# Switching from a fiancee visa to spouse visa in uk



## Hindryuk92 (Nov 12, 2017)

Hi All,

I would like some opinion on this. I am about to attend to my appointment at the end of the month November for my wife spouse visa application. We have submitted a fiancee visa before and it was approved. I submitted about 300+ pages of our Instagram conversation and whatsapp was about over 500 pages for the fiancee visa do i need to resubmit new ones again ? I thought i am applying in country i would not need too ? 

It took my time to gather all the spouse visa documents. We are flying on the 15th December for our next wedding venue which i was advised that if my appointment is at the end of November, if we get the visa approve my wife should get her BRP card on time before we leave which is over 5-10 working days. If not can we leave and take our approval letter and explain to the border when returning the situation ? everything all booked family members from other country are flying over too.

I will be submitting the follow documents below if you could let me know if this is good enough:

*Employment: *
.	Employment letter – Signed by Director on 29th August 2017
.	Employee Contract 
.	Pension letter
.	Payslips from January 2017 – October 2017 (will be getting November 2017 one too before appointment)

*Husband Bank Statement:*

.	Barclays Statement from 17th Jan – 16th October (I will get 16th November too when it comes the date) All signed and stamped certified

*Witness Statement:*

.	Best Man Witness Statement (Copy Passport Included)
.	Friend Statement (Copy Driver license included)
.	Wife and Husband Joint Witness Statement
.	Parent Statement (Copy of their passports included)
.	Copy of Wife’s parents visa stamp (when they visited UK to attend for the marriage)
.	Copy of Wife’s parents Eticket (when they visited UK to attend for the marriage)
.	Fiancée Visa previous witness statements

*Marriage:*

.	Marriage Certificate
.	Marriage Legal Preliminary appointment
.	Marriage Salon Ceremony Booked
.	Marriage Notice receipts 

*Banquet*

.	Banquet Seating plan the names on who on which table
.	Banquet Dinner Menu

*Husband Invoice & Utility Bill & Saving Account*

.	Wedding Cake Invoice
.	Banquet Restaurant Invoice written in letter signed and stamped
.	Yesstyle Order Invoice 
.	Virgin Media Bill (20th October)
.	Gas and Eletric Bill( 29th October)
.	Bank Saving Mini statement (Bank book updated for 8th November + Signed and Stamped)

*Current House I am living in:*

.	A3 Floorplan (Draw of the house plan)

Council Tax

.	Council Tax from 2015 -2018 (Same as last time for fiancé visa)

*Mortgage:*

.	Mortgage paper (My dad is the landlord)
.	Land Registry (My dad is the landlord)
.	Fiancée visa future house plan (what changes we was going to make around the house before my wife moved in)
.	Updated changes of the house plan since my wife has returned
.	Photos of the changes from my room and the office

*Tenancy:*

.	Tenancy Agreement Signed (My father is the landlord)

*Joint Statement:*

.	Flower Invoice (Corrected please see the attachment)
.	Water Bill 
.	Confirmation creating Joint bank account
.	New Joint bank account statement certified and stamped

*Wife Bank Statements:*

.	Natwest bank statements from March 2017 – November 2017
.	HSBC Bank Statements from Jan 2017 – November 2017

*Wife Invoice and Utility(all these purchases are the same address we are living in UK at the moment)*

.	Dentist Letter – (Proof she is currently private not NHS and she is a patient there)
.	Dentist Receipts 
.	FeelsUnique Purchase 
.	Zara x2 (Recent purchase and a purchase couple of months ago)
.	DHC 
.	Photobox ( Print our 162 photos for the spouse visa)
.	House of Fraser
.	Favour Fairy (Favour box purchase for the wedding)
.	MAC (Makeup)
.	Smashbox ( Makeup)
.	Boots Card (Print screen account + Address)
.	Nectar Card (Print screen account + Address)
.	Patisserie Valerie Invoice (Husband Birthday Cake)

*Extra Receipt:*

.	Ikea Receipt 
.	Bed Mattress Receipt

*Wife Mobile Contract Statement:*

.	Mobile 3 Statement goes from July – September (will get it updated to latest)

