Dependent/partner visa application from India– my experience

Hi everyone,

I recently, successfully applied for my wife to join me in the UK as a dependent. Just wanted to let you know how I went about it in case this can be of help to anyone in a similar situation to me.

I have been in the UK since September 2008. I started my studies and switched to post Study work in late 2009 once my masters was awarded. I did a few short term jobs till October 2010 when I found the job I liked on a full time basis. This organisation sponsored my work visa starting Jan 2012. I decided to get married in March 2014 and apply for my wife’s visa from India via VFS.

My wife is an Indian citizen, like me. She had never been to UK before. I logged her application via the VISA4UK website – which is the norm now. I entered all the required details pertaining to my visa. Also, I had to enter my wife’s details including her addressed in the past 5 years, her parent’s info etc. In the cover letter which is on the last page of the VISA4UK online application, I added a list of all the documents we were going to submit as part of my wife’s visa application.

I made the payment online to get an appointment exactly 5 days after the wedding day.
The idea was to get the marriage certificate issued in these 5 days. All other documents are pretty straightforward and were ready even before I went to India to get married.

We opted for document submission in person.
The CATEGORY was PBS TIER 2 GENERAL and TYPE was TIER 2 GENERAL PARTNER
TYPE OF VISA: PBS Tier 2 General
PURPOSE OF APPLICATION: Work
TYPE OF APPLICATION: Tier 2 General Partner

We listed the date of planned arrival in UK as 2 weeks after the wedding day - since this seemed enough for visa processing as per UKBA/VFS guidelines. In the question, How long do you intend to stay in the UK, we answered ‘As per partner visa validity’

In Maintenance section,

WHICH ARE OF MAINTENANCE ARE YOU APPLYING UNDER : OWN/MAIN APPLICANT FUNDS
WHAT EVIDENCE OF FUNDS HAVE YOU SUPPLIED : MAIN APPLICANTS/FIANCES BANK STATEMENTS AND PAYSLIPS


This is the list of documents I mentioned in the VISA4UK application cover letter and submitted on the appointment day:

I AM APPLYING TO JOIN MY PARTNER XXXX XXXX, WHO IS ON A TIER 2 GENERAL LEAVE TO REMAIN IN THE UK.

DOCUMENTS INCLUDED FOR THE APPLICATION ARE-

- MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE,
- AAA’s PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT
- AAA’s PASSPORT COPY
- AAA’S BIOMETRICS CARD COPY
- AAA’S PAYSLIPS
- AAA’S BANK STATEMENTS
- AAA’S TENANCY AGREEMENT
- AAA’S COPY OF AIR TICKETS FOR ARRIVAL IN INDIA
- COPY OF XXX’S PASSPORT PAGE SHOWING ENTRY STAMP TO INDIA FOR WEDDING
- COPY OF WEDDING INVITATION
- WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHS
- UK PRE-DEPARTURE TUBERCULOSIS DETECTION PROGRAMME MEDICAL CERTIFICATE
- APPLICANT’S PASSPORT

(please note AAA being me and not my wife)

In addition to the application and supporting documents, on the appointment day the VFS center took Biometric scans and kept all the original docs except for my passport and Biometrics card. This process took around half an hour where only my wife was permitted in the VFS visa center. She was given a receipt which she would have to submit to collect her passport and application support documents.

My wife got a call from the VFS center 3 working days (+ 2 weekend holidays) after the application was submitted that she could collect her passport and original docs. The collection took half an hour as there was a long queue for the collection service. All the original documents along with the passport were returned with the visa stamped inside the passport - the validity being same as my sponsored visa.

I think I have covered what I needed to cover about my application. Even though my case was a very straightforward one, I hope this helps someone. If anyone has any questions regarding my application, I would be happy to answer them in this thread.

Hi,

Thanks a lot for such a detailed information, its really helped a lot to many.
My question is, I am going to apply on Tier 2 application for me, but along with my application can I apply for my wife and a kid(6 months old) as dependent at the same time ?
How could this process will work?

