Pay slip question

[beatboy]

Hi all

My wife is applying for the spouse visa from Ecuador. I am the sponsor and I work in Ecuador. My monthly salary comes out at $2401 US per month (this is exactly the same on every pay slip) which depending on conversion rates on a particular day either puts me above or below the 18,600GBP threshold over a 12 month period. Obviously this is a dangerous game to play as I cannot apply for the visa until the end of the month and who knows if the conversion rate on the day of application will put me above or below the correct threshold figure.

Because of Ecuadorian labor, I am entitled to two bonuses payments every year in May (for $595) and December (a month's salary). Taking into account these bonus payments which I have received will put me in the clear and pretty much guarantee that I can pass the threshold no matter the conversion rates. However, because of a quirk of Ecuadorian labor law and my work's payment system, these bonuses do not appear on my pay slips for the applicable months. Work have offered to confirm these extra payments (which can also be seen in my bank statements) in my employment letter and provide a different form of receipt but there is no way to get them included on a payslip.

Does anyone know if these exta payments will be considered since they are NOT in my payslips? Also, I´m still not sure if I should apply under CAT A or B. I'm CAT A because I've been with the same employer for over 6 months, earn the same amount every month (according to my payslip anyway) but I could be CAT B because of the bonus payments, but they aren't included on my payslips. Obviously I will explain all of this in the section 5 of my application but would appreciate some second opinions on it. Thanks.

[kaakakow]

Your best choice is to try and secure a job in the UK that could earn you over £18600 for your wife to qualify. If you are living and working in Ecuador, then your other choice will be to go through the cash saving requirement.

[Rayking]

It won't I'm afraid and I don't think any letter from your employer will convince them either. But you can try your luck.

[beatboy]

As a second back up, I also have 25,000 savings (held in my bank account for the last 6 months) to meet the criteria on CAT A or B plus D.

So an option could be to include all my savings evidence, try the salary route first and then have the savings as a back up? I'm worried that this would then start to confuse the ECO though.

[beatboy]

I meant to add to my post above that the annoying thing is that my salary comes out at over 22,000 GBP with all my fringe benefits but they don't all appear on my payslip - the only place they appear is on my Ecuadorian equivalent of a P60. This is apparently the norm for Ecuadorian institutions. And the extra annoying thing is that my application gets sent to Colombia's consulate (there is no visa service in Ecuador now) so they will probably have little local knoweldge of Ecuadorian labor law.

[Rayking]

Did you explain this with additional information? With your savings I think you should be fine,which means you're using cat A + D.
Just be positive, I know you've put a lot in to then worry about this,it's going alright Ok.

[beatboy]

Did you explain this with additional information? With your savings I think you should be fine,which means you're using cat A + D.
Just be positive, I know you've put a lot in to then worry about this,it's going alright Ok.

Thanks for the positive vibes! It's what I need right now. I've been studying every aspect of our application for over 12 months and the closer I get close to the application date , the more nervous I'm becoming and the more its stressing me out. I always wanted to apply on salary alone as I've not heard of many other cases (maybe you have) where applicants applying from outside the UK have had a visa granted when they combine salary and savings. I'm just paranoid that they will find *something* however well planned and organized I am.

[Rayking]

Of course,check it well,you'll see people that combined job with savings,even those that used only savings.
As long as it's clearly stated, you you'll be fine,you just gonna stress yourself out for weeks,just be positive Ok.

[beatboy]

Of course,check it well,you'll see people that combined job with savings,even those that used only savings.
As long as it's clearly stated, you you'll be fine,you just gonna stress yourself out for weeks,just be positive Ok.

Thanks. One more slightly related question....I'm confused about the 28 day rule for financial documents. Do our documents have to be no more than 28 days old at the time of online submission OR no more than 28 days old at the time of the biometrics appointment? The latter worries me since in Ecuador there are so few appointments (roughly 2 a month) and I have no idea when we will get an appointment. Having looked online, I've seen people be 100% sure that the date is at online submission (when you pay for it) and in contrast some people are certain that its 28 days before the biometrics submission. I've emailed the Home Office and hopefully I will get a reply but it would be good to know how other people have done this.

[beatboy]

Bump. Hoping Rayking or another senior member can help me out with my last question.

[Rayking]

Shouldn't be more than 28 days of biometrics which I think is the day you'll submit too. Your financial documents, most especially last pay slip, bank statements and employer's letter shouldn't be older than 28 days.
I actually thought you've submitted? It important you write an additional note to explain everything about your finances and explain whatsoever might not be clear before submitting if you haven't.

[SoHopeful]

28 days prior to application date which is whenever the application was paid for.

[beatboy]

Shouldn't be more than 28 days of biometrics which I think is the day you'll submit too. Your financial documents, most especially last pay slip, bank statements and employer's letter shouldn't be older than 28 days.
I actually thought you've submitted? It important you write an additional note to explain everything about your finances and explain whatsoever might not be clear before submitting if you haven't.

Now I understand more why you were telling me to be calm! Thanks for the tip about the additional note, will definitely do that now. We are applying at the end of the month so just getting everything into place now.

To confirm, if I submit the online application on the 25th January, will they still accept any financial documents produced after this date, collated before my biometrics? For example, my final Ecuadorian payslip will be paid in on 1st Feb and then we will need to get another bank statement printed but I definitely plan to apply around the 25th to make sure we get an appointment. Also the last date of my UK bank statement which is which being sent to me from the UK will be dated 24th January. So some financial documents will be before online submission and some afterwards, but both within 28 days. That's OK isn't it?

[Rayking]

25th of January to 1st of February is just 5days interval, that's fine,as long as it's within 28 days before submitting your documents and all that.