*Extra Document:*

.	Wife Job interview Confirmation Email (she only applied to try and experience what interview is like but she did clarify with the interviewer that she cannot work till she gets her BRP card)

*Wedding Trip December(We having multiple banquet from our own home country so family can attend to it):*

.	Etickets (My wife and I and my sister and my best man)
.	Hotel Booking Confirmation 
.	The Banquet abroad Confirmation Letter of booking and price 

*Wife Degree Certificate:*

.	Bachelor Degree Cert + Transcript (UK University)
.	Master Degree Cert + Transcript (UK University)

*Photos
* 
.	Photo Details + Dates
.	Printed 162 photos (We have more another 20 to update)

Thank you for your time for reviewing.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

I am assuming that your wife came over on a Fiancée Visa to get married and you've married and are now applying for Further Leave to Remain (FLR(M)).

You have _way too much stuff_ in your list.

Seriously... way. too. much.

Forget about the letters from your friends and family - they'll be ignored.
You don't need any photos, and even if you did, 162 is about 150 too many.
Wife's work and education documents - not needed and will be ignored.
Ikea furniture and cell phone bill - irrelevant.
Wife's utility statements - irrelevant.
Banquet info - irrelevant.

For the visa you're going for, you only really need to prove that a) you got married before the visa expired (for this, you only need your marriage certificate); b) that you meet the financial requirements (you must provide bank statements and pay slips); and c) you're living in a property that isn't overcrowded.

You've already proven that you're in a subsisting relationship with the grant of the Fiancée Visa, now you are just trying to show that you've met your responsibilities vis à vis the conditions of the Fiancée Visa by getting married before the visa expires and you're just seeking further leave for your wife to remain in the UK.

Again, you've got way too much stuff on your list and most (if not all) of the excess will be ignored by the officer processing your wife's application at her appointment at the end of the month.

Good luck to you and her and congratulations on your recent wedding!


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

As already suggested you have way too much stuff to the point of it being ridiculous.



Hindryuk92 said:


> Hi All,
> 
> I would like some opinion on this. I am about to attend to my appointment at the end of the month November for my wife spouse visa application. We have submitted a fiancee visa before and it was approved. I submitted about 300+ pages of our Instagram conversation and whatsapp was about over 500 pages for the fiancee visa do i need to resubmit new ones again ? I thought i am applying in country i would not need too ?



800 pages of communication is ridiculous. In fact, the information of the .gov page says it's not necessary at all.



> It took my time to gather all the spouse visa documents. We are flying on the 15th December for our next wedding venue which i was advised that if my appointment is at the end of November, if we get the visa approve my wife should get her BRP card on time before we leave which is over 5-10 working days. If not can we leave and take our approval letter and explain to the border when returning the situation ? everything all booked family members from other country are flying over too.


You need both your passport and your BRP to reenter the UK. The approval letter isn't enough. She's going to need her BRP to be able to board the plane back to the UK. The airline won't let her board without it.



> i will be submitting the follow documents below if you could let me know if this is good enough:
> 
> *Employment: *
> .	Employment letter – Signed by Director on 29th August 2017
> ...


You don't need a pension statement. Your employment letter should be more up to date.


> *Witness Statement:*
> 
> .	Best Man Witness Statement (Copy Passport Included)
> .	Friend Statement (Copy Driver license included)
> ...


All subjective and unnecessary.

[


> B]Marriage:[/B]
> 
> .	Marriage Certificate
> .	Marriage Legal Preliminary appointment
> ...


Only the marriage certificate is required. The rest are unnecessary.


> *Banquet*
> 
> .	Banquet Seating plan the names on who on which table
> .	Banquet Dinner Menu


All unnecessary.



> *Husband Invoice & Utility Bill & Saving Account*
> 
> .	Wedding Cake Invoice
> .	Banquet Restaurant Invoice written in letter signed and stamped
> ...


Gas and electric bill and bank statement are the only things that are relevant. 



> *Current House I am living in:*
> 
> .	A3 Floorplan (Draw of the house plan)
> 
> ...


This is very confusing. Are you living with your father or is he simply the landlord at a place you and your wife are living? 

Photos and floorpans are unnecessary.



