FLR(M) - Applying straight after marriage

[striving123]

Hello,

I will marry my partner in a few weeks and am in the process of applying for the extension visa mainly to get a head start on the documents needed and to give time for her to sort out proving her English. I'm intending to submit & pay immediately after we receive our marriage certificate to hopefully avoid the rise in visa & IHS fees. Her current visa expires in Feb next year, so we do not need to rush if the fees go up before then.

We have been together for just under a year and a half and are just moving in together now mainly due to cultural reasons (it is seen as disrespectful to our families to move in together before marrying). I have 2 main questions:
Is it a negative for us to apply so soon after marriage especially as we have only just moved in together?
Is it better to provide an Ecctis letter for a degree taught in English or do the SELT B1/2? and use that for all future a FLM/ILR/BC applications?

Thanks!

[AmazonianX]

Hello,

I will marry my partner in a few weeks and am in the process of applying for the extension visa mainly to get a head start on the documents needed and to give time for her to sort out proving her English. I'm intending to submit & pay immediately after we receive our marriage certificate to hopefully avoid the rise in visa & IHS fees. Her current visa expires in Feb next year, so we do not need to rush if the fees go up before then.

We have been together for just under a year and a half and are just moving in together now mainly due to cultural reasons (it is seen as disrespectful to our families to move in together before marrying). I have 2 main questions:
Is it a negative for us to apply so soon after marriage especially as we have only just moved in together?
Is it better to provide an Ecctis letter for a degree taught in English or do the SELT B1/2? and use that for all future a FLM/ILR/BC applications?

Thanks!

There is nothing against applying for spouse visa immediately after marrying. Some have applied on same day as their wedding ceremony no negative effect on application.

May be faster to get the B1 and cost is same.

[striving123]

Thanks for the response!

Wedding is coming up soon, so we're just putting the finishing touches on the application but something has come up that's slightly annoying. I asked earlier about ECCTIS v SELT and relayed the response to my partner, who agreed to do the ECCTIS and contact her uni etc. I've just found out that she's been advised by an immigration lawyer friend that since she's already here on a study visa, she doesn't need to re-prove her english and so she's just planning to upload her degree certificate.

I'm not happy about this, as I feel it's something we can easily prove and costs very little in the grand scheme of things. I'm also worried that if in fact she is asked to provide the verification that it will take longer than the time allocated to get the transcripts accredited or do an English test.

She is finishing up her masters now, but I think the transcript/certificate will be out too late to use for the application before the fees go up. Are we safe or are we taking unnecessary risks?

[CR001]

She is applying for a different visa category with different rules.

She needs ECCTIS for a foreign degree or the B1 test. If she does not submit ECCTIS, her application is likely to be delayed. There have been instances where visas have been refused and applicants are not asked to provide missing documents. Up to you if you want to take a risk and lose money for the sake of £150.

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/knowledge-of-english

[AmazonianX]

Thanks for the response!

Wedding is coming up soon, so we're just putting the finishing touches on the application but something has come up that's slightly annoying. I asked earlier about ECCTIS v SELT and relayed the response to my partner, who agreed to do the ECCTIS and contact her uni etc. I've just found out that she's been advised by an immigration lawyer friend that since she's already here on a study visa, she doesn't need to re-prove her english and so she's just planning to upload her degree certificate.

I'm not happy about this, as I feel it's something we can easily prove and costs very little in the grand scheme of things. I'm also worried that if in fact she is asked to provide the verification that it will take longer than the time allocated to get the transcripts accredited or do an English test.

She is finishing up her masters now, but I think the transcript/certificate will be out too late to use for the application before the fees go up. Are we safe or are we taking unnecessary risks?

If your partner does not want to jeopardise the application, try Ecctis or B1 but note that B1 may be the faster option.

[striving123]

I thought as much myself, I'm really annoyed both with the immigration lawyer & my fiancé for wanting to take the risk. It's £150 for God's sake. I'm going to tell her to get the ball rolling with the ECCTIS at least. We can pay for priority if it gets to that but hopefully we'll be able to get it done in time.

