Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
May 24th 2014, 5:34 am
#61
Not actually a squirrel
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: England
Posts: 3,446
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
My UK passport is still off with my husbands visa application which, apparently, could take up to 3 months to process. 
So, if I need to go to the UK before the visa comes back, I wonder if I could travel on my Australian passport with a British birth certificate as proof of eligibility to stay (rather than using my UK passport.)?
Has anyone else arrived in the UK on their adopted country passport and been ok to stay despite not having a British passport with them or a return ticket?
So, if I need to go to the UK before the visa comes back, I wonder if I could travel on my Australian passport with a British birth certificate as proof of eligibility to stay (rather than using my UK passport.)?
Has anyone else arrived in the UK on their adopted country passport and been ok to stay despite not having a British passport with them or a return ticket?
May 30th 2014, 11:14 am
#62
Forum Regular
Joined: Oct 2012
Location: PA, USA
Posts: 34
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Did you have to send in all 4 UK passports? Was that a requirement ? I am leaving for the UK from USA before my husband and will need my passport and our 2 daughters. I am applying for visa for my husband.
Why did you send the deeds to your US house? We are also going over on savings and staying at my parents to begin with so thought I would have to send deeds from their house ??
Documents sent (I am UK, wife is USC, 3 UK kids, using savings):
Cover letters (one general, one finance sources)
Wifes US passport, 4 UK passports (mine and kids)
Wifes US Citizenship paper
Copy of my green card
Kids birth certs (used to prove our marriage - has both our names on)
Marriage certs
Deeds to US house (both our names on)
My previous marriage and divorce certs
2 X passport pix
12 pix from 15yrs of marriage (Jpeg on
Why did you send the deeds to your US house? We are also going over on savings and staying at my parents to begin with so thought I would have to send deeds from their house ??
Documents sent (I am UK, wife is USC, 3 UK kids, using savings):
Cover letters (one general, one finance sources)
Wifes US passport, 4 UK passports (mine and kids)
Wifes US Citizenship paper
Copy of my green card
Kids birth certs (used to prove our marriage - has both our names on)
Marriage certs
Deeds to US house (both our names on)
My previous marriage and divorce certs
2 X passport pix
12 pix from 15yrs of marriage (Jpeg on
May 30th 2014, 1:09 pm
#63
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 270
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Did you have to send in all 4 UK passports? Was that a requirement ? I am leaving for the UK from USA before my husband and will need my passport and our 2 daughters. I am applying for visa for my husband.
Why did you send the deeds to your US house? We are also going over on savings and staying at my parents to begin with so thought I would have to send deeds from their house ??
Documents sent (I am UK, wife is USC, 3 UK kids, using savings):
Cover letters (one general, one finance sources)
Wifes US passport, 4 UK passports (mine and kids)
Wifes US Citizenship paper
Copy of my green card
Kids birth certs (used to prove our marriage - has both our names on)
Marriage certs
Deeds to US house (both our names on)
My previous marriage and divorce certs
2 X passport pix
12 pix from 15yrs of marriage (Jpeg on
Why did you send the deeds to your US house? We are also going over on savings and staying at my parents to begin with so thought I would have to send deeds from their house ??
Documents sent (I am UK, wife is USC, 3 UK kids, using savings):
Cover letters (one general, one finance sources)
Wifes US passport, 4 UK passports (mine and kids)
Wifes US Citizenship paper
Copy of my green card
Kids birth certs (used to prove our marriage - has both our names on)
Marriage certs
Deeds to US house (both our names on)
My previous marriage and divorce certs
2 X passport pix
12 pix from 15yrs of marriage (Jpeg on
I sent my kids UK pp to prove that they were brits and therefore not part of the settlement visa. I have read others on here suggest if you need pp that you send copies with a letter of explanation.
I included the deeds for our Virginia house as they were in both our names and I included them as proof of a sustaining marriage.
If you are staying with family in the UK then I would suggest a letter from them explaining the situation. You also have to show the house is big enough for your family to live in.
Good luck
Cheers
Nigel
Jun 11th 2014, 11:38 am
#64
Not actually a squirrel
Joined: Apr 2010
Location: England
Posts: 3,446
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
For anyone who is waiting for a visa to come back... we got our good news today.
Seven weeks since biometrics appointment... and nine weeks from the online application.
I hope that helps with timelines for those in Australia.
Seven weeks since biometrics appointment... and nine weeks from the online application.
I hope that helps with timelines for those in Australia.
Jun 11th 2014, 9:44 pm
#65
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 7
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Update from me.
WE HAVE OUR PASSPORTS AND THE VISA!!!!!
