# Applying for UK spouse Visa



## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Hi everyone,

So, I'm nervous! I married my wife in Houston last September and we are beginning the application process now for her to come and live with me in the UK.

We have been together for a couple of years and the relationship is genuine etc etc.

I just would like to know what experiences people have had with the application?

I earn well over the financial requirements (I will, of course, be the sponsor) and can provide documentation of employment, housing etc. I'm still nervous though, I've had bad credit in the past and I'm worried that this will affect the application?

Could someone please advise?


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## salix (Apr 27, 2014)

They don't care about your credit or what you spend, only that you make enough money. You'll have to submit original pay stubs along with the bank statements showing the money going into your account. They don't care if you end up with zero.


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## zakmuh (Aug 18, 2014)

danp22 said:


> We have been together for a couple of years and the relationship is genuine etc etc.
> 
> 
> Could someone please advise?


Hi there,

With due respect...it's only you and your partner know its a genuine relationship. You MUST convince the ECO by providing enough evidence to prove that your relationship is genuine and subsiting.

Further to Salix's advice, stick to the above too.

Hope this helps


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Great! Thanks for the advice guys. 

In terms of proof of relationship - we have a marriage certificate, pictures, proof of flights between Houston and London multiple times, hundreds of hours of Skype calls (we talk for over an hour a night). We also have tickets for many things that we've done together.

We met in England whilst she was studying, which then she had to go home after 5 months. We didn't get married until after 13 months of our relationship, so it wasn't on the fly. 

I can provide bank statements, payslips for previous 12 months, along with proof of accommodation etc, no problem.

In experience, is this information deemed worthy enough?

I really appreciate the help.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

It sounds like you have solid relationship evidence. Limit your Skype communication to log pages only and only 1-2 pages for every 6 months you'v been apart.

How are you meeting the financial requirement? What you submit is dependent on the Category that you are using to meet the financial requirement. Likewise, what sort of accommodation you have will determine what sort of documentation you need.

Before you apply, post your documents here and we'll let you know if you have too much, too little or if you are missing anything.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Thanks Nyclon, 

That's sounds great - in terms of meeting the financial requirement, as far as I understand, if I earn over the threshold then I should be okay?

I currently earn 28k, but do not have savings however. My accommodation is rented and my landlord is in the process of writing a letter to confirm that my wife can live with me. I have tenancy agreements etc. 

The whole thing is quite complicated I must say. I understand that she has to apply from her end, and I have to complete a sponsorship form. Do I need to send all the originals to her for her to attach to her application?

I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions, I've spent a good while on the government's portal but it still seems like a bit of a maze to me. It's not too clear to me what is needed and when.

Cheers again.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

You need to read through FM 1.7 which details the different ways the financial requirement can be met. If you are earning £28,000/year then it sounds like Category A or B but you need to determine that for yourself.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...exFM_Section_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement.pdf

If you are renting you need the tenancy agreement, a council tax or other bill to prove the you live there and a letter form your landlord giving her permission to live there.

You are the sponsor. All documents need to be original except for your passport. You only need a plain photo copy of the bio page. You do not need a sponsorship undertaking form but you do need to write a letter of sponsorship outlining your relationship, common interests, plans for the future. She should write a letter of introduction.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

OK, great, I've read it and it seems you're right.

I've made a list of what information I need to compile and it looks like this:

Accommodation:
Landlord authorisation
Tenancy agreement
Council tax bill

Employment:
12 months payslips
12 months bank statements
Contract of employment
Letter from CEO, confirming employment information

Personal:
Photocopy of passport
Introduction letter

Proof of relationship:
Skype logs
Flight Itineraries
Marriage Certificate
Photos
Tickets saved from activities together


As the sponsor, do I have to compile this information, and send it all to my wife? who is currently in Houston? and then she gives this binder of information in alongside her application?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

The process is: she fills out form VA4FA online and pays. Once she pays she will be prompted to book a biometrics appointment where she enrols her fingerprints and a photo is taken. Once she has done that she has 14 days to send off a copy of the online application, Appendix 2, supporting documents, her passport plus 2 passport photos, biometric's receipt and return envelope and waybill. 

If she is going to send the package to Sheffield she should have all documents in hand and ready to go before she schedules biometrics so she can get it sent off promptly. Alternatively she could send you her documents, copy of the app etc, and you could add your documents and send them to Sheffield however the documents and her passport can only be returned to her. 

Documents should just be organised logically and tied with string. You also need to include an identical stack in the same order. No binders, clips, folders, etc.

She should also include a sample itinery for when she'd like to travel.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Hi Nyclon,

Thanks for your help.

Felicia has her biometrics appointment today. I just wanted to clear up the next steps as it does seem a bit confusing still.

From your previous post:
She has the appointment
She then sends the following to me:
online application, Appendix 2, supporting documents, her passport plus 2 passport photos, biometric's receipt and return envelope and waybill. 

