Family Visa (Dependent for British Citizen) - Extension -

[bbalaji1985]

Hi team,

This is regarding the Family visa extension for my Wife (I am a british citizen). I checked the board for my specific question before asking here but could not find anything related on this topic. Just need your help to get a clarification.

My wife is on a Family of settled visa (Spouse) and she is in UK now and her current visa expires in Dec 2023. However We are expecting our child in July 2023 and planning to go to india for delivery in May 2023 and expecting to return by Feb/March 2024 to UK. She is working currently in UK. Question i have is,

1) Considering she is planning to take Maternity leave from May 2023 and delivery is planned in India, Can i apply to extend her Visa in March 2023 (9 months before her visa expiry)?

2) I did check the UK gov website and it says you can extend well in advance , however only 28 days will be counted from the old visa (In india if i apply after delivery around Oct/Nov, it takes 6 months to get her visa as per SLA). If i dont submit the extended visa by Dec , company will refuse to accept and may lead to termination. Can i go and apply the visa in March (standard process) and i should get by mid may 2023? Is this accepted ?

3) if i am ok to apply for extension of my wife's visa, can i state the genuine reason in the Cover letter?

4) do i need to give the same set of documents when i first applied for my wife's family visa or is it the reduced documentation since it is just extension and my visa is in UK? Please let me know.

5) Lastly should i extend for another 2.5 years or even more than that? (since i need to pay for IHS)

Kindly help me to get the above questions clarified.

Thanks,
Balaji

[CR001]

She can apply at any time an provide a letter why she is applying early. Note that she will have a shortfall for ILR and will require a 3rd visa extension for another 2 5 years.

You can only apply for 2.5 years, you cannot choose the time limit to apply for longer of shorter duration.

You need proof of meeting the financial requirements again yes, plus minimum English A2 for her and 2 years evidence of cohabitation in both your nanes from 3 to 6 difference sources.

[bbalaji1985]

Thank you CR001 for your timely updates.

Just on the English requirement - She got UK NARIC (When we applied in Sep 2020) and it says it is C1. Can we use the same certificate now for the extension?

Finally on the cohabitation document - Can i share my Wife's Employment letter, Pension Document, Payslips as well which has the same house address? I will also submit Council tax letter, Gas/Electricity bill and Water bill with both our names. Since you mentioned 3 to 6 different sources - Just want to check if we can use my wife's employment letter and payslips as well.

Kindly confirm on the English requirement i mentioned above and the additional cohabitation documents i have mentioned. Thanks in advance.

Thanks,
Balaji

[CR001]

Just on the English requirement - She got UK NARIC (When we applied in Sep 2020) and it says it is C1. Can we use the same certificate now for the extension?

Fine.

Finally on the cohabitation document - Can i share my Wife's Employment letter, Pension Document, Payslips as well which has the same house address? I will also submit Council tax letter, Gas/Electricity bill and Water bill with both our names. Since you mentioned 3 to 6 different sources - Just want to check if we can use my wife's employment letter and payslips as well.

Kindly confirm on the English requirement i mentioned above and the additional cohabitation documents i have mentioned.

ANY evidence can be used. You need items spread evenly for every 3 to 4 months for the last two years.

[bbalaji1985]

Thank you CR001 for the clarification and help. Please find below the set of documents that i am planning:

My Document:
1) My Passport copy
2) Bank statements (last 6 months) for financial proof
3) Company letter
4) Last 6 months payslips
5) Cover letter
6) Cohabitation document for same address- Letting agreement, Bank statements, Payslips, Council, Elect/Gas bill, Water, GP letters (for 3 to 4 months) etc
7) Marriage certificate

My Wife document:
1) Current BRP copy
2) Passport copy
3) Birth certificate
4) UK NARIC certificate
5) Cohabitation document for same address- Letting agreement, Payslips, Council, Elect/Gas bill, Water, GP letters (for 3 to 4 months), Pension document, Bank statements, Phone bills, HMRC letter etc


I believe below are not required:
1) Family and marriage photos (We gave when we initiated the family visa for first time)
2) UK House photos


Please let me know if the above are correct or anything i missed.

Thanks,
Balaji

[CR001]

I believe below are not required:
1) Family and marriage photos (We gave when we initiated the family visa for first time)
2) UK House photos

Not needed.

Wife's birth certificate also not required

Everything else looks fine.

[bbalaji1985]

Thank you CR001 for all the help in clarifying the questions.

In Cover letter, Can i say since our parents could not come, we are planning for delivery in india? (We are expecting our child in July 2023 and planning to go to india for delivery in May 2023 and expecting to return by Feb/March 2024 to UK.) - Actual Plan

Will they accept this ?


Please let me know.

[AmazonianX]

Thank you CR001 for all the help in clarifying the questions.

