# Punch holes in originals (bank statements) Special tips on document organization?



## diverseyharbor (Mar 26, 2013)

I'm prepping my book of documents for my spousal visa and wondering if if should put bank statements in with punched holes or in clear slides? How did everyone do theirs? Any tips you may have to how you organized your book is appreciated! 

Right now I have clear slides for originals such as passports, photos, marriage licence, birth certificate. I have so many papers for bank statements though!


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## mm2 (Apr 2, 2013)

I just put everything in plastic wallets, so no punched holes - and these were all contained within 3 folders!


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## diverseyharbor (Mar 26, 2013)

Ok, that sounds good. Funny how I have some 8.5 x 11s and A4 sizes!


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

No plastic page protectors are required... it will only cause extra work for your ECO, as they must take every page out of the page protector before they can proceed, and when they send your paperwork back, they will likely just smoosh it all together into your binder and stuff it into the return envelope (i.e. they'll send it as one big mess of paper and plastic sheet protectors).

No hole punches required either.

Paperclips, if you must, are o.k. and are preferable over bull clips, as they (paperclips) are lighter in weight (you will have to pay to courier your paperwork to and from NYC) and easier for the ECO to deal with (imagine having stacks and stacks of paper to look at and process and also having piles of bull clips on your desk when you could just have a pile of paperclips)

Just present your documents in a tidy pile and you'll be fine. I sent my paperwork in one stack with a few paperclips and it was fine.

In regards to getting A4 paper in the US, you can either call Staples or Office Depot and see if they have any in stock **or** you could buy a ream of Legal Size paper (8.5" x 14") and have them cut it down to size for you - A4 is a common size (they use it in Japan as well as in Europe) even if it's not widely used in North America, so they should be able to trim the paper for you... this is what I did when I was applying. I was fortunate enough to have access to a paper cutter that had the markings, so I cut it myself.


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## diverseyharbor (Mar 26, 2013)

Do you think it's OK to have both? I'm just saying as I was in the US getting my stuff together and everything is on 8.5 x 11, but of course my spouse's paperwork is all A4. Did you still use tabs or anything to help with organization if you didn't use many paperclips, etc?


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

It's o.k. to have A4 and Letter sized paper... the ECO's know that there's a slight difference in paper sizes between the UK and North America. The only reason why I sent it all on A4 is because I'm just a little OCD that way (plus I had a ton of free time at work and was sitting beside a printer, so I could do it on the job).

In regards to what I used to separate the paperwork, I used a total of 3 sheets of coloured paper in my stack.

The items at the top of the pile were my application form, an appendix (because I had a few older passports and LOTS of international travel to declare) and my passport and the requisite photos.

Below that, I had a slip of pink paper with my name, date of birth, "Canadian Citizen" and my Visa Application Reference number written in the upper left hand corner. Below this, I just listed what could be found (birth certificate etc).

Third in the stack, I had a sheet of green paper, on which I wrote Ed's name and information, similar to what I'd written on the pink paper and what documents we'd included (Ed's P60, birth certificate, bank info, mortgage etc).

Finally, I had a yellow sheet of paper on which I wrote what was in the remainder of the stack (emails, flight itineraries, Skype screenshots, the contract (showing a deposit paid) for the wedding reception and the original receipt for my engagement ring).

I didn't use tabs/folders or anything else to further divide the information because I figured that the ECO knows what they're looking for and what they're looking at, so I didn't see any reason to delineate further.


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## diverseyharbor (Mar 26, 2013)

That is fantastic. It makes sense too. I'm a little OCD as well, but this is a time thing! What a process. Thanks for the tips, I will definitely take this into my own version!!


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## marie1715 (Feb 5, 2013)

I put mine in 5 manila folders and labelled the front with black pen - "Application Materials and Personal Details" (printed off apps, biometrics, birth certificates, passport, his copy of passport, his letter of support) "Marriage" (marriage certificate and wedding photos) "Financial Requirement" (bank statements, letters from work, etc) "Accommodation" (land registry, council tax bill etc) and "Genuine and Subsisting Relationship" (cards, Skype logs, photos, joint account details etc) 

I second what WestCoastCanadianGirl says, no sheet protectors! Good luck!


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## diverseyharbor (Mar 26, 2013)

Very helpful, I like all of these organizational ideas! Thanks all! I thought I should use clear slides, now not at all!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

While dividers with tabs or index sheets are useful for you to organise your material, the caseworker isn't bothered about them. They would rather you put them in some logical order, e.g., financial things together, accommodation together etc but then put something like a string round them so when cut, documents are separated and can be rearranged in the way they like (how they want it done seems to vary between visa stations and caseworking sections). Also they like to separate originals and copies into different piles to make it easier to retain one lot and return the other. If a particular document isn't immediately obvious about what it relates to, put a short description on top.


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## diverseyharbor (Mar 26, 2013)

This makes sence for sure. You say mark a document if not obvious what it relates to, but is it ok to write directly on it, or use a post-it, ect? 




Joppa said:


> While dividers with tabs or index sheets are useful for you to organise your material, the caseworker isn't bothered about them. They would rather you put them in some logical order, e.g., financial things together, accommodation together etc but then put something like a string round them so when cut, documents are separated and can be rearranged in the way they like (how they want it done seems to vary between visa stations and caseworking sections). Also they like to separate originals and copies into different piles to make it easier to retain one lot and return the other. If a particular document isn't immediately obvious about what it relates to, put a short description on top.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Use a pencil or post-it note. Don't deface original in any way.


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