My wife applied with these documents in her first application.
Contents page - Please create this. It helps them know where everything is. However, please do note, gerry's will put the documents into their own pile format. So it can be a bit pointless creating one. I will still create one again.
Sponsors Information
Sponsors Introduction - Details of yourself, how you met your spouse, where they will live, your plans with them, how long you stayed with them, where you stayed, wedding venue, etc..
Sponsors Education - If you have a degree you can also attach this - There isn't any need to as I was told it's not necessary so left it out. Still it looks good in my opinion. No need to attach a CV.
Sponsors Birth certificate - Supply an original Birth certificate.
Sponsors Passport Photocopy - Provide photo-copy of your passport, with visa stamps of when you went to see your spouse. Get someone to certify that it's a true copy of an original, a solicitor can do this.
Sponsors Employment/Financial
Contract letter from employer - This is necessary it should show your annual salary, when you joined the company, if any overtime is available, how much you've earned to date and if ECO has any questions, they can contact your employer.
P60 - April to April, please provide this. If it doesn't show the full amount of income that you are relying on, attach a note to this explaining that.
Bank statements - This should show your income going in your account from your employment. If you want, highlight these so ECO cannot miss them. 6 months is necessary for CAT A and also make sure the last statement you provide is no older then 28days of when you apply for your application.
Payslips - Very important, do not miss any payslips - minimum of 6 months, net income should match what it shows on your bank statement. If you've moved house in your employment period, explain why some of the payslips have a different address to the others. Again, last payslip cannot be older then 28days at the time of application.
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Sponsors Savings -
Ok this is the tricky one as you need to get this right first time round. I was questioned where the source of savings came from - an error on my part was I didn't mention all the money in my account, just one gift. So please make sure you mention and show the TOTAL amount of savings in your account. Even if your account has been open for 10 years, try get statements as far back as possible and show this/where the money came from. For this you will need;
Bank statement - This will show the period of 6 months minimum of the money in your account (if old money transfers are in there, show those too/proof where they came from). If you're with some banks they may not provide you with this as there has not been any activity in that account. Do what I do, deposit £500 a month in there so it will never go lower. If it does and you fall below the amount you need to make the shortfall, you will need to wait another 6 months.
Make sure the savings are easily accessible with no penalty if you take them out. So no savings should be in 'fixed' accounts.
Gift- If your savings have been provided as a GIFT and not a LOAN (Loans are not accepted), get a letter from the person(s), declaring they GIFTED you the money and provide where it came from. This could be from rent/property sale etc..Get this signed by all those who have gifted you money. This is not needed if the savings came for example, a house you sold. So instead show the house sale/solicitors letters. Shares/investments must be the a similar manner I imagine.
Bank statement of those who provided you with gift - Very important again, show the transaction of the money going into your account. If in any years that have gone by, the gifter has gifted you money and it's still in your account, show this too with statements and your statements.
Now this is a separate document which you can either put in this section or your employment section. Up-to you.
Show your working out for the savings you need. Show your working out for the annual income you have gained. If like me you're paid hourly you will average out 6 months wages x 2 = annual amount.
If you are paid every 4 weeks and are paid twice in 1 month add all your monthly wages up - divide by 28 weeks x 52 weeks = annual amount
£18,600 - annual amount = shortfall x 2.5 + £16,000.00 = amount of savings needed.
If on a salary just get your annual amount and do the calculation above. Please do note; I'm not entirely sure about salary based pay but I do suspect it will be done like that.
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Sponsors Maintanence -
If like me you send your spouse money abroad for their maintenance, provide receipts of this ie; western union sent/pick-up notifications or however else you send money.
This should also be in the applicants section of documents as it proves they were the person who picked the money up. Also you can provide bank statements for the applicant showing the money being deposited into the account - This also shows the relationship is genuine as you will not send money to random strangers.
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Sponsors Accommodation;
Housing report- Important to show you have the space to keep your spouse - no overcrowding in the house. This can be done by an estate agent/solicitor.
Deeds to home - If you go on the land registry site you can get this for around £4 and print it off. Please note keep it safe, as you will need to pay £4 again if you lose it. This will be a land registry form.
Accommodation agreement - Get a letter from the owner/landlord of your property allowing your spouse to stay there. This can be rent free if you stay with family and are not required to pay any rent. Get the owner to sign this.
Utility bills - This shows you actually live at the address and it isn't a 'safe house' for your spouse to come and live separately. Who would pay for something where they don't live right?
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Applicants Information;
**PRINT OFF YOUR REJECTION/HOLD DOCUMENT - ATTACH ANOTHER DOCUMENT SHOWING HOW YOU NOW MEET THE REQUIREMENTS YOU DIDN'T AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION**
Applicants VAF4 - Very important make sure you provide this.
Applicants Introduction - Same as your sponsor introduction describing how you met, how the distance has affected you, your wishes in the future, start family etc, where you will live etc..Get this signed by applicant
Applicants English Certificate - This is the A1 certificate of english - please note it has a 2 year life line, once those are up you need to do it again so make sure yours is valid!
Applicants TB report - TB report this lasts 6 months, again provide this and make sure it's valid at the date of application
Applicants Birth Certificate - Need this
Applicants Bio Metrics - So fingerprints and all that stuff. I'm sure they do them on the day or before, I can't remember at the top of my head - you may not need this. I've listed it just incase.
Applicants passport - Also provide 2 passport photographs. Copy of NADRA card is also good to provide.
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Applicants Financial;
Applicants bank statements - You can provide these to show the applicant also has funds available to themselves if they need to use them. You can get a bank manager to sign these statements to show they are genuine/stamped.
Maintenance - Like I mentioned before any western union receipts of money being picked up that's sent (by you the sponsor) just adds that added touch the relationship is genuine.
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Applicants Relationship;
Wedding cards - Provide these if you still have them showing the venue/dates
Wedding photos - Give them a large number of these so they can be hounded by looking through them. Some people have given less and they've rejected them. Oh and also, because they add wait to the documents, it'll be nice to imagine the look on the ECO's face when they hear the clunk of the documents hit their desk.
MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS HAPPY - THERE IS ALWAYS ON GRUMPY UNCLE! HAHA.
Nikah'Nama - Original and certified in English. Translated in english which you can get done at a union in pakistan.
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Communication;
Whatsapp - Screenshots of these
Skype - Screenshots of these. Also take a picture of the computer screen and provide that as photo so they can tell it's genuine and not photoshopped.
Facebook - Same as Skype really screenshots/photos.
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END
****I FORGOT TO MENTION******
Apparently now they ask if the applicant is in employment if so, provide bank statements/payslips etc..If they're not then just tick no on the application form.
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This is how I did my first application - had no problems, and In'Sha'Allah it will be the same this time round. I just didn't meet the savings requirement at that time.
If I have missed something or added something which shouldn't have been done, please do let me know. I am not an immigration expert by any means, the list I compiled is what I asked others including Joppa at expat forums. Oh, and some common sense. I hope this helps.
You may not need to provide everything I have as each application is different.
In'Sha'Allah this will guide you and many others.
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Musriz - Sometimes the tracking doesn't change, it goes straight to RFC. From what I've seen, those who have got their visas got a call/text from gerrys to collect their documents. And those who haven't normally get an e-mail stating why they are on hold, or asking for more documents. Just be patient my friend in'sha'allah it will be good news for you. It's as Allah has planned it to be.
