Spousal Visa Application - Pakistan

[ukusman]

Salaam,

I just want to clarify something. With the application we obviously need to submit the original and photocopy of the Nikka Nama (Urdu) and we also need to submit a "certified english translation". What qualifies as "certified"?

My wife had the english translation done at a shop and we got the person to write his name, address and sign on the back. Is this sufficent?

Certified means that it is a true translate copy of the original. Anyone can do the translation, but it has to be attested by an authorised person i.e someone from the kutchery along with their stamp to state that its a true translated copy of the original.

The one you have done will not be accepted.

Ok, it was also stamped at the Town Court (I'm not sure what they call it in Pakistan). Normally the people doing the stamping cant read or write english so what does this actually prove?

It proves that its a true copy of the original. If the people who are doing the stamping are corrupt then i couldnt expect more from pakistan!

Thats a requirement which has to be followed.

[nasxtra]

slam dear brothers and sisters wife visa applead on 14/01/2010 got email from ukhub.pakistangeneraienquiries@fco.gov.uk saying a decision has been made on your application you will be contacted shortly through gerrys international in due course dose that means its good news or bad news coz its just been 22 day can any one tell me what dose it sound likes please ya allha good news please

You applied same day as me and got a response what VAC did u use? As long as you have submitted all required docs it should be good news inshallah...lets just hope the ECO is in a good mood

Anyone know what the average turn araound time is for settlement applications these days from their own experience not the guidelines on UKBA site??

[ukusman]

About 4 weeks is the turnaround for settlement visa.

[saw]

slam visa applead at lahore vac on 14/01/2010 inshallah you will good news soon

[zs786]

[quote="ukusman"]About 4 weeks is the turnaround for settlement visa.[/quote

bro on your post above listing all the documents you've submitted - is the pakistani id card copy of the sponsor attested essential?? Cant see this anywhere as a requirement from a sponsor i thought all they need in terms identification document is a valid british passport of sponsor with each page copied and certified

appreciate ur advice

[musab_27]

Asalam alaycum all

Anyone applying for a spousal visa, documents required have been listed on this forum by batley khan. Please go through the last few pages or more and you will find more than enough info on it. Its really straight forward and you dont have to go the lenghts ukusman did, which is basically do the ECO's job for them.

Recent posts suggest UKBA took a battering last year, and are now giving visas quickly now and not refusing no where near as much as last year, well so far this year any way. Just make sure you include you include main docs, evidence of contact and you shoud be fine. Although nothing can compensate for the incompitance or beloved of some of the ECO's who'll still find a way to refuse u.

[ukusman]

About 4 weeks is the turnaround for settlement visa.[/quote

bro on your post above listing all the documents you've submitted - is the pakistani id card copy of the sponsor attested essential?? Cant see this anywhere as a requirement from a sponsor i thought all they need in terms identification document is a valid british passport of sponsor with each page copied and certified

appreciate ur advice

Its not a requirment but if you went to pakistan with the id card as a means of entering the country then i recommend you submit it.

[ukusman]

Asalam alaycum all

Anyone applying for a spousal visa, documents required have been listed on this forum by batley khan. Please go through the last few pages or more and you will find more than enough info on it. Its really straight forward and you dont have to go the lenghts ukusman did, which is basically do the ECO's job for them.

Recent posts suggest UKBA took a battering last year, and are now giving visas quickly now and not refusing no where near as much as last year, well so far this year any way. Just make sure you include you include main docs, evidence of contact and you shoud be fine. Although nothing can compensate for the incompitance or beloved of some of the ECO's who'll still find a way to refuse u.

I am sure that you will have better chance of success if you make the jobs easier for the ECO.

I personally feel that more and more people are seeking advise andare better prepared when submitting application hence the reason why more visas are being issued.

Most visas are usually refused because of poor planning and essential paperwork missing.

