FLR (M) Cohabitation Evidence

[helpmeplease123]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of starting to gather evidence for my final FLR (M) visa application.

When we first applied for the FLR(M) we did a in person priority appointment and it was back when they were doing paper applications. I went completely overboard then- had over 3 folders of everything I could think of in case they asked for anything further on the spot. Now the application is done online, I don't think I will be able to submit the same amount of evidence.

As cohabitation evidence, do we need to submit something for every single month for the last 2 years?

We have our council tax, water bill, mortgage and bank statements in the joint names. Most of these only come once a year council tax (April) Water Bill (May) Mortgage Statement (December).

Do we need to cover every other month with other statements ?

We intend on using joint bank statements (for the most recent 6 months to also verify my pay) and individually addressed credit card statements & individually addressed doctors correspondence.

Will these be enough sources for the cohabitation evidence? (4x joint sources & 2x each individual sources)

Also, with the bank/credit statements, I am hearing mixed messages about getting these stamped. If they are posted to us from the bank provider themselves do they still need to be stamped?

Thank you so much in advance!

[seagul]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of starting to gather evidence for my final FLR (M) visa application.

When we first applied for the FLR(M) we did a in person priority appointment and it was back when they were doing paper applications. I went completely overboard then- had over 3 folders of everything I could think of in case they asked for anything further on the spot. Now the application is done online, I don't think I will be able to submit the same amount of evidence.

As cohabitation evidence, do we need to submit something for every single month for the last 2 years?

We have our council tax, water bill, mortgage and bank statements in the joint names. Most of these only come once a year council tax (April) Water Bill (May) Mortgage Statement (December).

Do we need to cover every other month with other statements ?

We intend on using joint bank statements (for the most recent 6 months to also verify my pay) and individually addressed credit card statements & individually addressed doctors correspondence.

Will these be enough sources for the cohabitation evidence? (4x joint sources & 2x each individual sources)

Also, with the bank/credit statements, I am hearing mixed messages about getting these stamped. If they are posted to us from the bank provider themselves do they still need to be stamped?

Thank you so much in advance!

You need 6 piece of documents in joint names otherwise 12 if in individual names or mix n match of both covering the last 2 years from at least 3 sources with even gaps of 3-4 months. There are several correspondence which almost everyone receive on regular basis such as mobile/broadband bill, letter from dvla/nhs/hmrc, voter registration or any letter from council or any credible source etc. Don't assume that an annually issued bill/correspondence will cover the whole year rather only its issuance date will matter.

[helpmeplease123]

You need 6 piece of documents in joint names otherwise 12 if in individual names or mix n match of both covering the last 2 years from at least 3 sources with even gaps of 3-4 months. There are several correspondence which almost everyone receive on regular basis such as mobile/broadband bill, letter from dvla/nhs/hmrc, voter registration or any letter from council or any credible source etc. Don't assume that an annually issued bill/correspondence will cover the whole year rather only its issuance date will matter.

Thanks for this. I know the annual bills will only cover the issuance date not the annual year and have other correspondence for other months (bank statements/nhs/hmrc etc). Do you know if I need to submit 1 evidence of correspondence for every month? So for the last 2 years, I will submitting 24 pieces of evidence for correspondence.

Thanks!

[seagul]

Do you know if I need to submit 1 evidence of correspondence for every month?

1 joint named or 1+1=2 in each name (if not joint named) per 3-4 months instead every month

So for the last 2 years, I will submitting 24 pieces of evidence for correspondence.
Thanks!

6 if joint named
12 if individual named

In your case you have around 4 evidences in joint named so remaining (2+2=4) can be in individual names. Also note if you have received any notification regarding your annually issued bills then these can be used as well.

[helpmeplease123]

Do you know if I need to submit 1 evidence of correspondence for every month?

1 joint named or 1+1=2 in each name (if not joint named) per 3-4 months instead every month

So for the last 2 years, I will submitting 24 pieces of evidence for correspondence.
Thanks!

6 if joint named
12 if individual named

In your case you have around 4 evidences in joint named so remaining (2+2=4) can be in individual names. Also note if you have received any notification regarding your annually issued bills then these can be used as well.

