Fiance Visa

Hi, thanks for all your help so far.

My Australian girlfriend is about to put in her fiance visa application. Two questions:

1) We have got all our documents together and I have them in a folder and am about to send them to her so she can add her stuff. What happens then? She applies online, will she then be given an address to send all the stuff?

2) What are the chances of her being asked to an interview and what kind of questions do they ask? Also is there any chance that I will be asked to interview anywhere in this country?


Thanks in advance for any help.

Alright, let's sort this out bit by bit. Firstly, I realize flights to Australia are expensive, but I can't urge you enough to go to the interview with her. My fiance flew to New York for a visit that coincided with my interview and it made the process so much smoother. The guy had hardly any questions to ask.

Anyways, assuming you don't jet off to OZ, here's what will happen.

She'll apply online. One of the questions will be whether she wants to submit her application in person or by post. I cannot urge her enough to go in person. It just looks more genuine and if they have any questions she can sort it out right then and there. If she wants to go in person she'll be given a link after filling out the application. I don't know about Canberra but in New York they only opened up appointment dates 48-72 hours in advance. So she needs to be vigilant if she has a specific time frame in mind.

Since my fiance came to my interview the questions were minimial. " Do you have this document? What do you do for a living? What place are you going to live in?" If she goes alone you need to give her a letter of support and probably have one from your parents and some close friends and realitives. Fradulent marriages are a big issue in the U.K. right now. Photos with dates on the back might also help.

If she submits the application by post and information is missing she might be asked to interview or more likely her application could be rejected. Likewise if she goes in person and some things remain unclear they might want to speak with you, but I doubt it. More likely they'll ask her to come back when she has more information.

Finally, tell her not to argue with the visa staff. I saw a Russian woman get quite hostile with a visa officer and he simply had her escorted out of the building. Her application most likely met a bad ending. These people hold your life in their hands. Tell her to be polite, professional and curtious.

You don't need an appointment for the Visa section in Canberra, you just turn up and take a ticket. My wife went last Thursday and there was no one else there, the guy on the door handed her a ticket on the way in and she went straight to a desk. I suggest she get there early as this increases the chances of being seen if by some chance it is busy.

Certainly in person is the way to go, my wife had a huge folder of evidence and the ECO took what he needed and then handed back eveything else. If you post it and they are missing something there will obviously be a delay.

If your fiance cannot wait around in Canberra they will then post the response and passport etc back to her contact address.

Well, there's no way I can go there, I have work and can't just take time off when I like.

Chances are she'll have to post the stuff off cos she lives on completely the other side of the country to Canberra.

We're pretty sure we have everything we need though so surely there won't be a problem.

We have:

Certified Copy of my passport.
My birth certificate.

A letter from my employer confirming I'm in full time employment.
My last 6 Months of pay slips.
My P60

Photocopy of my tenancy agreement and inventory (this shows it's a 3 bedroom house). I have also got the landlord to add my fiance's name to the tenancy agreement, just as a named person at the property, in preparation for when she can come back.

My last 6 months of bank statements.
Photocopies of my savings certificates.

Form showing provisional booking for wedding at register office signed by the senior registrar.

Email showing booking of tickets to Singapore when we first met up.

Photos of us in Singapore.

Photo of my fiance with my mum.

Photos of myself and my fiance at christmas time and at gigs and things with our friends.

Also you need a sponsor letter stating your support for her application, and some blurb about the history of your relationship and how you plan to spend your married life together in the UK.

On the finances side, people have recommended a summary of income and committed expenses showing a nice healthy disposable income left over. If you are anything like me you spend all your cash, and it made me feel more confident to show this is by choice not necessity.

Cheers for your help. Ah sorry I forgot to mention the letter. I've done a letter saying I am her sponsor, that I am prepared to support us and that we intend to marry. This also has a brief summary of how we met, when we have visited each other etc. I have said when we plan to marry and that we plan to live together at my home address.

That's the first time anyone has mentioned the summary of finances. My statements show I have around £3000 in my current account and I have savings of around £25000. I earn £24000 a year and my pay slips show this. Surely this will be seen as enough to support us.

I saw mentioned somewhere a letter from someone like my mum. This may be a stupid question but what would that say? Something like "I'm writing in support of my future daughter-in-laws visa application. I am very close to her and support their marriage totally" ?

A few letters from Family and friends saying that they believe you are very much in love and intend to spend the rest of your lives together, they are looking forward to the wedding and welcoming her to the family cannot do any harm.

The financial summary thing just makes it easier if there is any doubt - to be honest you sound prety sorted anyway. I used one becuase while I earn a lot, I also spend a lot, particulary as we bought a house 6 months ago and have spent every spare penny on refurbishment in that time. So i put in a summary showing that commtiments meant a disposable income sufficient to be comfortable. It takes about 10 minutes to knock together and gives them an immediate overview. It's about making the ECO's job easier. It is essential no, might it help yes.

Other side of the Country sounds like a Perth Girl.. I married one of those too

I'm in the same boat as you as after mortgage, Bills etc are taken out, i don't have a huge disposable income.

The Financial Summary, is that something you put together youself? Or did you get your bank to do? If you did it yourself, how did you do it?

Do it yourself. All I put down was:

Sponsors Net Income
Applicants Net income

Less:

Mortgage Payment
Council Tax
Loan payments
Utilities
Car Costs

Net Remaining for other expenses:

Everything else is discretionary expenses. As long as you have a decent amount at the bottom to cover these it shows that your expenditure on the Bank statements has been your choice.