IJ157

So all the forms have been filled and the relevant evidence gathered for my permanent residency through the Family Class sponsorship of a common law partner.

I'm just wondering do I leave the forms lose, or should I staple each set of forms together, or do I paperclip them?

Getting a bit panicky and starting to question which one to do.

Read the package and instructions but couldn't find anything.

Probably being over pedantic, but for something like this its understandable I guess.

victorfoxtrot

Keep things loose - I am sure that it does say somewhere in the guide. I put all the forms in order, and inserted any additional sheets I had written just after the relevant form and question. I put pictures and additional pieces of evidence such as tickets etc - basically anything that wasn't an A4 sheet of paper, in a separate envelope. I marked it up to advise exactly what the contents were, numbering each piece of evidence, and typing up a list with the corressponding number and description.

IJ157

Time to read the guide again.

mandymoochops

From memory it says something about not stapling things together.

I am presuming (maybe wrongly) that they scan all the info into computers and therefore staples add loads of time to have to remove.

Leave it loose and just number the top of each page with your ref / page number - so if on the odd chance it does get lost / blown away - anyone who picks it up can add it to the right file!

IJ157

Thanks for the info both.

Dave n Ailsa

We kept everything loose, except for the photos, which we paperclip'd to a sheet of paper. We had 24 photos, so didn't want them all scattered throughout the envelope.

Deficient

I've read so many people say that staples are specifically mentioned in the guide but it really doesn't mention them as far as I can see, or at least when I do ctrl+f on each page and search for 'staple' it gives me nothing (I went through my own panic over this when I stapled everything and then read on another forum that we're 'not allowed' to). Some people have said it definitely mentioned staples in the past.

The west europe document checklist does say this:
Assemble all your documents as listed. Check ( ) each applicable item on the list and attach the list to your documents (a paper clip will do). Send originals of the immigration forms (items 1 to 5 below) and police certificates. Send photocopies of all other documents, unless instructed otherwise. Do not send your documents in transparency pockets, binders or folders. If your documents are not in English or French, send a notarized (certified) translation with a copy of the originals.

But that refers to supporting documents, not necessarily the forms and such.

It's true to say that the general wisdom seems to be to not staple things, although in the end I sent my lot in stapled because what would it really add, maybe 10 mins max, for them to remove the staples for scanning?

Paperclips are probably the way forward if you insist on not having things loose, those wont cause any hassle.

mandymoochops

For thousands of apps that'd add up to a long time to remove! I like to keep the visa office working efficiently and if it means I get my ppr 10 minutes sooner than I would have done - then thats a whole 10 extra minutes in my life of not stressing

Deficient

True enough, I didn't really think of the bigger picture.

TBH if I still had the app in my own hands I would've removed the heck out of those staples, but in reality it would have been my husband charged with the task of last-minute-staple-removal and after all of the emotional breakdowns I had while assembling the app, I couldn't face being seen to go into meltdown over some staples as well. I'll take my 10 minute penalty so as not to look like a nutcase. (Locking gate after horse has bolted, etc.)