Tier-1 General dependent - Council tax or Tenancy agreement

[neesh]

Hi all

I am in the process of applying for my wife's tier-1 dependent visa. She has been living with me in the UK for past one year (after marriage) on her own tier-1. Now that her tier-1 is about to expire, we are planning on switching her visa to my dependent.

Question 1 - Do i need to show proof of subsisting relationship when she has been living with me for past 1 year (she came here with me just after marriage)

Question 2 - As proof of her UK address, we have attached her bank statements and our tenancy agreement (which has both our names on it)

Are these enough? Or i need other evidences.

Question 3 - I have attached the tenancy agreement, but i lost my council tax bill for this year, is it mandatory to attach that? Or would just tenancy agreement be ok?

Thanks for your replies in advance. I appreciate your quick reply.

[hsyasin]

Hi all

Question 3 - I have attached the tenancy agreement, but i lost my council tax bill for this year, is it mandatory to attach that? Or would just tenancy agreement be ok?

Thanks for your replies in advance. I appreciate your quick reply.

Not sure about the rest, but can u show/point me to where ukba/home office have specifically asked for ur(main applicant's) proof of accomodation?

[neesh]

[quote="hsyasin"]
Not sure about the rest, but can u show/point me to where ukba/home office have specifically asked for ur(main applicant's) proof of accomodation?[/quote]

Not really proof for my accommodation. But the general consensus is that people normally submit tenancy agreement as proof of accomodation of main applicant so that UKBA is convinced that the spouse has somewhere to stay. They may want to ensure dependents will be adequately housed without the need for applying for council housing. Hence the tenancy agreement

[bubin123]

are you planning for in-country application for switching?

[hsyasin]

Not really proof for my accommodation. But the general consensus is that people normally submit tenancy agreement as proof of accomodation of main applicant so that UKBA is convinced that the spouse has somewhere to stay. They may want to ensure dependents will be adequately housed without the need for applying for council housing. Hence the tenancy agreement

Ok, so why havent they specifically mentioned anywhere to supply that?

What I think is, obviously the main applicant is earning more than 35k to be eligible for visa in the first place, so he must be staying somewhere.. and as this is the "dependant", so he/she will be staying/dependant on the main applicant, hence, they didn't bother asking for this or making this a mandatory document to be supplied.

[neesh]

[quote="bubin123"]are you planning for in-country application for switching?[/quote]

No. She cant switch in her case. We are going to India to apply from there.

Any inputs on the questions i asked?

[neesh]

[quote="hsyasin"][quote="neesh"]
Not really proof for my accommodation. But the general consensus is that people normally submit tenancy agreement as proof of accomodation of main applicant so that UKBA is convinced that the spouse has somewhere to stay. They may want to ensure dependents will be adequately housed without the need for applying for council housing. Hence the tenancy agreement[/quote]

Ok, so why havent they specifically mentioned anywhere to supply that?

What I think is, obviously the main applicant is earning more than 35k to be eligible for visa in the first place, so he must be staying somewhere.. and as this is the "dependant", so he/she will be staying/dependant on the main applicant, hence, they didn't bother asking for this or making this a mandatory document to be supplied.[/quote]

I dont know mate. But i am not going to jeopardize my application for some argument which (though is valid) i think have got more cons going against it than pros.

[hsyasin]

No. She cant switch in her case. We are going to India to apply from there.

Any inputs on the questions i asked?

Ok neesh, this is what I think:

Question 1 - Do i need to show proof of subsisting relationship when she has been living with me for past 1 year (she came here with me just after marriage)

-- Yes, as she'll be making a fresh Tier1 dependent application.

Question 2 - As proof of her UK address, we have attached her bank statements and our tenancy agreement (which has both our names on it)

Are these enough? Or i need other evidences.

-- If you look at evidence to submit with the application, it doesn't say that u should also submit ur tenancy agreement as proof of accomodation.

Question 3 - I have attached the tenancy agreement, but i lost my council tax bill for this year, is it mandatory to attach that? Or would just tenancy agreement be ok?

-- As i said, no immediate requirement for either tenancy agreement or council tax bill, but no harm in attaching. But what i usually suggest to people is, don't get carried away while attaching docs, as it sometimes over complicates ur application. Just provide them with what they've asked.

Just read through this list and make sure that u attach what is asked in the list first and then afterwards, if u want to provide any additional docs, upto u:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... en-dep.pdf

[hsyasin]

this also, for a more detailed list:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... olicy1.pdf

[neesh]

[quote="hsyasin"]this also, for a more detailed list:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec ... olicy1.pdf[/quote]

@hsyasin - thanks for your replies. very helpful.

[mulderpf]

I don't believe that proof of suitable accommodation is required - anyway - how do you determine if it's suitable from a tenancy agreement or council tax document?

[hsyasin]

how do you determine if it's suitable from a tenancy agreement or council tax document?

