# Just applied for my wife's settlement visa - what to expect?



## jungo (Mar 21, 2011)

I'm a UK citizen (born in London) but never lived in the UK until last week when I moved to take up a new job as a senior executive with a successful financial firm.

My wife is Israeli and we have a baby who is Israeli and US (but eligible for UK citizenship).

We applied for my wife's settlement visa just last week, and having read so many forums, I really don't know what to expect and whether we're missing something...

1. We provided plenty of information proving the marriage is real (we've been married for seven years): marriage certificate, pictures of us together and with baby, rental contracts throughout the years, our baby's birth certificate, join tax returns, etc.

2. For proof of funds, we provided a statement of balances from our bank in Israel (not a list of 3 months' of transactions as that would have been a nightmare to translate), and recent statements from our US bank account (though it's not very active). We also provided our recent US tax return which shows that we're due significant funds from the US government. We also added the first page of a contract for an apartment we just bought together.

Finally, we provided a signed letter from my new employer stating my income (which is high - six digits - and more than enough to cover our living expenses - my wife doesn't intend to work in the immediate term).

3. I provided a copy of the rental agreement for the apartment I rented - even though I haven't moved in yet.

Could they give us trouble because the major bank statement is a statement of balances, rather than transactions over 3 months? Would it be a problem that I just moved to the UK and only started my job here (don't even have a bank account yet!).
Finally, is the fact that I haven't yet moved into the rental apartment a problem?

Thank you!!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

jungo said:


> I'm a UK citizen (born in London) but never lived in the UK until last week when I moved to take up a new job as a senior executive with a successful financial firm.
> 
> My wife is Israeli and we have a baby who is Israeli and US (but eligible for UK citizenship).
> 
> ...


As you are obviously a high net individual, the consulate won't give you any grief. As your marriage is genuine and sustaining, you have enough financial ability for your wife not needing recourse to public funds and have more than adequate accommodation ready to move into, you shouldn't have any trouble getting her visa. If anything is missing or needs clarification, they will contact you by email or phone before issuing the visa.
I take it you didn't make a separate application for a dependant visa for your child (not really needed). In that case make sure you get the child's British passport before the date of travel, to avoid any comnplications at UK border.


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## jungo (Mar 21, 2011)

*Thanks - follow up*



Joppa said:


> As you are obviously a high net individual, the consulate won't give you any grief. As your marriage is genuine and sustaining, you have enough financial ability for your wife not needing recourse to public funds and have more than adequate accommodation ready to move into, you shouldn't have any trouble getting her visa. If anything is missing or needs clarification, they will contact you by email or phone before issuing the visa.
> I take it you didn't make a separate application for a dependant visa for your child (not really needed). In that case make sure you get the child's British passport before the date of travel, to avoid any comnplications at UK border.


Thank you - while I'm not a high net worth individual, I earn well and am well educated from an exclusive university as is my wife, so I hope that'll influence the consulate's judgement. 

You are correct that I did not apply for a visa for my son (the visas are terribly expensive). Instead we are in the process of applying for a UK passport for him. It's quite a hassle as well as they require the original marriage certificate and that has been sent to the UK consulate in Istanbul with my wife's visa application. It's really quite a catch 22. 

I'm considering just bringing my son with me here once his mother gets her visa, and he'll enter as a visitor on his US passport and then I'll apply for a UK passport for him here. I realize that's not really how it should work, but once he gets his UK passport here - he's legitimately in the UK for a lengthy period. 

Thoughts?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

jungo said:


> I'm considering just bringing my son with me here once his mother gets her visa, and he'll enter as a visitor on his US passport and then I'll apply for a UK passport for him here. I realize that's not really how it should work, but once he gets his UK passport here - he's legitimately in the UK for a lengthy period.


You can do that but it isn't something that UK Border Agency likes, and can give you hassle at arriving airport. I know of a couple - a US mother with a settlement visa and British father - briging in dual-national child but only holding US passport. They were detained for questioning for some time, and after a lot of discussions, they eventually allowed the child to enter as visitor so that his parents could apply for his British passport in UK. The crux is it messes up their immigration system to have to issue a limited leave to enter, knowing that the child won't depart from the country on his original leave within the period allowed (as he will have gained a British passport).


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## jungo (Mar 21, 2011)

Joppa said:


> You can do that but it isn't something that UK Border Agency likes, and can give you hassle at arriving airport. I know of a couple - a US mother with a settlement visa and British father - briging in dual-national child but only holding US passport. They were detained for questioning for some time, and after a lot of discussions, they eventually allowed the child to enter as visitor so that his parents could apply for his British passport in UK. The crux is it messes up their immigration system to have to issue a limited leave to enter, knowing that the child won't depart from the country on his original leave within the period allowed (as he will have gained a British passport).