In Cover letter, Can i say since our parents could not come, we are planning for delivery in india? (We are expecting our child in July 2023 and planning to go to india for delivery in May 2023 and expecting to return by Feb/March 2024 to UK.) - Actual Plan

Will they accept this ?


Please let me know.

You actually do not need to explain why you are applying early, so telling them why will not be rebuffed.

[bbalaji1985]

Thank you for all the clarifications and support.

I completed the form and it says if you are not living together in same address for 2 years, then you need to submit a letter from friends or relatives on where she said. In another 10 days (by 30th March), it will be complete 2 years, so i will submit form on 31st March and i am planning to go with Priority visa (additional £800).

As part of the form submission, it did say, my Wife has to be submit her original passport along with existing BRP. Is it correct? or we just show the passport during biometric?

Please let us know.

Thanks,
Balaji

[AmazonianX]

Thank you for all the clarifications and support.

I completed the form and it says if you are not living together in same address for 2 years, then you need to submit a letter from friends or relatives on where she said. In another 10 days (by 30th March), it will be complete 2 years, so i will submit form on 31st March and i am planning to go with Priority visa (additional £800).

As part of the form submission, it did say, my Wife has to be submit her original passport along with existing BRP. Is it correct? or we just show the passport during biometric?

Please let us know.

Thanks,
Balaji

Passport is taken along for ID purpose. From experience scan of it taken and returned to applicant.

[bbalaji1985]

Thank you for the clarification.

I am about to submit the application (Since the 2 full years of staying together is complete now) , i am doubtfull to answer some of the below questions:

1) Could you and your partner live together outside the UK if necessary? (I have provided 'Yes') please let me know if this correct or not

2) When did you start living together in a relationship? (I provided Dates os her entry into UK as per the current family visa (March 2021) though our marriage happened in November 2014. Please let me know if this is correct.

3) If you were required to leave the UK, what country would you go to? (This is while filling personal information of my wife). - I have given "India' for this in the question.

4) Are there any factors which would make it difficult or impossible for you to integrate and establish a private life in that country? - I have given 'No' for this. Please let me know i am scared about this question.

5) Is this the first time you have applied for a partner route, or an extension, with your current partner (including as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner)? - I have given 'No' for this since this is 'a first extension as a partner'

6) This is for my wife section . If you left the UK, do you and your children have family or friends in the country you would return to? - I have provided 'Yes' for this. pls let me know.

7) Do you have any Home Office reference numbers? - I have given as 'No' (though we had home office number when we first got this visa in March 2021. Do i need to give or it is just referring to any active home office reference number, pls let me know)

Have you been out of the UK since you started living here? - My wife came in March 2021, we went on vacation in Dec 2021 to Feb 2022 (all together), do i need to say 'Yes' and mention the dates outside UK or i can give 'no' and dont provide any vacation dates. Please let me know.

My sincere apologies for lot of questions, as because i have some doubts while submitting the form wanted to get that corrected before submitting. Thanks in advance.

[AmazonianX]

Thank you for the clarification.

I am about to submit the application (Since the 2 full years of staying together is complete now) , i am doubtfull to answer some of the below questions:

1) Could you and your partner live together outside the UK if necessary? (I have provided 'Yes') please let me know if this correct or not You have answered truthfully,

2) When did you start living together in a relationship? (I provided Dates os her entry into UK as per the current family visa (March 2021) though our marriage happened in November 2014. Please let me know if this is correct. Correct

3) If you were required to leave the UK, what country would you go to? (This is while filling personal information of my wife). - I have given "India' for this in the question.

4) Are there any factors which would make it difficult or impossible for you to integrate and establish a private life in that country? - I have given 'No' for this. Please let me know i am scared about this question.

5) Is this the first time you have applied for a partner route, or an extension, with your current partner (including as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner)? - I have given 'No' for this since this is 'a first extension as a partner' correct

6) This is for my wife section . If you left the UK, do you and your children have family or friends in the country you would return to? - I have provided 'Yes' for this. pls let me know.

7) Do you have any Home Office reference numbers? - I have given as 'No' (though we had home office number when we first got this visa in March 2021. Do i need to give or it is just referring to any active home office reference number, pls let me know)

Have you been out of the UK since you started living here? - My wife came in March 2021, we went on vacation in Dec 2021 to Feb 2022 (all together), do i need to say 'Yes' and mention the dates outside UK or i can give 'no' and dont provide any vacation dates. Please let me know. Say yes and provide details

My sincere apologies for lot of questions, as because i have some doubts while submitting the form wanted to get that corrected before submitting. Thanks in advance.

You have answered truthfully as relates to your circumstances. Most of the above questions of yours are not likely to have an impact on the decision negatively