Spousal visa application success.

[andybeneath]

Hello everyone,

First off, I would like to say what a huge help this forum has been and to those who offer their advice. Joppa, my wife and I cannot thank you enough for your insite and advise you give.

So here is my story, I will keep it brief and hope that it can help others looking for advice as I was. First of all, here is my situation:

I am a 26yr old male, British citizen living in London. I live alone in a rented, purpose built self-contained flat. I work full time and have done for over 3 years for the same company and currently earn well over the current £18,600 requirement. My income after all rental and utility bills per month works out at £1395 after tax.
My wife is a 27yr old female living in Nashville TN and recently sold her car, kept a part time job and moved back in with her parents in anticipation for her move to the UK.

I met my wife early in 2009. We spent the next few years talking on skype, traveling back and forth and meeting up around Europe many times until we decided to get married in Nashville at the start of September 2012. As I had the steady job and accommodation we decided that it would be best for her to apply for a spouse visa for the UK and live with me.

2 days after the wedding I returned alone to the UK and we began gathering the necessary documents for the UK spouse visa (new rules). This took a little longer than expected, mainly due to my bank (Natwest) being almost useless and not sending original bank statements for the previous 6 months to the correct address and then not at all a second time, each request taking 10 business days to deliver.

So we finally gathered all of the documentation needed and then I made a foolish error. I sent my package containing all original documents including bank statements, housing and work contracts to my wife in the US via Royal mail. One mistake I will never make in my life again. The projected 5 business days delivery time actually turned out to be 14 and at one point a Royal mail representative actually told me that my package was lost! Luckily it turned up in the end but by the time it had, my bank statements and payslips were out of date in relation to our application and so I had to send updated documents, this time via FEDEX, who delivered by 10am the next day.

List of Documents we Supplied:

Sponsor:

Letter of introduction
6 months original pay slips
6 months banks statements (showing corresponding payments from work)
3 years p60
2nd duplicate set of bank statements in sealed envelope
Work contract (original and signed)
Letter from employer stating type of employment (full time), how long I have been employed, my different pay levels and how long I have maintained said pay
Certified copy of my passport back pages
Rental contracts for previous 2 years at current address clearly stating cost of rent (all bills included)
Letter from landlord stating that it is ok for my wife to move in.
Letter from my landlord stating that my contract is now on a ‘rolling format’ for the indefinite future (this is because my contact was due for renewal the month after the application)

Applicant:

Letter of introduction
Current passport and 2 new colur passport photos
Original birth certificate
Letter from University stating that I hold a bachelors degree and what in
Updated Resume
letters of recommendation from current employers
6 months of latest bank statements (stamped by bank)
2011 Tax Returns
Proposed Itinerary to return to the UK


Proof of Relationship and Supporting Documents:

Original Marriage Certificate
Official copy of Marriage Certificate in sealed envelope
Engagement cards
Wedding cards
ALL flight confirmations from visits to see each other
Skype call log
E-mail screen shots
Photos of us together
Photos from our wedding
Supporting letters from friends and family


Application timeline:

Nov. 25th: Completed online application WITH priority:
Nov. 29th: Biometrics completed:
Nov. 29th: Sent Biometrics/All paperwork overnight with FedEx to NY Office
Dec. 3rd : email confirming they received documents
Jan. 8th : Visa approval email received

It took our priority application 22 business days, not counting UK Border Consulate holidays. We sent our application during the Thanksgiving Holiday as well as Christmas/New Year. I would assume this delayed our visa processing by a slight bit.
We did not receive any e-mails in between the first e-mail from the Consulate stating that they received my package and the approval e-mail.


Things we were worried about:

At the end of each month I have very little money and sometimes go into my overdraft.

My latest housing contract was due to end the month after the approval but I guess the letter from my landlord stating my now rolling contract was fine.

We didn’t supply a housing survey but because I live by myself, I guess this wasn’t an issue, especially with the accompanying letter from my landlord saying my wife can live with me.


As most of you know, this visa process is one of the most stressful experiences you can be involved in. The lack of communication from the UKBA is infuriating to say the least. I am the worrier in our relationship and spent most of the waiting period thinking over and over what might go wrong and what we didn't do right. In the end thankfully it all worked out for the best but it is not an experience I would ever want to go through again. I cant stand the though of someone having power over my life and stopping me from being with the one I love.

I hope this post helped at least a few people and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. Good luck to all of those waiting for an answer.


Oh and DO NOT USE ROYAL MAIL for anything important!

[Joppa]

Wonderful news and well done.
I hope your wife has a safe journey over.

About Royal Mail. The fault may not be with them but with USPS (?) who handled the US part of the operation?

[andybeneath]

Thanks Joppa, she will be arriving this weekend. I have never felt so relived.

I think my package may have been held up due to the backlog caused by hurricane sandy the month before as it took a week to leave the UK. With such important documents I think the extra cost of Fedex or UPS is well worth it, even if just for peace of mind.

[mel23]

Did your wife's itinerary include a departure and return date or just a departure date? I don't see why a return date is necessary since I'm planning on living there. So did yall include a round trip or one way itinerary printout? Also did you include copies of all documents sent or just copies for those docs specified in the instructions?
Thanks

[Joppa]

Originally Posted by mel23

Did your wife's itinerary include a departure and return date or just a departure date? I don't see why a return date is necessary since I'm planning on living there. So did yall include a round trip or one way itinerary printout? Also did you include copies of all documents sent or just copies for those docs specified in the instructions?

For settlement visa, one-way flight will do. You can buy roundtrip as it's often cheaper than one-way and either throw away the return portion, or use it as part of your trip home to see your family etc.

You must include a copy for every document you present. If you don't, they may keep the original and not return. If you aren't bothered about getting certain documents back, don't include a copy but my view is why do you cut corners and potentially annoy UKBA?

[mel23]

Thanks for that response Joppa. I'm sending a one way itinerary. ..I have another question. I recently got married (december 21st) and changed my last name from Charles to Mathurin; I just got back to the US from St. lucia on Jan 7th. I filled out the online visa application January 16 and have my biometrics Jan 29th. For proof of funds available to me I am sending 6 months of bank statements and pay slips (both in my maiden name, charles), and not my married name Mathurin). Will that be a problem? I am also sending them a copy of my previous passport (with my maiden name, charles) as requested, along with my current passport in my married name (mathurin). Please help...don't want any issues with processing my visa. Thanks.

[WestCoastCanadianGirl]

I doubt that you should encounter a problem, as I do believe that the application form asks what (if any) other names you have been known by.

Also, your marriage certificate will likely have your maiden name on it as well as your married name, and given that you are applying for a spousal visa and are newly married, the UKBA will be cognisant of this and shouldn't have any problems with that aspect of your application.

[alvintan89]

Congratulations on the success WCCG !

So happy for you

[WestCoastCanadianGirl]

Originally Posted by alvintan89

Congratulations on the success WCCG !

So happy for you

I think you mean Andy... I was a pre-July 9'er and got my FLR(M) back on November 6, 2012.

[mel23]

Thanks WestCoastCanadianGirl !
I was thinking the same as you but just wanted a second opinion especially from someone who has been through the process. I'll keep you guys updated on my visa progress.