# certified copies for spouse visa?



## ns270510 (Nov 1, 2014)

Hi,

i am applying for UK spouse visa(settlement visa). Do i need to get all of the Sponsor's originals and copies of the documents to be certified true copy and notarised, then legalised it with FCO in the UK as well as get it endorsed by the British High Commission in applicant's home country?


----------



## topo morto (May 24, 2014)

In general, no - you do need to submit originals for all required documents. If you submit copies too, that's just for the convenience of the ECO.

There might be some cases where it is worth getting a stamp on a document if you think for some reason that it might be doubted that it's an original.


----------



## ns270510 (Nov 1, 2014)

topo morto said:


> In general, no - you do need to submit originals for all required documents. If you submit copies too, that's just for the convenience of the ECO.
> 
> There might be some cases where it is worth getting a stamp on a document if you think for some reason that it might be doubted that it's an original.


 Hi, 

thank you for your response, but as far as i am concern,i meant to say if its the sponsor's documents that need to be certied and/or notarised at notary office/solicitor in the uk, then legalise it with FCO then when sponsor sends his documents to me via parcel, then i should bring his documents for endorsement in the british high commisiion in applicant's country??? 

i know the applicant(me) will have to certify and/or notarise my documents and then legalise it with the ministry of foreign affair.. 

please help.

thank you


----------



## topo morto (May 24, 2014)

Which documents are you talking about that need to be certified / notarised?


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

No certification or notarisation needed for originals. Copy of non-UK passport should be certified by the embassy or passport issuing office. Exceptionally if you have to submit a copy because the original isn't available, then it should be certified as genuine by whoever produced the original, e.g. financial officer in case of payslips or bank staff in case of statement. Some documents are already certified, such as birth and marriage certificates.


----------



## ns270510 (Nov 1, 2014)

Joppa said:


> No certification or notarisation needed for originals. Copy of non-UK passport should be certified by the embassy or passport issuing office. Exceptionally if you have to submit a copy because the original isn't available, then it should be certified as genuine by whoever produced the original, e.g. financial officer in case of payslips or bank staff in case of statement. Some documents are already certified, such as birth and marriage certificates.


Hi , 

Thanks again for the prompt reply,

I understand that i do not have to legalise/apostille the original documents, thanks for clearing that up for me.

i am sorry my questions werent addressed fully, as far as i know notarisation and legalisation are two different things, what i meant to say is that, notary/certify true copy can be done at the embassy, issuing office ,local notary or solicitor(certify true copy is cheaper than notarisation) 

while legalisation aka apostille can be done by the FCO in milton keynes.. so that upon certifying/notarising the docs, followed by legalising it at the FCO, it can be endorsed by the BRitish High commission in the country of the applicant?


as far as i know and what i have checked, notary and legalisation is not the same thing as my husband who is a british citizen and the sponsor have notarised at the solicitors prior to sending it to milton keynes(fco) for legalisation and the stamps obtained were different when he prepared his docs to get married in my(applicant's ) country.

for now (the visa application),for the COPIES of my husband's document (see below)husband is a british citizen-the sponsor):

1.entire passport
2.Driving license
3.Utility bills-water,council tax,phone bills (and i thought this should be submitted in original form?not copies?)
4.p60

im going to ask my husband(british citizen-the sponsor) to get his documents to be certified true copy at the solicitors/public notary/local council tax,employer then send to milton keynes(FCO) for apostille/legalisation prior to sending it to me (the applicant) via parcel. 

as for me(the applicant), i know that its obvious i have to get COPIES of my documents to be certified true copy and or notarised at the embassy,issuing office,bank then get it legalised at the ministry of foreign affair in my country.

Please correct me if im wrong. especially after the explanation i gave above in regards to certify/notary -legalising/apostile. does he even have to get his copied docs to be legalised after it has been notarised or certified true copy?and what about endorsement..is it necessary as well?

sorry for the confusion, i really need answer to this.

thank you


----------



## topo morto (May 24, 2014)

ns270510 said:


> i know that its obvious i have to get COPIES of my documents to be certified true copy


Why, if you are also sending the originals?


----------



## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

You only need a plain photo copy of the sponsor's passport. His driver's licence is unnecessary. The utility bills and P60 just need to be originals. There is no need for them to be certified or notarised.

As mentioned, if you are sending originals there is no need for things to be verified as original.


----------



## ns270510 (Nov 1, 2014)

nyclon said:


> You only need a plain photo copy of the sponsor's passport. His driver's licence is unnecessary. The utility bills and P60 just need to be originals. There is no need for them to be certified or notarised.
> 
> As mentioned, if you are sending originals there is no need for things to be verified as original.


ahh ok, thanks for clearing this up. its all clear for me now. so sorry for the confusion. :doh:

regarding few other queries if anyone can help me:

1. what about the sponsorship undertaking form su07/12? does he fill it online using my account and then sign it after printing it out or does he print out the form and fill it himself and sign it?
2..f he is working with the NHS but been working in two different hospitals under NHS eg;
hospital A (august 13-august 14, hospital B(august 14-august 15) does this mean he has two different employers? does he need to get two letters if he has two employees?is it considered as category A or B?

3.official bank statements that sponsors get every end of the month via mail post, doe sit need to be stamped page by page as well?or is it still considered as electronic bank statements?

4.in the guidelines,its stated that you cannot submit the docs that are earlier than 28 days, do this apply to bank statements and payslips only or to the whole other supporting docs?

