# Tier 5 to Spouse Visa



## tier5aussie (Jan 31, 2012)

Hi

My partner is British and I am from Australia currently living in the UK on a Tier 5 visa. My visa expires mid-July and we are wanting to get married. 

My question is, can I apply with only a few months left on my current visa? Also, anyone who has an idea of processing times when applying from within the uk would be great!

Thanks


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

tier5aussie said:


> Hi
> 
> My partner is British and I am from Australia currently living in the UK on a Tier 5 visa. My visa expires mid-July and we are wanting to get married.
> 
> My question is, can I apply with only a few months left on my current visa? Also, anyone who has an idea of processing times when applying from within the uk would be great!


You can get married on your current visa and then apply for further leave to remain (FLR) as spouse. If you pay £300 extra (£850 instead of £550) for same-day premium service, you should get your FLR on the same day, though a biometric residence permit will be posted to you a few days later. If there are some issues with your application, such as inadequate funds, housing or question mark over your relationship, they won't process on the same day and ask you to post it instead, which can take 3-4 months (but meanwhile you can stay and work in UK). You will of course correct whatever is defective in your application before sending it off.


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## tier5aussie (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks Joppa - if I apply without using the premium service what is the time frame? Presuming that my application is straight forward without any corrections!


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## Liz in UK (Jul 31, 2011)

tier5aussie said:


> Thanks Joppa - if I apply without using the premium service what is the time frame? Presuming that my application is straight forward without any corrections!


I applied premium service in November. There was a 4 week waiting period to get an appointment at that time. But my appointment was at 11:30 am and I had a decision by 4:00 pm.

Whoops, just noticed you said WITHOUT using premium service. I'm not sure on that, and will let Joppa answer, but I would assume 3-4 months.


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## tier5aussie (Jan 31, 2012)

Thanks Liz - looks like premium is probably £300 extra well spent!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

tier5aussie said:


> Thanks Joppa - if I apply without using the premium service what is the time frame? Presuming that my application is straight forward without any corrections!


Still 3-4 months, so extra £300 is well worth it for peace of mind, eligibility to work and ability to travel abroad.


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## tier5aussie (Jan 31, 2012)

Liz, 

Can I ask what kind of documents you supplied to show proof of the relationship? Was it just a marriage certificate? 

Thank you both for your help!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

tier5aussie said:


> Liz,
> 
> Can I ask what kind of documents you supplied to show proof of the relationship? Was it just a marriage certificate?
> 
> Thank you both for your help!


You should give a timeline of your realtionship, from when you first made contact and met, your growing feeling for each other, your engagement and marriage, and hope for the future. Enclose photos together, with other people (like parents and friends), trips together (tickets, hotel receipts etc) and joint financial responsibility like jt tenancy, jt bank account and insurance policies. A letter from each of you describing briefly the relationshiop from your point of view is good too. Some enclose supporting letters from parents, in-laws etc.


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## Liz in UK (Jul 31, 2011)

Joppa pretty much summed it up. I was already in the UK on a fiancee visa when I applied for FLR(M) premium service, so for my fiancee visa, my (now)husband and I each submitted a letter with a timeline and details of our relationship, including our decision to become engaged and our tentative wedding plans. Each set of parents also submitted a letter detailing when visits had been made and when his parents and I met and vice versa. We submitted a few photos of us together from the time we met up to the most recent visit, spanning our entire relationship. For this visa, some people also send in things like birthday/valentine's day/Christmas cards or letters that you have exchanged

When it was time to apply for FLR(M) we submitted our marriage certificate, bank statements for a joint bank account as well as statements for our personal accounts with the same address, wedding photos - including photos with family and friends, not just the two of us. I also opted to change my name, so the passport I submitted was in my married name, as were my bank statements. (But changing your name isn't compulsory.)

No two applications will be the same, so submit what you think will prove your relationship is genuine. Some things you submit, like marriage certificate, will be required for all cases, while other things will vary from couple to couple and you can use your discretion.


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## jetrogers (Mar 22, 2014)

*Further Help T5 to Unmarried Spouse*



Liz in UK said:


> Joppa pretty much summed it up. I was already in the UK on a fiancee visa when I applied for FLR(M) premium service, so for my fiancee visa, my (now)husband and I each submitted a letter with a timeline and details of our relationship, including our decision to become engaged and our tentative wedding plans. Each set of parents also submitted a letter detailing when visits had been made and when his parents and I met and vice versa. We submitted a few photos of us together from the time we met up to the most recent visit, spanning our entire relationship. For this visa, some people also send in things like birthday/valentine's day/Christmas cards or letters that you have exchanged
> 
> When it was time to apply for FLR(M) we submitted our marriage certificate, bank statements for a joint bank account as well as statements for our personal accounts with the same address, wedding photos - including photos with family and friends, not just the two of us. I also opted to change my name, so the passport I submitted was in my married name, as were my bank statements. (But changing your name isn't compulsory.)
> 
> No two applications will be the same, so submit what you think will prove your relationship is genuine. Some things you submit, like marriage certificate, will be required for all cases, while other things will vary from couple to couple and you can use your discretion.



Loads of great info here, so I hope I'm not asking for too much repetition here!

I have a T5 Youth Mobility - valid for 2 yrs, with 6 months remaining. I moved in with my boyfriend immediately upon moving to the UK, and we have supporting documentation to prove this.

We would like to to the Unmarried Partner Spouse visa (which requires that we have lived together for 2yrs). However, we will only reach this 2yr threshold almost on the day that the T5 visa expires.

What's the best plan here to switch across without having to leave the UK? Can we apply before the 2yr date has been reached? Some posters here have recommended a Same Day Service, so presumably applying once (or very close to?) the 2yr living together threshold has been met. Is this quite a high risk strategy? For example if this same day service didn't work, would I need to leave the country immediately..?

Any advice or pointers would be hugely appreciated!


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