[hafsa_khan]

salam, can u please help me as soon as possible. My husband applied for settlement visa on november last year in february this year he was refused visa on that our marraige is not genuine, but it is.

i am bristish born and he is in bangladesh. we married in 2007, but i applied nov 2009. i didnt know how to show proof as i use international phone cards to call. i gave photos and as we didnt text everyday due to being on phone most times; some of his text messages were shown.

they said he can appeal, but i am wondering if i can make a fresh application and show more proof rather than apeal.
What do u think would be right and can i make a fresh application now and would they accpet a new one or question it? or do i have to appeal as appealing would take longer, i would much rather make a new one.


Can u help me please im so stressed out

[lubzy]

Hafsa, I would suggest that you re-apply. You are looking at the difference between a 1 month wait and a 10+ month wait if you appeal. It could be longer if the AIT court date gets postponed; in my case there was an additional 5 week delay because of staff sickness at my court which led to my date getting cancelled 2 days before the original hearing date.

Just please make sure that you provide an abundance of evidence of contact to prove your marriage is subsisting. This should cover as long a period as possible but definitiely include recent contact.

I included Skype and Live Messenger screen prints which showed us both talking at the same time and the Judge was impressed with this. I also included my Lycamobile account printouts (which are free if you register the SIM), loads of e-mails back and forth plus greetings cards and gift delivery receipts. My solicitor and barrister presented a 392 page indexed bundle at appeal which was mostly necessary because I hadn't submitted as much evidence as I should have with the original application.

[batleykhan]

Hafsa, I would suggest that you re-apply. You are looking at the difference between a 1 month wait and a 10+ month wait if you appeal. It could be longer if the AIT court date gets postponed; in my case there was an additional 5 week delay because of staff sickness at midy court which led to my date getting cancelled 2 days before the original hearing date.

Whilst it is ok to reapply again, if you really cocked up your application first time around, but reapplying second time around does not guarantee you a succesful outcome.

Furthermore its going to cost you a whopping £700 +. Can you really afford this.Furthermore what extra docs can you provide 2nd time around that you havent already provided?.

Hafsa I think you need to state exact wording of your refusal, rathre than what you think.

I have said time and time agian, please do not use calling cards to ring your loved, instead use a landline( trouble with us Asians that we spend hundreds of pounds in unwanted things, but become tight fisted when it really matters)

The reason you have given is one of the most common reason used for refusal. This happens because we dont collate enough pre-marriage evidence that might be required when we apply. then when we get married we dont have enough photos etc, and after wedding we dont show enough proof that we keep in contact with each other, which ultimately ends in a refusal,

I am always reluctant to reapply. i would first appeal by lodging the appeal papers as there isa possibility that upon a review a decision can be overturned without going to a full hearing which can take 6 months or so. Furthermore you can keep your appeal live and still make another fresh application , and if you suceed with your 2nd application, then just withdraw your appeal. If your 2nd application is refused and have to appeal gain, you have to start again, whereas your 1st applicayion is still running.

Hope this makes sense

[ukusman]

Hi Batley khan, i personally think using calling cards is not the sole problem. The EC0 would ideally prefer few means of communication. Calling cards accomponied by an explaination why they are used (use calling cards because cheaper than the conventional direct landline telephone and allow us to talk for longer) along with some letters and cards you have sent each other should be sufficient to prove your mariage is subsisting. Also maybe once in a while you can send your husband some money and include receipts in your application. Like Batley khan said you need to provide the exact wording of the refusal because of what you have wrote, it suggests there can be a different reason behind refusal- ie could imply mariage doc not valid

[batleykhan]

use calling cards because cheaper than the conventional direct landline telephone and allow us to talk for longer

That is exactly the point.

By all means use calling cards,but do make at least one or two phone calls a week from land line (Most it will call you is £1) at least you have some evidence you called your loved one.

The phone cards do not provide itemised billing. Recently someone sent nearly a hundred calling cards with an applivcation but it was still refused, so I asked sponsor where he manged to get so many from. He said he collected them from his friends!!!!!!!

