Posting physical passport & proof of residence

[alterhase58]

I would read this as having an additional or second nationality besides your main. So NO is the way to go, for your application .

[adisays]

I would read this as having an additional or second nationality besides your main. So NO is the way to go, for your application .

Thank you very much!

With what I hope is REALLY the final answer for the last time...

In my last 5 years worth of address history, I have a gap of nearly 3 months in 2023 between when I sold my flat, and when I completed on my next one. During that time, I stayed with a friend who didn't charge me rent. Should I also note this address down on my application? I don't have utilities or council tax records or rent in that period as she let me stay for free, but if I don't include it, they might wonder where I was in those three months. Thank you

[alterhase58]

I don’t think this is an issues as proof of address is not required. However, for peace of mind you could include a covering note explaining the scenario.

[adisays]

I don’t think this is an issues as proof of address is not required. However, for peace of mind you could include a covering note explaining the scenario.

Thank you. I agree with you that for peace of mind I should just add it so I don't have a gap.

I don't see an option for a cover letter - is that something I can upload after I submit my application?

Thanks again

[alterhase58]

Cover letters as such are not a requirement but you can add additional documents.

[adisays]

Hi folks, I submitted my application and am panicking a bit - I have plans to travel tomorrow (March 20) so I made my biometrics appointment for April 7, as I will be back by then. However, I don't know if my application is now considered submitted today (March 19) or not. I've paid the fee, and booked the UKVCAS appointment but there was an option to upload documents now or later, so I chose later. Is my application considered submitted, or are they going to use the April 7th date?? All it says is I must upload my documents before my UKVCAS appointment.

In my "payment successful" email it has a "what you need to do next" part which is "you must return to your application to book and attend an appointment with our commercial partner to provide your documents and enrol your biometrics (fingerprints and facial photograph). Your application may not be successful if you do not complete the mandatory actions."

Do I need to upload all the documents today then??

Thank you for your help

[CR001]

Date of application is the date you submit and pay online. It is NOT the biometric appointment date.

Simply upload your documents 48 hours before your appointment.

[adisays]

Date of application is the date you submit and pay online. It is NOT the biometric appointment date.

Simply upload your documents 48 hours before your appointment.

Thank you so much. And to everyone who has answered here. Hope to have good news in a few months! THANK YOU!!

[adisays]

Hi folks, a couple questions re Biometrics.

1. Throughout the application process it's mentioned that you 'may' not have to provide new biometrics if you'd had them done in another application. I've given my biometrics about 4-5times - two UK student visas, two Tier 2 General Visas, and for the ILR. For the Tier 2 General & ILR, those appointments were in the UK. How can I find out if I need to give them again? Do they notify you if your biometrics are needed or can I contact someone (who?) to ask?

2. Is it possible to see what appointments are available before cancelling your current one? I'd like to change my appointment date but it looks like UKVCAS (TLS contact) site, you can only cancel first before making a new one. I'm trying to see the availability at any London location (or Wandsworth, as that looked like it had the most availability) post April 18th.

Thank you

[contorted_svy]

If the application at the end says you have to attend a biometrics appointment, then you do. Irrelevant if you provided biometrics before, we don't know how they decide.

The system won't let you see appointments before you cancel your existing one, so it's a gamble.

[adisays]

Thank you all for your responses so far.

For my upcoming biometrics appt (April 7), I know am trying to understand what documents I need to upload exactly, as there doesn't seem to be a clear list that I can see in the AN Guidance or in the UKVCAS appointment email, or anywhere else. So what exactly do I need? I'm applying as a single person, American citizen who has ILR as of 2017. Here's what I plan to scan and upload - not sure if all are necessary or in what level of detail I need to scan them, so if anyone can help clarify (or if anything is missing on this list, please let me know), that would be much appreciated.

• Current passport which covers the last 5 years (do I need to just scan & upload just the photo/signature page, or all pages of the passport?)

• My BRP card issued after I received ILR, though it's expired and now I have an evisa

• My 2 signed referee forms

• My life in the UK test certificate

• My MSc diploma certificate from a UK university (not sure if I need this, but this is what I provided when applying for my first Tier 2 visa...it also covered the English language requirement (which I believe I'm exempt from as I am a US citizen - is this the case for citizenship too? I have never sat an English test for any of my Student/Tier 2/ILR applications in the UK)

• Copies of my old passports which have my first two student visas for the UK from over 10 years ago. Not sure this is required, or if again, I'm required to scan all pages of the passport or just the photo/pages with the visa on them

Is there anything I'm missing? The other thing I don't know how to provide evidence for is proving that I was in the UK exactly 5 years before I applied. I know I was because I had international travel before and after my application date, but my passport is rarely stamped when I enter the UK because I use my US passports at the e-gates. The AN Guidance doc states "If your passport is not stamped when you come into the United Kingdom, you must still provide your passport, but also provide alternative evidence of presence as above." The "alternative evidence" includes payslips, P60s, tax/natural insurance or employers letters." Do I really need to upload 5 years worth of payslips/P60s? I mean, in theory I could but it is it necessary? It's true my passport is rarely stamped, but I have not exceeded the allowed absences and surely the Home Office has a way of checking this?

Any help would be appreciated, especially if someone can clarify if all pages of the passport need to be scanned & uploaded.

Thank you <3

[contorted_svy]

Thank you all for your responses so far.