March 17 - we sent all our documents
March 18 - they asked for Appendix 2
March 19 - we sent Appendix 2 (last document)
April 21 - we enquired whether they received everything
April 22 - they emailed back saying they had received everything BUT our application had yet to be processed.
May 01 - we emailed to enquire if we could pay for priority processing
May 02 - after their reply that we could, we followed their link and paid for priority processing, submitting the electronic receipt in another email to them.
May 15 - we received an email saying decision has been made
May 19 - Fedex delivery with our passports and all our documentation and wife's visa!
So relieved - flights booked and coming back to the UK next week. Interviews already lined up.
Thanks Nigel for starting this thread - without your post I wouldn't have known to take the initiative to pay for priority processing. As it is, we probably have saved a few weeks in rent.
WE HAVE OUR PASSPORTS AND THE VISA!!!!!
March 17 - we sent all our documents
March 18 - they asked for Appendix 2
March 19 - we sent Appendix 2 (last document)
April 21 - we enquired whether they received everything
April 22 - they emailed back saying they had received everything BUT our application had yet to be processed.
May 01 - we emailed to enquire if we could pay for priority processing
May 02 - after their reply that we could, we followed their link and paid for priority processing, submitting the electronic receipt in another email to them.
May 15 - we received an email saying decision has been made
May 19 - Fedex delivery with our passports and all our documentation and wife's visa!
So relieved - flights booked and coming back to the UK next week. Interviews already lined up.
Thanks Nigel for starting this thread - without your post I wouldn't have known to take the initiative to pay for priority processing. As it is, we probably have saved a few weeks in rent.
I notice in your post that you say you have interviews lined up? I was under the impression that you had to have secured a position up front to the tune of 18K6 plus? Or did you apply with the savings option?
This is the one thing that has irked me, whether I get a job before leaving or go to the UK first and get one, either way I am going to be spending time away from my wife and kids. Hence the priority option looks attractive. Could you post a link to that option if you can?
Regards
Kevin
Jun 13th 2014, 1:08 pm
#66
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2014
Location: NZ-Melbourne-UK
Posts: 18
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Jun 13th 2014, 3:36 pm
#67
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: Falmouth, Cornwall
Posts: 432
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Update:
2nd April - Completed online form and payed fees.
3rd April - Payed extra $510 for priority service.
3rd April - created online fedex account
7th April - wife went to US immigration for Biometrics
7th April - fedex all supporting docs + online form + appendix 2 to Sheffield.
9th April - fedex report package arrived at destination
11th April - auto email from visa UK saying they have my docs
29th April - auto email from visa UK saying decision is made (doesn't say what decision!!)(see below)
2nd May - Visa arrived successfully total time 31 days.
The visa is valid from 28th April 14 to 28th Jan 17
BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED ME THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON THIS FORUM
Cheers
Nigel
2nd April - Completed online form and payed fees.
3rd April - Payed extra $510 for priority service.
3rd April - created online fedex account
7th April - wife went to US immigration for Biometrics
7th April - fedex all supporting docs + online form + appendix 2 to Sheffield.
9th April - fedex report package arrived at destination
11th April - auto email from visa UK saying they have my docs
29th April - auto email from visa UK saying decision is made (doesn't say what decision!!)(see below)
2nd May - Visa arrived successfully total time 31 days.
The visa is valid from 28th April 14 to 28th Jan 17
BIG THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED ME THROUGH THIS PROCESS ON THIS FORUM
Cheers
Nigel
I am still trying to get all the dates straight in my head regarding the application process:
So if we need to be in the UK April/May of 2015 for my wife's job transfer to start, when should we do an application for the spouse visa? (Her company might go the Tier 2 ICT visa but we might just go ahead and do the Spouse vis anyway using savings just so she's on the path to ILR as soon as possible.) I guess my biggest question is not knowing the processing times, how much time would we have to actually move once we get the visa approved.
Thanks for your help!
M
Jun 18th 2014, 1:41 pm
#68
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 270
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Hi Nigel,
I am still trying to get all the dates straight in my head regarding the application process:
So if we need to be in the UK April/May of 2015 for my wife's job transfer to start, when should we do an application for the spouse visa? (Her company might go the Tier 2 ICT visa but we might just go ahead and do the Spouse vis anyway using savings just so she's on the path to ILR as soon as possible.) I guess my biggest question is not knowing the processing times, how much time would we have to actually move once we get the visa approved.
Thanks for your help!
