# In a very hard situation please help( Spouse Visa)



## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

Dear expatforum members.

I am here to ask for your help because I have no where to turn to.

I will try to keep it short and precise, so please bear with me.

I am a British citizien and am living in London just graduated.. and in two jobs starting from april which earn me yearly 19k... 


my wife is in Turkey and we have been together for over 3 years now. We got married in January 2012. we have no kids..

the law changed recently.. and I am very worried about this. 

So here is my questions

1. Do I really need a solicitor to apply for a spouse visa? (they are asking £700 just for their assistance)

2. do I need to be at the visa appointment ? can i stay in London? or do I have to go to turkey to go for the visa appointment with her?

3. will she be liable for a interview? if she is i believe i need to be interviewed in someway or another.. i dont know so i am confused.

4. do i need originals of everything? i can provide 4 month payslips, and bank statements in original.. but I dont think I can send my passport to her.. can this be photocopied? if so how is this done? is it every page? in color?

5. we are both recent graduates, and she is a teacher.. will this be a plus for her application? or doesnt it really matter?

6. i only have just under 3k savings.. will this be ok? 


I hope someone with the knowledge can answer my questions.

I will be very grateful.. thanks in advance!!!


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

sorry to post again. finally, i wanted to say in my tenancy agreement it doesnt state the number of bedroom.. do i need to get another letter from landlord confirming this?


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

Well, the good news is that you appear to meet the financial requirement with no savings needed - provided you have been earning more than £18,600 per month for 6 months (which hopefully you will have by end September). Note that the UKBA will take the figure from your lowest month, so if there is a month where you were paid less than the required amount, you might need to delay your application until that particular month slips outside the 6-month consideration period.

You only need a solicitor if you envisage any real problems with your application (for example: if your wife has experienced any past problems with entering the UK or deportation, children are also involved or if there is any criminal record). Otherwise, you'll be fine applying yourselves and saving that money for visas or flights.

There won't be any interviews. Your wife will need her biometrics taken (photograph and fingerprints) but that's pretty straight forward.

Yes, you need originals of all paperwork - especially bank statements. That is very important. You say you only have 4 months, but you likely don't qualify as a sponsor yet anyway because you need to have been earning for a full 6 months (by then, you'll hopefully have all six months' worth of statements and pay slips).

Your wife's employment won't have any bearing on this application, though if she resumes work once in the UK, you can use both your incomes for subsequent visa applications.

You only need to send your wife a photocopy of your passport bio pages (page with photo and number) because the UKBA will be able to verify your information in their database.

Regarding your tenancy, if you are the only tenant, then I assume you don't need to worry about listing the number of bedrooms as there are only the two of you. Someone else will post if they believe you will, but I think you'll be okay without unless the documentary requirements state otherwise.


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

thank you so much for you reply..

but I had over the phone advice of solicitor.. he said I only needed 3 months payslips..

now I am more worried.. 

and as far i read on the border agency website.. it said 3 months payslip and statements minimum.

so is it 6 or 3 months?? someone with certain knowledge please confirm which one..


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

just to add i have 2 jobs


one since early 2000..

and one from april this year...


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## Majengo (Jul 24, 2012)

Hi, I was told 3 months worth but when the time came to send everything to the UK embassy (my wife is American) they asked for 6 months, all originals. In general, you probably can't give them too much information!


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

The rules have changed and your solicitor is out of date. Anyone on a settlement route prior to 9th July was indeed told that the absolute minimum for bank statements was 3 months (though it was better to aim for 6), but that has since changed. If you are going to pay a solicitor, find one who has a proper grasp of the changes (but DO consider whether you really need to be paying a solicitor at all as I mentioned earlier).

*The NEW rules demand that you prove you've received a salaried income (or held cash savings) for at least 6 months. * Obviously, you need documentary evidence to prove this, so you will need at least six months pay slips and statements. Three months will not be enough. For some people, they will need to provide 12 months of statements (UK sponsors working abroad for example, or people who have switched employers during their last 6 months), and self-employed people might need to provide up to two years worth of records. You have to keep in mind what the visa requirements are for your particular circumstances (e.g. using 6 months of employment income to meet the financial requirement) and then supply enough documents to prove this.

