending it back or that it's been corrected. When we rang, they had given us a week's estimate to process it. Joppa, do you have any recommended ways of contacting them to see if we can expedite the process (cutting it close now, especially since we had paid for priority and now that's become obsolete since it's taking so long to correct the visa).

I've had little luck contacting them through this form: https://ukvi-international.faq-help.com

Any other options you could think to get in touch and see if they're correcting it?

Thanks all!


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