Documents to Sheffield and Biometrics Appointment

[ma272]

Hi All

I am new to joing this forum but have found something useful things whilst doing my application for a spouse visa for my wife in Pakistan.

I recently applied online on behalf of my wife and my wife will have her biometrics appointment on Thursday and after (definitely within 2 weeks) I will be sending off relevant documents to Sheffield. I have a number of questions which I hope this community can answer (some may be silly so bare with me!)

1) When my wife attends her biometric appointment does she need to take anything else apart from - the printout of the online application, current and previous passports, copy of IHS confirmation, copy of online visa submission and copy of priority visa payments?

2) In the email once application was submitted it stated that Documents should be arranged in this order: “Application form, Appendix2,English language evidence, Relationship documents, Maintenance and Accommodation documents. Once a decision has been made your passport will be returned to the VAC.” It does not mention TB certificate and where would a letter from the sponsor go?

3) There is a slight issue with my bank statements - the address of my payslips has always been in Bristol however due to convenience I always kept my bank statements using my parent’s Birmingham address - this only changed last month therefore there will be one month statement with my Bristol address and rest will be Birmingham. Payslip amounts will match with bank statements but is there anything I need to do?

4) Appendix 2 - it asks when your relationship starts which is tough to pinpoint. I married my maternal cousin and we would keep in touch about once every 6 months from 2005 through our parents. Would 2005 be an acceptable date?

5) is there a particular post service people recommend for sending the documents and for return of original documents from Sheffield?

Apologies for the many questions - this application has been more stressful then I could have ever envisaged!

Thanks in advance!

[metanoia]

Hi All

I am new to joing this forum but have found something useful things whilst doing my application for a spouse visa for my wife in Pakistan.

I recently applied online on behalf of my wife and my wife will have her biometrics appointment on Thursday and after (definitely within 2 weeks) I will be sending off relevant documents to Sheffield. I have a number of questions which I hope this community can answer (some may be silly so bare with me!)

1) When my wife attends her biometric appointment does she need to take anything else apart from - the printout of the online application, current and previous passports, copy of IHS confirmation, copy of online visa submission and copy of priority visa payments?
all of the above + appointment confirmation


2) In the email once application was submitted it stated that Documents should be arranged in this order: “Application form, Appendix2,English language evidence, Relationship documents, Maintenance and Accommodation documents. Once a decision has been made your passport will be returned to the VAC.” It does not mention TB certificate and where would a letter from the sponsor go?
on top of the pile after application form and appendex 2 you can add your letter with TB certificate and English language evidence.

3) There is a slight issue with my bank statements - the address of my payslips has always been in Bristol however due to convenience I always kept my bank statements using my parent’s Birmingham address - this only changed last month therefore there will be one month statement with my Bristol address and rest will be Birmingham. Payslip amounts will match with bank statements but is there anything I need to do?
somebody with uk banking experience will know better but my understanding is if you have changed your address in bank records, You can go to your bank and ask them to print and stamped/signed your required month bank statements and it will show your current address

4) Appendix 2 - it asks when your relationship starts which is tough to pinpoint. I married my maternal cousin and we would keep in touch about once every 6 months from 2005 through our parents. Would 2005 be an acceptable date?
you can explain your relationship history in your cover letter and more apt date would be from the time you got engaged or marriage was fixed


5) is there a particular post service people recommend for sending the documents and for return of original documents from Sheffield?
we used royal mail as they do deliver on postal code and documents were delivered and signed next day

Apologies for the many questions - this application has been more stressful then I could have ever envisaged!

Thanks in advance!

[ma272]

Thank you metanoia

I am slightly struggling with dates for Appendix 2 - when we first me was back in 2002 and then from 2005 we would chat through our parents and family every few months. I guess you can say that this does not constitute a relationship. We got married in May 2017 - Approx. (our marriage was fixed a week or so prior) but we had fairly regular (2/3 times a month) from the beginning of 2017. It was not arranged, - it was mutual agreement and independent decisions were made and after the parents got involved to make arrangements as is fairly typical in pakistani culture. We are cousins outside of marriage so my fear is that the story above won't hold as a non-arranged marriage as we don't have much proof of contact before marriage.

Any help would be appreciated!

[metanoia]

I guess your best bet would be to describe it as cousin marriage, explain the details in your cover letter and provide as much proof you have available.

Pictures (wedding, before and after wedding)
Communication (Whatsapp, skype, Viber, Telephonic) whatever is your source of communication
Boarding passes to visit your spouse
Gifts / Cards exchange
Money Transfers

[ma272]

Hi! Thanks for your help. I sent off the documents to sheffield on Monday and I checked the Royal Mail tracking which states it arrived yesterday. Could you tell me the next steps? Will i receive any messages from UKVI saying that documents have been received? Congrats btw I have just seen your visa confirmation came through!

[metanoia]

You're welcome. To be honest all you could do now is wait, they can send your documents back with an acknowledgement letter (ours were sent back next day where they retained copies with an acknowledgement letter), sometimes they dont send an acknowledgement, sometimes they even send documents later on.

Good thing is as they have cleared some back log and people are getting decisions slightly quicker (at the moment beginning September applicants are getting responses)

You can contact them after about 15 working days from the date of biometrics if you paid priority through call or email, both are paid services

https://www.gov.uk/contact-ukvi-inside-outside-uk

Unfortunately, we have received a refusal. Now i'm apprehensive if i should advise anyone regarding visa process considering we had a refusal. I feel like i'm cheating.

Good luck with your application.

[ma272]

I am sorry to hear about your refusal. I hope things work out for your next application.

I guess it’s a waiting game for me. I had my documents returned to me on Friday. Bit strange that they did not keep any copies I provided, did not keep the 2 passport photos I provided of the applicant or the application declaration. Is this normal?

[shakil.saif79]

Any news on your application and how long it took?