# FLR(M) Unmarried Partner Visa May 2015 Premium Approved - Timeline



## nighttrain33 (May 15, 2015)

Hey guys,

I have just gone in for my premium application 13/05/2015 for an unmarried partner FLR(M) visa in Croydon and I wanted to share with you what I provided and my experience because I used this forum for tips and advice on how to be approved and I know the stress people are under whilst going through this process.

Quick back story,

I am an Australian living in UK. I was here on a Tier 5 YMS visa since May 2013. My partner is a British Citizen. We met in Australia while she was on a one year working visa.

We lived together for 4 months in Aus before moving to the UK together. It had been 1 year and 11 months here together in the UK to the date of application and we had been together for 2 and a half years at the time of application aswell.

Preparing took a couple of weeks due to working and not having all the time to prepare but this is a list of what I provided to the Home Office with explanations.

The most recent FLR(M) form I downloaded and printed from their website. (it is important to check for updates as the form can change at any time).

(I submitted a photocopy of all supporting evidence in a different folder plus originals in a seperate folder. I have heard mixed ideas on this but did it anyway)
My passport
Partners Passport
2 photos of myself 
1 photo of my partner
Cover letter typed by me explaining our relationship. When we met, Where we met, Our goals and how we support each other. Signed at the bottom by myself
Cover letter typed by my partner. Same points as mine but try not to be too identical to the other. Signed by her aswell.
A cover letter from my mother (father deceased) explaining how she met Nicola and how she supports our relationship. She signed the bottom, scanned it and emailed it over to me.
A print out of my appointment booking and the payment receipt for the premium booking £1049,printed off.
A print out of the IHS surcharge receipt I was required to get. I am Australian and exempt from paying but its important to remember that even if you don't have to pay you still go through the process and get one.
I was asked for a receipt at the Home Office but I mentioned I was exempt because of my nationality and they accepted that.

The property we live in in London is owned by my partners parents and we do not pay rent so I provided a letter from them stating

- When we moved in
- Explaining we are the only occupants (which we are)
- We can continue living in the property on a permanent basis.....and rent free ( heres hoping  !)
They both signed the bottom and was dated etc
They could not locate the deed for the house so i went on google and paid £6 for the title register and title plan for the property which included their names and printed it off.
I also included photos of the property. bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room. I took these on my iphone and printed them off and labeled them. Note ( for all photos I printed I wrote a quick label underneath)

For my employment I am on salaried employment but earning a salary below the £18,600 (no dependents) threshold. However I earn commission which for the 12 months preceeding the application exceeds the amount they require.
It is important that if this is you you need to go under the CATEGORY B section of the form.
I submitted as evidence

12 original payslips 
12 electronic bank statements printed off with the front page of the statement and the page with my wage going in with EVERY PAGE STAMPED BY MY BANK. some banks are different I believe so it is important to either get a letter from the bank or a stamp on every page.
I had just recieved my P60 so I submitted that aswell.
I also had a letter from my work with their appropriate letterhead and stationery confirming

My permanent full time role and job title
When I started at the company
My annual salary and when its paid into my account ( last working day of the month)
My total gross pay for the year including the commission I earn and the period I earned it for ( 12 months preceeding the application. Please remember payslips and bank statements should be less than 28 days old. I believe they would need a more recent slip or statement if it is past the 28 days.
Because I earned the threshold by myself I explained in a cover letter why I left out my partner (who is working) off the form. This made it simpler. One of the Home Office people said this actually makes it easier for them.

For photos I submitted 31 (excessive I know) but these included photos with each others families and with friends and also holidays away. I have read 10 to 12 photos will do aswell.

I also submitted a print out of the to and return tickets from 2 of our holidays away to sparkle it up a bit.
We have two cats aswell so I printed off a copy of one of their vet bills and gave a photo of them together in the house. Not neccessary but humanises the application a bit more.

