FLR, Spouse Visa - Advice Please

[ssbib]

Do we have to complete an Appendix 2 form, or anything similar, for FLR(M), like we did for the initial visa?

No.

The relevant questions are on the online form.

Thanks very much for confirming that for me.

As far as the documents for co-habitation go I’ve decided to send in my copies of water bills and old council tax statements. I’ll have other documents to cover this period in the mix and I’ll end up sending in more documents than is necessary but better to send too many than not enough I think. That way they can accept the copies or not and if not then the others will take care of that period of time anyway.

[CR001]

I’ll end up sending in more documents than is necessary but better to send too many than not enough I think.

Do not send unnecessary documents or a whole bunch of them you think will do. Submit only what is asked for. Submitting too much means key docs can be missed and an application refused.

That way they can accept the copies or not and if not then the others will take care of that period of time anyway.

It doesn't work like that. Send only what is required based on the rules and guidance. It is not what YOU think is relevant. It is only what HO expect to see based on the rules and guidance notes.

[ssbib]

I’ll end up sending in more documents than is necessary but better to send too many than not enough I think.

Do not send unnecessary documents or a whole bunch of them you think will do. Submit only what is asked for. Submitting too much means key docs can be missed and an application refused.

That way they can accept the copies or not and if not then the others will take care of that period of time anyway.

It doesn't work like that. Send only what is required based on the rules and guidance. It is not what YOU think is relevant. It is only what HO expect to see based on the rules and guidance notes.

The documents I have means I can’t submit exactly one document for every four months. For example my rent agreement and water bills are generated on months where I don’t have to send something in. How best would you organise the papers I have to meet the co-habitation requirement?

The guidelines state 6 documents per person, from 3 separate sources, spread out evenly over the 2 and a half years, correct? If a bill is in both our names, like a Council Tax Bill, that can be classed as 2 documents.

In your opinion, would the original copies that have been provided to me by United Utilities be accepted by the HO? They seen identical to the originals but with a COPY watermark. I have a cover letter from them saying they are authentic copies. I saw guidance that says I cannot use copies without a good reason? A lot of my documents from 2018 were lost, so I had to request copies. I can get originals for others but how do you know which to use and which not to use?

If possible could you please link me to the guidance notes from HO that talk about co-habitation and accepted documentation? Thanks.

[CR001]

Page 63 and 64 of the FLR(M) paper form.

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov ... -form-flrm

[geoeng]

The documents checklist generated at the end of the online application will outline the requirements fairly clearly. Text from the old FLR(M) paper form that has gone largely unchanged from what is now in the online version has already been provided. You're overthinking this a bit I think, you have enough to meet the requirement. Something for each of you every 4-5 months over the past couple years would be enough (provided it covers at least 3 different sources). You will be asked to submit the council tax bills as proof of housing costs anyway so you could even consider these as a couple of "back-up" documents and use other sources for co-habitation evidence.

[ssbib]

Page 63 and 64 of the FLR(M) paper form.

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov ... -form-flrm

Thank you, I can’t read it on my phone so I will have to check it on the computer in a day or so.

The documents checklist generated at the end of the online application will outline the requirements fairly clearly. Text from the old FLR(M) paper form that has gone largely unchanged from what is now in the online version has already been provided. You're overthinking this a bit I think, you have enough to meet the requirement. Something for each of you every 4-5 months over the past couple years would be enough (provided it covers at least 3 different sources). You will be asked to submit the council tax bills as proof of housing costs anyway so you could even consider these as a couple of "back-up" documents and use other sources for co-habitation evidence.

That’s what I do, I overthink things. Haha. I know I have enough documents but it’s the organisation of them that is stressing me out a bit.

I wasn’t aware about housing costs. I have copies of the 3 years council tax bills but do we have to submit them all, and would an official copy from the council suffice as I lost the first two?

What other housing costs do we have to show? Council tax, water rates, rent and housing insurance is in both our names, but gas and electric is just in mine. I did ask for it to be in both of our names but they appear to have ignored my request when I set the account up.

Lastly can you use council tax bills as housing cost evidence AND co-habitation or is it just one or the other?

[geoeng]

I wasn’t aware about housing costs. I have copies of the 3 years council tax bills but do we have to submit them all, and would an official copy from the council suffice as I lost the first two?

What other housing costs do we have to show? Council tax, water rates, rent and housing insurance is in both our names, but gas and electric is just in mine. I did ask for it to be in both of our names but they appear to have ignored my request when I set the account up.

Lastly can you use council tax bills as housing cost evidence AND co-habitation or is it just one or the other?

I think they're mostly just interest in the most recent year for housing costs and by that I just mean council tax and rent/mortgage (doesn't ask about utilities and insurance). I used council tax bills for both and had no problems, I just included it in both a housing costs pdf and cohabitation evidence pdf when I uploaded the documents online. The documents checklist created at the end of the online application makes it pretty clear what to submit for these.

