Spouse Visa Cohabitation Proofs for 1st Application

[Gochisosama]

Dear all, hello from a lurker. I'm very new here and I sincerely hope to receive help from many of the knowledgeable members here. I'll be extremely grateful for any guidance you can give me and I'll work hard to try and understand and apply any advice dished out. Thank you so much in advance to all the kind souls on this forum, really and truly.

I'm currently a Tier 4 student who has been in the UK since 2012. My current visa is valid until Oct 2021.

I've just gotten married to a British citizen this Saturday past (I was told it was in the handful of last marriages before they were completely stopped due to Covid-19!)- marriage certificate and all. Before, we have been living together for a year and 4 months since January 2019- I moved in with him to his flat in London.

My question is thus: How many documents of proof must we submit to show our cohabitation? Do I need to provide any at all, since we are married? Do I genuinely need a length of living together for 2 years?

I have interpreted varying answers from this forum and other websites claiming either that we would not need to have all 12 if we are married, or that for the first time application we would not need to have them all, that the cohabitation proofs prompts are simply the same for various applications.

While we have lived together for a bit, the only joint correspondence we have is the water bill. I am able to provide a DVLA, bank statement, phone bill statement with my name to it linked to our address, but cannot think of much else.

How many cohabitation proofs must we provide as a married couple so that our first-time application would be seen as acceptable?

I hope I have made it clear enough. I'm really looking forward to some sage advice and we would be both incredibly grateful to some clear guidance on how to proceed.

[geoeng]

for the first time application we would not need to have them all, that the cohabitation proofs prompts are simply the same for various applications.

This would be my answer. Per E-LTRP.1.10.of Appendix FM (link below), the cohabitation evidence is only required when submitting subsequent applications for leave to remain as a partner and not for the first application. The application form is the same for all FLR(M) applications and the online form is likely to prompt you for this documentation if you say that you are living together, even though it would not be required for your circumstances. You do still have to meet the requirement of being in a genuine and subsisting relationship and including some pieces of correspondence addressed to you and your partner at the same address would likely help in support of this, though there is no specific number you must include.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration ... ly-members

[Gochisosama]

Thank you so very much for you prompt and clear response! I really appreciate it.

Would it be right therefore to try and supply as much as I can for the proofs of living together, but that I can leave it off at wherever I can manage?
(Apologies for the repeated asking- we simply want to submit it correctly and confidential on the first attempt.)

Regarding your advice on evidence of a genuine and subsisting relationship - is this simply printed and attached to the application form? I understand that informal proofs such as photographs together, letters to each other, stories of how we met and what we share in common, birthday cards, correspondence from our in-laws to us, holidays and tickets booked together, social media all help.

These we can readily and gladly provide. Is there a format to this, or does a compilation of these very different media simply and informally printed on paper suffice?

[geoeng]

Regarding your advice on evidence of a genuine and subsisting relationship - is this simply printed and attached to the application form? I understand that informal proofs such as photographs together, letters to each other, stories of how we met and what we share in common, birthday cards, correspondence from our in-laws to us, holidays and tickets booked together, social media all help.

These we can readily and gladly provide. Is there a format to this, or does a compilation of these very different media simply and informally printed on paper suffice?

The FLR(M) application is entirely online and documents are also uploaded and submitted electronically, so there is nothing that needs to be printed at all. I would suggest that evidence of living together in the UK and of any join financial commitments (rent, council tax, utilities, etc.) would carry far more weight than the informal proof (such as photos and messages to each other) that would more typically be included in applications for entry clearance from outside the UK (particularly where partners have not previously lived together) so you can probably omit much of that evidence.

[Gochisosama]

I see. That is very clear. We will have to look for as many formal proofs as we can scrape up then. Thank you so much once more for your invaluable wisdom and advice- your kindness means a world to us.