For documents to prove address we had nothing in joint names but we submitted the required 12 which was made up of 6 each from at least 3 different sources plus more (15 or so ) as evidence.
These included a bank statement from Australia and a utility bill from Australia and all relevant bills, NHS, HMRC docs Phone bill etc to cover our stay in the UK. There was a gap of 6 months in their somewhere as we lost some bills but we were still accepted regardless.
The application form requests and lists what you should provide.
We had bills up to about 2 or 3 weeks before the application.

I seperated the evidence into my pile and her pile with a cover letter on the front (signed) for each pile explaining the gap and also the move from Australia etc)

PLEASE NOTE

When I put the evidence together I put it in a folder and seperated each relevant section (proof of living, financial requirement etc) in a plastic cover slip and put a post it note labelling each section on the front. This makes it easier I assume for them as opposed to a graveyard pile of docs.


The appointment

Got there 20 minutes early. Went through airport styled security
Went to reception an handed over appointment print out and passport.
they gave me a ticket.
Went to waiting room.
Called us up to take some details and look at the form and (IT stuff) and put form in system.
Went back to waiting room
Called us up to go and take my biometrics and submit everything
Told us it will be 60 to 90 minutes.
30 minutes later got called up again and was told that we were accepted which they gave all documents back and also a letter of acceptance. BPR permit will be sent by post.

My partner cried and I almost put my head through the roof from jumping so high.

I cant stress enough that this is my experience and application and shouldnt be used intensively for your own application as each case is different. 
I ran myself into the ground doing this application and I regret that very much so.
The staff at the Croydon office were nice and remember they are human beings aswell. On the application form on section 8B i explained how much I love my partner and how we can't be apart (begging in other words) and I believe there will always be compassionate reasons for stay even though they have to go by the book. So as long as you meet the mandatory requirements ( finance etc ) there is always hope.

If you have any other questions or I have missed a section out that is on the form etc feel free to ask. The moderators on this site and the regulars are also the best people to ask. I rang the Home Office a few times to ask questions but on 1 or 2 occassions I got different answers from the same call centre. 

Good luck x


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Congratulations. For future reference for your next FLR (M), things you didn't need:



> Cover letter typed by me explaining our relationship. When we met, Where we met, Our goals and how we support each other. Signed at the bottom by myself
> 
> Cover letter typed by my partner. Same points as mine but try not to be too identical to the other. Signed by her aswell.


They aren't necessary for in person appointments.



> A cover letter from my mother (father deceased) explaining how she met Nicola and how she supports our relationship. She signed the bottom, scanned it and emailed it over to me.


Completely unnecessary. Letters from friends and family are subjective and carry no weight.



> I also included photos of the property. bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, living room. I took these on my iphone and printed them off and labeled them. Note ( for all photos I printed I wrote a quick label underneath)


Completely unnecessary.



> For photos I submitted 31 (excessive I know) but these included photos with each others families and with friends and also holidays away. I have read 10 to 12 photos will do aswell.


10-15 photos max.



> I also submitted a print out of the to and return tickets from 2 of our holidays away to sparkle it up a bit.


If you live together, evidence of taking trips together is unnecessary.



> We have two cats aswell so I printed off a copy of one of their vet bills and gave a photo of them together in the house. Not neccessary but humanises the application a bit more.


You just need to tick the boxes. Like letters of support from friends and family, this has zero impact.



> When I put the evidence together I put it in a folder and seperated each relevant section (proof of living, financial requirement etc) in a plastic cover slip and put a post it note labelling each section on the front. This makes it easier I assume for them as opposed to a graveyard pile of docs.


It actually doesn't. They know what they're looking for and things like labels, post its, folders, sleeves, etc just get in the way.  We recommend a stack of originals and a stack of copies in identical order each tied with string.

For in person appointments they are most interested in the financial information.


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## nighttrain33 (May 15, 2015)

Thanks for the reply Nyclon. I am aware now that a lot of the information provided was excessive. However at the time with the stress and reading forums it seems like the more the better. You reply is very informative and will help others, which was the point of the thread. Good luck to everyone.


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