Spouse visa application

[gemology]

Hi All,

I am wondering whether anyone can offer guidance on whether an ECO is likely to be concerned with the length of a relationship when making a decision about a spouse visa.

My US citizen wife and I (UK citizen) have been together 10 months in total and are madly in love, desperate to be together, and planning to submit our visa application at the end of June.

A timeline of our relationship is as follows:
Met online June 2014
In a relationship 10th Aug 2014
Applied visitor visa Dec 2014
Refused visitor visa Jan 2014
First visit Nov 2014
Second visit Mar 2015
Engaged Mar 2015 (during second visit)
Married 13th May 2015 in the US on my third visit
Plan to submit visa app online 27th June

I am able to provide all the evidence required in terms of accommodation, finances etc as sponsor. We have plenty of proof of our ongoing relationship, from August 2014 including Skype, Viber, Facebook, visit evidence, correspondence with her family and plenty of photos from my visits and our wedding.

The wedding was organised quickly and as such was a casual affair in the US with only her family and family friends present. My family couldn't attend due to the cost and not being able to get time off work. We were married at the local courthouse by a Judge (with some members of her close family present) and had a reception with around 30 guests including all of her family. We had dresses, hair done etc but guests wore casual clothes. The venue was decorated with the usual wedding stuff, we had a wedding cake etc. Will it be an issue that the event wasn't more formal?

We are finding it very difficult to be apart and as such would like to apply for the visa as soon as possible but obviously don't want to apply if our short relationship timescale might jeopardize the application.

Any thoughts or experience would be welcomed.

Thank you

[gemology]

I rent through a well known agency in my area. Unfortunately the Tenancy Agreement doesn't say anything about the size or type of property. I have asked the letting agent to give details about the flat being 2 bedroom with large living room etc. in the letter they give confirming that my wife can live with me, which they will have ready within the next week or so.

My tenancy agreement ends on 28th July but I have asked the agent to include in the letter that the landlord gives permission for me to renew my tenancy. Do you think this will be an issue?

Thank you very much for the help

[CR001]

The Agents letter should be sufficient with your tenancy agreement.

[gemology]

Thanks CR001.

I'm just very nervous about not submitting something that in this case might only cost £100, and could end up with the application being refused.

I have also prepared a Word document with a description and photos of the property and could supply my copy of the move-in inventory (although I think that might be overkill).

What do you think?

[CR001]

Agency letter and photos plus tenancy agreement should be sufficient.

[gemology]

Ok thank you CR001 - that's one less thing less to worry about organising!

[Casa]

There's no requirement for lengthy relationship, only evidence of a genuine one. Neither do you need to show a formal wedding celebration.
Ensure however that as the sponsor you meet the financial condition of annual earnings of at least £18,600 as this is mandatory. Only savings over £16,000 (held in an accessible account for 6 months) will be considered to make up a shortfall.
Your wife will also have to pay the new NHS surcharge of £600 before submitting the spouse settlement visa, in addition to the £956 visa fee.

[PariJ]

that should be fine, as long you have supporting documentations to prove the relationship is genuine and subsisting,

Attached below are the list i submitted for Marriage & Subsisting relationship ,hope this helps.

1. Marriage
Item Document
1 Marriage Certificate
2 Wedding Cards
3 Photographs
4 Screenshots from Facebook page

2. Subsisting Relationship*
Item Document
4 Facebook Messenger chat
5 What’s app Chat
6 Skype Chat
7 Bank Statements (Joint account)
8 Phone Call History
9 Email Conversations
10 Gift Receipts
11 Travel Tickets
12 Photographs of First Meet
13 Post Marriage Photographs

3.Additional document
Copy of Sponors Passport pages with immigration Stamps

[gemology]

There's no requirement for lengthy relationship, only evidence of a genuine one. Neither do you need to show a formal wedding celebration.
Ensure however that as the sponsor you meet the financial condition of annual earnings of at least £18,600 as this is mandatory. Only savings over £16,000 (held in an accessible account for 6 months) will be considered to make up a shortfall.
Your wife will also have to pay the new NHS surcharge of £600 before submitting the spouse settlement visa, in addition to the £956 visa fee.

