Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

I sent off my husband's FLR application yesterday, a mere 5 days before his visa runs out thanks to an accountant going AWOL for 21 days with two vital documents outstanding.

Although I went through the application with a fine tooth comb several times, I've got "the fear" and I have it badly. I am terrified I missed something, or something I did submit was not in the right format and that it will lead to a refusal.

It's taken me since April to sort it all out and it's been incredibly stressful (Category F, Company Director). I feel SO responsible - if I've done something wrong my family could be apart for months.

I know that on balance, with all the time I've spent and my checks that we are unlikely to get a refusal. If I'd known I'd react like this after the fact I'd have used an immigration lawyer just so I felt someone had double checked my work!

Hopefully I'll calm down soon, because we've just bought a house together (related?!) and I need to sort out the full rewire and redecorate before we have to move in on Sept 14th.

I genuinely feel I'm not OK, that my mental health has been affected by this process and the thoughts of what could happen if it goes wrong.

International Romances - not as glam as the movies would suggest! :fingerscrossed:

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

Applying for visas is a very stressful experience Elonii and how you're feeling is both understandable and very common. The time pressure of getting your new house sorted before moving in wouldn't be helping!

As long as you're functioning ok, can get out of bed and attend to the things that need your attention, can focus on the task in hand when you have to, then your stress is 'just' situational and will disappear once the visa and house are sorted out. That doesn't make you feel any better now, but it's nice to know that it'll all be just a distant memory (nightmare?!) eventually.

On the other hand, if you're having difficulty with the above day to day things, or you're feeling hopeless/helpless and can't seem to take any pleasure in anything, then it might be a good idea to have a chat with your doctor.

No matter how much you worry now, the application is in so there's nothing you can do about it, all the worry in world won't make a blind bit of difference.

And you're so right, this international romance thing is far from glamourous! :lol:

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

Thanks Spouse of Scouse, I think it'll settle over a few days. It is probably just the uncoiling of a spring type thing. I wanted the visa sorted before we got our house keys, but my blooming accountant scuppered that and put the thumbscrews on the old calm center! Carpets are due down in 2.5 weeks and we are staring and bare plaster and total chaos right now.

I really don't feel good today, but I know from experience it'll get better. I've not long took myself out for a walk and got the kids from school and took them out to the park. Bumped into my child minder, had a laugh at the state of myself today with her. It all helps.

At least I got my husband in, these processing delays I'm reading about are shocking.

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

You sound very sensible and you have a great handle on things :thumbup: A good laugh works wonders doesn't it!

I really do understand the stresses though. When I applied for my spouse visa from Australia, we somehow had to coordinate when to submit the application with a visa entry date, selling our house there, renovating the house we'd bought here, and one of us had to be in the UK to receive our great lump of a dog while the other had to be in Australia to get him on the plane. To be honest I couldn't even tell you now how it all worked out, but it did :lol:

Yes the current delays are really bad, so many people who've had their plans and lives turned upside down.

Best of luck with the visa and the house prep, you must be so looking forward to the day when you can just sit down and relax. ps please keep an eye out for frantic posts from me next April, that's when my FLR application is due :eek:

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

Oh hahaha, I will see you there then. I am sure yours will be more straightforward than mine - the form is really simple if it's submission of salary type stuff, so you should be fine!

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

I feel your fear!!! I also have to do mine next year in March and I would have only returned from Cape Town on 1st March where we go for the winter so will basically have everything ready in November except bank statements in order to send application off for processing. I was going todo a submission at processing centre but just cannot afford the high fee. My OH also says he is not paying any more money than we have to! I can feel my stress levels getting up already. Let us know how long it takes. I hate the thought of being in limbo for 2 months. Sending hugs your way. Housebuying in itself is also stressful so you don't need this extra stress. Wishing you best in your new house too and it should be an exciting time. Damn the bloody Home Office!!!!

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

Thanks feelbritish - I keep seeing news articles about Home Office mistakes at the moment too. Yesterday I read of 100 EU citizens sent removal notices! Doesn't help.