[ssbib]

I wasn’t aware about housing costs. I have copies of the 3 years council tax bills but do we have to submit them all, and would an official copy from the council suffice as I lost the first two?

What other housing costs do we have to show? Council tax, water rates, rent and housing insurance is in both our names, but gas and electric is just in mine. I did ask for it to be in both of our names but they appear to have ignored my request when I set the account up.

Lastly can you use council tax bills as housing cost evidence AND co-habitation or is it just one or the other?

I think they're mostly just interest in the most recent year for housing costs and by that I just mean council tax and rent/mortgage (doesn't ask about utilities and insurance). I used council tax bills for both and had no problems, I just included it in both a housing costs pdf and cohabitation evidence pdf when I uploaded the documents online. The documents checklist created at the end of the online application makes it pretty clear what to submit for these.

That’s good to hear, thank you. I was a little panicked then that not having my wife listed on the gas and electric account would be a problem. I can supply the evidence for council tax and rent for the last 12 months no problem.

Can you remember what you have to show for the rent? Our names are on the tenancy agreement, would that be enough or do you have to show the rent coming out of your account too? That won’t be a problem as we pay for both council tax and rent from our joint account.

I still can’t decide whether to scan everything or get them to do it. I don’t have easy access to a scanner outside of work. Are the things you have to supply the following:

Identification
Proof of marriage (certificate)
Proof of co-habitation
Proof of housing costs
Financial requirements
English language requirements

Is that it or is there another thing you have to give evidence for?

[seagul]

Can you remember what you have to show for the rent? Our names are on the tenancy agreement, would that be enough or do you have to show the rent coming out of your account too?

Tenancy agreement, council tax and rent payment from account is enough evidence to meet the accommodation requirement and rent.

[ssbib]

Can you remember what you have to show for the rent? Our names are on the tenancy agreement, would that be enough or do you have to show the rent coming out of your account too?

Tenancy agreement, council tax and rent payment from account is enough evidence to meet the accommodation requirement and rent.

That’s good to know, thank you. How many bank statements would you have to submit to show the rent payments, 6 months?

[seagul]

Can you remember what you have to show for the rent? Our names are on the tenancy agreement, would that be enough or do you have to show the rent coming out of your account too?

Tenancy agreement, council tax and rent payment from account is enough evidence to meet the accommodation requirement and rent.

That’s good to know, thank you. How many bank statements would you have to submit to show the rent payments, 6 months?

Shouldnt be limit for it but those bank statements fulfilling the financial requirement and cohabitation might be enough.

[ssbib]

Can you remember what you have to show for the rent? Our names are on the tenancy agreement, would that be enough or do you have to show the rent coming out of your account too?

Tenancy agreement, council tax and rent payment from account is enough evidence to meet the accommodation requirement and rent.

That’s good to know, thank you. How many bank statements would you have to submit to show the rent payments, 6 months?

Shouldnt be limit for it but those bank statements fulfilling the financial requirement and cohabitation might be enough.

The financial requirement bank statements will be my personal account which doesn’t pay the rent. The ones we use for cohabitation will probably be too spread out to go towards that. I’ll ensure I get the latest 6 months for the joint account as well. That way I can see what the guidelines say and make sure I upload the correct amount.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions tonight. No doubt I’ll be back with more at some point

[ssbib]

Hello again all. I’ve just got one more quick question about letters as evidence etc.

Some of these are addressed to us with an initial and surname only, some are addressed with my full name and one even came addressed with my shortened name of Phill plus our surname. These are all from the same source in one instance (council tax). Would that matter too much or am I over thinking again? Thanks in advance.

[seagul]

over thinking again

[ssbib]

Hahaha, I was hoping you would say that. I’ve always done this, whenever there is something on my mind and it drives me crazy. Deep down I know that it will be ok, ultimately I have no control how letters come to me in the post and so how can the HO expect you to have control of this. My father and I share the same initial and he would hate it when post would come to the house just using my first initial and he would open my mail by mistake or the other way round and then have a go at ME for causing the mistake

Thanks for the reply. Enjoy your weekend.

[ssbib]

Hello everyone. I hope you are all well and enjoying the new year. Now that Christmas is done I need to start planning for the visa renewal. I think I have everything in hand but a little more support from all you lovely people would go a long way. To start can anyone please answer these questions:

1) Do we need to renew my wifes passport before we apply for FLR? It expires some time in 2021 and so do we need to have a passport that will be valid for the full visa period when we apply? I would've thought now, as they are only using it for ID purposes and we are essentially extending her BRP and no actual visas are placed in the passport.

2) Is my understanding of a previous post correct that we can use our B1 English Language Certificate from 2017 in the FLR and ILR process? My understanding is that any certificates that are more than 2 years old are expired but because we used this for the initial visa process in 2017 we can continue to use it throughout the rest of the process.

I would also like your opinion on the following documents for the cohabitation requirements, are these sufficient and spaced out well enough? We renew at the end of April. Am I right in thinking that these need to show a period of 2 years and NOT 2 and a half years?