Do these following documents cover what is required if I were to apply for my visa this month:

June 2018 - Joint Bank statement
Nov 2018 - Joint Mortgage statement
Mar 2019 - Joint Council Tax statement
June 2019 - Joint Bank statement
Nov 2019 - Applicant NHS Letter & Sponsor Utility Bill
Mar 2020 - Joint Council Tax statement
Optional: June 2020 - Joint Bank statement

[seagul]

Do you know if I need to submit 1 evidence of correspondence for every month?

1 joint named or 1+1=2 in each name (if not joint named) per 3-4 months instead every month

So for the last 2 years, I will submitting 24 pieces of evidence for correspondence.
Thanks!

6 if joint named
12 if individual named

In your case you have around 4 evidences in joint named so remaining (2+2=4) can be in individual names. Also note if you have received any notification regarding your annually issued bills then these can be used as well.

Do these following documents cover what is required if I were to apply for my visa this month:

June 2018 - Joint Bank statement
Nov 2018 - Joint Mortgage statement
Mar 2019 - Joint Council Tax statement
June 2019 - Joint Bank statement
Nov 2019 - Applicant NHS Letter & Sponsor Utility Bill
Mar 2020 - Joint Council Tax statement
Optional: June 2020 - Joint Bank statement

Try to narrow down the gap between June - November.

[helpmeplease123]

Would adding a month in August be ok?

Jun 18 - joint bank statement from bank A (source 1)
Aug 18 - applicant - credit card / sponsor - credit card (source 2)
Nov 18 - joint mortgage statement from bank B (source 3)
Mar 19 - joint council tax (source 4)
Jun 19 - joint bank statement from bank A (repeat of source 1)
Aug 19 - joint bank statement from bank A (repeat of source 1)
Nov 19 -applicant - NHS letter/sponsor - utility bill (source 5)
Mar 20 - joint council tax (repeat of source 4)
optional Jun 20 - joint bank statement (repeat of source 1)

If we use June 20 are we using too many joint bank statements? Can you use the same source 4 times?

[seagul]

Would adding a month in August be ok?

Jun 18 - joint bank statement from bank A (source 1)
Aug 18 - applicant - credit card / sponsor - credit card (source 2)
Nov 18 - joint mortgage statement from bank B (source 3)
Mar 19 - joint council tax (source 4)
Jun 19 - joint bank statement from bank A (repeat of source 1)
Aug 19 - joint bank statement from bank A (repeat of source 1)
Nov 19 -applicant - NHS letter/sponsor - utility bill (source 5)
Mar 20 - joint council tax (repeat of source 4)
optional Jun 20 - joint bank statement (repeat of source 1)

Now these are flawless

If we use June 20 are we using too many joint bank statements? Can you use the same source 4 times?

Yes provided 3 different sources have been relied on which is implicitly visible in your checklist.

[jrp777]

Hi,

Thanks for your post. I would like to confirm how this will apply to our situation.

My fiancee (from Brazil) is applying for a fiancee visa extension. We have been unable to get married due to the Covid-19 outbreak. My question therefore mainly relates to the fiancee visa extension, but I am also interested for our eventual spouse visa application.

Were you required to provide evidence for your first spouse visa application, or is it only specifically required for the second spouse visa application? Can you also please confirm where the requirement for the pieces of evidence stipulated is defined? I.e. 6 if joint named, 12 if individual named.

I have made another post on this topic which can be found here:
immigration-for-family-members/requirem ... 01438.html

In this post, I reference E-LTRP.1.10. of the Immigration Rules Appendix FM: family members (found on the gov.uk site). This states:

“The applicant and their partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK and, in any application for further leave to remain as a partner (except where the applicant is in the UK as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner) and in any application for indefinite leave to remain as a partner, the applicant must provide evidence that, since entry clearance as a partner was granted under paragraph D-ECP1.1. or since the last grant of limited leave to remain as a partner, the applicant and their partner have lived together in the UK or there is good reason, consistent with a continuing intention to live together permanently in the UK, for any period in which they have not done so.”

Therefore, as confirmed in my post, I understand that proof of cohabitation evidence is only required in these circumstances:
- The first instance of extending an FLR (M) visa (i.e. after a 2.5-year period)
- Applying for indefinite leave to remain (After a 5-year period)

I.e. it is NOT required for:
- Fiancée visa applications (clear from the text)
- The first spouse visa application, when first switching from a Fiancée visa

Thanks for your assistance