Your application sounds stressful too, the fear of a processing error, a letter lost in the post with so little / no time left on a visa is huge!

I will post back here with an FLR timeline. I submitted an incredibly organised application with a full table of contents, and my supporting evidence bound into corresponding numbered booklets (yes there was that much!).

I just went and looked up the rest of the fees we will be due as well. Woah!

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

Elonii and feelbritish, I can relate to both of you! The whole process, lasting in total five years is very stressful! Each time you submit an application, you worry that you made a mistake or missed out something. Then you get the visa and the relief is enormous! But personally, I find I still worry about the next one well in advance! It certainly is like a dark cloud that tends to peep out even in the midst of a sunny day. So there is never total relaxation. And the more you settle here, the more you don't want to leave. I wonder if the HO is aware of the stress it imposes on us! Or would they care anyway?

Feelbritish, I do hope your husband changes his mind about doing the same day appointment. I know it costs a lot but it really saves you weeks and maybe months of anxiety.

Elonii, I hope you get your visa soon. Buying a house is one the most stressful life events so that, coupled with your visa renewal will be a challenge. Try and just do nice things with the kids, exercise and enjoy each day as it comes.

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

Feelbritish, I do hope your husband changes his mind about doing the same day appointment. I know it costs a lot but it really saves you weeks and maybe months of anxiety.
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I am going to probably have to work on him as our time scale is rather short and due to all the problems they are having in Sheffield I would rather face someone over the counter! I have just given up the idea of a side trip to Namibia in 2018 :( This is far more important and we can travel hopefully when I have my ILR. I find this still very unfair and am still angry for what we have to go through! However it is what it is and in the meantime I collect data and keep air tickets and other letters in my file for when the time comes!

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

Thanks so much, we probably should have done a same day appointment. However, my accountant took so long to process the info (I'm sure like many people he didn't realise how important it was) that I only finished my application 5 days before hubby's visa expired. We will approach it differently next time!

I have taken a couple quiet days off work and am getting my rental house in order, we've not actually moved into our new place yet. It needs extensive work, and the dishwasher tried to kill me a couple days after we got the keys. This led to the rewire being brought forward.

Joy!!

Thanks for all responses to this thread. I really don't feel so alone now, people make sympathetic noises but they don't get it (and I'm glad for them!)

Onwards and forwards. My payment was taken today, so that's £993 up in smoke. Now to start panicking about biometrics!

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

I see the application for FLR(M) goes to Durham. Is it chaotic like Sheffield and taking 60 days as well?

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

I think they are processed at Sheffield, as they sent back mine and the kids' passports. We got them the day after the payment came out, and the return address was Sheffield.

So I guess we will see. I'll start a timeline below so I have somewhere to keep note of dates at this chaotic time. Once I see what happens I can do a thread somewhere with info for company directors / FLR(M) applicants about what documents etc I used for my (hopefully) successful application.

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

I'll keep editing this and leave it here:

21/8/17 Postal application sent via next day delivery
24/08/17 Application fee taken
25/08/17 Myself and children's passports returned in post with application acknowledgement.

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

01/09/17 - Biometrics request received in post.

Re: Post FLR Submission - I've Got The Fear
 

Hi eloni, it's great that you're going to share your experience for other members in a similar situation. I love it when people such as yourself do that, it's what keeps BE so useful and relevant.

I'm following your progress with interest myself. I have to apply for FLR in April and my financials are going to be more complex than for my initial visa. We've used most of our savings for buying houses to rent out, so I'll need to meet the requirements with a mix of savings and rental income. I get a headache just thinking about it. We had to find a way to use our savings to produce an income, as Scouse only gets a partial State pension, and that's it! Interest on bank savings is woeful, so that was no help.

Have to check the rules re how long I have to be receiving rental income before it 'counts'. I hope it's 6 months but have a feeling it's 12 months - in which case I'll have to get bank statements from Australia. Oh well, it is what it is (she says, with headache getting worse every second!!)

Best of luck, keep us updated!