FLR (M) FIRST EXTENSION APPROVED | CATEGORY F | SPOUSE VISA

[linaeaton]

Hi everyone

I've just received my letter of approval for my Leave to Remain after initial period of 33 months in the UK. This forum has been really helpful and I thought of posting about our application to help other couples who need.

My husband (British citizen) and I (Brazilian) have applied under category F, as we are both directors and only employees of a recruitment business. I had to post nearly 5kg of documents and I believe to be the most complex category of all. We have decided to use our joint income for the financial requirements.

Please see below all the documents provided by us:

• FLR (M) online form printed (you can print this at the end of your online application)

• Documents checklist printed and ticked (you can print this at the end of your online application)

• Signed third party declarations (you can print this at the end of your online application)

• My current passport

• My husband's current passport

• Two passport photos of myself (full name written on the back)

• One passport photo of my husband (full name written on the back)

• My current Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)

• A cover letter signed by both of us about our relationship, accommodation, explaining how we meet the financial requirement, etc

• Evidence of Registration of our company with Companies Houses

• Current Appointment Report in the name of our company from Companies House

• Company's bank statements covering the Financial Year period (same period as Company Tax Return CT600) - please note that financial year doesn't necessarily mean April - April (Tax Year). Financial Year starts on the day that your business was incorporated. Ours, for example, runs from 01/10 - 30/09

• Company Tax Return (print out) for the last full financial year (01/10/2017 to 30/09/2018) and evidence that this has been filed with HMRC

• Dividend Vouchers for all dividends declared in favour of both my partner and I during the period covered by the Company Tax Return CT600 (01/10/2017 to 30/09/2018)

• Unaudited accounts for the last full financial year (01/10/2017 to 30/09/2018) prepared by our accountants and an accountant’s certificate of confirmation (who is a Fellow Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), which is a UK Recognised Supervisory Body as defined in the Companies Act 2006

• Most recent Self-Assessment Tax Return in our name, proof of submission, Tax Calculation Summary (SA110) and Employment Notes (SA102)

• Payroll, Payslips and P60 in both our names, covering the same period as the Company Tax Return CT600 (01/10/2017 to 30/09/2018)

• Letter from accountant explaining why some payslips won't match the salary paid into our personal accounts (I have made the mistake to pay ourselves the gross salary during 3 months, but reimbursed the extra amount into the business account once noticed the mistake)

• Personal Bank Statements showing that those salaries and dividends were paid into an account in both our names

• Original proof of registration with HMRC as an employer for the purposes of PAYE and National Insurance, proof of PAYE reference number and Accounts Office reference number*

• Certificate of VAT registration and VAT Return for the last full financial year (01/10/2017 to 30/09/2018)*

* you can send just one or another, but I have decided to send both

• Evidence of ongoing employment (latest invoices raised on the last 3 months, business bank statements showing invoices and PAYE National Insurance payments made on the last 3 months, and personal bank statements showing salary being paid on the last 3 months)

• Language Test Certificate proving the level of English language required (A2 CEFR level) - this was IELTS LIFE SKILLS

• Marriage Certificate (original and translated certified version)

• Evidence that we have been living together (items of correspondence addressed to both my partner and I covering the last two years). I have provided more than 10 documents

• Evidence of council tax costs for the accommodation in the UK where we currently live

• Evidence of monthly housing costs for the accommodation in the UK where we currently live (rent, council tax, utility bills)

• Photos of us together with family members and friends

The documents were sent in a folder, everything organised and in an explanatory way. I have also sent a second folder with copies of all the documents, but they have sent everything back - so not sure if they kept any documents or not.

When posting the documents, Post Office told me it had to go through Parcel Force due to size and weight of the packaging. The address provided by the HO was a PO BOX address in Sheffield. Parcel Force does not deliver anything to PO BOXes, but it seems like they have an agreement with Home Office to deliver documents directly to their building. A bit of a headache, but everything worked out smoothly.

