Help please - Slightly different names on bank statement

Hello all,

First time post so go gentle please...

I need help/guidance please. I've found myself in a very precarious situation and in order to ensure a 'first time strike' when I do finally submit the spouse application for my wife, I want to make sure the i's and t's are well dotted. So here it goes...

My wife is currently based in Africa. She's a recent graduate and we got married a few months ago, we've been together for over 5 years. She's taken the TB test and IELTS and passed both. She's visited the UK 3 times in the past 3 years (once on a 6 month visa, 2 times on a 2 year visa) and never overstayed. We have many pics, call logs, email log, flight itinerary (to and fro visits + honeymoon) and any other documentation required to prove the marriage is subsisting and genuine, so no problems there.

I'm the sole director of my UK ltd company and my income for 2012/2013 is £22000 (Salary + Dividends). I have 2 personal accounts – 1 account is in Mr Alpha Bravo Bloggs, while the other one is in the name of Mr. Bravo Bloggs and both are registered at 2 different addresses! This is because when I opened the 2nd account, I’d done a change of name and was temporarily living outside London as I’m an IT contractor. The second address is my brothers house (in bristol) as i was working there for like 9 months. I used 1 as a business bank account (which was wrong - I know) and the other as a personal account. But the accounts are in slightly different names. I have now opened a proper business account.

No Fraudulent activity has gone on and I intend to mention it on the application that I’ve changed my name previously (though it’s back to Mr. Alpha Bravo Blogs.

What’s the best way of explaining the situation without arousing unnecessary suspicions?

Should I close the account in Mr. Bravo Bloggs?

Any help will be greatly appreciated and thanks in advance 

Would it not be easier to get the bank to update the address on the 2nd account to your current address and also ask them to change your name on it to your current name? You can then get the statements reprinted with the current name on (either from the bank, or online) and then get them stamped by the bank for authenticity.

85 East wrote:Would it not be easier to get the bank to update the address on the 2nd account to your current address and also ask them to change your name on it to your current name? You can then get the statements reprinted with the current name on (either from the bank, or online) and then get them stamped by the bank for authenticity.

Hi 85 East,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, it is possible and doable but bear in mind that the FM guide states they want to see transactions (salary and dividends) matching i.e. from the account i used as my business account to my personal account. So when they check, the historical transactions (for 2012/2013) will be referenced in Mr Bravo Bloggs, but I'll now submit a statement from Mr Alpha Bravo Bloggs. There'll still be a mismatch as updating the address and name wont change the names on the old transactions.

It is a good idea though, but I don't think it'll work as it's almost like I'm complicating it further? Or am I wrong?

Hope that makes sense?

Thanks.

The address wouldn't show up on the previous transfers, so I would change the address. This will provide some continuity. My suggestion for the account name would be to change it to your current name and explain it, enclosing documentation of any name change along with the certificates.