# Spouse settlement visa - my experience.



## pandawa (Apr 12, 2017)

Hi All, 

I, like many found this forum too late and only came across it AFTER my husband submitted his application. However, we were granted the visa on the first try within 7 working days (priority) so I thought I would share my experience in the hopes of helping someone else.

My timeline:
Country applying from: Zimbabwe
Type of visa applied for: Spouse (Cat A - Priority)
Date application submitted (online or in person): Online - 27th March 2017
Date biometrics taken: 6th April 2017
Date documentation was received by UK Border Agency office: 7th April 2017
Office location processing your visa: Pretoria South Africa
Projected timeline given: 60 working days (with a note that priority will placed at the front of the managed queue)
Assigned to ECO: don't know
Decision Made Email: 19th April
Date your visa was received: 20th April (7 working days)

Background: As mentioned I did not know this forum existed and therefore hired a lawyer, at a cost of £1000. Yes silly me. Anyway it worked and he put together our paper work. My partner and I got married last summer but have been in a relationship for the past 4 years. 

The documents we submitted were: 

A.***Application, ID and marriage documents

1.	Visa Application form 
2.	Appendix 2 
3.	Sponsors cover letter in the form of a sworn affidavit.
4.	Sponsorship Undertaking SU7/12
5.	Applicants passport.
6.	Copy of sponsors passport with copies of all entry and exit stamps proving visits. 
7.	TB Test
8.	No Criminal Record certificate of the applicant from police department.
9.	Letter from applicant’s employer stating his employment.
10. IELTS A1 Test certificate.

B.****Evidence of*Subsisting*Relationship:

1.	Islamic marriage certificate
2.	Official marriage certificate (we got married in Zimbabwe)
3.	Both wedding ceremonies photographs 
4.	Air Tickets Record of sponsors visits to Zim.
5.	Air tickets, of Applicant and Sponsor and photographs of honeymoon.
6.	Air tickets, of Applicant, his sister, Sponsor and her brother and photographs for a holiday they took together.
7.	Customer Declaration Form of the applicant confirming his mobile number 
8.	Letter from mobile phone company confirming the prefix number is changing from 091 to 077 
9.	Mobile phone bill confirming sponsors number 
10.	Skype calling record between the applicant and the sponsor since 2013 
11.	WhatsApp message and call record between the applicant and the sponsor from April 2013 to March 2017 (approx 8 screenshots per month).
14.	Viber message and call record between the applicant and the sponsor during 2016.
15. Air tickets and photographs from sponsors visit to Zim every year.
16.	Emails receipts of gifts sent to each other.
17.	Greeting cards
18.	Letters correspondence between the applicant and the sponsor 
19.	Family photographs taken together on various occasions showing the applicant and the sponsor entered into a genuine relationship of marriage and it is still subsisting.

C. Financial*Requirements:

20.	Letters from sponsor’s employer, quoting position and gross salary of £22,467
21.	6 original posted payslips
22.	6 original posted bank statements (all pages)

D.	Accommodation: (living with sponsor's parents)

1.	Availability of Accommodation letter from council.
2.	Consent and No Objection letter from sponsors father.
3.	British passport and driving licence copies of sponsors father.
4.	Annual Mortgage Statement and council tax bill in parent's name as proof of ownership.


Now I know we provided many things that are definitely NOT needed and I know that list is excessive and WAY WAY more than you need, but like i said, no lawyer, didn't know this forum existed etc.

We did not provide any copies of original documents (we forgot!) and submitted it in a ring binder file, every sheet of paper in a plastic wallet! Basically we did everything we were not supposed to and I was kicking myself reading all the posts on here after submitting.

However, we got the visa within 7 working days and all documents returned to us, albeit no longer in the file!

So that is our experience with UKVI, please do not use this list as checklist, nor think it is okay to ignore the advise given by the lovely people about how and what to submit documents.

But if you, (like I was) are reading this forum after submitting and stressing about it, then try not to worry!

Good luck everyone.
This forum is amazing.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Congratulations! Please remember to update the timeline thread.


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