Documents to submit for spouse visa - thoughts appreciated

[d20luther]

Hi All,

My partner and I met 20months ago. I am a born UK national and she is Canadian by birth. This has been a long distance relationship but with my job I travel a lot to North America so the distance has not been an issue. At the start of this year we decided she should now move over to the UK, we never cared for the big marriage bash so decided to elope, which we have done recently and now are in the process of applying for a spouse visa.

Having read and spoken to many people in the last 3 weeks I wanted some feedback on the documents she will be submitting. I am mindful of not submitting too many documents to the UKBA, but also enough to ensure the UKBA believes our relationship is real.

Firstly this is the documentation that officially asked for on the UKBA

Passport with passport photos
Evidence of you and your partners age (She will be supplying her passport can I supply my photocard driving license? I have read a lot about people supplying birth certificate and certified copy of passport. I don't have my birth certificate, I can provide either my actual passport as I have two passports and can travel on the second one or my photo driving license)
Marriage certificate
Evidence you are free to marry, if we were previously married (we were never previously married therefore we submit nothing?)
Evidence you have met (pictures of us in various places and pictures from our marriage ceremony)
Financial requirement (P60, 6month wage slips, 6month bank account, Letter from employer stating gross salary, type of employment and length employed at that salary on company letter head)

Additional documentation that we are considering also attaching. I would appreciate your thoughts on as the UKBA doesn't ask for this

Cover letter - brief one page summarising whats being sumbitted ?
Accommodation - Utility bill and title deeds proving I own my flat, is this all the information I need to provide, if any?
My Wife's Hygenist Certificate and letters from two previous employers stating she worked there - this is to prove she is skilled and employable even though my wage is more than sufficient to support both of us, until she does find work?

We were never concerned about marriage or engagement, so don't have engagement photos, marriage invites etc but we knew that Spouse visa would be the easiest and didn't want to apply for fiance visa. Given that we have never lived together and decided to elope. Do you think we should
explain this in our cover letter and also add plane tickets of places we have met.

Like the subject of my post says we don't want to send to much information and dig ourselves a hole but we also want to be successful. Maybe they will call her in for an interview if they can't decide and she will have to explain this to them in person. I feel it would appropriate to explain why we eloped,

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

[d20luther]

bump

Anyone have thoughts on this. Do most people submit the exact documents that UKBA ask for in the first instance, and then if the UKBA ask for more, then you submit more documents e.g. mortgage info, skype logs, plane tickets etc?

Is it normal submit all this information within a ringer binder?

thanks

[batleykhan]

Looks OK to me

[d20luther]

Looks OK to me

appreciate the reply, but what looks ok? I should stick with the original documents and not add additional documentation.

I am reading quite a few posts on this forum from people who seems to be sending lots of additional documentation to support their visa application. Trying to establish what is appropriate.

thanks

[Casa]

As long as you don't submit so much that the mandatory documents are missed by the ECO...send whatever you feel will strengthen your application.

[navodwickra]

Hi All,

My partner and I met 20months ago. I am a born UK national and she is Canadian by birth. This has been a long distance relationship but with my job I travel a lot to North America so the distance has not been an issue. At the start of this year we decided she should now move over to the UK, we never cared for the big marriage bash so decided to elope, which we have done recently and now are in the process of applying for a spouse visa.

Having read and spoken to many people in the last 3 weeks I wanted some feedback on the documents she will be submitting. I am mindful of not submitting too many documents to the UKBA, but also enough to ensure the UKBA believes our relationship is real.

Firstly this is the documentation that officially asked for on the UKBA

Passport with passport photos
Evidence of you and your partners age (She will be supplying her passport can I supply my photocard driving license? I have read a lot about people supplying birth certificate and certified copy of passport. I don't have my birth certificate, I can provide either my actual passport as I have two passports and can travel on the second one or my photo driving license)
Marriage certificate
Evidence you are free to marry, if we were previously married (we were never previously married therefore we submit nothing?)
Evidence you have met (pictures of us in various places and pictures from our marriage ceremony)
Financial requirement (P60, 6month wage slips, 6month bank account, Letter from employer stating gross salary, type of employment and length employed at that salary on company letter head)

Additional documentation that we are considering also attaching. I would appreciate your thoughts on as the UKBA doesn't ask for this

Cover letter - brief one page summarising whats being sumbitted ?
Accommodation - Utility bill and title deeds proving I own my flat, is this all the information I need to provide, if any?
My Wife's Hygenist Certificate and letters from two previous employers stating she worked there - this is to prove she is skilled and employable even though my wage is more than sufficient to support both of us, until she does find work?

We were never concerned about marriage or engagement, so don't have engagement photos, marriage invites etc but we knew that Spouse visa would be the easiest and didn't want to apply for fiance visa. Given that we have never lived together and decided to elope. Do you think we should
explain this in our cover letter and also add plane tickets of places we have met.

Like the subject of my post says we don't want to send to much information and dig ourselves a hole but we also want to be successful. Maybe they will call her in for an interview if they can't decide and she will have to explain this to them in person. I feel it would appropriate to explain why we eloped,

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

regarding the employment make sure you add the original contract which you have signed before stating work. I am pretty sure this is in their mandatory list.

Edit : And also if you have any call records, emails, greeting cards or even letters, add them as well since you guys weren't living together.

[d20luther]

thanks for the replies much appreciate.

My only concern is the proof of my age. It doesn't specifically ask for which document but a lot of people on the forum send in birth certificate and certified passport copy. I can't see there being any issue if I send in original photocard driving license and certified passport copy?

thanks

[SoHopeful]

Certified copy of passport is all you need. Also, it would help to show the stamps you received on entry to North America when working/visiting your partner.

[d20luther]

thanks that's a great suggestion, hopefully my last question, with regards to

Evidence you are free to marry, if we were previously married

we were never previously married so to confirm we don't submit anything?

[NMck]

I have posted details of all the documents my wife sent for her spouse visa. It may help:

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=114047