[fatcharliethearchangel]

Hi everyone,
I have been reading here regularly and have found the help provided here incredibly helpful - Thanks!
I am a British citizen who worked in Colombia for 16 months (Aug 2011 – Dec 2012). I met my Colombian fiancée in Oct (2011). I returned to work in the UK in Dec 2012. Since then we have been preparing her fiancée visa, which we intend to submit in mid-November. I was wondering if any of you good people could take a look at the list of documents we intend to submit and point out any omissions or unnecessary documents. There are a few qualifications that are specific to our application that I´d like to point out first.
We intended to submit in May, but my fiancée realized that there was an error on her birth certificate. It has taken her until this week to get this corrected by a judge. The fact that it has taken us 11 months to submit the application will count against us, especially as I have not visited her (although I intend to do that when we submit the application). I have enclosed the letter from her lawyer to the judge (dated June 20th) as evidence of why it has taken us so long.
I have also included copies of my previous identification documents from when I lived in Colombia (my visa and CE´s).

Applicant's Documents
Printed Application
Appendix 2
Covering Letter
Passport
Copy of Passport (apostilled)
CV (+ translation)
Birth Certificate (+ translation)
Photos (X 2)
Letter from Lawyer demanding correction to birth certificate (+ translation)
Receipt for payment to Lawyer for services
English Language Certificate

Sponser's Documents
Covering Letter
Copy of Passport
Copy of work Visa
Copy of C.E. 2012-2013
Copy of C.E. 2011-2012

Financial Requirements
Letter from Sponsor's Employer confirming employment
Sponsor's Employment Contract
Letter from Sponsor's Employer about contract
P60
Wage slips (May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, 2013)
Bank statements (May 23rd - Oct 26th)

Residential Requirements
House Contract (I am the only resident in a 2 bedroom house, no housing inspection report necessary)
Email from the Sponsor's letting agent giving permission for the Applicant to live in the house
Council Tax Bill

Evidence of Relationship
Photos (12 covering over a year)
Initial Chat Conversations from Dating Direct
Cards and Letters
Testimonials (Applicant's Parents, Sponsor's Parents, Sponsor's Brother, Applicant's and Sponsor's mutual friend).
Appointment for giving notice of intention to marry
Appointment for civil ceremony
Reservation for wedding meal
Receipt for Wedding dress
Receipt for engagement ring
Proposed Flight itinery (Mar, 2013)
Letter from Avianca detailing the applicant's entitlement to discounted flight prices (+translation)
List of Skype communications since the Sponsor´s return to the UK, obtained by the Sponsor using Skypelogview.
Screenshot of email inbox of emails since sponsor´s return to the UK

What do you think?
Any suggestions/comments would be most welcome.

 

[nyclon]

Hi everyone,
I have been reading here regularly and have found the help provided here incredibly helpful - Thanks!
I am a British citizen who worked in Colombia for 16 months (Aug 2011 – Dec 2012). I met my Colombian fiancée in Oct (2011). I returned to work in the UK in Dec 2012. Since then we have been preparing her fiancée visa, which we intend to submit in mid-November. I was wondering if any of you good people could take a look at the list of documents we intend to submit and point out any omissions or unnecessary documents. There are a few qualifications that are specific to our application that I´d like to point out first.
We intended to submit in May, but my fiancée realized that there was an error on her birth certificate. It has taken her until this week to get this corrected by a judge. The fact that it has taken us 11 months to submit the application will count against us, especially as I have not visited her (although I intend to do that when we submit the application). I have enclosed the letter from her lawyer to the judge (dated June 20th) as evidence of why it has taken us so long.
I have also included copies of my previous identification documents from when I lived in Colombia (my visa and CE´s).

Applicant's Documents
Printed Application
Appendix 2
Covering Letter
Passport
Copy of Passport (apostilled)
CV (+ translation)
Birth Certificate (+ translation)
Photos (X 2)
Letter from Lawyer demanding correction to birth certificate (+ translation)
Receipt for payment to Lawyer for services
English Language Certificate

Unnecessary:

Copy of passport, CV, birth certificate, lawyer's letter, receipt from lawyer.

