DandyJapan

Hello Everyone,

My wife and I are waiting for translations but we have pretty much everything ready.

Applicant - My Japanese wife
Sponsor - British Citizen

We are both located in Japan and assuming the visa is OK, we will be moving back together.

I just wanted to leave my checklist to get everyone's opinion on whether its enough, and maybe future readers can find it useful.

Applicant
Application Form
Passport (with my last name)
Previous Passport
English Test - IELTS (CEFR A1)
2x Passport sized photos

Sponsor
Sponsor Introduction
Copy of passport Bio pages

Accommodation
Sponsor - Letter from family confirming I can stay & property overview
Sponsor - Letter from landlord agency confirming I can stay
Sponsor - Council Tax Bill
Sponsor - Rent statement
Sponsor - Utility Bill
Sponsor - Electoral Vote card
Sponsor - Photo of the room we will be stating in

Financial
Sponsor - Japanese Company 6 Months payslips (in English over 18,600 per 12 months)
Sponsor - Japanese Bank Statements (6 Months, Original & Translated)
Sponsor - Japanese Company Contract (in English)
Sponsor - Japanese Company Letter (Salary, Length of Employment, Type of Employment)
Sponsor - UK Company Offer Letter (Over 18,600)
Sponsor - UK Company Contract

Relationship
Marriage Certificate (Original & Translated)
8 Photos of us (Incl. Small marriage ceremony with her family)

Marty90

Sponsor - Both the sponsor and applicant should include a cover letter. They should include details of your future plans too.

Accommodation - You will probably need a property inspection report as the place you are moving to is already occupied by other people. Land registry documents may also be helpful for the property in question.

Relationship - more evidence of living together. So evidence of a joint bank account and/or tenancy agreement. Also evidence of any trips or holidays taken together (like plane tickets, hotel bookings etc.)

Also don't forget you need to pay the NHS surcharge as part of the application - https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigr...ation/overview

Hope this helps.

spouse of scouse

Your wife must complete APPENDIX 2 VAF 4A, which is the Financial Requirement Form.

DandyJapan

Oops, don't worry. We've completed that, not sure why I didn't include it. Sorry.

DandyJapan

I'll get that written up. WHy are future plans necessary? I have a better job, that's pretty much the only reason we're moving.

Is this essential for close relatives? I think on the government website if its close family, it won't matter.

Joint tenancy agreements don't exist in Japan. We don't share a bank account either.

Same with holidays, all we have are photos as we haven't left the country together.

Would more pictures be sufficient? With maybe some chat logs (we talk everyday during my work time, but living together we're always with each other. I've put together a letter stating we lived together for the tenancy agency to sign, which should help.

Roger that. That's part of the VFS process before booking an appointment!

DernierVirage

Deleted, not relevant.

Marty90

For future plans you need to say that you intend to live together. It is one of the requirements. It will also go a way to showing the ECO that you are in a genuine relationship. It adds a degree of realism when you say - "my wife wants to work in the UK." Or "We want to eventually buy our own home in the UK".

The property inspection report is just additional evidence to back up your claim that there is enough room in the property. It may not be essential but would certainly strengthen the application. At the very least you will need a permission letter that confirms the size of the property, number of rooms etc. Maybe someone else can advise on the inspection report? I heard that if you were sharing with those outside your IMMEDIATE family (i.e. spouse and children) then you would need one.

You will need to get some sort of evidence to prove that you lived together or share financial responsibilities. If you can't show at least some documentary evidence that you have cohabited then you may have problems. A signed letter from the agency may help.

If you explain that joint tenancy agreements don't exist in Japan in your cover letter and just include photos of both of you at home then that may help. Try and include photos from major life events like birthdays, parties etc. named and dated on the reverse.

morris1773

Hi,

I am in a very similar situation, as I currently live in Taiwan and will apply next March. I am going to use my household registration and ID cards to show that we live together. Does Japan have something similar?

Also, I noticed you hadn't included your tax documents to prove financial requirements do you think what you supplied is enough proof, as I was going to send the same as my tax returns don't come until June.

DernierVirage

As regards proof of living together, my wife and I had absolutely nothing in our joint names, despite which we successfully obtained her spouse visa. In the application, we explained the situation clearly and briefly, with of course evidence that we were married.

AG_222

What is the update on your Spouse Visa journey?

MonsterP

DandyJapan

You're more than welcome to cross-check with my list:-
http://britishexpats.com/forum/citiz...please-897327/
...although we are applying via the savings route instead.

Two things that stand out from your list though, as Marty90 mentioned, you definitely need a Property Inspection Report done, since you'll be sharing the property with others. This can be done by your local council or a surveyor, prices vary.
Also, you might want to include more photos of family life together, with friends and family, not just the wedding.

I have similar experience with lack of joint documentation in Asia, tenancy, utilities, bank accounts, so I can empathise. It's different culture.