Newly Married from Pakistan - Spouse Visa for Wife Help

[asif3]

Hi - I'm a UK citizen and recently got married to my wife who lives in Pakistan.
I am hoping to go down the savings route to meet the financial requirement as I don't meet the £18,600 threshold and have only been in my new job for 3 months so don't want to wait a further 3 months as you have to be with the same employer for at least 6 months, so I read.
Anyway, before I start the process from my side, my wife is in the process of applying for her Pakistani passport. Once that is done, I believe she needs to do an English test and then a biometric assessment. Is that true? Does she also need to have a medical test or get a TB certificate?
The question I have is, having checked the list of English test providers on the UKBA website, the closest providers test centres are based in Islamabad. I have seen some test centres in Jhelum which will be a lot closer, but the test providers websites (all of them) have no test centres in Jhelum. Does that mean she will need to do her test in Islamabad as that is the closest city where the tests are held. Or can she go to one in Jhelum? Not sure if the Jhelum centres are associated partners or something of that sort.
Can someone please help me with whether there are test centres in Jhelum and what else needs to be done from her side.

Much appreciated

[CR001]

then a biometric assessment

This is done as part of her visa application, not before she applies and certainly not part of the language test.

get a TB certificate

She will most likely need this and it should be current at the time of her visa application.

the savings route

How much savings do you have and has it been held in your bank account for a minimum of 6 months?

[asif3]

Thanks for your reply.

I have £45,000 in my bank account for over £6 months and £20,000 in the form of premium bonds. Giving a total of £65,000 which exceeds the £62,500 threshold. Although the premium bonds are not instant access I can liquidate them into my bank account and prove that I have held them in the form of bonds for over 6 months.
So I am hoping that will be sufficient in terms of financial requirement.
From her side, she needs to do the English test, TB certificate and the biometric test which is part of the application process anyway – is there anything else ?
Do you know whether there are test centres in Jhelum my wife can go to instead of Islamabad?
Also, does anyone know how much I need to pay on top of the £885 application fee to get priority processing?

[Wanderer]

Not sure but I'd imagine the premium bonds would need to be liquidated first, wait six months then apply.

[Obie]

Unless the bonds will fall under Category C, you will have to wait for a period of 6 months after liquidation , for you to be able to use that funds under Category D.

If the bonds will fall under CAT C, then there will be no need to liquidate it.

[asif3]

Under paragraph 11A(c) funds held as cash savings by the applicant, their partner or both
jointly at the date of application can have been transferred from investments, stocks,
shares, bonds or trust funds within the period of 6 months prior to the date of application,
provided that:
(i) The funds have been in the ownership and under the control of the applicant, their
partner or both jointly for at least the period of 6 months prior to the date of application.

This is what is stated under cash savings. As I have them in bonds at the moment, can I not liquidate them and provide evidence of having held them in bonds for over 6 months prior to transferring them to my current bank account. Will that not suffice. I plan to go solely through the savings route of £62,500.

[Obie]

I fully accept . The period for which these funds were held in bonds will be counted once converted into saving.

However, you will need to demonstrate that this funds have been held for that period, and no downward changes has occurred over the period, it was held in the bonds or shares account.

[asif3]

Many thanks for the clarification, hopefully that means I do meet the financial requirement once I get the evidence collated together.
If that is ok then my next concern is what my wife needs to do from her side.
From her side, she needs to do the English test, TB certificate and the biometric test which is part of the application process anyway – is there anything else ?
Do you know whether there are test centres in Jhelum my wife can go to instead of Islamabad?
Also, does anyone know how much I need to pay on top of the £885 application fee to get priority processing?

[Wanderer]

Under paragraph 11A(c) funds held as cash savings by the applicant, their partner or both
jointly at the date of application can have been transferred from investments, stocks,
shares, bonds or trust funds within the period of 6 months prior to the date of application,
provided that:
(i) The funds have been in the ownership and under the control of the applicant, their
partner or both jointly for at least the period of 6 months prior to the date of application.

This is what is stated under cash savings. As I have them in bonds at the moment, can I not liquidate them and provide evidence of having held them in bonds for over 6 months prior to transferring them to my current bank account. Will that not suffice. I plan to go solely through the savings route of £62,500.

Your quoted reference quite plainly states the liquidated funds have to be liquid for the prior six month period, so no, such evidence will be discounted, along with the monies in question.