5.what tier should i apply for when i fill the form online for settlement visa? 

6. if i have been unemployed ever since i graduated in 2012, and havent got any letter of release from the university hospital where im doing my clinical attachment, do i still have to include the letter of release i sent to the uni hospital as proof ive applied for leave of studies/attachment? do i still have to include my bank statements(which is practically empty lol..my parents been funding me ) and i just got married in october 2014

please help.:fingerscrossed::doh:


----------



## topo morto (May 24, 2014)

1) he can print and sign himself

2) does he get two sets of payslips, or just one?

3) Originals sent by post do not need to be stamped.

4) It applied to things where a time period up to the point of application is mentioned - bank statements and payslips are the obvious things; letter from employer should probably be dated within this time too.


----------



## ns270510 (Nov 1, 2014)

topo morto said:


> 1) he can print and sign himself
> 
> 2) does he get two sets of payslips, or just one?
> 
> ...


2)one set but under different hospital names ,still NHS tho(hospital A august 13-14) hospital B(august 14-15)

5) does anybody know where is the current visa application centre in Malaysia ?i called VFS global malaysia and they said they no longer deal with uk visa application and dont accept any documents to be submitted to UKVI but UKVI website still directs applicant to the VFS global malaysia as the appointed visa application centre...called the BHC, they too never answer the phone which is dissapointing.. any changes on the application centre?

6)


----------



## wengyee6 (Sep 27, 2014)

I'm not sure which number you called but VFS still does deal with the UK visa applications. 

I just submitted my application last week. Their office is in the MCA building on Jalan Ampang.

Address
Suite 19.06 19 Floor,
Wisma MCA, 
163 Jalan Ampang, 50450


----------



## ns270510 (Nov 1, 2014)

wengyee6 said:


> I'm not sure which number you called but VFS still does deal with the UK visa applications.
> 
> I just submitted my application last week. Their office is in the MCA building on Jalan Ampang.
> 
> ...


Hi,

Thanks for the clarification.should i get my sponsor's copied passports to be legalised by the FCO in the uk and when he sends it to me in Malaysia, should i get the copied passport to be endorsed with BHC in jalan Binjai?.. and should i book the appointment first prior to applying the visa online or vice versa?


----------



## topo morto (May 24, 2014)

When we applied from Korea we just sent plain passport copies - not certified, notarised, or stamped in any way.


----------



## wengyee6 (Sep 27, 2014)

You don't have to legalise his passport copy because they are just going to run it through the system to check authenticity. 

You will book your appointment only at the end of the online visa application. It's all part of the same system.


----------



## ns270510 (Nov 1, 2014)

wengyee6 said:


> You don't have to legalise his passport copy because they are just going to run it through the system to check authenticity.
> 
> You will book your appointment only at the end of the online visa application. It's all part of the same system.


Hi,

Thanks so much for the info. did u apply for spouse visa as well? if yes, when do usually get to be interviewed?or anyone has any ideas how the eco wil interview you?eg go to applicants house or applicant go to uk application centre? how long do u have to wait till u get your visa approved?

thanks again


----------



## Arawen (Nov 13, 2014)

ns270510 said:


> Hi,
> 
> i am applying for UK spouse visa(settlement visa). Do i need to get all of the Sponsor's originals and copies of the documents to be certified true copy and notarised, then legalised it with FCO in the UK as well as get it endorsed by the British High Commission in applicant's home country?


It's up to you whether to submit originals or copies. According to the gov.uk website, your document certification can be by anyone is a professional or has a good standing in your community, like a bank official, Councillor, dentist, police officer, solicitor, teacher or lecturer. It cannot be certified by a relative, a person living with you, or a person that has a relationship with you. They just need to write "Certified to be a true copy of the original seen by me." Sign, date, print name under signature, add occupation and contact information. 

This information is all from the gov.uk website. I hope it helps!


----------



## topo morto (May 24, 2014)

Arawen said:


> It's up to you whether to submit originals or copies.


Do you have a link to that on gov.uk that you can share with us?


----------



## wengyee6 (Sep 27, 2014)

ns270510 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Thanks so much for the info. did u apply for spouse visa as well? if yes, when do usually get to be interviewed?or anyone has any ideas how the eco wil interview you?eg go to applicants house or applicant go to uk application centre? how long do u have to wait till u get your visa approved?
> 
> thanks again


Yes I applied for my spousal visa 2 weeks ago. As far as I know, there won't be an interview unless they are suspicious of your relationship. The ECO will make the decision based on the evidence you submit. 

When I submitted the VFS people said that it will take up to 60 working days. So up to 3 months basically.


----------



## ns270510 (Nov 1, 2014)

wengyee6 said:


> Yes I applied for my spousal visa 2 weeks ago. As far as I know, there won't be an interview unless they are suspicious of your relationship. The ECO will make the decision based on the evidence you submit.
> 
> When I submitted the VFS people said that it will take up to 60 working days. So up to 3 months basically.


i see.. thanks again for answering my queries. just wondering, what tier should i tick when i apply for the spouse visa online? is it tier 1?


----------



## wengyee6 (Sep 27, 2014)

ns270510 said:


> i see.. thanks again for answering my queries. just wondering, what tier should i tick when i apply for the spouse visa online? is it tier 1?


No tier. It will be Settlement Wife/Husband.


----------

