Entry Clearance for HSMP

[alisondc]

Hi everyone,

I'm at the point of EC and wanted to know how to address my living situation in the application.

I will be staying with family friends when i move over and they will not be charging me rent (they are like second partents). I've heard that i should include a letter from them stating that i will be living with them and that i will have my own rooms. Should they also include a nominal rent payment?

What have other people done?

Thanks,
AlisonDC

[madmax]

I haven't seen the EC application yet, but I guess if you are staying with friends or family, you don't have to show a hefty bank balance, but I would think that the consulate will be equally keen to find out about the supporting ability of your hosts. I think they may ask for your host's papers - may be tax or atleast a statement of support.
In fact they asked that even for the visitor visa which I have obtained twice in the past few years; for the first one I used a statement of support from host and for the second one, I showed my bank balance only.
Re: rent, since this is supposed to be a temporary arrangement for you, you shouldn't have to necessarily pay anything at all - again this is a guess.
Are there other options by the way ? If sponsor's statement is not supplied, what is a good bank balance to show for a family of 3 ? Does anyone know ?

[alisondc]

madmex,

What i've read on other forums is that there isn't necessarily a set amount of funds you need to support yourself (or your dependents) but that it is extremely helpful to provide them with a proposed monthly budget. I should have roughly 3,500-4,000 GBP by the time I move over. They basically want to see proof that you and/or your dependents wil not go on state subsidies. I've drawn up a budget which includes the following categories:

Rent
Utilities/Council Tax
Food
West Yorkshire Metro Pass (monthly)
Job search expenses
Mobile phone
Medications
Student Loan back in America
Laundry
Incidentials/entertainment

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Alisondc

[jaywat513]

Alison,

Keep us posted on how that goes for you. I was so focused on getting the HSMP that I haven't done much research on the EC portion of it. I am intrested to see how much of an ordeal it is for us here in the US.

Also, would it be better to omit your student loans?

[madmax]

madmex,

I've drawn up a budget which includes the following categories:

Rent
Utilities/Council Tax
Food
West Yorkshire Metro Pass (monthly)
Job search expenses
Mobile phone
Medications
Student Loan back in America
Laundry
Incidentials/entertainment

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Alisondc

alisondc,
Is it really required to draw up a detailed budget like you did ? I.e Does someone at the british consulate want you to balance domestic accounts to prove that your cash balance should be sufficient for a couple of months? May be they go by thumb rules. If so, this should be available, say thru' something like a cost of living index for various locations in the UK.
Can a moderator or someone knowledgeable in this area help ?

[madmax]

The following link seems like a good starting point to estimate cost of livingin the UK:

http://www.workgateways.com/working-cost-of-living.html

[alisondc]

madmex,

I've not seen any requirement that you must draw up a budget, but many people on other forums have highly recommended it. As i said before, they want to know that you and your dependents won't go on state subsidy. If you have a job lined up then i don't think it is as necessary. But in my case i will be moving over to look so i've heard that showing them i have thought through my expenses for the next 6 months illustrates my committment and ability to support myself.

As for including my student loan, i went back and forth over whether to include. In the end i figured that honesty is the best policy. if they do a credit check they will see that i've got that committment anyhow, plus in my monthly bank statement there is clearly a monthly deduction to "the Student Loan Corp" so they already know i pay it.

What experiences have some of the moderators had in applying for their EC?