> *Joint Statement:*
> 
> .	Flower Invoice (Corrected please see the attachment)
> .	Water Bill
> ...


Flower bill is unnecessary.

[


> B]Wife Bank Statements:[/B]
> 
> .	Natwest bank statements from March 2017 – November 2017
> .	HSBC Bank Statements from Jan 2017 – November 2017


This is fine.



> *Wife Invoice and Utility(all these purchases are the same address we are living in UK at the moment)*
> 
> .	Dentist Letter – (Proof she is currently private not NHS and she is a patient there)
> .	Dentist Receipts
> ...


The only thing relevant is the dentist letter. The rest, particularly 162 photos are unnecessary.



> *Extra Receipt:*
> 
> .	Ikea Receipt
> .	Bed Mattress Receipt


Receipts for things are unnecessary.



> *Wife Mobile Contract Statement:*
> 
> .	Mobile 3 Statement goes from July – September (will get it updated to latest)


Not necessary. Mobile phone bills are considered very weak proof of address.
*Extra Document:*



> .	Wife Job interview Confirmation Email (she only applied to try and experience what interview is like but she did clarify with the interviewer that she cannot work till she gets her BRP card)


Unnecessary.


> *Wedding Trip December(We having multiple banquet from our own home country so family can attend to it):*
> 
> .	Etickets (My wife and I and my sister and my best man)
> .	Hotel Booking Confirmation
> .	The Banquet abroad Confirmation Letter of booking and price


Irrelevant and unnecessary.




> *Wife Degree Certificate:*
> 
> .	Bachelor Degree Cert + Transcript (UK University)
> .	Master Degree Cert + Transcript (UK University)


If this is to prove her English language competency, then it's fine.



> *Photos
> *
> .	Photo Details + Dates
> .	Printed 162 photos (We have more another 20 to update)


As already noted, unnecessary.


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## Hindryuk92 (Nov 12, 2017)

Thanks WestCoastCanadianGirl for your answer. 

Hi Nyclon,

I provided my house plan similar to what we submitted on the fiance visa. I live with my parents (my mum and dad is the landlord) currently it is a 3 bedroom house. My sister has now moved out so i provided a document that i am her guarantor. 

I overkill on the document so i won't get refused. I went through a lawyer last time and this is what they told me to do to at least give extra document rather than less. 

I did think this was overkill. I mean i am hoping i get the BRP before we leave for the next wedding. Some people get it in 2-3 days after approval. I got told maximum is within 10 days. 

I got my boss to sign the letter in August not sure will i see him before the next appointment. It will only be the date updated if he going to sign it.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Hindryuk92 said:


> Thanks WestCoastCanadianGirl for your answer.
> 
> Hi Nyclon,
> 
> I provided my house plan similar to what we submitted on the fiance visa. I live with my parents (my mum and dad is the landlord) currently it is a 3 bedroom house. My sister has now moved out so i provided a document that i am her guarantor.


Are you paying rent or simply living there? Since you are sharing accommodation it's strongly recommended that you get a property inspection.



> I overkill on the document so i won't get refused. I went through a lawyer last time and this is what they told me to do to at least give extra document rather than less.


The risk with over documenting is that they have to rummage through a lot of unnecessary things to find what they are looking for and they can't find a document that's actually necessary.



> I did think this was overkill. I mean i am hoping i get the BRP before we leave for the next wedding. Some people get it in 2-3 days after approval. I got told maximum is within 10 days.


Why don't you apply earlier?



> I got my boss to sign the letter in August not sure will i see him before the next appointment. It will only be the date updated if he going to sign it.


By the time you apply that document will be 3 months old. They need to know that the details of your employment are up to date. The letter should be no more than 28 days old at the time of application.

Additionally, what category are you applying under? If it's Category A you only need the most recent 6 months of pay slips.


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## ILR2018 (Oct 8, 2017)

Too much paper work


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## Hindryuk92 (Nov 12, 2017)

Nyclon:

I stated in my tenancy agreement that i am only paying bills and grocery and not rent. I have a tenancy agreement with a witness who signed it. 

I was going to apply earlier but when i asked a lawyer to check they thought that it was not sufficient enough the documents.