I have applied on the 14th October. Received a letter from HO saying they have received my application on the 19th November. Approval letter, documents and BRP received on the 29th November. Nearly 7 weeks since application.

Thanks, and best of luck to everyone! I hope this helps

[CandyLee]

We're also under this category, can I ask you a question regarding the consent declarations?
I understand that I (the applicant) sign part 1 and my husband signs part 2. I’m confused by Part 3 as we both get paid the same wage and dividends and we also have a joint account, so does that mean we both have to sign Part 3? Or do neither of us have to sign it because I don’t need his financial support due to us both having the same income? Many thanks for your help.

[linaeaton]

Hi CandyLee,

I believe it depends. Are you using your partner’s income (alone or jointly) to prove the financial requirement? We both signed part 3 because we also had this doubt and it was all ok! Maybe easier to send it signed and put a little note explaining?

[CandyLee]

That's exactly what we were thinking of doing, just signing it in case it was needed and explain about the situation. We actually use our money together for almost everything and the joint account was opened to help proof that we are paying the bills and rent together. We are using combined income cause we thought since we each owned half of the company, even if we didn't use my income, we would still need to provide proof of me claiming the dividends(maybe we misinterpreted paragraph 9?). Thanks a lot for sharing your experience with me.

[ariamus]

Marriage Certificate (original and translated certified version)

Was this the same translation document you provided when you applied for the first visa or a new translation for FLR(M)?

[linaeaton]

That's exactly what we were thinking of doing, just signing it in case it was needed and explain about the situation. We actually use our money together for almost everything and the joint account was opened to help proof that we are paying the bills and rent together. We are using combined income cause we thought since we each owned half of the company, even if we didn't use my income, we would still need to provide proof of me claiming the dividends(maybe we misinterpreted paragraph 9?). Thanks a lot for sharing your experience with me.

That’s exactly the same situation as my husband and I were. We each own half of the company so decided to use our joint income. Best of luck!

[linaeaton]

Marriage Certificate (original and translated certified version)

Was this the same translation document you provided when you applied for the first visa or a new translation for FLR(M)?

Hi ariamus, yes. That’s the exact same document I used when applied for the first visa

[CandyLee]

Thank you very much linaeaton, I hope my application gets approved like yours !!
You have really heavy documents, nearly 5kg, that's a lot of work having made a photocopy pile as well. Ours is around 1.5kg cause I didn't make a photocopy pile. I've decided to just post the originals in cause I was worried that a photocopy pile would make it too heavy. Now I've heard your experience, mine wouldn't be so heavy after all. Can I confirm one last thing with you about the Self-Assessment Tax Return? You mentioned that you've provided SA110 and SA102, so did you leave out the SA100 section? And also, this is not mandatory, right? It wasn't mentioned in paragraph 9 nor on the documents list, but I thought of providing it since I saw some people did. I definitely will now cause I want to follow your footsteps given you've just been granted an extension. Thanks again !!

[linaeaton]

Thank you very much linaeaton, I hope my application gets approved like yours !!
You have really heavy documents, nearly 5kg, that's a lot of work having made a photocopy pile as well. Ours is around 1.5kg cause I didn't make a photocopy pile. I've decided to just post the originals in cause I was worried that a photocopy pile would make it too heavy. Now I've heard your experience, mine wouldn't be so heavy after all. Can I confirm one last thing with you about the Self-Assessment Tax Return? You mentioned that you've provided SA110 and SA102, so did you leave out the SA100 section? And also, this is not mandatory, right? It wasn't mentioned in paragraph 9 nor on the documents list, but I thought of providing it since I saw some people did. I definitely will now cause I want to follow your footsteps given you've just been granted an extension. Thanks again !!

I did provide a SA100 as this is the main tax return itself (but if you do it online it has a different name, I believe)? But this is not mandatory at all.

Best of luck, I’m sure yours will be approved too

[CandyLee]

Thank you for clearing that up. We submit our returns online, I will provide all 13 pages of it, including SA100, SA110 and SA102.