UK Spouse Visa- 28 DAY RULE

[Mayank91]

Hi Everyone. Bit of a long post this but please bear with me! I am sponsoring my wife to come to the UK on a spouse visa application and next week she has her appointment at the VFS Centre in Ahmedabad in India where they will also take her Biometrics. I was under the impression that she only needs to take her passport and the online application form with her and I will need to send all of the supporting documents to Sheffield.
!
!
!
This is the information I found from the VFS website last week:

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/in/en/vacs/ ... g-with-you

'If you are applying for a settlement visa, you or your sponsor should send your settlement visa application along with supporting documents to the UK address below.'

Settlement Applications
International Operations and Visas

PO Box 5852
Sheffield
United Kingdom
S11 0FX.
!
!
!
Today I checked the website again and I found another piece of information that's contradicting the information about sending documents to Sheffield!!!

https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/in/en/vacs/ ... -documents

'If you are applying for a settlement visa, there are three options for submission of supporting documents:

For a fee you can, at any stage in the process, opt for the Document Scanning Assistance Service at the Visa Application Centre.
You can self-upload supporting documents without additional charge. If you wish to self-upload your supporting documents, you should refer to the document checklist you have received as part of your online application.
Your sponsor or an agent can submit supporting documents in the UK for a fee of £75 per application payable in cash or with a debit card.
All supporting documents can be submitted by your sponsor or an agent at any of the following locations in the UK

From 1 March 2019
London: 66 Wilson Street, London, EC2A 2BT
Birmingham: 5 -14 South Road, Smethwick, Birmingham, B67 7BN

From 8 March 2019
Belfast: Merrion Business Centre, First Floor 58, Howard Street, Belfast, BT1 6PJ
Leicester: C/O Peepul's Centre, Orchardson Avenue, Leicester, L E4 6DP

From 15 March 2019
Cardiff: Temple Court – 13A Cathedral Road, Cardiff CF11 9H
Manchester: 50 Devonshire Street North, Manchester, M12 6JH
Edinburgh: 1 Rennie’s Isle, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6QT
Liverpool: SUITE NO 207,Second Floor, Graeme House, Derby Square, Liverpool, L2 7ZH
Bradford: Skipton Chamber 16-18 North Parade, Bradford, BD13HT

Your sponsor should bring a copy of your passport, along with your document checklist if you have applied via Access UK, or the first page of your visa application form if you have applied via visa4uk. Your sponsor should also provide all supporting documents, these will be scanned and handed back at the time of their visit.'
!
!
!
Now what makes this more confusion is BOTH of this information is on the VFS website?!!? So my question is where do I need actually need to send my supporting documents to?!!? Any help would be massively appreciated.

Thanks
Mayank

[seagul]

A lot of VFS websites causes confusion because they don't distinctively mention the actual visa process for each relevant category. But better to adopt such instruction which you will be given after the submission of online application.

[inderjeet101]

Hi Guys,

I also faced the same issue today at my biometrics appointment at VFS Hyderabad. At the end of process they told me that, now UKVI does not need us to send physical docs to Sheffield. The new process as per VFS is:

1. Either get the supporting docs scanned at VFS at the time of biometric appointment.
2. Else send the supporting docs to your sponsor, which in turn will submit the same at the mentioned addresses in the UK.

This is so wierd on the part of UKVI and VFS. If a process is getting changed, they should communicate this to the applicants. Even after paying them so much money, no clear communication is there.

Request other members to also throw some light on this.

[rajinlondon]

+1 for this post
Also, as a contractor, my invoices, bank statements, CT600 etc., are already existing as PDF files, my understanding is that if its self upload, then upload all of them as pdf, rather take a printout and rescan.

Personal and business statements could be tricky as the Home Office might expect a seal from the bank/issuing authority?

