Kari and Martin

I have a few questions about providing evidence in the ITA process. It is always better to provide over and above the required evidence or is that just unnecessary?

Education Evidence:
It is good idea to provide a transcript alongside your certifcates. My MSc is on the recognised qualifications list, however, I just want to be as thorough as possible with my documentation.

Defacto Relationship:
i)Medical Insurance Certificate with both names on it
ii) Airline Tickets records of flights taken together
iii) Electoral Registar evidence.

Is that enough or too much or just right?

Thanks,
Kari

Am Loolah

Hi Kari,

It seems you can never have too much evidence! We had marriage certificate and 4 kids' birth certificates, the usual joint bills and statements and they still asked for more! We ended up sending some dodgy 80's and 90's photos of us together and that seemed to do it, either that or they were so busy wiping the tears from their eyes and picking themselves up off the floor that the paperwork went in the approved tray by mistake?!

Kari and Martin

Wow, I will try to find some photos and find some more information. I will have to work out how to get the date on to the photos, since they are all digital and the date is held in the properties of the photo. I will try to find some other correspondence too.

Do you know if they will accept letters from Lawyers or Policemen as some kind of evidence as well that you have been a defacto relationship for more than 12 months?

Thanks,

Kari

Am Loolah

They might be able to date them from the clothes and haircuts?!

I don't know with regards to a third party writing what would amount to a reference - might be worth a shot.

Utility bills, life insurance, mortgage, bank statements, holidays together (evidence of?) Anything like that helps.

strawbie

HI, we've been married 10yrs and have 3 kids. Just provided our marriage certificate and obviously kids birth certs and just a couple of letters addressed to us both, one at our current address from a yr or so ago and one a solicitor letter to us both when we sold our first house about 7yrs ago. I didnt send any pics and they didnt ask for anything else!! it prob depends how long you've been married?? or maybe what mood your CO is in!!!!

anniiee

I agree it must depend on your CO. We have been married 17 years we sent photograph's utility bills, bank statements etc yet still they asked for more !!
Good Luck

Kari and Martin

Well, this looks like it is going to be our biggest stumbling block.

We don't manage our finances like this in our household. No joint accounts. He pays some bills and I pay some bills. The mortgage is in his name, I have my own property which I let out.

It sounds like finding enough evidence is going to be very tough. If a marriage certificate is not even valid and children's birth certificates don't suffice!

I have managed to find a my engagement ring receipt which is something.

Persephone

Are the bills in different names or are they in his name and you just pay them? If different you could at least prove that you both pay bills in the same house. Do your bank statements state and reference where payments go to as these would match up to bills even if not in your name. It's a bit convoluted but might do

Kari and Martin

I pay bills in my name and I have bank statements in my name to that address.

I have found 3 flights we have taken together on email confirmations.

I am getting a solicitor who has known us both for 4 years to write a letter.

I have photos of us together. I have have found a receipt for the washing machine, I bought with the house address on it.

I have joint medical health insurance.

All my tax documents are registered to the same address and I have letter coming from the council saying, we are both registered to vote at this address.

What do you think?

Jan n Neil

You are in a very similar situation to us, except we are not even registered to vote at the same address!!

My lawyer advised me to look for something like a will - and I realised I also have put Neil as sole beneficiary of my pension scheme so that helps a lot. I put my house on the market to get rid, 2 years ago, but no-one came to look at it, but I have the estate agent blurb to prove I tried.

We are doing the following:

• Letters from neighbours of both houses stating which one we live in
• Letter from Neils son (very emtional and lovely - made me cry!!!)
• Letters (many) from other friends including a DOgs Trust to prove we adopted 2 dogs
• Letter from our cleaner stating that I am at Neils early morning everytime she arrives (and that there's only one bedroom LOL)
• Dated photos (all off an internet forum we belong to)
• Proof of date of engagement
• proof I have started having a wedding dress made
• one or two joint letters
• one or two separate letters to same address
• Proof that we bought a fitted bedroom at his together
• Proof that we swap money between bank accounts (this is very powerful apparently)
• Proof I have paid bills at "his" house
• Proof that we have bought other items of furniture for his house
• Letter from employer with copy of pension scheme nomination
• Some joint travel arrangements with dated photos and flights and hotels
• Joint car insurance

My covering letter will explain that we never changed the bills over as we were trying to sell the two houses but couldn't, so we used Neils as a temporary situation until the market picked up. And just to prove that, the estate agent I used 3 years ago has gone BUST!! We did not plan to emigrate or we would have done this differently: I got offered a job recently which I was not expecting to get (cos it's so good!!)


Fortunately in the last 3 years we have been on just about every continent in the world and have photos outside famous landmarks LOL

My lawyer in NZ said all the above was more than sufficient in his opinion, I am just making sure that they don't come back at us. Worst case, if they don't believe you, they will interview you (not reject you).

Kari and Martin

Wow!!! Thanks very much for this detailed reply. I am going on the hunt for through paper work.

Thanks,

Kari

strawbie

Wow cant believe the evidence you have to find! my hubby and i have seperate accounts and as you pay bills which may only be in our own name but if you can send them bills which have your names on seperatly but the same address i'm sure this will suffice?! I managed to find a solicitors letter from 1991 from when we sold our first house but even this only had Mr & Mrs ... and my hubbys initials! I'm sure you'll be fine!

Jan n Neil

but we're not married (yet) , and have no joint bills at all - cos of two house issue - hence all the paperwork