[hafsa_khan]

thanks so much for replying giving me some encouragement, i am so stressed belive me,as i have no support.

i will try to make a new application, but i use international phone cards with landline and not mobile how can i show prrof of this?...is it not enough showing many cards which i have used, also we dont email or use yahoo or msn messenger, the only thing we have is texting and few cards i sent. some even got lost in the post and he never recievd it. I dont know what other proof i could show as i only text and phone using phone cards.

by the way how did you ask for lycamobile printouts from them? and how many months worth of phoning did you show?, also how did you print screen prints from live messenger etc?

i wont be able do to do that stuff unfortunately as it will take many months of phoning or talking to produce evidence, and he does not have accessto computer.

But what evidence can i show my marraige is subsisting apart from text messages and a few cards.

please reply thank so much

[Zak_K]

Hi everyone. Just wanted to share my experience, and hopefully this will help other members and I would also appreciate feedback myself.

I've been married since 28 Feb 09. I left Pakistan on the 15th March. Since then I did not find employment til September, and have only just recently accumalated enough payslips to lodge my application. In terms of accomodation I'm living rent free in my parents house.

The contact requirement is what is troublesome. I like many others initally used International Calling Cards, but then realised I could top up my wifes phone. I have records of topping up her phone on a weekly basis, and minimal itemised billing from my landline (1 min calls to tell her to call me back). She did send me an eid card, but the envolope was misplaced by myself, and I just recently recieved a Birthday Card for which I sent a Valentines Day card.

My wife is in talks with Ufone in order to get itemised billing from her side (which should show her calling my landline for around an hour everyday)

Despite this, my solicitor stresses that due to me lodging my application so late I must go back to Pakistan and lodge the application together. I explained to him that my job is not very secure (very small company), but he said I've also got hold of his letter and payslips, and obviously my own bank statements. The chances that he will recieve a call to confirm I work there are 5000 to 1. So even if I do lose my job it is critical for me to go back. This won't only satisfy the contact requirement but I can personally ensure that my application form is filled in by myself rather than some local 'expert'.

I'll be going back to Pakistan at the end of the month Inshallah for a couple of weeks to lodge my application. The only question I have is: assuming my wife does get hold of her itemised billing, are letters still required? Surely the folks making the decision understand that if we talk for such a long time everyday, letters would be pointless?

Anyways hopefully my situation can benefit someone else, and like I said I would appreciate any feedback anyone has to offer.

Salaam.

Zak.

[ukusman]

Hi everyone. Just wanted to share my experience, and hopefully this will help other members and I would also appreciate feedback myself.

I've been married since 28 Feb 09. I left Pakistan on the 15th March. Since then I did not find employment til September, and have only just recently accumalated enough payslips to lodge my application. In terms of accomodation I'm living rent free in my parents house.

The contact requirement is what is troublesome. I like many others initally used International Calling Cards, but then realised I could top up my wifes phone. I have records of topping up her phone on a weekly basis, and minimal itemised billing from my landline (1 min calls to tell her to call me back). She did send me an eid card, but the envolope was misplaced by myself, and I just recently recieved a Birthday Card for which I sent a Valentines Day card.

My wife is in talks with Ufone in order to get itemised billing from her side (which should show her calling my landline for around an hour everyday)

Despite this, my solicitor stresses that due to me lodging my application so late I must go back to Pakistan and lodge the application together. I explained to him that my job is not very secure (very small company), but he said I've also got hold of his letter and payslips, and obviously my own bank statements. The chances that he will recieve a call to confirm I work there are 5000 to 1. So even if I do lose my job it is critical for me to go back. This won't only satisfy the contact requirement but I can personally ensure that my application form is filled in by myself rather than some local 'expert'.

I'll be going back to Pakistan at the end of the month Inshallah for a couple of weeks to lodge my application. The only question I have is: assuming my wife does get hold of her itemised billing, are letters still required? Surely the folks making the decision understand that if we talk for such a long time everyday, letters would be pointless?

Anyways hopefully my situation can benefit someone else, and like I said I would appreciate any feedback anyone has to offer.

Salaam.

Zak.

What your solicitor has advised you is not entirely true.