Sponser's Documents
Covering Letter
Copy of Passport
Copy of work Visa
Copy of C.E. 2012-2013
Copy of C.E. 2011-2012

You're British what do you mean by work visa?

What are these?:
Copy of C.E. 2012-2013
Copy of C.E. 2011-2012

Financial Requirements
Letter from Sponsor's Employer confirming employment
Sponsor's Employment Contract
Letter from Sponsor's Employer about contract
P60
Wage slips (May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, 2013)
Bank statements (May 23rd - Oct 26th)

Fine.

Residential Requirements
House Contract (I am the only resident in a 2 bedroom house, no housing inspection report necessary)
Email from the Sponsor's letting agent giving permission for the Applicant to live in the house
Council Tax Bill

Fine

Evidence of Relationship
Photos (12 covering over a year)
Initial Chat Conversations from Dating Direct
Cards and Letters

Fine although actual content from conversations isn't necessary.

Testimonials (Applicant's Parents, Sponsor's Parents, Sponsor's Brother, Applicant's and Sponsor's mutual friend).

Unnecessary. These are subjective and will not be considered.

Appointment for giving notice of intention to marry
Appointment for civil ceremony
Reservation for wedding meal
Receipt for Wedding dress
Receipt for engagement ring
Proposed Flight itinery (Mar, 2013)

Fine

Letter from Avianca detailing the applicant's entitlement to discounted flight prices (+translation)

Unnecessary. They don't care what her flight will cost.

List of Skype communications since the Sponsor´s return to the UK, obtained by the Sponsor using Skypelogview.
Screenshot of email inbox of emails since sponsor´s return to the UK

Fine

 

[Joppa]

Work visa, when the sponsor was working in Colombia?
C.E. = Confirmation of Earnings?

 

[fatcharliethearchangel]

Thanks very much for your review.
I wanted to strengthen our story by providing prooff that I had worked in Colombia. That is why I included my work visa, and my CE, which is a personal identity card that everyone is required to carry (similar to a national insurance card in the UK).
What do you think about the 11 month wait between me leaving Colombia and submitting the application? I have read previously that a significant delay has been used as grounds to reject an application as it is indicative that the relationship is not genuine. That is why I wanted to submit the lawyer´s documents as evidence that the delay is not because of our relationship, but because of my fiancees problems wither her documents.
Thanks again

 

[fatcharliethearchangel]

Visa and CE

Work visa, when the sponsor was working in Colombia?
C.E. = Confirmation of Earnings?

Sorry I was not clear about this. please se my previous reply.
Thanks.

 

[nyclon]

Thanks very much for your review.
I wanted to strengthen our story by providing prooff that I had worked in Colombia. That is why I included my work visa, and my CE, which is a personal identity card that everyone is required to carry (similar to a national insurance card in the UK).
What do you think about the 11 month wait between me leaving Colombia and submitting the application? I have read previously that a significant delay has been used as grounds to reject an application as it is indicative that the relationship is not genuine. That is why I wanted to submit the lawyer´s documents as evidence that the delay is not because of our relationship, but because of my fiancees problems wither her documents.
Thanks again

Your Columbia work visa and anything to do with you working there are unnecessary.

Plenty of people in long distance relationships are separated for long periods of time. They get that. What's important is that you kept in touch through email, Skype, phone calls. That's proof that the relationship is genuine and subsisting.

Again, the birth certificate is unnecessary as are the lawyer's documents.

 

[Joppa]

Explain the 11-month delay, or rather separation in your sponsor's letter. A lot of people have to do this with the new rule on financial requirement. Just emphasise the separation has nothing to do with any lack of commitment or devotion to each other. Rather it is a sign of a strong bond between you that you are willing to be separated a long period of time in order to ensure you can settle in UK together - short-term pain for long-term gain, but don't quote that!
You don't need your work visa or identity document.

 

[fatcharliethearchangel]

Oops - for all my obsessive reading of what is required, I had it in my head that the applicant´s birth certificate was mandatory. We could´ve submitted in the summer had I known it was not - dammit.
Thanks for your reassurance regarding the time delay.

 

[Joppa]

In that case mention the lawyer's effort to get the birth certificate corrected, adding to the delay in applying, in your sponsor's letter as a way of explanation.

 

[fatcharliethearchangel]

Thanks - you guys are great!