Very helpful - thanks!
I can't see them turning away a 1 year old with a British dad (and who qualifies for British citizenship). Worse case you just promise you'll take him out of the country to visit grandparents within the six months and return on his UK passport.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

jungo said:


> Very helpful - thanks!
> I can't see them turning away a 1 year old with a British dad (and who qualifies for British citizenship). Worse case you just promise you'll take him out of the country to visit grandparents within the six months and return on his UK passport.


Yes, that may help but it's still untidy - parents with a clear intention to settle in UK, while their child only gets a 6-month limited leave to enter. It would be entirely different if you were just going to UK on holiday - then the lack of British passport for your child won't be an issue, as you'll all be returning home together at the end of it.


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## jungo (Mar 21, 2011)

Joppa said:


> Yes, that may help but it's still untidy - parents with a clear intention to settle in UK, while their child only gets a 6-month limited leave to enter. It would be entirely different if you were just going to UK on holiday - then the lack of British passport for your child won't be an issue, as you'll all be returning home together at the end of it.



Thanks Joppa
you're clearly knowledgeable so perhaps one more q:

For my son's passport application, which will be processed at the Paris consulate, they require all original documents (his birth certificate, my birth certificate, and our marriage certificate). Unfortunately my marriage certificate is off with my wife's visa application - do you know if the requirement is really that onerous or would they be satisfied with a certified notarised copy?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

jungo said:


> Thanks Joppa
> you're clearly knowledgeable so perhaps one more q:
> 
> For my son's passport application, which will be processed at the Paris consulate, they require all original documents (his birth certificate, my birth certificate, and our marriage certificate). Unfortunately my marriage certificate is off with my wife's visa application - do you know if the requirement is really that onerous or would they be satisfied with a certified notarised copy?


They do ask for original documents when applying for passport in UK, so I suppose it's the same. Any way you can get another certified copy - i.e certified by an official having custody of the marriage registers?


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## jungo (Mar 21, 2011)

Joppa said:


> They do ask for original documents when applying for passport in UK, so I suppose it's the same. Any way you can get another certified copy - i.e certified by an official having custody of the marriage registers?



Yes, I can get an official copy.


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## jungo (Mar 21, 2011)

*Uh oh - I sent a UK post office certified copy of my passport*



jungo said:


> Yes, I can get an official copy.


There's such incosistency between the different UK visa websites.

I just realized the copy of my UK passport sent in is not really "notarized" - it is a copy verified by a UK Post Office Identity Verification Service (signed and stamped). 

I have a bad feeling that might not be good enough.... What do I do now?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

jungo said:


> There's such incosistency between the different UK visa websites.
> 
> I just realized the copy of my UK passport sent in is not really "notarized" - it is a copy verified by a UK Post Office Identity Verification Service (signed and stamped).
> 
> I have a bad feeling that might not be good enough.... What do I do now?


This is in connection with your wife's settlement visa, right? Then don't worry - the consulate has access to an electronic version of your passport details if they want to.


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## jungo (Mar 21, 2011)

Joppa said:


> This is in connection with your wife's settlement visa, right? Then don't worry - the consulate has access to an electronic version of your passport details if they want to.


Is this the case? I've been reading forums online where they say that applications were denied because the sponsor's UK passport copy wasn't notarized (e.g. in Australia).


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

jungo said:


> Is this the case? I've been reading forums online where they say that applications were denied because the sponsor's UK passport copy wasn't notarized (e.g. in Australia).


Just read the Supporting Documents section of UK Visa Services. It says you only need a photocopy of the bio pages of your passport.
Don't believe everything you read on online forums - go to the official guides!

_Evidence of your sponsor’s immigration status/ permission to be in the UK
This could be *copies *of:
 *bio-data pages from their passport *or Travel Document
 valid UK visa or UK stamp from their passports
 Home Office letter confirming their permission to stay in the UK_


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## jungo (Mar 21, 2011)

Joppa said:


> Just read the Supporting Documents section of UK Visa Services. It says you only need a photocopy of the bio pages of your passport.
> Don't believe everything you read on online forums - go to the official guides!
> 
> _Evidence of your sponsor’s immigration status/ permission to be in the UK
> ...



Thanks - what's the source of this information? It conflicts with the Worldbridge info I got.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

jungo said:


> Thanks - what's the source of this information? It conflicts with the Worldbridge info I got.


WorldBridge says:

_Original documents

You should provide original documents. Failure to submit original documents may mean your visa application is delayed or refused. *If you are not able to include original documents you should send certified or notarised copies*._

But since the Border Agency only requires a photocopy of biopage of sponsor's British passport (obviously you can't send the original as the sponsor may well need their passport for travel etc), so it doesn't need to be notarised.
So notarisation only arises if you are required to submit the original, such as marriage or birth certificate and you somehow cannot do so.


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