I am applying Cat A as i have my 6 month payslips. However my payslips are just sent to me via email from my boss. The next one is on the 27th but i am flying to glasglow on 28th hoping i can get that one. He does certify them and sign it. The last one i had is the 27th October

I am going to try to see my boss since i have 2 weeks left to update the date of the document and get him to sign it.


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## Hindryuk92 (Nov 12, 2017)

One more question passport photos. I have my passport photos about 6months ago when i submitted my fiancee visa do i need to retake them ? Will my wife need to retake hers the one she used for the fiancee visa ?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Hindryuk92 said:


> Nyclon:
> 
> I stated in my tenancy agreement that i am only paying bills and grocery and not rent. I have a tenancy agreement with a witness who signed it.


That's not a tenancy agreement. You are living with your parents and contributing to household expenses. You need the deed or land registry and a council tax or other utility bill in your father's name along with a letter of permission allieingbyour wife to stay ther and a property inspection is strongly recommended. 



> I was going to apply earlier but when i asked a lawyer to check they thought that it was not sufficient enough the documents.


What exactly did he/she say wasn't sufficient? 



> I am applying Cat A as i have my 6 month payslips. However my payslips are just sent to me via email from my boss. The next one is on the 27th but i am flying to glasglow on 28th hoping i can get that one. He does certify them and sign it. The last one i had is the 27th October


You only need 6 months of pay slips and bank statements. No more. No less. 



> I am going to try to see my boss since i have 2 weeks left to update the date of the document and get him to sign it.


Good.


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## Hindryuk92 (Nov 12, 2017)

I already have the Land Registry + Mortgage paper that it is payed off + Council tax that goes from 2015 - 2018 in my father name. Their witness statement stated that my wife and i will be living with them. 

She was not convinced enough that we have enough paper work to prove my wife live at the same address as me hence why there is so much invoices and joint paper. It does say you need either 4 joint paper work and 6 other paper each. 

Would there be an issue if i accidentally submitted more ? I mean i know you said before it is overkill documents i guess the officer will ignore it right ?


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## johannalouise (Mar 3, 2016)

The lawyer is mistaken.
If you're applying for FLR(M) from a fiance visa then the applicant is not expected to have the same documentation of living together as someone applying for FLR(M) after 2.5 years on a spouse visa.
The immigration officers are aware that it's very unlikely for the applicant to have received much official correspondence in the first few months of them living in the UK. 
So just use the official correspondence you have for her currently and that will be fine (the receipts etc are not relevant) 
It is not a reason to delay your application.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

johannalouise said:


> The lawyer is mistaken.
> If you're applying for FLR(M) from a fiance visa then the applicant is not expected to have the same documentation of living together as someone applying for FLR(M) after 2.5 years on a spouse visa.
> The immigration officers are aware that it's very unlikely for the applicant to have received much official correspondence in the first few months of them living in the UK.
> So just use the official correspondence you have for her currently and that will be fine (the receipts etc are not relevant)
> It is not a reason to delay your application.


This is exactly right. If you have a couple of things in your wife name, submit them. Don't submit a bunch of unnecessary junk and receipts are junk. They don't prove that anything. Don't make the case worker's job harder by making them wade through unnecessary documents.


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

Agree with Johannalouise and Nyclon.

I had been in the UK for exactly 4 weeks (and married for 3 days) on the day that I switched my Fiancée Visa to an FLR(M) and I was approved with no questions asked - the lady processing my application was surprised to see us so soon after the wedding - married on a Saturday, had a 9am appointment the following Tuesday; we would have been in on the Monday, if we'd been able to get an appointment for that day.

The only docs that we brought with us were my husband's pay slips and the matching bank statements (husband works for the government, so it would have been easy to trace his employment); our passports and requisite passport size photos; the marriage certificate and a copy of husband's mortgage (it was just the two of us living in the bachelor flat that he owned at the time [we've since upsized our home and family and have a little girl], so overcrowding wasn't an issue).


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Overcrowding is only a concern if you are sharing with friends or non-immediate family. If you are living with immediate family-your spouse and children-there is no need to prove there is no overcrowding.


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## Kimi2490 (Nov 8, 2012)

I will second everything said above- please re think all those excess documents and get a property inspection report done. 

all the best.


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