I then compile this information with my information:
Accommodation:
Landlord authorisation
Tenancy agreement
Council tax bill

Employment:
12 months payslips
12 months bank statements
Contract of employment
Letter from CEO, confirming employment information

Personal:
Photocopy of passport
Introduction letter

Proof of relationship:
Skype logs
Flight Itineraries
Marriage Certificate
Photos
Tickets saved from activities together

I make copies of the entire application and arrange two neat full application packs, simply tied and send it to Sheffield.

Is this pretty much correct?

Kind regards

Dan


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Yes, but she should write an introduction letter as well and she should include a sample itinerary from a travel booking site for when she'd like to travel.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Okay, thanks. What should the introduction letter include? I imagine it's simple to my letter confirming who I am, hopes, aspirations etc.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

The sponsor letter and letter of introduction should outline your relationship, common interests and plans for the future. They should broadly cover the same ground but be in your own words. No more than front and back of a sheet of A4.


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## Water Dragon (Jun 28, 2011)

danp22 said:


> OK, great, I've read it and it seems you're right.
> 
> I've made a list of what information I need to compile and it looks like this:
> 
> ...


If you've been with the same employer for some time, you only need 6 months financials. The bank statements have to be official, or printed copies stamped and initialed on each page. The latest payslip and statement can't be any older than 28 days prior to the online application date. She really shouldn't have done biometrics until all documentation was assembled and reviewed here, in case you are missing anything.

Be sure you have the correct documentation from your employer. You need your contract, letter specifying your position, wages, length of employment etc., a P60 if available. Read other posts regarding requirements.

It is easy to assume you have the correct documents, but unless you read posts about the particulars required, it would be very easy for you to miss a required detail. You definitely do NOT want a denial on her record or to lose all that money over a simple overlooked detail.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

OK, it looks like we are cutting it a bit fine. 

General
Copy of application
Appendix 2

Employment
Contract of employment
12 months of original wage slips
A letterheaded document from the director of my company stating
- how long I've worked at the company
- my position
- salary (including salary changes)

Accomodation:
- Tenancy agreement
- Letter from landlord, confirming she can live with me.
- Council tax bill


Proof of relationship:
Skype logs
Flight details (from when we visited eachother)
Photos
Tickets from activities

Personal
12 months official bank statements (which start from my latest statement)
Copy of my passport
Letter of introduction

I have all of this information sitting on my desk with me now, apart from the copy of the online application & appendix two.

After she has had the appointment today, what does she need to send me? 

Copy of online application, appendix two & her passport & example flight itineraries?
her passport plus 2 passport photos, biometric's receipt and return envelope and waybill. 
Letter of introduction.

Is there anything I'm missing? Is it 14 working days? or just two weeks? We'll have to pay extra to get these documents sent ASAP.

Thanks for your help.


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## salix (Apr 27, 2014)

You are correct with what she needs to send to you. Fourteen calendar days is what you are shooting for in submitting your documents to Sheffield, but there is a little room in that. If you are a few days later, it is not a problem.

I don't see you mentioning your sponsor cover letter.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Oh, I also missed off Marriage certificate off that list. I also have that.

Does the list look complete?


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## Newyorkaise (Nov 30, 2010)

Looks as if you dropped your bank statements from that last listing as well. As Water Dragon pointed out, those will need to be the official bank statements, not just ones you've downloaded from the internet.

Breathe deeply, keep your focus, and good luck.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Morning all!

Okay, these are official bank statements - I paid a small admin fee to get the last 12 months sent to me again. Should I mark them at all to denote where I've been paid each month? 

I also do not have a p60 - at least I think I don't. Is this crucial? I might have it somewhere?

Water Dragon kindly pointed out that there may be some misteps to be had with the employment information - I'm terrible at using the search on these forums, could someone put me in direction of a link?

I have:

Letterheaded letter from company director stating that I have worked at the company since 2013, my original salary and my new salary and new title. Is there anything else I need? It confirms I'm in a permanent role too. 

Original wage slips printed on letter headed paper

Original contract of employment.

Is there anything else I need in regards to the above?


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## Water Dragon (Jun 28, 2011)

danp22 said:


> Morning all!
> 
> Okay, these are official bank statements - I paid a small admin fee to get the last 12 months sent to me again. Should I mark them at all to denote where I've been paid each month?
> 
> ...


Don't mark on any originals, but you could highlight the deposits on your copies. My husband opened a new individual account after his divorce so the first couple of deposits were in one account and the rest in a second. I used a brief Excel spreadsheet to show: pay date, deposit date, gross amount (to match payslips), net amount (to match bank statements) and bank account used (to show 2 different accounts), and then the total amounts. I tried to make it as simple as possible for the ECO to glance at it and the supporting documents to be sure all added up. If you have a lot of pages and using 12 months worth, this might be useful to expedite their review of your finances.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Once again - thank you for continued support. 
Felicia's documents are currently on route to me. I have everything ready my end for the final moments.
Here is my contents - could someone please review:

Title page
Contents page

Felicia introduction letter
Copy of application form
Appendix 2
Biometrics receipt
Felicia passport
4 x Felicia passport photos
Planned flight Itinerary

Sponsor introduction letter (me)
Sponsor PP photocopy

Employment
Letter from employer
6 months payslips
contract of employment

accomodation
Letter from landlord
tenancy agreement
recent council tax bill

Previous 6 month bank statements

Relationship proof
marriage certificate
flight details of visits to eachother
skype logs
screenshot showing amount of emails sent between us. 3 x A4 showing different pages (around 500 emails in total)
screenshot of amount of facebook messages between us (over 40,000 messages)
5 x A4 showing a total of 20 pictures of the two of us in different settings
1 x A4 showing a screengrab from a video taken as i announced my marriage at work (I'm in front of a project screen with a big photo of me and Felicia, with the text reading "Dan got married!"
4 x details of hotel booking
Several tickets and stubs from various events attended together
Waybil and return envolope

This feels like a lot of stuff - is there anything I'm missing do you know? any advice once again would be very helpful... maybe it's too much stuff?

