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FLR(M) application checklist

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Johnnycanuck
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U.K. spouse visa cohabitation question

Post by Johnnycanuck » Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:53 pm

Hello everyone,

I am stressing about the spouse visa and would appreciate any insight anyone has about our situation.

Briefly, my girlfriend and I met in December of 2017 and have been dating since in a genuine relationship. We are both late 30’s and wanting to make a commitment and move our lives forward. She is British and I am Canadian. I currently live in the U.K. on a tier 2 visa that expires in April 2019. We are getting married and would like to apply for a spouse visa so that we can continue our lives here. However, we don’t currently live together and probably will not for the immediate period after our wedding because we have seperate leases and are going to try and buy a home together. A major component of the spouse visa is cohabitation, which we obviously can’t satisfy.

I am wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation and if there are any suggestions on how to prove our relationship is continuous if we don’t live together.

Any help would be really appreciated!!

Thanks!!

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Casa
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Re: U.K. spouse visa cohabitation question

Post by Casa » Sat Aug 18, 2018 4:16 pm

Johnnycanuck wrote:
Sat Aug 18, 2018 12:53 pm
A major component of the spouse visa is cohabitation, which we obviously can’t satisfy.
This is only a condition after marrying. You're probably confusing this with an Unmarried Partner application which requires 2 years of co-habitation in a relationship 'akin to marriage'.
(Casa, not CR001)
Please don't send me PMs asking for immigration advice on posts that are on the open forum. If I haven't responded there, it's because I don't have the answer. I'm a moderator, not a legal professional.

Johnnycanuck
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Re: U.K. spouse visa cohabitation question

Post by Johnnycanuck » Mon Aug 20, 2018 9:09 pm

Thanks very much for the reply.

I was just looking at the application form and a big section of it seems to be dedicated to your living situation so I assumed that we would need to demonstrate cohabitation. I guess I find the 'intent to live together' as quite an abstract requirement for a visa....

Thanks again!

Johnnycanuck
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Help please - flr(m) spouse visa cohabitation

Post by Johnnycanuck » Sun Sep 16, 2018 9:30 pm

Hi everyone!

I have my premium appointment for September 28 and am stressing about cohabitation.

I am living in the uk and married my spouse August 17.

We then took a honeymoon and have now started the moving process. The problem is that her letting agency is pretty much useless - 2 weeks after submitting my documents they have not even started the reference checks even though the landlord has given us the okay.

I am now worried that I will have no evidence of cohabitation before my appointment. I have started transferring mail to her address and may be on the council tax. However i think it is unlikely that I’ll be in the tenancy agreement before the appointment at the rate the agency is moving.

I am wondering, how will this affect my application?

Do I need to show evidence of cohabitation for the first flr(m) applications can I just state we live together?

Should I write a letter to explain the situation?

Thank you very much!

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CR001
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Re: Help please - flr(m) spouse visa cohabitation

Post by CR001 » Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:12 am

Topics merged.

You have already been given advice by casa on this point when you previously asked the question.
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Re: Help please - flr(m) spouse visa cohabitation

Post by Kwipeh » Mon Sep 17, 2018 5:57 pm

Johnnycanuck wrote:
Sun Sep 16, 2018 9:30 pm
Hi everyone!

I have my premium appointment for September 28 and am stressing about cohabitation.

I am living in the uk and married my spouse August 17.

We then took a honeymoon and have now started the moving process. The problem is that her letting agency is pretty much useless - 2 weeks after submitting my documents they have not even started the reference checks even though the landlord has given us the okay.

I am now worried that I will have no evidence of cohabitation before my appointment. I have started transferring mail to her address and may be on the council tax. However i think it is unlikely that I’ll be in the tenancy agreement before the appointment at the rate the agency is moving.

I am wondering, how will this affect my application?

Do I need to show evidence of cohabitation for the first flr(m) applications can I just state we live together?

Should I write a letter to explain the situation?

Thank you very much!
I don't think you need to worry much, tbh. You are married and you're both in-country. I think explain the living situation to the HO as you've done here already, and perhaps provide evidence that your marriage is not one of convenience in order to force their hand in keeping you both here.