OR do I need to first apply for my visa and once I got that I can apply for my family ? - any help will greatly be appreciated.

Also a question in my mind is, do I need to fill-up the separate dependent application form for my kid who is just 6 months old ?

Really appreciate your any help.
Thanks in advance.

Hi tier2 applicant

I am trying to do something very similar for my spouse and I am not getting any clear guidance as to the amount of funds I need to show as maintenance.

More specifically, some websites say I need to show £600 if I have lived in the UK for more than 12 months and some say I need to show £1500 regardless of how long I have lived in the UK.

Any help on this is much appreciated.

patelashlesh83,

I think its best if you see the guidelines regarding your query on the gov.uk visa website as it is a different case from mine and I wouldn't like to give you any wrong information.

psychic,

Think having around £1700 is a safer bet. this is what the gov.uk website says:

Savings

You must show that your dependants can be supported while they’re in the UK.

Each dependant must have £630 available to them whether they apply with you or separately. This is in addition to the £945 you must have to support yourself.

You must have proof you have the money, and that it’s been in your bank account or your dependant’s bank account for at least 90 days before you or they apply.

Example You must have £2,205 if you want to bring your partner and 1 child with you to the UK (£945 to support yourself plus £630 for your partner and £630 for your child).

You won’t need evidence of your savings if you have a letter from your fully approved (‘A-rated’) sponsor saying they’ll provide 1 month’s funding of at least £630 for each of your dependants.

Hi,

I have a similar situation. I got married in March 2014 and my husband works in the UK. We both studied at a UK university and graduated in Dec 2012. He stayed back since he got a job and his visa was sponsored by his employer. He has been working there since Feb 2013 and he is under Tier 2 general visa, Bio metric residence permit(Leave to remain).His visa has been stamped for 3 yrs, till 2016.
Now I am applying for Tier 2 (General) visa - General Partner, up to 3 years. He has kept 1500 pounds as balance for 90 days now.

I am not clear on the documents that need to be submitted. This is the list you provided.
MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE,
- PROOF OF EMPLOYMENT- Husbands
- PASSPORT COPY- Husbands
- BIOMETRICS CARD COPY- Husbands
- PAYSLIPS- Husbands
- BANK STATEMENTS- Husbands
- TENANCY AGREEMENT- Husbands
- COPY OF AIR TICKETS FOR ARRIVAL IN INDIA- No tickets booked as of now.
- COPY OF XXX’S PASSPORT PAGE SHOWING ENTRY STAMP TO INDIA FOR WEDDING- Husbands
- COPY OF WEDDING INVITATION
- WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHS
- UK PRE-DEPARTURE TUBERCULOSIS DETECTION PROGRAMME MEDICAL CERTIFICATE- Mine
- APPLICANT’S PASSPORT- Mine

Additonal documents required??
- TAX receipts for the last 3 years- Husband
- CoS Letter from the employer- Husband
- Offer Letter from the employer- Husband


Along with the above do I need to submit my tax payment receipt for the last 3 yrs? He has been working there for over a year and before that he was studying.We can submit it for one year, is this important?

Does my husband need to send me a CoS letter from his employer or is the CoS number sufficient which I mentioned in the application form.

Also, I haven't booked my tickets because I haven't still applied for the visa. Is this necessary?

Would really appreciate your response. Please help.

Thanks

Hi ,

- COPY OF AIR TICKETS FOR ARRIVAL IN INDIA- you can ignore this. I understood this later.

I forgot to ask if all the documents need to be original? and also the should the covering letter be signed by my husband. Can I take a print out of the scanned copy he sends?

Thanks

Hi,

Yes, all the documents need to be original. I did not submit any tax related documents. I think the payslips are sufficient.

Letter of employment from the employer has to be original.You will be returned most of the stuff apart from the passports/visas, with just the photocopies kept by VFS

You need only the CoS number as this will be entered in the online application form and will not be needed anywhere else.

Hope that helps.

also, you do not need airtickets for your travel now. You will only need to mention in the online form the date when you wish to depart for the UK.

Yes, it does. Thank you so much .

Hopefully my application gets through.