Thanks Casa.

Yes I satisfy both the '£18,600 annual income' and the 'over £16,000 accessible savings for 6 months' criteria. I intend to supply evidence for both via stamped bank statements and payslips, plus my contract and a letter from my employer.

I am aware of the £600 NHS surcharge in addition to the visa fee, but thanks for the reminder

[gemology]

that should be fine, as long you have supporting documentations to prove the relationship is genuine and subsisting,

Attached below are the list i submitted for Marriage & Subsisting relationship ,hope this helps.

1. Marriage
Item Document
1 Marriage Certificate
2 Wedding Cards
3 Photographs
4 Screenshots from Facebook page

2. Subsisting Relationship*
Item Document
4 Facebook Messenger chat
5 What’s app Chat
6 Skype Chat
7 Bank Statements (Joint account)
8 Phone Call History
9 Email Conversations
10 Gift Receipts
11 Travel Tickets
12 Photographs of First Meet
13 Post Marriage Photographs

3.Additional document
Copy of Sponors Passport pages with immigration Stamps

Thank you PariJ, very helpful.

How long did you wait for a decision on the visa?

[gemology]

Also PariJ, just wondering what documents you supplied regarding accommodation for you and your spouse?

[PariJ]

1)Tenancy Agreement
2)No Objection letter from property agent (on behalf of Landlord) for my spouse to stay.
3)Council Tax Statement
4)Utility Bill(credit card ,electricity etc)
5)Photographs of the property.

I am sole lease holder of the property.If you are living in shared accomodation,then property inspection report is mandatory.

[gemology]

1)Tenancy Agreement
2)No Objection letter from property agent (on behalf of Landlord) for my spouse to stay.
3)Council Tax Statement
4)Utility Bill(credit card ,electricity etc)
5)Photographs of the property.

I am sole lease holder of the property.If you are living in shared accomodation,then property inspection report is mandatory.

That's really useful thank you. I'm in the same situation as you regarding accommodation and was planning to provide the documents you mention above. It's good to know that they should be enough

[gemology]

Hi All,

I'm sponsoring my wife to apply for a spouse visa to live wit me in the UK.

Do I have to submit my P60 along with my banks statements, pay slips etc?

My current employer has provided me with a P60 ending Apr 2015 but it doesn't include any earnings from my previous job, which I left a few months into the tax year. My current employer will not alter my P60 and says I should just use my P45 from my last employer to demonstrate those previous earnings.

Will an ECO accept this to demonstrate my annual earnings?

Please help if you can, we intend to submit the application by 27th June - I'm already beginning to collect the documentation which is subject to the 28 day rule.

Thanks very much

[gemology]

Please, if anyone can help I'd be really grateful.

Will my P60 (earnings from my current job only for the last tax year) and my P45 (earnings from my previous job which ended July 2014) be acceptable for the ECO as proof of my annual income for the last tax year?

I can't get a new P60 to include the earnings from my previous job.

Thank you.

[gemology]

Hi All,

My wife has been filling out the online application for her spouse visa.

She is worrying about the 'what is your monthly income' question and why they ask that in the online application when it's assessed on the sponsor's income.

She is paranoid that the ECO will think her monthly income of around $750 is low and she doesn't have a good job so has married me and is looking to come to the UK just for money.

I have tried assuring her that the application is assessed on my finances which meet all the requirements, and we have plenty of proof of our ongoing committed relationship. However I'm not able to explain why the online application wants to know her monthly income.

Is anyone able to shed some light on why they need to know her monthly income? I'd like to be able to put her mind at rest that it doesn't jeopardize our application.

Thank you

[gemology]

Hi All,

I'm sorry if this post is a little irritating but my wife and I are about to submit our online application for a Spouse visa.

We do not have any friends or family who are willing or able to objectively review the documentation that we plan to submit. As such I would be eternally grateful if those members with experience of the process could check the list of documents we have collected and let me know if anything is missing.