M
I am still trying to get all the dates straight in my head regarding the application process:
So if we need to be in the UK April/May of 2015 for my wife's job transfer to start, when should we do an application for the spouse visa? (Her company might go the Tier 2 ICT visa but we might just go ahead and do the Spouse vis anyway using savings just so she's on the path to ILR as soon as possible.) I guess my biggest question is not knowing the processing times, how much time would we have to actually move once we get the visa approved.
Thanks for your help!
M
Yeah, I struggled with this one too. You cant apply before 3 months before you leave. Yet it can take 3 months to get the stupid visa!! So how on earth can you plan. We applied about 4 months before we wanted to leave. It took a month for the visa and it was dated from the issue date. The visa is valid for 30 months + an extra 3 months = 33 months total. They seem to give you an extra 3 months for you to move.
We are flying on 15July so less than a month to go. Soooooo much to do.
Good luck
Cheers
Nigel
Jun 18th 2014, 4:30 pm
#69
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,197
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Hi Nigel,
good luck with all the packing.
We are soon off to the US to do the visa application.
I know you paid for priority processing, and so did wombatboy eventually, after hearing nothing for six weeks.
question to others who have successfully got the spouse visa:
did anyone apply recently from the US to Sheffield for spouse visa and NOT pay priority? How long did it take?
Maybe i should ask in a separate thread....obviously we are trying to save our $510, but if we have to change plane tickets etc because visa takes ages, it may all come out in the wash!
good luck with all the packing.
We are soon off to the US to do the visa application.
I know you paid for priority processing, and so did wombatboy eventually, after hearing nothing for six weeks.
question to others who have successfully got the spouse visa:
did anyone apply recently from the US to Sheffield for spouse visa and NOT pay priority? How long did it take?
Maybe i should ask in a separate thread....obviously we are trying to save our $510, but if we have to change plane tickets etc because visa takes ages, it may all come out in the wash!
Jun 21st 2014, 1:43 pm
#70
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Hi there! We emailed asking about priority service after they already have the application, they said you had to cancel you application and resubmit it with priority service. Who did you contact and how did you go about it? Any answers would be greatly appreciated.
Jul 1st 2014, 11:15 pm
#71
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,197
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
This has been such a helpful thread-Nigel, I have even used your first post as a sort of check-list/guide (caveat to others who may do the same--everyone's situation is different! i am just using it as a guide...eg, I am not sending my original passport (I am the UKC, spouse is the USC and of course he is sending his current and previous originals) as the guide to supporting docs says a copy is ok--I'm sending a colour copy.
Anyway--just to say I am going back to reactivate the thread I started (asking about priority processing) and will document our application there, if anyone's interested. We are in the throes of it now--biometrics tomorrow!
Tho I may not be as detailed as Nigel kindly was....
Anyway--just to say I am going back to reactivate the thread I started (asking about priority processing) and will document our application there, if anyone's interested. We are in the throes of it now--biometrics tomorrow!
Tho I may not be as detailed as Nigel kindly was....
Jul 2nd 2014, 2:13 am
#72
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2012
Location: South Bucks
Posts: 1,654
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
This has been such a helpful thread-Nigel, I have even used your first post as a sort of check-list/guide (caveat to others who may do the same--everyone's situation is different! i am just using it as a guide...eg, I am not sending my original passport (I am the UKC, spouse is the USC and of course he is sending his current and previous originals) as the guide to supporting docs says a copy is ok--I'm sending a colour copy.
Anyway--just to say I am going back to reactivate the thread I started (asking about priority processing) and will document our application there, if anyone's interested. We are in the throes of it now--biometrics tomorrow!
Tho I may not be as detailed as Nigel kindly was....
Anyway--just to say I am going back to reactivate the thread I started (asking about priority processing) and will document our application there, if anyone's interested. We are in the throes of it now--biometrics tomorrow!
Tho I may not be as detailed as Nigel kindly was....
Jul 2nd 2014, 2:25 am
#73
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,197
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Thank you BTW I will be the wife on the settlement visa as well and will hopefully be applying next year and any information I can get my hands on I am so grateful for. Nigel did a wonderful job. We are going with savings. Please stay in touch with this! It seems that the smallest mistake can delay the application!
I know, I am in a panic, terrified we are forgetting something....
We are going with savings too.
Will keep you posted.
Jul 2nd 2014, 2:26 am
#74
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,197
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
PS feelbritish, see my separate thread re "is priority payment worth it?".
Jul 2nd 2014, 7:35 am
#75
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,221
Re: Wife Settlement Visa Update & details of application
Thank you BTW I will be the wife on the settlement visa as well and will hopefully be applying next year and any information I can get my hands on I am so grateful for. Nigel did a wonderful job. We are going with savings. Please stay in touch with this! It seems that the smallest mistake can delay the application!