For my upcoming biometrics appt (April 7), I know am trying to understand what documents I need to upload exactly, as there doesn't seem to be a clear list that I can see in the AN Guidance or in the UKVCAS appointment email, or anywhere else. So what exactly do I need? I'm applying as a single person, American citizen who has ILR as of 2017. Here's what I plan to scan and upload - not sure if all are necessary or in what level of detail I need to scan them, so if anyone can help clarify (or if anything is missing on this list, please let me know), that would be much appreciated.

• Current passport which covers the last 5 years (do I need to just scan & upload just the photo/signature page, or all pages of the passport?)

Yes - all pages

• My BRP card issued after I received ILR, though it's expired and now I have an evisa

Yes

• My 2 signed referee forms

Yes

• My life in the UK test certificate

Yes

• My MSc diploma certificate from a UK university (not sure if I need this, but this is what I provided when applying for my first Tier 2 visa...it also covered the English language requirement (which I believe I'm exempt from as I am a US citizen - is this the case for citizenship too? I have never sat an English test for any of my Student/Tier 2/ILR applications in the UK)

You are exempt, your US passport is enough for this

• Copies of my old passports which have my first two student visas for the UK from over 10 years ago. Not sure this is required, or if again, I'm required to scan all pages of the passport or just the photo/pages with the visa on them

Not needed

Is there anything I'm missing? The other thing I don't know how to provide evidence for is proving that I was in the UK exactly 5 years before I applied. I know I was because I had international travel before and after my application date, but my passport is rarely stamped when I enter the UK because I use my US passports at the e-gates. The AN Guidance doc states "If your passport is not stamped when you come into the United Kingdom, you must still provide your passport, but also provide alternative evidence of presence as above." The "alternative evidence" includes payslips, P60s, tax/natural insurance or employers letters." Do I really need to upload 5 years worth of payslips/P60s? I mean, in theory I could but it is it necessary? In your case, yes. If you have 5 P60s upload them. if not get payslips to cover that year.It's true my passport is rarely stamped, but I have not exceeded the allowed absences and surely the Home Office has a way of checking this?

Any help would be appreciated, especially if someone can clarify if all pages of the passport need to be scanned & uploaded.

Thank you <3

[adisays]

Thank you so much contorted_svy. Any idea if the front/back of the passport needs to be scanned - i.e., the cover and back?

[contorted_svy]

No.

[adisays]

Hi all, I cannot believe this is happening after HOURS of painstakingly scanning and uploading my documents but I cannot physically submit my documents/application on the VCAS website!! All documents have been uploaded successfully and are under the size limit, but when I go to actually submit, the website gives me this error in a red pop up box in the corner!

"Submission error
An issue was found while processing your request. Please try again later or contact support if the problem persists"

I've opened a support ticket with VCAS but I don't have 10 working days for a response - my biometrics appt is on Monday. Has anyone run into this / do they have a number I can call??

Thank you

[contorted_svy]

I would suggest you pay £50 and get your docs uploaded at the appointment. I couldn't find a contact number for TLS contact.

[citizenshipqs]

2. I'm still a bit unclear on the "proof of living in the UK for 5 years qualifying period" - the official Guide AN states "You can meet the lawful residence requirement if you have indefinite leave in the UK." I do have my ILR, but the examples the guidance suggests for proof are also "employers’ letters or tax and National Insurance letters". I use the e-gates when traveling with my US passport so it is very rarely ever stamped. Does this mean I either have to get a letter from each of my past employers confirming my employment date, or manually upload or send every payslip I've ever received over the last 5 years?

You only need your passport and declaring your absence in the form. UKVI have their means to check your absence etc.

I hope its OK to ask this here:
If I understand correctly, the HO holds a record of entries and exits, and can also see my employment information?

So sending in a copy of a passport should be sufficient in terms of demonstrating absences, even when only some of the entries seem to have been recorded physically? Seems like the border force usually stamped my passport and wrote down my BRP number, but this wasn't always the case.

Also, as long as I provide my NI number, my employment information should also be available to them, so sending in a P60 is not necessary either?

Thank you

[alterhase58]

2. I'm still a bit unclear on the "proof of living in the UK for 5 years qualifying period" - the official Guide AN states "You can meet the lawful residence requirement if you have indefinite leave in the UK." I do have my ILR, but the examples the guidance suggests for proof are also "employers’ letters or tax and National Insurance letters". I use the e-gates when traveling with my US passport so it is very rarely ever stamped. Does this mean I either have to get a letter from each of my past employers confirming my employment date, or manually upload or send every payslip I've ever received over the last 5 years?

You only need your passport and declaring your absence in the form. UKVI have their means to check your absence etc.

I hope its OK to ask this here:
If I understand correctly, the HO holds a record of entries and exits, and can also see my employment information?

Correct but employment history is not required, just your current employer, if you have one

So sending in a copy of a passport should be sufficient in terms of demonstrating absences, even when only some of the entries seem to have been recorded physically? Yes - and sending passport for ILR holders is a regular preocedure, nothing new.
Seems like the border force usually stamped my passport and wrote down my BRP number, but this wasn't always the case.

Also, as long as I provide my NI number, my employment information should also be available to them, so sending in a P60 is not necessary either? Yes to all,just note employment history is not an issue.

Thank you

[citizenshipqs]

Thank you very much