You can download the VAF4 form online, fill it in and send it to your wife and ask her to sign it. You dont have to be there to fill the form. Also you wont be able to lodge your wifes application as only the applicant would be allowed to enter the VAC. So i personally conclude that if you provide a explanation why you never went to visit your wife for a year You will be ok inshallah. Hower going to pakistan and visiting your wife will make your case stronger but i wouldnt risk it at the expense of your job.

You state your job is not secure - Has your employer provided you a letter stating your job is permanent along with your salary/wage and job title ?

Like Batley khan said - why cant you call your wife everyday for 3-4 mins ? It will probably cost you 3-4£ a week from your landline or mobile?

You got so many options. Why dont you send your wife some money every month ? And provide receipts. How have you suported your wife for a year while she is in pakistan ? have you sent her any money ?

Am a afraid if you want to call your wife over your going to have to dig deep in your pockets.

[ukusman]

thanks so much for replying giving me some encouragement, i am so stressed belive me,as i have no support.

i will try to make a new application, but i use international phone cards with landline and not mobile how can i show prrof of this?...is it not enough showing many cards which i have used, also we dont email or use yahoo or msn messenger, the only thing we have is texting and few cards i sent. some even got lost in the post and he never recievd it. I dont know what other proof i could show as i only text and phone using phone cards.

by the way how did you ask for lycamobile printouts from them? and how many months worth of phoning did you show?, also how did you print screen prints from live messenger etc?

i wont be able do to do that stuff unfortunately as it will take many months of phoning or talking to produce evidence, and he does not have accessto computer.

But what evidence can i show my marraige is subsisting apart from text messages and a few cards.

please reply thank so much

You cant prove you use calling cards to call your husband. As Batley Khan said if you want to prove that your in contact with your wife regularly then your going to have to call your husband from a landline/mobile every other week and provide itemised billing which clearly shows the calls made to your husband.

There are some other ways that you can show your marriage is subsisting.

You can send letters to your husband and ask him to send you some.
Send him some money and you will recieve receipts showing money sent.

Sending calling cards would be ok when you have got other evidence showing you both have been in contact and your marriage is subsisting. Forexample i sent 10 calling cards (explaing why i use calling cards), sent receipts showing money sent to wife (70£ per month), letters and greeting cards to and from wife), and flight tickets showing i visited wife twice in 6months.

However submitting calling cards can still result in refusal even if you have other means of contact as mentioned above. As the ECO can still claim that the calling cards dont prove you have called your wife/husband. Maybe i was successfull because i had strong evidence to suggest my marriage is subsisting due to visiting wife twice in 6months. Therefore some people get away with only calling cards and some dont. Every case depends on the ECO

So please everyone spend some money and call your loved ones from landling telephone/mobile and provide itemised billing.

[Zak_K]

Hi everyone. Just wanted to share my experience, and hopefully this will help other members and I would also appreciate feedback myself.

I've been married since 28 Feb 09. I left Pakistan on the 15th March. Since then I did not find employment til September, and have only just recently accumalated enough payslips to lodge my application. In terms of accomodation I'm living rent free in my parents house.

The contact requirement is what is troublesome. I like many others initally used International Calling Cards, but then realised I could top up my wifes phone. I have records of topping up her phone on a weekly basis, and minimal itemised billing from my landline (1 min calls to tell her to call me back). She did send me an eid card, but the envolope was misplaced by myself, and I just recently recieved a Birthday Card for which I sent a Valentines Day card.

My wife is in talks with Ufone in order to get itemised billing from her side (which should show her calling my landline for around an hour everyday)

Despite this, my solicitor stresses that due to me lodging my application so late I must go back to Pakistan and lodge the application together. I explained to him that my job is not very secure (very small company), but he said I've also got hold of his letter and payslips, and obviously my own bank statements. The chances that he will recieve a call to confirm I work there are 5000 to 1. So even if I do lose my job it is critical for me to go back. This won't only satisfy the contact requirement but I can personally ensure that my application form is filled in by myself rather than some local 'expert'.

