American partner British citizen (Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this)
May 13th 2003, 5:46 am
#16
Just Joined
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2
The Home Office needs to update their website ,, I am glad we got my residency sorted out in January then. Altho 12 months vs 2 years would not mean much to me really, it's good to have it out of the way 
. With the problems the Home Office has on it's hands with the influx of aslyum seekers, I can understand a change in policy. I know that when we were in Croydon in January, for the two different days we were there, the amount of people lined up to go inside was incredible and it was freeezing at 4:00 am.
When I applied for my fiance visa thru the British Embassy, the first time I sent off the documents, I did not include personal letters and didn't even think they would want to see something personal like that, they sent it all back, requesting those items, and anything else which would be viable. After I sent the packet off with more photos of a holiday we went on and letters included, it only took about two weeks to get my fiance visa back.
Actually, the British Embassy screwed up, but I didn't realize until I entered the UK, they stuck in a spousal visa rather than fiance one,, sheesh,, the people at passport control stamped it and ok'ed it,, but everytime I reenter the UK someone asks why I have a spousal visa, and a fiance 'stamp'. It always stresses me a little.
When we applied for my FLS, I covered all bases and just took everything I could anticipating what they would ask for, including pics of us the day of our wedding. I am glad all that is in the past :lol
Oh, just remembered,, I had not opened a bank account over here in the UK when we applied for my indefinate residency, mainly because the dollar against the pound was so awful, I didn't want to move money over here yet, they did ask about that. I had my accounts in the US, and we had not gotten around to adding me to his bank account as a co-signer,, so that was the only tense moment really. It wasn't something I had even considered til then. It's since been corrected tho :lol.
Overall, the process here in the UK is very reasonable and fast.
. With the problems the Home Office has on it's hands with the influx of aslyum seekers, I can understand a change in policy. I know that when we were in Croydon in January, for the two different days we were there, the amount of people lined up to go inside was incredible and it was freeezing at 4:00 am. When I applied for my fiance visa thru the British Embassy, the first time I sent off the documents, I did not include personal letters and didn't even think they would want to see something personal like that, they sent it all back, requesting those items, and anything else which would be viable. After I sent the packet off with more photos of a holiday we went on and letters included, it only took about two weeks to get my fiance visa back.
Actually, the British Embassy screwed up, but I didn't realize until I entered the UK, they stuck in a spousal visa rather than fiance one,, sheesh,, the people at passport control stamped it and ok'ed it,, but everytime I reenter the UK someone asks why I have a spousal visa, and a fiance 'stamp'. It always stresses me a little.
When we applied for my FLS, I covered all bases and just took everything I could anticipating what they would ask for, including pics of us the day of our wedding. I am glad all that is in the past :lol
Oh, just remembered,, I had not opened a bank account over here in the UK when we applied for my indefinate residency, mainly because the dollar against the pound was so awful, I didn't want to move money over here yet, they did ask about that. I had my accounts in the US, and we had not gotten around to adding me to his bank account as a co-signer,, so that was the only tense moment really. It wasn't something I had even considered til then. It's since been corrected tho :lol.
Overall, the process here in the UK is very reasonable and fast.