Please shed some lights

Thanks
Raj

[Mayank91]

Hi Guys,

I also faced the same issue today at my biometrics appointment at VFS Hyderabad. At the end of process they told me that, now UKVI does not need us to send physical docs to Sheffield. The new process as per VFS is:

1. Either get the supporting docs scanned at VFS at the time of biometric appointment.
2. Else send the supporting docs to your sponsor, which in turn will submit the same at the mentioned addresses in the UK.

This is so wierd on the part of UKVI and VFS. If a process is getting changed, they should communicate this to the applicants. Even after paying them so much money, no clear communication is there.

Request other members to also throw some light on this.

Thank you inderjeet101. So could you let me know what you did? Did you just scan it at the VFS centre or did you send it to your sponsor? If you sent it to your sponsor do you know what address your sponsor will be sending the documents to? Did VFS give you address in the UK that your sponsor can send these documents to?

Thanks
Mayank

[inderjeet101]

As I was not carrying the supporting documents to the VFS VAC at the time of my Biometrics, so I was not able to get them scanned here. The VFS guys also told me about the changed process at the end of my process, when already paid the priority fee and submitted my passport. These guys had no clue on what to do.

So, I decided to send the documents to my wife in London. She will now go to the London centre mentioned above and get the documents scanned. If that is also not possible, then she will ship the documents to sheffield. I hope this gets through.

[Mayank91]

As I was not carrying the supporting documents to the VFS VAC at the time of my Biometrics, so I was not able to get them scanned here. The VFS guys also told me about the changed process at the end of my process, when already paid the priority fee and submitted my passport. These guys had no clue on what to do.

So, I decided to send the documents to my wife in London. She will now go to the London centre mentioned above and get the documents scanned. If that is also not possible, then she will ship the documents to sheffield. I hope this gets through.

Honestly the communication between VFS & UKVI / Home Office is just absolutely shocking! I called UKVI directly to confirm where I need to send the supporting documents and they said Sheffield! So I told them that on the VFS website there are new procedures and the lady went on the website herself and checked and she found the same thing and got confused as hell! In the end she told me 'We have not been advised about this by the Home Office. We are not aware of any new procedures so I would suggest when your wife goes for her Biometrics she can ask there and whatever they advise at the centre, do that' !!

Anyway I am just going to send all of my supporting documents to my wife in India so she can take it with her at the VFS centre. If they can just scan and submit there then it's a bit easier I guess! Otherwise we will see what they say to her.

Good luck for your application inderjeet101- I hope it goes through for your wife when she goes to the London centre. Could you let me know what happens after she has been there?

Thanks
Mayank

[seagul]

But better to adopt such instruction which you will be given after the submission of online application.

[rmkirfan]

Hi All,

Thanks for this info, quick question please..

In above message "Your sponsor should bring a copy of your passport, along with your document checklist if you have applied via Access UK, or the first page of your visa application form if you have applied via visa4uk. Your sponsor should also provide all supporting documents, these will be scanned and handed back at the time of their visit."

How can we apply via Access UK, it sounds like better option isn't?
I tried to track it, but Its taking to visa4uk. Im bit confused

Please share your experience , if you have submitted from new visa centres would be great help.

[rmkirfan]

Did any one used new VFS centres, Please share

[uaana]

Hi Guys,

I also faced the same issue today at my biometrics appointment at VFS Hyderabad. At the end of process they told me that, now UKVI does not need us to send physical docs to Sheffield. The new process as per VFS is:

1. Either get the supporting docs scanned at VFS at the time of biometric appointment.
2. Else send the supporting docs to your sponsor, which in turn will submit the same at the mentioned addresses in the UK.

This is so wierd on the part of UKVI and VFS. If a process is getting changed, they should communicate this to the applicants. Even after paying them so much money, no clear communication is there.

Request other members to also throw some light on this.