I'll be going back to Pakistan at the end of the month Inshallah for a couple of weeks to lodge my application. The only question I have is: assuming my wife does get hold of her itemised billing, are letters still required? Surely the folks making the decision understand that if we talk for such a long time everyday, letters would be pointless?

Anyways hopefully my situation can benefit someone else, and like I said I would appreciate any feedback anyone has to offer.

Salaam.

Zak.

What your solicitor has advised you is not entirely true.

You can download the VAF4 form online, fill it in and send it to your wife and ask her to sign it. You dont have to be there to fill the form. Also you wont be able to lodge your wifes application as only the applicant would be allowed to enter the VAC. So i personally conclude that if you provide a explanation why you never went to visit your wife for a year You will be ok inshallah. Hower going to pakistan and visiting your wife will make your case stronger but i wouldnt risk it at the expense of your job.

You state your job is not secure - Has your employer provided you a letter stating your job is permanent along with your salary/wage and job title ?

Like Batley khan said - why cant you call your wife everyday for 3-4 mins ? It will probably cost you 3-4£ a week from your landline or mobile?

You got so many options. Why dont you send your wife some money every month ? And provide receipts. How have you suported your wife for a year while she is in pakistan ? have you sent her any money ?

Am a afraid if you want to call your wife over your going to have to dig deep in your pockets.

Salaam bro. Yes I do have a letter from my employer stating my job is permanent, alongside my position and NI number. However it does not mention my salary (did not want to draw too much attention to this as I'm only earning the minimum wage). The reason why I say is not very secure is because he seems to be struggling (he's a retailer with an online business), therefore if he goes bankrupt then I'll have to start over again.

Like you said, going back to Pakistan would strengthen my case, and I'm going back and have had holidays from work. I just mentioned what my solicitor said to emphasize how important this is. I will submit my airline tickets as well as new stamps on my passport so the ECO know I'm currently in Pakistan.

With regards to sending money back to my wife. I did leave her some money (I'm aware this can't be proven), and a month ago I sent her money, which left a paper trail. This money would be used specifically to fund her travel expenses should her application be successful.

As I said, I've just recently started work, so I was not able to send her money beforehand. But now I'm in a situation where if I did send her money on a weekly / monthly basis it would certainly make the ECO think I'm just doing so because I want to lodge my case soon.

[RHussain07]

I'm just reading the last few pages about calling cards and showing that your in regular contact.....

I'm scheduled to go Pak this year and have an arranged marriage inshaAllah. I have met my proposed wife in 2008.

1. would I be expected to show that I have kept in touch?

2. I have just obtained the property deeds for my parents house (which is where we would be staying free of charge). The deeds are an official copy from landregistery but they look cheap and flimsy to be honest.

Is this what people submit or is is best to provide something else?

Ps. mubarek to ukusman, tazzie for the visas. inshalAllah I hope your spouses come to uk well. -- hafsa be strong and have sabr - seek advice and you'll be in a strong position inshaAllah.

[amr2010]

I'm just reading the last few pages about calling cards and showing that your in regular contact.....

I'm scheduled to go Pak this year and have an arranged marriage inshaAllah. I have met my proposed wife in 2008.

1. would I be expected to show that I have kept in touch?

2. I have just obtained the property deeds for my parents house (which is where we would be staying free of charge). The deeds are an official copy from landregistery but they look cheap and flimsy to be honest.

Is this what people submit or is is best to provide something else?

Ps. mubarek to ukusman, tazzie for the visas. inshalAllah I hope your spouses come to uk well. -- hafsa be strong and have sabr - seek advice and you'll be in a strong position inshaAllah.

Asalaam alakium

1. If I read your message correctly then you are GOING to get married this year? Therefore I doubt you would need to prove you have kept in touch since your engagement as this is not the "norm" in Muslim culture. If you have kept in touch and do have proof then use it.

You must show you have kept in touch since the wedding, this is where phone/sms/chat/email records come in.

Will you and your wife be living together in Pakistan after the wedding?

2. My fathers property records looked like they were written on typewriter! I contacted my fathers solicitor and requested an attested photocopy and covering letter stating my parents were long term clients. I think I paid £35.