My wife is currently quite ill (hopefully not a serious long term condition), as such I am desperate to ensure that this application is approved, as quickly as possible. She does have someone who is able to take her to the required biomentrics appointment.

Thank you in advance for your help; list of docs is below.

List of Documents to submit with Visa

Visa forms
1. Printed copy of VAF4A
2. Appendix 2 of VAF4A applying as spouse

General
1. Applicant’s statement (signed)
2. Sponsor’s statement (signed)
3. Sponsor’s notarised full colour copy of passport

Applicant’s documents
1. Passport
2. 2 passport photos
3. Pay slips (6 months, original) and excel summary for monthly earnings
4. Letter from employer confirming employment dates and salary (original)
5. Docs relating to Misdemeanor (original)
6. Docs showing finalisation of Divorce (original)

Sponsor’s Financial Documents
1. Bank Statements (12 months, stamped by bank)
2. Payslips (12 months, stamped by employer)
3. P60 and P45 (originals)
4. Employment contract and extension letter (originals)
5. Letter from employer confirming employment details and authenticity of payslips (original)
6. Summary page from ISA showing cash savings (stamped by bank) plus signed declaration of sources of cash (held for 12 months plus)

Accommodation
1. Tenancy agreement (original)
2. Letting agent’s property check (condition and cleanliness, includes photos) (original)
3. Letter from Letting Agents on behalf of landlord confirming sponsor’s ongoing tenancy, no overcrowding and permission for Applicant to live there (original)
4. Council Tax bills (original)
5. Utility bills (gas, elec, water, internet) (originals)

Marriage
1. Marriage Certificate (original)
2. Wedding Cards
3. Wedding photos
4. Wedding posts on Facebook
5. Receipts for dresses, rings, wedding accessories (original)

Proof of relationship
1. Flights and hotel payment evidence for all 3 visits (including original boarding passes for flights)
2. Photos from all 3 visits
3. Evidence of a money transfer from Sponsor to Applicant
4. A few emails
5. Viber calls and messages
6. Full Skype call logs
7. Facebook screenshots
8. Kik conversations
9. Twitter messages
10. Text messages

[PariJ]

looks okay, except..

-tb certificate
-supporting doc for English language requirement
-Include IHS number in your cover letter

[gemology]

Hi PariJ,

Thanks for reviewing my list and for your suggestions. However as my wife is a US citizen we don't need a TB certificate or anything to support English Language requirement.

I don't know what the IHS number is that you refer to - I guess this might not be applicable to an application from the USA - if not please let me know.

Cheers!

[Casa]

Your wife will have to pay the new NHS surcharge of £600 online before submitting the visa application. The payment will raise an IHS number which will need to be given in the visa application. The surcharge is in addition to the £956 visa fee and will cover the period of her first 2.5 year visa.
NHS surcharge = National Health Surcharge

[gemology]

Thanks Casa.

I was aware of the NHS surcharge of £600, but not the IHS number part, so thanks for the clarification.

Other than this, does the documentary evidence look ok?

[Casa]

It looks fine to me.

[gemology]

Hi Everyone,

I get my bank statement on the 12th of each month. My payslips are between 23rd and 25th of each month.

As such I was going to submit my June 12th bank statement and my June 24th payslip.

Will it be an issue that the bank statement will not show the June wages entering my bank, it shows the May wages?

Do I need to wait until I get my 12th July bank statement to show the June wages? If so I'll have to have my passport re-notarised and my landlord letter redone as they will fall outside of the 28 day rule.

I am providing 12 months of bank statements and 12 months of payslips.

Please help! I had a timeline planned and wanted to submit the online application on June 30th - this realisation has thrown a spanner in the works!

Thank you

[SoHopeful]

You must have a bank statement showing the payment for each payslip you are relying on for the application. You will need to wait until your June salary is on the statement or rely on December's pay if you were earning enough then.

[gemology]

Thanks for the information SoHopeful - much appreciated.

I was earning over the £18,600 threshold in Dec but I had a slight payrise in Jan - does this mean I should wait for the July bank statements showing my June wages entering my bank account?