Thanks guys.

[striving123]

Hi All, thanks for the advice so far. We're now married and waiting for our certificate so thankfully we should be able to apply using the old fees. I had a quick question, while going through I saw a section about being known by any other name. I am also a dual national and had an issue renewing my British passport earlier in the year because in my British passport I'm known as John Alan Toby Smith( example name), but in my other passport I'm just John Alan Smith. Does this count as being known by another name? I ask because they made a note in my passport about it and I know I'll have to scan every page as part of the application. Hopefully this is the last bit and we can submit as soon as we receive our certificate.

[AmazonianX]

Hi All, thanks for the advice so far. We're now married and waiting for our certificate so thankfully we should be able to apply using the old fees. I had a quick question, while going through I saw a section about being known by any other name. I am also a dual national and had an issue renewing my British passport earlier in the year because in my British passport I'm known as John Alan Toby Smith( example name), but in my other passport I'm just John Alan Smith. Does this count as being known by another name? I ask because they made a note in my passport about it and I know I'll have to scan every page as part of the application. Hopefully this is the last bit and we can submit as soon as we receive our certificate.

HMPO made a note of it already, you may also make such note as you are known by that.
Were you able to renew the passport in the name you wanted I.e. John Alan Toby Smith and what exactly was HMPO's note or comment?

[striving123]

Yes I was, but the note says I have another passport that has the name John Alan Smith that expired in 2020 (as that was my current passport that I was in the process of renewing). Now I have a new foreign passport in that same name that expires in 2028 which I will then change to the name on my British passport when it expires.

[AmazonianX]

Yes I was, but the note says I have another passport that has the name John Alan Smith that expired in 2020 (as that was my current passport that I was in the process of renewing). Now I have a new foreign passport in that same name that expires in 2028 which I will then change to the name on my British passport when it expires.

That's a good resolution you got out of it.

[striving123]

It is on one hand, but on the other hand I get a bit nervous as I obviously don't want to lie on any application but I'm also not sure it counts as "another name" in cases like these.

[striving123]

"Hi Again! We submitted our docs and have booked an appointment for next month. But funny enough it looks fees for FLR(M) won't be increased for now so there wasn't really need for such a rush.

One thing I've noticed though is we don't quite have enough joint/single correspondence documents dated before the application date. Does this matter? We have 2 joint documents (annoying so many utility companies don't do joint names anymore) but fiancé hadn't updated enough of her personal accounts to fulfil the 4 extra she needs. She's updated them now, but I want to confirm they still count since they will be dated after the application date.

[CR001]

"Hi Again! We submitted our docs and have booked an appointment for next month. But funny enough it looks fees for FLR(M) won't be increased for now so there wasn't really need for such a rush.

Fees are increasing on 4th October. Not sure why you believe they are not. announces/fees-2018-t228357.html#p2129507

One thing I've noticed though is we don't quite have enough joint/single correspondence documents dated before the application date. Does this matter? We have 2 joint documents (annoying so many utility companies don't do joint names anymore) but fiancé hadn't updated enough of her personal accounts to fulfil the 4 extra she needs. She's updated them now, but I want to confirm they still count since they will be dated after the application date.

There is no requirement to provide 2 years evidence if switching to FLR(M) after marriage. Just submit the few bits you have.

[striving123]

Oh interesting, does that also mean we don't need the letter saying she lived with family since we didn't live together initially?

Also, I know the fees are increasing for most visas but it looks like spouse visas within the UK will remain the same for now if I'm correct that that's under "leave to remain - other". To be honest, IHS fees were what I was most worried about as that would have been an extra £1k minimum. Thanks again for your help.

[AmazonianX]

Oh interesting, does that also mean we don't need the letter saying she lived with family since we didn't live together initially?

Also, I know the fees are increasing for most visas but it looks like spouse visas within the UK will remain the same for now if I'm correct that that's under "leave to remain - other". To be honest, IHS fees were what I was most worried about as that would have been an extra £1k minimum. Thanks again for your help.

Won't be required, your are switching and the CWs do know the rules and what to look for.