Ensure you write a letter (from your father) stating that you currently live at this address rent free, that he is happy for your wife to live there and that he will not charge any rent in the future.

[RHussain07]

Walaikum salam,

Thanks.

Yes I will be going Pak to get married this year and take the paperwork with me inshaAllah. I intend to hand in the application whilst I am there to bring wife over to the UK inshaAllah.

I have some contact since I last went there in 2008 with her i.e., eid cards, telephone contact but its not much. Is it best to show this or shall I leave it? - many people are saying showing contact is important on this forum...

Re. landregistery documents... Yes i can get a letter no problem written from parents with what you mentioned. For the deeds, so you show landregistery doc+attested copy of deeds (attested by solicitor)? Is'nt this the same thing though? I thought a council tax bill or utility bill+landregistery doc would be better?

[amr2010]

Walaikum salam,

Thanks.

Yes I will be going Pak to get married this year and take the paperwork with me inshaAllah. I intend to hand in the application whilst I am there to bring wife over to the UK inshaAllah.

I have some contact since I last went there in 2008 with her i.e., eid cards, telephone contact but its not much. Is it best to show this or shall I leave it? - many people are saying showing contact is important on this forum...

Re. landregistery documents... Yes i can get a letter no problem written from parents with what you mentioned. For the deeds, so you show landregistery doc+attested copy of deeds (attested by solicitor)? Is'nt this the same thing though? I thought a council tax bill or utility bill+landregistery doc would be better?

I think you've mis-understood me. Proving contact since the wedding is VERY VERY important. I think it's less important to prove the period before your nikka as typically in muslim/pakistani culture the husband and wife have little to no contact until the nikka. In your case I wouldn't bother with the calling cards but would include the Eid cards.

In my case my case my wife and I did not see each other and we did not speak on the phone prior to the nikka. However since I came back we phone and text each other regularly.


The land registery and attested title deeds are the same thing. In my opinion the fact that the title deeds are attested and come with a covering letter add weight to the application. This is not the time to be stingy as you really want the application to be successful first time.

You should also include the council tax and utility bills.

Before you go any further read batelykhans length post on the documents you should apply:


http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... start=4320

Will you stay in Pakistan until the visa decision is made (4 weeks ish from application)?

[hafsa_khan]

Salam all, jazakAllahkhair amr2010 and all, i am trying to be sabr but very hard coz i dont know how to acccumulate information on my subsisitng marraige. Its been over 2 years since i went bangladesh and got marraid. since then i had to find employment and then so stressed about family problems here that i didnt have time to think about ringing with mobile etc.

i use phone cards only because it cheaper and longer time to call. Also if i did use mobile to call where do i get the itemised billing from and how long does it take to arrive to me as i dont know if i am registered?

Also would it be helpful and can i do that; if i get an employment letter stating my job is secure until i come back and go to bangladesh and live with him for few months until his entry result comes through (like 6 months etc), but show my passport has stamp that i went there to see him?

So basically can i go there and stay few months until and after he submits the application showing my passport stamp i went to see him?

i dont have proof of calling as i use international phone cards but would texting and showing cards do?

If i can show these two things (goin over there and cards and texts would it do considering i havent been there for over 2 years ?

[hafsa_khan]

SALAM EVERYONE,

i dont want to lodge appeal because due to family situation i cant attend the hearing, thats the reason and im so stressed what to do. i want to appeal but i cant cos its difficult for me to turn up, also i live far from london.

thats why i was thinking of lodging another appeal, but this time showing more cards and texts

[batleykhan]

SALAM EVERYONE,

i dont want to lodge appeal because due to family situation i cant attend the hearing, thats the reason and im so stressed what to do. i want to appeal but i cant cos its difficult for me to turn up, also i live far from london.

thats why i was thinking of lodging another appeal, but this time showing more cards and texts

Cor blimey if you get stressed out with this, wait till your hubby gets here.Thats even more strssful

There are appeal courts spread through out UK, not just in London.

I think you are making a mistake applying, but the decision is yours.