Spouse Visa - VAF4A appendix 2 questions

[smartawan]

Hi and thanks to everyone for their support.

I am a UK citizen (sponsor) and applying for my wife to join me in the UK. We'll be submitting online application towards the end of May-17 as my last bank statement will be generated on the 21st May 2017. I'm doing the "worked for 6 months over £18,6000 salary" route.

I have few questions related to the the VAF4A appnedix 2 form and unsure about how to answer them:

1.27 - Does your sponsor have any children ?
I have previously done nikah (religious ceremony) with a British citizen living in the UK. There was no marriage done in the register office etc and I am separated from this women now. I have two children from this relationship who are British citizens and living in the UK. I have included full name, Nationality as British and their date of birth for an answer to this question. Is this correct ?

1.28 - Is your sponsor responsible for supporting anyone financially, including any children listed above?
Question asks How much is spent per month for each child. I am currently paying money directly into my ex partner's bank account as per the advice from Child maintenance service. This amounts to £141.12 every month. But the question asks me to give individual figure for each child and I don't pay it as individual for each child. I am paying a total figure of £141.12 for both the children. Am I right to put a figure next to each child as £70.56 (141.12/2) ?

Moreover, would having the above financial commitment mean that I have to show a salary of more than £18,600 or not ?

3.11 - What is your sponsor’s annual income from this employment before tax?
My job has a fixed salary of £20,000 per annum and I will include that figure in this box. I will also include my bank statements from 19 Nov 2016 to 21 May 2017 along with a letter from Employer. My salary deposits are on below dates:

30-11-2016 £1,398.35
30-12-2016 £1,380.35
31-01-2017 £1,351.08
27-02-2017 £1,756.54
31-03-2017 £1,306.77
28-04-2017 waiting to be paid

Each month wage slips shows 'SALS 1EE salaries' as £1,666.67 which is more than the required amount of £1,550 except for Mar-17. In March I was off sick for one day and employer didn't pay for that one day. This means my gross salary for that month was down to £1,589.79 (1666.67-76.88). My Feb-17 salary was higher due to a one-off overtime and it's not done on any other months. As I was still over the £1,550 for all six months so does this look okay ?

3.12 - Has your sponsor been in employment with the same employer and earning the amount, as detailed in 3.11 above, continuously for 6 months prior to the date of the application? (Category A)

I have been with same employer for over 6 months but due to the sick day in Mar-17, I haven't earned the same amount as entered in 3.11 box (£20,000). How would I answer this ?
Should I amend the amount in 3.11 to £19,923.12 (20000-76.88) and then say yes or is there a different way to answer this part.

Passport bio pages sponsor - I have been traveling to meet my wife in her country of origin, using my British passport in Jul-16, Oct-16 and Feb-17. I have visa stamps for Entry/exit for all these visits. But, I have recently renewed my passport last week and now I have a new picture on the new passport, but this new passport have no stamped pages. Would it be better to include certified copies of the bio data page from both passports and the visa entry stamp pages from old passport? Or should I just use one bio data page from new passport (as this shows my appearance more similar to the wedding pictures) and just the visa entry stamp pages from old passport.
I can also send the old passport with the visa documents at the time of submission, as this has had the top corner cut off and not of any use to me now. Would this be better option and then just do one certified copy of the bio data page from my new passport ?

Job location
My job is based 110 miles away from my parent's house. For example my parents live in Leicester and job is in London. My bank statements, wages slips, housing survey report and all the other documents show Leicester address. I work Monday to Friday and just go to London during the week (rent a small room in shared accommodation). I then travel back to Leicester on most weekends. Would the ECO get picky on why all my papers are showing Leicester address apart from Employer's letter. Would they ask to clarify how I can be living and commuting 110 miles away on daily basis and then expect me to show some evidence of renting the small room etc in London.

[smartawan]

Anybody know answer to any of the questions at all ?

[smartawan]

Is my query in the wrong forum or nobody can help me in this situation

[seagul]

In order to get the answer you should read the guidance notes at the end of form. Regarding your wages are concerned then safer option will be to rely on category A non-salaried where the aggregation of last 6 months average wages is being used to calculate the annual wages. Otherwise if you claimed as salaried person then the lower amount which had earned in March the HO will use to calculate the annual wages which will fail you to meet the required financial threshold.
Regarding accomodation HO maynot like that you are working 110 miles away from your main home where your partner will live despite in general life a lot people do that. Maybe by attaching the proof as how you travelled there may work but preferably try to show the accomodation near your work which can even be offered by your relative/friend etc.

[smartawan]

Thanks for your kind response Seagul. I have already read through the guidance notes and still unsure about the child maintenance part (and affects on this for meeting financial requirements).

Also your response about using non-salaried route is based on Mar-17 lower salary. But that's not what has happened. My gross salary for Mar-17 is £1,589.79 (1666.67-76.88) so I am unsure how I fail to meet the required threshold.

I have noted your point about the Location and I also thought that would be the case.

Is there anyone else with similar experience, who can give any guidance please.

[Jem0811]

Hi
I am on here asking questions as you are, so no expert, but I am almost certain that your maintenance payments will not affect you meeting the financial requirements. The requirement does not take into account the sponsor's outgoings, which is why a lot of people feel it is unfair. For example, someone may earn below the minimum income requirement, but may be paying little in household costs etc. Another person may earn way above the minimum, but have huge outgoings. Therefore, the person on the lower income may have more surplus income to support their partner, but would be refused. So as long as you meet the minimum income requirements, you need not worry. Hope this helps.

[smartawan]

Thanks for your helpful response Jem0811.

Is there anyone who has shown their job being such long distance (110 miles away) from the accommodation address, and what was the outcome of it ?