Hi there,

I have booked an appointment on the 20th March for my UK settlement visa from New Delhi, India. My husband lives in UK and he is planning to send all the supporting document from there -after my bio metrics appointment is complete in India -as he resides in Sheffield itself. But as I rang up VFS to find out about priority settlement visa service, the customer adviser insisted that all supporting document must be carried by the applicant at time of the bio-metric appointment. Now, we are thoroughly confused as we were under the impression that the supporting documents could be sent via royal mail to Sheffield by the sponsor. My husband’s employer will be able to share the employer letter and the pay slip letter only by 21st March.
Also, when I booked the priority service, I got a different appointment date from VFS, which is on the 15th March. I have managed to reschedule my VFS appointment from the 15th to the 20th. But I am still wondering on how it works, as it seems as though there is some sort of disconnect with VFS and UKVI.

Also, based on an advice by an immigration expert during filling out my online application form, I was told that I am not exempted from English language requirement. So, I opted for ‘No' response for the question on English language exemption. But upon getting second opinion, we were told that I am in fact exempted for English language requirement as I have obtained an academic qualification from a UK university in Sheffield. The same person also suggested me to change my response from No' to Yes' in the printed application form and justify why I have changed my response.

So, my questions are:
1) Can I walk -in on the 20th of March for my priority visa service along with my bio-metrics appointment?
2) Can my husband submit the supporting document from Sheffield to the UKVI office in Sheffield after my bio metric application submission in Delhi, India?
3) Will it be fine if I strike out the wrong response and enter the correct one on the printed application form? where should my justification note be written? Is it on the end page of the application or on my cover letter?

[inderjeet101]

Hi Uaana,


So, my questions are:
1) Can I walk -in on the 20th of March for my priority visa service along with my bio-metrics appointment? - I think you can walk-in on 20th. Priority is an optional service which VFS provides and they charge a bomb for that. You can check with VFS customer care once before your appointment
2) Can my husband submit the supporting document from Sheffield to the UKVI office in Sheffield after my bio metric application submission in Delhi, India? - I am afraid that your husband cannot directly submit the application at UKVI Sheffield in person. if you are send all the supporting documents to him, then he has to get them scanned at any of the mentioned VFS centres in the link above.
3) Will it be fine if I strike out the wrong response and enter the correct one on the printed application form? where should my justification note be written? Is it on the end page of the application or on my cover letter? - I am not sure whether you can do that. Striking off or modifying something on a printed application with a pen can be a problem. Experts here can better answer your query.

[CR001]

3) Will it be fine if I strike out the wrong response and enter the correct one on the printed application form? where should my justification note be written? Is it on the end page of the application or on my cover letter? - I am not sure whether you can do that. Striking off or modifying something on a printed application with a pen can be a problem. Experts here can better answer your query.

Nonsense. Many make mistakes and correct by hand and have not had any issues.

[uaana]

Hi Uaana,


So, my questions are:
1) Can I walk -in on the 20th of March for my priority visa service along with my bio-metrics appointment? - I think you can walk-in on 20th. Priority is an optional service which VFS provides and they charge a bomb for that. You can check with VFS customer care once before your appointment
2) Can my husband submit the supporting document from Sheffield to the UKVI office in Sheffield after my bio metric application submission in Delhi, India? - I am afraid that your husband cannot directly submit the application at UKVI Sheffield in person. if you are send all the supporting documents to him, then he has to get them scanned at any of the mentioned VFS centres in the link above.
3) Will it be fine if I strike out the wrong response and enter the correct one on the printed application form? where should my justification note be written? Is it on the end page of the application or on my cover letter? - I am not sure whether you can do that. Striking off or modifying something on a printed application with a pen can be a problem. Experts here can better answer your query.

Thanks very much for your response. Appreciate it a lot . Clearly, UKVI and VFS needs to come up with a more integrated approach which is less confusing .
Do you have any idea how much time is given to the sponsor to scanner the document after the applicant submits his/ her biometrics ? Is it 10 days for priority settlement visa ?

[uaana]

3) Will it be fine if I strike out the wrong response and enter the correct one on the printed application form? where should my justification note be written? Is it on the end page of the application or on my cover letter? - I am not sure whether you can do that. Striking off or modifying something on a printed application with a pen can be a problem. Experts here can better answer your query.

Nonsense. Many make mistakes and correct by hand and have not had any issues.