M sorry, i didn't understand ur question

[t1s2010]

My spouse switched from T2(ICT) to T1(D) by going back to India.

We didn't submit any tenancy agreement. We submitted council-tax bills, not a requirement, still for two reasons - 1. to keep the case-worker happy 2. it is scrap after the month anyway.

So was the case of a friend's spouse.

[jagankumar]

Hi t1s2010,
We are in similar situation as your yours. My wife is Tier4 Student visa and we gonna change it to Tier1(G) Dependant.

Am in UK for 3 years under Tier1 (G) visa valid until Jan 2014. My wife is in UK for 2.5 years under Tier4 Student Visa valid until Jan 2016. Our 6 months old daughter (UK Born) just got Indian Passport.
Am planning to apply my extension in Oct 2013 along with UK Born daughter application as dependant. Am planning to apply with the following documents,

1) Application Form for Main Applicant and Dependant(UK Born Child)
2) Passports of both parents and Dependant(UK Born Child)
3) BRP Card of Main Applicant
4) UK Born child Birth Certificate.
5) 12 Months Payslips
6) Employment Letter
7) P60
12 Bank Statements to reflect the salary credit.
9) All the evidence provided during my initial application. (Degree Certificate, Degree taught in English, Birth Certificate)
10) Consent letter from my wife for baby's dependant application as Tier (G)
11) Bank Statements to prove fund maintenance for main applicant and dependant (UK Born Child) = (£900 + £600)
12) Photos

Once our Visa has been processed will apply Tier (G) dependant visa for my wife from India (Outside UK). And following documents
1) Application Form for Dependant Applicant
2) Passport of Dependant
3) Attested copy of Passport and BRP Card of Main Applicant.
4) Marriage Certificate. (Got married 3.5 years ago)
5) 6 Months Payslips
6) Main Applicants Employment Letter
7) 6 months Bank Statements to reflect the salary credit.
Covering letter to explain the genuine reason(To take break from studies for a year to take care of baby) for swtiching from Tier4 Student visa to Tier1 General.
9) Bank Statements to prove fund maintenance for Dependant applicant + dependant (UK Born Child) + main applicant = (£600 + £600 + £900)
10)Photos
11) My wife's UK bank statements and her Mobile motnhly bills to prove that she lived with me in UK for the past 2.5 years.

Also I have read in some thread dependant visa got rejected due to not provided the evidence of adequate accomodation. In our case we have living in our own mortgaged property for 1 year. Do we need to provide our property document as well? or Do we need to get soem sort of certificate from assessment officer?

Apart from the above if I miss anything or anything is wrong please let me know.

[hussainkothari]

Question 1 - Do i need to show proof of subsisting relationship when she has been living with me for past 1 year (she came here with me just after marriage)

Yes

Question 3 - I have attached the tenancy agreement, but i lost my council tax bill for this year, is it mandatory to attach that? Or would just tenancy agreement be ok?

If you can ask your council to send the bill again it will be great. Else tenancy agreement will also hold water.

I am not sure if you are aware, like the other pointed out you cannot switch from the UK. Your wife will have to go back to her home country to apply for a entry clearance.

Now also bear in mind that since last year a spouse has to complete 5 years in the relationship before they become eligible for ILR.

[jagankumar]

Now also bear in mind that since last year a spouse has to complete 5 years in the relationship before they become eligible for ILR.

Does it mean spouse has to complete the relationship irrespective of their visa category?
Or they need to be in dependent visa for 5 years?

[t1s2010]

Hi Jagan,

- From your document list, you pretty much seem up to date with details.
Once your wife switches to 'dependent category', her clock resets for ILR time eligibility.

- I don't have kids so can't comment or point out for you.

- For extension, if you keep submit photocopy with your application, caseworker won't need to do it. (not a requirement, but if you have time, get the photocopy yourself). Keep caseworker happy. I didn't.

- In all UK visa documents, I have always used 'highlight marker' to make caseworker's job easy e.g. entry of salary credit, date-of-statement, name-of-spouse on passport xerox and so on.

- (extension) pt#9, you don't need evidence from initial application. If you got points then, you will get now.

- (T1G-D), pt#3, you are doing correct. In addition, I had attested all documents which had any connection with me e.g. xerox of marriage-certificate, bank-statement in my name (original) and so on.

- (T1G-D), about relationship, I submitted signed photocopy of our marriage cert, our two india, two EU visit flight tickets photocopy and four color-printer 4 photos from London, EU (2 each on A4 size paper).

- (T1G-D), didn't submit much on 'staying together', her 3-months statement (address highlighted), two electricity payment reminder bills from last 4 months (original).

- pt#7, 'covering letter' means sponsorship letter. At India VFS, we didn't carry any so-called sponsorship letter and VFS lady asked for it. We wrote a quick A4 size, 5-liner letter saying 'Please give my wife a visa as she is my dependent'. So, better keep a 1-pager sponsorship letter on top.

Good luck.