Thanks


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

danp22 said:


> Once again - thank you for continued support.
> Felicia's documents are currently on route to me. I have everything ready my end for the final moments.
> Here is my contents - could someone please review:
> 
> ...


You only need 2 passport photos.





> Sponsor introduction letter (me)
> Sponsor PP photocopy


Fine



> Employment
> Letter from employer
> 6 months payslips
> contract of employment


So, you are applying under Category A? You need 6 bank statements corresponding to your pay slips. If you have your contract you should include it.

a


> ccomodation
> Letter from landlord
> tenancy agreement
> recent council tax bill


Fine



> Previous 6 month bank statements


Ok



> Relationship proof
> marriage certificate
> flight details of visits to eachother
> skype logs
> screenshot showing amount of emails sent between us. 3 x A4 showing different pages (around 500 emails in total)


They don't want to see the amount. They want to see log pages which show date/recipient/sender and show that you've kept in touch while you're separated. 1-2 *log pages only* for every 6 months of so of your relationship. 



> screenshot of amount of facebook messages between us (over 40,000 messages)


Again, they don't want to see the amount. Log pages only




> 5 x A4 showing a total of 20 pictures of the two of us in different settings


15 photos max including the wedding.



> 1 x A4 showing a screengrab from a video taken as i announced my marriage at work (I'm in front of a project screen with a big photo of me and Felicia, with the text reading "Dan got married!"


No necessary. Leave it out. Your marriage certificate proves that you're married. This doesn't add any value.



> 4 x details of hotel booking
> Several tickets and stubs from various events attended together
> Waybil and return envolope


Itineraries for visits to each other are enough.



> This feels like a lot of stuff - is there anything I'm missing do you know? any advice once again would be very helpful... maybe it's too much stuff?
> 
> Thanks


Don't forget to include copies of everything in the same order as the originals and keep a set of copies for yourself.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Thanks,

Okay, one question, what do you mean by log pages? Is it screenshots or is it me typing up a document for skype, facebook and hotmail?

How should I get logs?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Screenshots of log pages.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Surely the entire log will be a terrific amount of pages? how doyou condense it down?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

You don't need the entire log. I have already explained 1-2 log pages for every 6 months or so. So, one from January, one from June. Something like that.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

OK great, that's fantastic, sorry that makes a lot of sense now. I get it. 

Cheers again. Okay, thank you for your help again.

I'm sure I'll be back.

Thank you.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Not long left!

Okay, I've some final (final!) questions which I hope you can help me with... I'm so close!

Last night, I paid for the Waybill (I did this from England as Felicia sent me her documents so I could compile everything before sending to sheff) - I used VFSGlobal. After purchasing, I was told my payment went through fine, but then I was redirected straight back to the original page. Felicia (I used her email address) has not received any confirmation or any details on where to print this.

I'm highly confused and wondering what to do next?

Finally (for real this time?), I am stuck on one part of the Appendix 2 - my salary has changed in the last 12 months. I've been with the same employer but my salary has been increased (a month ago) - we are only using my salary as part of the financial requirements. 

I have looked and read but still cannot work out if I'm category A or B.

I'll refer to 3.12:

Has your sponsor been in employment with the same employer and earning the amount, as deailed in 3.11 above, continuously for 6 months prior to the date of the application"

I have answered no because I have not been earning the same salary for the previous 6 months, although I have been with the same employer. 

So the following question asks

"Has your sponsor had any other salaried employment, in the UK, in the 12 months prior to the date of application"

I'm confused as to whether this is a yes or no. Should I answer "Yes", and put in the same employment details, company name, address etc?". My job title has stayed the same, just my salary has been increased.

So yes, I am very close, just these two final things to push through.

So appreciate your support.

Thanks


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## salix (Apr 27, 2014)

No, the answer to 3.12 should be yes. i.e. you are working for the same employer and earning the same £1550, it's just now you are earning an extra £500, or whatever.

This would be Cat. A


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Salix, thank you very much.

I've managed to get the waybill emailed to me.

You've just answered my final question.

Great.

Thanks again.


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## danp22 (Feb 17, 2015)

Guys, I just want to thank you all for your help. We were fortunate enough to get the acceptance on Friday.

Without this forum, I would have been completely lost, so I really appreciate the advice I received. 

Thanks again and enjoy your week.


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## mrmajestic (Aug 6, 2015)

What was the outcome of this in the end? How long did it take in total?


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