Edited to add: you need to start from the April 2012 job unless you were earning £18,600 or more alone in your first job. If you apply now and your old job was less, your application will be refused because you would not meet the financial requirement of 6 months pay or a savings top-up of many thousands.


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

thanks for your replies, i guess we will just have to wait..


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## missdollarbill (Feb 14, 2012)

*Good luck *



axl365 said:


> Dear expatforum members.
> 
> I am here to ask for your help because I have no where to turn to.
> 
> ...



I certainly can relate to this, I am Egyptian ,I recently got married to my British husband after 3 years and a half in a long distance relationship ,in which he used to come and visit, we also recently applied for the spouse visa so I can go and live with him, and I am waiting for it and I hope it will will be approved and turned up ASAP, now there 's a few points hope you could find the answers to your questions in them  :
1- we haven't hired a solicitor to apply for the visa, however you'll need a notarized copy of your passport to be sent to your wife as a proof of your age and citizenship , also you'll need to get some kind of a land registry if you own the house that your going to live with her in, if you're able to get that at any registry office then I don't think that you'd need a solicitor.

2- I went to the visa appointment alone as my husband was in the UK at the time but he sent me all the documents required from his side , you have to attach with the application some documents to prove that your relationship is genuine and it is not a sham marriage also you have to provide an evidence that you guys have physically met (eg: pictures of you together, phone bills if you guys were talking on the phone,some chat records from MSN or Skype to prove that you maintained contact throughout the 3 years of your relationship)

3- I wasn't interviewed, all I had to do was providing the documents and my biometric details at the visa application center, however in the application that she'll be filling there should be a question :if we wanted to interview you which language do you want to be interviewed in.

4- it is said that the original documents are required and as far as your passport you can have a notarized copy of it , as you won't able to send her your original passport. Keep in mind that you provide a photocopy of each document you guys present .

5- I am not sure if it could help or not, but golden rule is :if you think this is helpful for your application then provide it with the application. I myself am a graduate but I didn't attach anything to prove it, however I attached my CV with my application. 

6- it is always good to have savings,if she has savings then she needs to attach a bank statement of hers, if she has a job offer in the UK then she needs to provide it , you need to provide anything that proves that you're fully capable of supporting yourselves without any access to the public funds.

Also you guys need to visit UK border agency website and check how to apply from Turkey I'd post the link but they won't let me .

hope you found all the answers you need 

Best of luck


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

still waiting.. waiting sucks


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## missdollarbill (Feb 14, 2012)

Have you actually applied or still waiting to finish all the required documents?


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

missdollarbill im still waiting to fill 6 months..


guys, im gonna most likely change jobs soon, but the earning will remain above 19k.. do i have to wait another 6 months as someone suggested earlier? :S


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## WestCoastCanadianGirl (Mar 17, 2012)

axl365 said:


> missdollarbill im still waiting to fill 6 months..
> 
> 
> guys, im gonna most likely change jobs soon, but the earning will remain above 19k.. do i have to wait another 6 months as someone suggested earlier? :S


Yes, you'll have to wait 6 more months.

In regards to the passport, it is my understanding that you only need to send the bio information page and that it doesn't need to be notarised.... the UKBA has access to passport information database, so they can verify that bit of information.

Good luck to you.


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

axl365 said:


> missdollarbill im still waiting to fill 6 months..
> 
> 
> guys, im gonna most likely change jobs soon, but the earning will remain above 19k.. do i have to wait another 6 months as someone suggested earlier? :S


You have two choices...

1. Wait until you've earnt above the required amount in your new job for 6 months, OR...

2. If the average sum of all jobs you've held collectively over the last 12 months have averaged the required amount or greater, you can apply right away. Therefore, provided you've been employed for 12 months or more (with any number of employers) and *overall your average salary has been £18,600 or greater*, it won't matter if a couple of those months paid less than this in the 12-month period.