Thank you for your response. Might I ask one question to get 100% assurance on the correct response for English language requirement question as at this point of time my mind is utterly confused . Is an academic degree from the UK exempted from English language requirement ( in my case I have my master degree certificate from university of Sheffield , UK ) ?

[CR001]

If you studied in the UK and have a UK degree certificate, this will meet the English requirement.

[Mayank91]

Hi Uaana,


So, my questions are:
1) Can I walk -in on the 20th of March for my priority visa service along with my bio-metrics appointment? - I think you can walk-in on 20th. Priority is an optional service which VFS provides and they charge a bomb for that. You can check with VFS customer care once before your appointment
2) Can my husband submit the supporting document from Sheffield to the UKVI office in Sheffield after my bio metric application submission in Delhi, India? - I am afraid that your husband cannot directly submit the application at UKVI Sheffield in person. if you are send all the supporting documents to him, then he has to get them scanned at any of the mentioned VFS centres in the link above.
3) Will it be fine if I strike out the wrong response and enter the correct one on the printed application form? where should my justification note be written? Is it on the end page of the application or on my cover letter? - I am not sure whether you can do that. Striking off or modifying something on a printed application with a pen can be a problem. Experts here can better answer your query.

Thanks very much for your response. Appreciate it a lot . Clearly, UKVI and VFS needs to come up with a more integrated approach which is less confusing .
Do you have any idea how much time is given to the sponsor to scanner the document after the applicant submits his/ her biometrics ? Is it 10 days for priority settlement visa ?

Hi. To answer your 2nd question- as I understand it the sponsor can no longer send supporting documents direct to Sheffield. The sponsor can either take it to one of the centres mentioned on the VFS Website (London, Belfast, Cardiff etc...) or they can send it to the Applicant and they can take it with them for their appointment at the Visa Application Centre and get it scanned and sent from there. I am just going to send it to my wife in India and she will take the documents to the visa application center and get it scanned & sent from there. I Hope this helps.

[Mayank91]

Hi Everyone. I just had a question I would like clarifying regarding the 28 days rule for the pay slips and bank statements.

Date of application submitted online: 2nd March 2019.
Date of application payment (and IHS payment too): 2nd March 2019.
Date of my wife's appointment at VFS: 29th March 2019.

My question is this. The latest payslip I will be submitting is dated 28th Feb 2019- so this meets rule of pay slips being no older than 28 days from the date of online application. However the latest bank statement I'll be submitting is dated 8th March 2019. (My slips always arrive on the 28th of each month and my bank statements always arrive on the 8th of each month). My confusion is, although my pay slip is before the date of online application, my bank statement is dated after the online application date. The reason is because my 28th Feb pay amount will only be shown on my bank statement dated 8th March 2019 (this is showing statements between 9th Feb to 8th March- so my 28th Feb pay will be shown on this statement only).

So will this statement be accepted even if the date on the statement 8th March? Do both the Pay slips AND the statement need to be before the date of online application? Or do I simply need to prove that my latest statement is showing the amount of my latest pay slip?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[Mayank91]

Hi Everyone. I just had a question I would like clarifying regarding the 28 days rule for the pay slips and bank statements.

Date of application submitted online: 2nd March 2019.
Date of application payment (and IHS payment too): 2nd March 2019.
Date of my wife's appointment at VFS: 29th March 2019.

My question is this. The latest payslip I will be submitting is dated 28th Feb 2019- so this meets rule of pay slips being no older than 28 days from the date of online application. However the latest bank statement I'll be submitting is dated 8th March 2019. (My slips always arrive on the 28th of each month and my bank statements always arrive on the 8th of each month). My confusion is, although my pay slip is before the date of online application, my bank statement is dated after the online application date. The reason is because my 28th Feb pay amount will only be shown on my bank statement dated 8th March 2019 (this is showing statements between 9th Feb to 8th March- so my 28th Feb pay will be shown on this statement only).