Reagrds!

Do I need to fill up the same form(tier-2 dependent) for my 6 month old kid as same as my wife ?

hi ,

I believe you will need to fill the same form for your kid but I am not sure as this is bit different from my case. I would suggest checking gov.uk website.

Hi,

My husband has sent me the documents. He has sent me a print out of the bank statements. Can I use those or do I need to ask him for the colored copies that the bank gives? The bank currently gave him for only 2 months and said the print outs should be sufficient.

And does he need to sign all the copies of bank statements, payslips, passport copy,biometric card copy ?

Also, the cover letter that he sent is hand written and signed. Is that ok? Does he need to type it?

Thanks in advance!

hi,

Its always better to have original printed bank statements - you need to order them in advance to get them instead of the printouts. Not sure if 2 months is enough, please check what is stated on the gov.uk website and visa4uk online application.

Also, I think its better if he signs the copies of all the document you listed. I had signed all the copies for my wife just to be on the safe side.

Cover letter hand written should be ok as long as he has signed it.

Hope all goes ok for you.

Hi,

I booked an appointment only to realize that the appointment confirmation has my husband passport number but the appointment confirmation I don't know how that is possible. Is that how it is?

I paid the amount and now I am trying to refund and it doesn't allow me to do so.

Please help.

Hi,

I checked the appointment confirmation that I received from visa4uk, it did not have any passport number on it. It had the application number and my wife's name etc. I think you need to contact Visa4UK in case you think you have made a mistake in your application.

tier2_applicant wrote:Hi everyone,
I made the payment online to get an appointment exactly 5 days after the wedding day.
The idea was to get the marriage certificate issued in these 5 days.

Can you only apply for your wife after the wedding?

I already have my marriage certificate issued because I want to travel back to the UK with my wife immediately after the wedding, so my plan is to have her visa issued and ready (i.e. in the pocket) before the wedding.

Is that not possible? does the UKBA really need to see wedding photos, etc. ?

I am planning to apply for my Tier 2 visa next month. can I apply for the dependent visa for my family along with me ?
OR I need to first get my Tier 2 visa and after that once I get my Tier 2 visa I should apply for dependent ?

Please advice, its urgent.

Thanks in advance.

You can apply both at the same time

Hi
Mine is same issue... I'm trying to apply dependent visa for my wife in india
And I have been granted tire 2 visa in June... I have been maintaining 1500 £ since may... But now ukba changed rule and asks to maintain 1570 to bring spouse to UK... Can I still apply for visa or should I start maintaining funds from now again... Confused ....?

Hi all,

I had an urgent query, which I would be grateful for assistance for. My wife submitted a Tier 2 dependent application at VFS last Tuesday, 22 July. However, we submitted only electronic bank statement without a stamp or letter from the bank. The statements clearly show substantial funds (over 30K GBP) and UK transactions for the last 6 months. In addition, we submitted payslips, tenancy agreement, letter from employer and all other evidence required.

I now understand that electronic statements require to be stamped or accompanied by a letter from the bank. Is it likely that UKVI will ask for this letter (in which case I can easily courier it) or will the application be rejected on this ground.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,
Patel

your wife's application will not be accepted, don't wait, courier the required documents now.

The requirements are in the guidance:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... _07-14.pdf

Thanks. I will courier it now. What I would like to know is that whether it is likely that they will ask for the originals or will they simply reject without asking (in which case it may be better to withdraw the application now and reapply to save time).

Thanks,
Patel

difficult to predict what they will do if the application comes up for decision before they get the documents you are going to send them (if they have them beforehand there will be no problem), however, there is a policy called evidential flexibility that you may wish to read about:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 6.0EXT.pdf

Many thanks. Yes, I am depending on the evidential flexibility provision. This seems to suggest they will ask for the document as it
specifically lists the eg of a bank statement in the wrong format.

It would be the most simple thing to send them the documents now but apparently that is not possible and the documents can only be sent if they ask for it! Nightmare. Anyway, worse case scenario is that they reject it and we reapply with the correct docs.

Thanks

Rahul