michali

If you apply by post and it takes a couple of months, what happens if the application is refused (maybe just because of a technicality) because obviously by that time the leave to enter visa would have expired? Would it mean the non EU spouse would have to leave the UK to reapply?

Any advice on this please?

Vadio

Never had to go down the FLR route, but on the face of it, based on what I've read about others' experiences, you either qualify or you don't. As the spouse's income (if any) can be used for the financial requirement, that part is often easier to meet for most applicants.

Is there any specific "technicality" that concerns you? If so, then that's what you need to address.

michali

Thanks! Just thinking of the worst as a veteran overthinker! My main concern is failure to submit acceptable bank statements as banks are not always very helpful in stamping or writing a letter. Or failing to tick a box on the seventy page form!

Vadio

I understand - I tend to over think a lot of stuff like this. Banks can be a pain, and if you have time, go back to paper statements if at all possible for the short term. Otherwise, do the form, sit back for a couple of days, then go back to it. In my experience that's the best way to catch little errors. Since it's a version of "proofreading" your own work, if you're like me, you sometimes see what you meant to do, not what you did. A couple of days can eiminate a lot of that.

michali

Excellent advice! Thanks! We get paper statements from one bank for our savings account but the other bank only issues one every six months. But they do say they can print off the savings statement and write a letter. We will make sure they still do this well ahead of our time to apply. Should not even be thinking about this now but on the other hand, one has to be aware! Thanks again.

MichaelCollins12

Will be a long time for me too Michali but can I just ask, is it just me or there are even more things you have to provide than for the initial Entry Clearance even, like, "6 items of correspondence addressed to you and your partner", "EVERY page of the sponsor's passport must be copied" "ALL children's birth certificates"

What on earth is this??????? Ridiculous!

michali

I know! Having proved we had been together for 48 years, we will have to confirm we have been together for 50! I wonder if we have to provide photos again too? And don't forget it is six pieces of official correspondence in both your names or twelve if addressed to each of you individually. I have found it difficult to get utilities' accounts in both names.

formula

It's to stop sham marriages or that your marriage hasn't ended but not yet divorced. There are often threads on other sites that state, 'we aren't together anymore but I said I would to help her/him get to the UK/remain in the UK'. I think you might need to now provide all that again for further visas to remain.

Under the Imigration Act 2014, they can now call you for an interview to check you circumstances haven't changed any time your are in the UK with limited leave to remain. Plenty of 'I used my spouse visa to go the UK to live because my soon to be ex hadn't informed UKVI yet' or 'I arranged a marriage with an EU citizen to get to the UK, do we have to live together'.

Bad apples spoiling the barrel.

michali

That is true formula! I understand why they have to do these checks.

MichaelCollins12

But why is it not asked for at the initial Entry Clearance stage, when no children's birth certificates are required and you only have to provide the photo page of the passport? If they are so important why don't they ask for them then? How is that going to prove you're not in sham marriage?

I can understand providing correspondence instead of photos as you don't know when the photos were taken but 6-12 items is ridiculous.. especially if you can't be in receipt of public funds, and why should I put my wife's name on the gas bill/electricity bill etc???

michali

The passport thing is weird. I suppose it to make sure that we travel together or at least don't spend too much time apart? Maybe I should handcuff my husband to me for the next two years!

The correspondence does not bother me too much. We came back together so I just made sure we got a couple of utility accounts in both names and we will use this. and bank statements which are all in joint names as well as HMRC, etc addressed to us individually.

There is no way they can really be sure a marriage is not a sham marriage but they have to do their best.

As formula says, a few bad apples and we all suffer!

MichaelCollins12

Right, the passport thing makes sense. In a way it makes things simpler as there is direct evidence at the FLR stage of a subsisting marriage.

Are you going to be alright with the correspondence what with the amount they require? Even a couple of utility bills would still require 4 more joint bills or accounts or 8 individual ones.

What a headache. Even though it's still years away!

michali

Yes, but even though we do not have to apply for months, we have to be prepared from the beginning of the current visa so we can show we have been together from day one! We have three bank accounts, council tax, one utility bill and then letters individually from HMRC, NHS and our local council so we will be straight. I will be making sure my bank issues us with proper statements as they only send a statement for savings once every six months, so I have to ensure we get that straight at least six months before the time to apply.

MichaelCollins12

Michali, you might have already understood this but I've just noticed you only need three different sources for the correspondence, but with the correspondence spread out over the 2 and a half years. I was thinking it was 6 different sources together or 12 individually, which I was thinking was pretty abnormal for most families, but you can use the same source twice from what I understand it. That makes things a lot easier.

michali

That is true! It makes things simpler. And anything that makes the process simpler is good!