May 2018: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Utility Bill (me, original)
Oct 2018: HMRC letter (wife, original) Utility Bill (me, original)
March 2019: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)
July 2019: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Bank statement (wife, certified copy)
Oct 2019: United Utilities bill (wife and myself, original)
March 2020: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)

Thanks in advanced everyone.

[AmazonianX]

Hello everyone. I hope you are all well and enjoying the new year. Now that Christmas is done I need to start planning for the visa renewal. I think I have everything in hand but a little more support from all you lovely people would go a long way. To start can anyone please answer these questions:

1) Do we need to renew my wifes passport before we apply for FLR? It expires some time in 2021 and so do we need to have a passport that will be valid for the full visa period when we apply? I would've thought now, as they are only using it for ID purposes and we are essentially extending her BRP and no actual visas are placed in the passport.

2) Is my understanding of a previous post correct that we can use our B1 English Language Certificate from 2017 in the FLR and ILR process? My understanding is that any certificates that are more than 2 years old are expired but because we used this for the initial visa process in 2017 we can continue to use it throughout the rest of the process.

I would also like your opinion on the following documents for the cohabitation requirements, are these sufficient and spaced out well enough? We renew at the end of April. Am I right in thinking that these need to show a period of 2 years and NOT 2 and a half years?

May 2018: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Utility Bill (me, original)
Oct 2018: HMRC letter (wife, original) Utility Bill (me, original)
March 2019: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)
July 2019: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Bank statement (wife, certified copy)
Oct 2019: United Utilities bill (wife and myself, original)
March 2020: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)

Thanks in advanced everyone.

1. No need to renew it
2. Yes your understanding is correct. Also check that it is still on HO approved list.

[ssbib]

]

1. No need to renew it
2. Yes your understanding is correct. Also check that it is still on HO approved list.

Thanks for confirming those. I’ve already checked and it is still on the list, I’ll double check again closer to the time. It’s the main centre in Manila and so it should still be there but thanks for the reminder on that one.

Can anyone offer their opinion on the documents list? Any thanks.

[ssbib]

I saw in another section of this forum (Tier 1 visa I think) someone talking about using a notary for “expanse of initials” when referring to documents. I am assuming this means they have a notary explain that J Smith is actually Jack Alan Smith on documents submitted for visa purposes.

Is anything like this required for FLR??

[ssbib]

I've had to change some of the documents we will be using for the cohabitation requirement. This is because I noticed the HMRC document for my wife in Oct 2018 had a mis-spelling of her middle name. I was going to try and get a cover letter from HMRC to explain this but I don't think they are going to do it so I had to swap it for another bank statement. I also noticed that my water bill in 2019 was in Sept, not Oct and so it messes up the distribution a little. I decided to substitute another council tax bill that I got in Nov 2019 and insert the water bill in March 2020, which it is next due.

The documents now look like this:

May 2018: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Utility Bill (me, original)
Oct 2018: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Utility Bill (me, original)
March 2019: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)
July 2019: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Bank statement (wife, certified copy)
Nov 2019: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)
March 2020: Water bill (wife and myself, original)

I think this is a better distribution of the documents and they are from 4 distinct sources. Any opinion on this would be helpful.

[geoeng]

I think this is a better distribution of the documents and they are from 4 distinct sources. Any opinion on this would be helpful.

Looks like it would meet the requirements.

[ssbib]

I think this is a better distribution of the documents and they are from 4 distinct sources. Any opinion on this would be helpful.

Looks like it would meet the requirements.

Thanks for your input geoeng.

[seagul]

.

The documents now look like this:

May 2018: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Utility Bill (me, original)
Oct 2018: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Utility Bill (me, original)
March 2019: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)
July 2019: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Bank statement (wife, certified copy)
Nov 2019: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)
March 2020: Water bill (wife and myself, original)

I think this is a better distribution of the documents and they are from 4 distinct sources. Any opinion on this would be helpful.

The gap between May 2018 - Oct 2018 and then March 2019 is around 5 months. So if you can then fill it with extra document from any source for just in case.

[ssbib]

.

The documents now look like this:

May 2018: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Utility Bill (me, original)
Oct 2018: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Utility Bill (me, original)
March 2019: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)
July 2019: Bank statement (wife, certified copy) Bank statement (wife, certified copy)
Nov 2019: Council tax bill (wife and myself, original)
March 2020: Water bill (wife and myself, original)

I think this is a better distribution of the documents and they are from 4 distinct sources. Any opinion on this would be helpful.

The gap between May 2018 - Oct 2018 and then March 2019 is around 5 months. So if you can then fill it with extra document from any source for just in case.

Documents are really scarce. It’s hard to get everything in EXACTLY 4 month intervals because you aren’t in control of who sends you what and when. I might have some water bills but they’re copies and have a big “copy” water mark on them.

I’ve been told before that gaps of 4-5 months is ok and CR001 said not to add extra documents and to only submit the required number. Thanks for the input though.

[ssbib]

@CR001 - can I ask for your opinion on the above please? Thanks.