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## missdollarbill (Feb 14, 2012)

2farapart said:


> You have two choices...
> 
> 1. Wait until you've earnt above the required amount in your new job for 6 months, OR...
> 
> 2. If the average sum of all jobs you've held collectively over the last 12 months have averaged the required amount or greater, you can apply right away. Therefore, provided you've been employed for 12 months or more (with any number of employers) and *overall your average salary has been £18,600 or greater*, it won't matter if a couple of those months paid less than this in the 12-month period.



If you're talking about the pay slips they need 3 months only ,I think it will be quite helpful if you could enclose a letter from your employer stating that you are hired for the position that you're currently filling and you annual salary is x amount of money,and your hiring date . Also I heard that you could attache your P60 as a proof that you pay your taxes regularly.
Best of luck


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

missdollarbill said:


> If you're talking about the pay slips they need 3 months only


This is incorrect. 

Applicants must remember that _proof must be provided for the full period of employment they are trying to prove._ If you fit within Category A, then the minumum requirement is a full 6 months of wage slips. If the applicant is using Category B, then 12 months is required. 

From the Statement of Intent which documents the new rules and requirements from 9th July 2012:



> P60 (if this has been issued) and *wage slips for the six month period prior to the application, or as appropriate, for the 12 month period prior to the application*.


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## missdollarbill (Feb 14, 2012)

Ah!, new rules, sorry about that, the ones before 9th July said 3 months pay slips.
I thought the new rules were going for the total annual income, the criteria that determines that it is not a sham marriage, and the English and daily life test ( although I heard that is going to be effective starting October 2013)
but sorry again


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

missdollarbill said:


> Ah!, new rules, sorry about that, the ones before 9th July said 3 months pay slips.
> I thought the new rules were going for the total annual income, the criteria that determines that it is not a sham marriage, and the English and daily life test ( although I heard that is going to be effective starting October 2013)
> but sorry again


No worries at all. 

The new financial rules are horribly complex compared to the old (and all amusingly under the umbrella of "simplification"). The new rules can require 6 months, 12 months or even 2 years of income depending on its source (the latter being for some self-employed people). The evidence to support it can be equally horrible.

And that's before looking at the savings alternative! 

I for one am very grateful my partner made it under the old rules!


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

and i am depressed because we missed the deadline.. coz it took to long to get her passport..


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## missdollarbill (Feb 14, 2012)

@2farapart : how long did it take for you guys to get the visa after you applied?


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

Very quickly, but it was a little different for us for a few reasons...

Firstly, my partner was from Florida so was lucky enough to be able to apply via UKBA in New York (which is probably one of the fastest hubs in the world). Secondly, New York offered the 'premium service' option where they aim to turn around the application in 2 days (which we paid for), and thirdly, applications generally were much less than now (example: New York's regular service was only taking 3-4 days, making premium service appear a bit of a waste of money). So we got my partner's visa in around 48 hours from the point UKBA received the application.

Even for ultra-speedy US it's different now. What was 3-4 days is now averaging 19 days, so that's 6x slower than it was last December. I expect there is a backlog caused by the new rule changes (with a flood of applications trying to beat the deadline), staff cuts and also the Olympics. If the US is 6x slower, then potentially everywhere is a lot slower, including countries that normally take 60-90 days. Many countries aren't being very quick to update their current service timelines either - and any number taken prior to July is likely now unrealistic because of the possible July backlog (like Cairo's June stats).


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

any update on this? is it still the same 6 months ?


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## axl365 (Jul 24, 2012)

sux to be me


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## 2farapart (Aug 18, 2011)

Try to hang in there. Lots of people reaching the six-months point still haven't heard judging by the posts here, and I can only imagine that there are huge backlogs of applications still being waded through by UKBA. Rather than an expectation of 'within 6 months', it is becoming 'lucky if within 6 months'.


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