So will this statement be accepted even if the date on the statement 8th March? Do both the Pay slips AND the statement need to be before the date of online application? Or do I simply need to prove that my latest statement is showing the amount of my latest pay slip?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Just to add to this, it's a similar question with the letters- covering letter, employment letter, etc. Do they need to be dated 28 days BEFORE the application was submitted online (2nd March 2019) or 28 days before the appointment of the applicant at the VFS centre (29th March 2019)?

Please help clarify.

Thanks

[seagul]

So will this statement be accepted even if the date on the statement 8th March? Do both the Pay slips AND the statement need to be before the date of online application? Or do I simply need to prove that my latest statement is showing the amount of my latest pay slip?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

yes 28 days will be counted from the date of online submission of application. Regarding payslips and bank statements you can keep it aligned very easily by simply going to the bank branch and ask them to print your last bank statement till the date of application. Preferably don't attach the bank statement even cover previous 6 months beyond the date of application.

[Mayank91]

So will this statement be accepted even if the date on the statement 8th March? Do both the Pay slips AND the statement need to be before the date of online application? Or do I simply need to prove that my latest statement is showing the amount of my latest pay slip?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

yes 28 days will be counted from the date of online submission of application. Regarding payslips and bank statements you can keep it aligned very easily by simply going to the bank branch and ask them to print your last bank statement till the date of application. Preferably don't attach the bank statement even cover previous 6 months beyond the date of application.

Hi. So this is the original bank statement that gets released every month. Are you saying this will not be accepted because it's after online application date? Even if this shows the latest pay slip's pay amount?

Thanks

[seagul]

So will this statement be accepted even if the date on the statement 8th March? Do both the Pay slips AND the statement need to be before the date of online application? Or do I simply need to prove that my latest statement is showing the amount of my latest pay slip?

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

yes 28 days will be counted from the date of online submission of application. Regarding payslips and bank statements you can keep it aligned very easily by simply going to the bank branch and ask them to print your last bank statement till the date of application. Preferably don't attach the bank statement even cover previous 6 months beyond the date of application.

Hi. So this is the original bank statement that gets released every month. Are you saying this will not be accepted because it's after online application date? Even if this shows the latest pay slip's pay amount?

Thanks

It will still be accepted but in now a days caseworker get confused very quickly, therefore, to keep the things easier not to attach anything unnecessary. For doing this either call your bank to send you the statement till the date of application (change of statement frequency) or visit branch who will definitely give you the latest bank statement until the date of application. I hope it clear you.

[Mayank91]

[/quote]

It will still be accepted but in now a days caseworker get confused very quickly, therefore, to keep the things easier not to attach anything unnecessary. For doing this either call your bank to send you the statement till the date of application (change of statement frequency) or visit branch who will definitely give you the latest bank statement until the date of application. I hope it clear you.
[/quote]

Yes it's clear now thank you so much. I will just go to my bank tomorrow and get statements up till 1st March 2019. Is it the same with the letters too? I will be providing a sponsor support letter, recent employment status letter and an accommodation letter (letter from landlord). Currently all letters are dated on and around 10-15th March 2019 (because my wife's appointment is on the 29th March so wanted to keep it as recent as possible). Is this ok or do the dates on the letter also need to be before the date of application?

Thanks

[seagul]

It will still be accepted but in now a days caseworker get confused very quickly, therefore, to keep the things easier not to attach anything unnecessary. For doing this either call your bank to send you the statement till the date of application (change of statement frequency) or visit branch who will definitely give you the latest bank statement until the date of application. I hope it clear you.
[/quote]

I will be providing a sponsor support letter, recent employment status letter and an accommodation letter (letter from landlord). Currently all letters are dated on and around 10-15th March 2019 (because my wife's appointment is on the 29th March so wanted to keep it as recent as possible). Is this ok or do the dates on the letter also need to be before the date of application?

Thanks
[/quote]

should be fine

[AJ100]

Hi Both,

I hope this finds you well.
I have been following various threads as I am about to apply for my wife's spouse via.
I am wondering how long it took for processing?

Thanks,
AJ