You say you have started the moving process so I assume there is some document to show that you are now co-letting? Even if it's email conversation between you two and the landlord or letting agency?

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Re: Help please - flr(m) spouse visa cohabitation

Post by Johnnycanuck » Tue Sep 18, 2018 9:29 am

Thanks very much for the reply!

We do have emails etc from both the landlord and the agency. The landlord has told my wife it is no problem. The Agency has confirmed that I handed over my ID documents and outlined how the process works. Further, I finally started the referencing process yesterday, and have emails to document this. I'm hopeful that I will get onto the tenancy by the appointment date but doubtful as well.

We have also added me to the council tax and are hoping to have a bill by then.

I also have my correspondence at the place so could have a few additional letters/statements but not sure if these are helpful?

I guess I will just gather everything that I have and explain that we were married recently and are in the process of moving.

One question I have regarding question 6.21 on the actual FLR(M) form:

Have you lived together with your partner since your marriage?

Should I indicate that we have lived together here? Basically we took a honeymoon and then started the moving process. Or do you think that I should say no to this question and then explain that there are a few weeks where we didn't live together?

Thanks again for your help!

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Re: Help please - flr(m) spouse visa cohabitation

Post by seagul » Wed Sep 19, 2018 3:06 am

Switching from another visa category to spouse visa does not imperatively need the 2 years of cohabitation rather any proof of living together and current proof of address will be sufficient.
The opinion expressed as above is neither a professional advice nor contesting/competing to other member's opinion/advice.

Johnnycanuck
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FLR(M) application checklist

Post by Johnnycanuck » Tue Sep 25, 2018 2:22 pm

Hi everyone,

I am just prepping for my premium appointment next week and was wondering if someone could take a look over my document checklist.

This is my first application made from within the UK and I am transferring from a tier 2 visa.

Applicant documents:
-passport
-previous passport (expired while in uk)
-BRP card
-2 photos

Sponsor:
-british passport
-1 photo

Relationship:
-Marriage certificate (and copy)
-few photos from ceremony and relationship including pics with family and friends, travels, etc

Employment financials:
-Letter from employer confirming terms of employment
-6 months printed payslips stamped and signed (April, May, June, July, august, September) I get paid on the 24th so latest payslip if for September
-corresponding bank statements showing the payslips being deposited into account (most recent is a half statement from HSBC printed in branch with accompanying letter)
-copy of original employment contract from 2015, stamped/signed
-copy of p60 from last year, stamped/signed

English:
Canadian passport

Accommodation:
-Amended tenancy agreement with both our names on it, spouse lived there previous 1.5 years
-Council tax from sept in both names
-DVLA letter applicant
-mortgage assessment from bank (could include)
-letter explaining we moved in together Sept 2018 and therefore do not have 6 items of correspondence

Additional:
-FLRM form, completed in black ink by hand
-IHS confirmation email
-payment/booking confirmation email
-signed declarations

Question:
-The tenancy agreement is done electronically. Should I have a letter from the agency to accompany it or will the printed document be sufficient?

Thanks very much for any feedback!!!

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CR001
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Re: Help please - flr(m) spouse visa cohabitation

Post by CR001 » Tue Sep 25, 2018 2:24 pm

CR001 wrote:
Mon Sep 17, 2018 7:12 am
Topics merged.
See Multiple topics/posts (click to read)
Char (CR001 not Casa)
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Please DO NOT send me a PM for immigration advice. I reserve the right to ignore the PM and not respond.

Johnnycanuck
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Re: FLR(M) application checklist

Post by Johnnycanuck » Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:16 pm

Is it possible to get this moved to the correct forum? Thanks!

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Re: FLR(M) application checklist

Post by CR001 » Fri Sep 28, 2018 6:09 am

Johnnycanuck wrote:
Thu Sep 27, 2018 10:16 pm
Is it possible to get this moved to the correct forum? Thanks!
It is in the correct sub forum.
Char (CR001 not Casa)
In life you cannot press the Backspace button!!
Please DO NOT send me a PM for immigration advice. I reserve the right to ignore the PM and not respond.

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