[asif3]

I have just read this too and believe it means the bonds I have as long as I can prove I have had them for over 6 months, I can liquidate them into my bank account at anytime before i submit my application providing I give evidence of it. , I hope I haven't misinterpreted.

7.4.9. This means that, where the cash savings have previously been held as investments
(including where they have been held in an investment account which does not meet the
requirements of paragraphs 11 and 11A(a)), stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds that were
owned by and under the control of the applicant, their partner or both jointly, this ownership
period can be counted towards the 6 month period. So money held as cash savings at the
date of application can have been liquidated or transferred by the same owner(s) from 52
investments and may have been held as investments for the first part of the period of 6
months prior to the date of application and as cash savings for the rest of that 6 month
period (see the table in 7.4.3. for a summary of the cash savings requirements). Evidence
must be provided showing that:
 The investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds were in the ownership and
under the control of the applicant, their partner or both jointly for that part of the 6
month period prior to the date of application before they were liquidated into cash
savings;
 The value of the investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds at or before the
beginning of that 6 month period was at least equivalent to the amount of the cash
savings relied upon in the application; and
 The cash savings meet the requirements of Appendix FM-SE.
If this evidence is not provided, the cash savings previously held as investments, stocks,
shares, bonds or trust funds cannot be counted towards the financial requirement.

[Obie]

My understanding of the law, is that you will need to demonstrate, that the sum in the bond has been held for 6 months. If that can be demonstrated, then that period can be counted towards the Category D period for 6 months.

Provided of course the value has not changed to a lower level over the 6 months period.

You may need to write and explain everything and the law on a cover letter, or like Wanderer, an ECO may get confused.

I was under the same impression until i read the law.

[Wanderer]

My understanding of the law, is that you will need to demonstrate, that the sum in the bond has been held for 6 months. If that can be demonstrated, then that period can be counted towards the Category D period for 6 months.

Provided of course the value has not changed to a lower level over the 6 months period.

You may need to write and explain everything and the law on a cover letter, or like Wanderer, an ECO may get confused.

I was under the same impression until i read the law.

I think I agree!

But I read it as the funds in question must have been in control of the owner for 12 months in total prior to date of application, but that control can be an initial six months in bonds, and the latter six months in cash as liquidated.

However, I'm on the train and the ride is bouncy I'm struggling to read the page!

[asif3]

Hi,

The savings I have in my premium bonds which I will move to my current account are £20k. So my current account will then have £65k (40k is already in current account).



"7.4.9
Evidence must be provided showing that:
The value of the investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds at or before the beginning of that 6 month period was at least equivalent to the amount of the cash savings relied upon in the application;"

The question is, will this suffice in me meeting the financial requirement as I have held the savings for 6 months, albeit part of it in premium bonds. The money from the bonds alone will not be equivalent to the amount of cash savings relied on in the application so I am worried (because of the wording above) that they may only consider my £20k and not the 45k in the bank.

[Obie]

You need to probably detail all the facts, and provide a written statement, of any requirements you are not able to meet and ask for discretion to be exercised in your favour.

You need to go through Appendix FM-SE and the who of E-ECP. And ensure all the requirements are met.

Otherwise you risk a refusal and possibly an extended appeal.

[asif3]

Thanks - Has anyone applied on CAT D alone with only savings of £62,500 but have used part of the savings which you had to transfer from investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds?

[asif3]

Can anyone help with this please?

I am at a loss to understand why they would add this clause to cat D savings

7.4.9. This means that, where the cash savings have previously been held as investments (including where they have been held in an investment account which does not meet the requirements of paragraphs 11 and 11A(a)), stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds that were owned by and under the control of the applicant, their partner or both jointly, this ownership period can be counted towards the 6 month period. So money held as cash savings at the date of application can have been liquidated or transferred by the same owner(s) from
52


investments and may have been held as investments for the first part of the period of 6 months prior to the date of application and as cash savings for the rest of that 6 month period (see the table in 7.4.3. for a summary of the cash savings requirements). Evidence must be provided showing that:
• The value of the investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds at or before the beginning of that 6 month period was at least equivalent to the amount of the cash savings relied upon in the application; and

[asif3]

please can someone confirm whether I do or don't meet the financial requirement because of .......

"The value of the investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds at or before the beginning of that 6 month period was at least equivalent to the amount of the cash savings relied upon in the application"