Spouse visa supporting documents list

[John Green]

This is my current list of supporting documents for the spouse visa. This list goes in the packet at the top with the actual supporting document. Can someone comment please? Any problems or areas where I might reorganize them? And should I put each of these groups of documents in a separate packet or envelope? Or just put them all in together, but with each document group separated by clips of some sort?

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

COVER LETTERS
Applicant’s cover letter
Letter of sponsor’s confirmation

APPLICATION FORMS AND BIOMETRIC INFORMATION
Printed copy of VAF4A (signed)
Appendix 2 of VAF4A (financial requirement)
Biometric confirmation printout
IHS payment confirmation

APPLICANT DOCUMENTS
Passport (valid for over 6 months, notarised copy of bio page)
Two colour passport-sized photos
Previous passports
Residence card
Driving license
TB results (valid for 6 months)
Birth certificate

SPONSOR IDENTIFICATION
Passport
Birth certificate

RELATIONSHIP DOCUMENTS
Divorce certificate (2005)
Marriage certificate (2015)
Marriage and honeymoon photographs (2015)
Numbers of days together (2014-2016)
Travel tickets and visa stamps in passport (2014-2016)
House and car purchases (2014)
Photographs taken on a few of these visits to Moldova and to the UK

INTERVENING DEVOTION (Sample from earlier part of relationship)
Email records (February-April 2014, December 2014)
Dated Skype call logs (January-April 2014, November-December 2014)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE DOCUMENT
Valid CEFR A1 certificate (2016)

FINANCIAL DOCUMENT
Bank statement

ACCOMMODATION DOCUMENTS
Land Registry entry of sponsor property ownership
Map of the interior of sponsor’s house, showing the number of rooms. He is presently the only person living there.

[strontiumdog74]

How are you meeting the financial requirements? Savings?

If it is savings you need to show that you have maintained £62,500 untouched in that account for 6 months prior to the application.

If it is through work... are you salaried, non-salaried or self employed?

Your bank statements either need to be originals or stamped and signed copies by the bank itself.

[Casa]

In addition to strontiumdog74's questions, you mention 'bank statement' in the singular. Are you aware that as the sponsor it is mandatory to submit the last 6 months bank statements, with the most recent one being no older than 28 days?

The ECO doesn't want to see birth certificates or the applicants driving licence.

You may not have your passport returned while the application is being processed which could take up to 3 months. Most sponsors submit a legally certified copy in order to enable them to travel should they need to do so.

For the applicant you have mentioned a 'notarised copy of the bio page'. I assume you're submitting the applicant's original passport as required?

[strontiumdog74]

Casa, I was under the impression that if it is a UK passport (which the OP has not stated if it will be or not) that there is no need to get the copy certified as the ECO is able to access those records themselves?

Just checking?

[member]

It is assumed that your marriage certificate is needlessly translated into English if you don't have a translation.

[Casa]

No, all official documents (including passports) which aren't submitted as originals must be legally certified.

[John Green]

Yes, meeting by cash savings for over 6 months of over £62,500 (Category D).

I know that the bank statement must be under 28 days old from the time of the visa application. The statement has the bank logo on it, and tells the dates of the transactions. Because there are few transactions, they put all my transactions from 2014 on the one sheet on paper (all over £62,500).

One area where I have a little doubt. Some of the UKVI advice says the "date" should be on the bank statement. There is no "date" as such on the bank statement. However, the statement, at the top, shows the peiod covered by the transactions (up to 27 June 2016). Is this acceptable?

On my passport, I spoke to my wife about it (whether I need to be in her country when she submits the original passport). However, I have a UK notarised photocopy of the "photo" page of my passport. My wife can also, if necessary, get the original passport copy notarised in Moldova (I am there when she sends off the app. form). I was worried by the fact that under the system there, they need to often bring the original documents in with a copy of the same document. The official in the country then compares the two on the spot, in his office. They then stamp the copy as valid and you immediately get the originals back.

She tells me (since she has done this before) that I do not have to show them at that stage when she submits the supporting documents (as the applicant) with my original passport, since they can accept a notarised copy instead. They do not need to see the original passport in this instance. This means I do not have to be physically present in her country to take the original passport back to fly home to the UK.

[strontiumdog74]

Edit: Ignore me I changed my mind on this post.

[John Green]

Thanks guys. My wife, who has done this sort of thing before in her country (I am British) says that they should be able in the office to accept ONLY a notarised copy of my UK passport, with no need for her to present my original passport. If necessary, they can check the notarised copy is valid by the passport number on it. I think this is what is alluded to.

So the situation is this. The more important supporting documents are going to be notarised in Moldova, or originals are presented for them to keep (where I don't need them back). Where the originals are in Russian/Moldova, they are translated to English in Moldova and also notarised. Also by a certified person there.

The marriage was in Moldova and the certificate is in Moldovan.

I assume that the "undated" bank statement is fine, unless I hear back to the contrary, thanks.

[Casa]

Thanks guys. My wife, who has done this sort of thing before in her country (I am British) says that they should be able in the office to accept ONLY a notarised copy of my UK passport, with no need for her to present my original passport. If necessary, they can check the notarised copy is valid by the passport number on it. I think this is what is alluded to. Exactly what I advised. Notarised copy in place of the sponsor's original passport. All pages must be notarised.

So the situation is this. The more important supporting documents are going to be notarised in Moldova, or originals are presented for them to keep (where I don't need them back). Where the originals are in Russian/Moldova, they are translated to English in Moldova and also notarised. Also by a certified person there.

The marriage was in Moldova and the certificate is in Moldovan.

I assume that the "undated" bank statement is fine, unless I hear back to the contrary, thanks. You haven't answered by question about whether you are submitting an original statement or an online copy. What is the date of the last transaction?

[Mojohnson]

One of the earlier replies suggests he is submitting a transaction list as opposed to the 'standard' statements. Some banks provide this and also say it is home office approved and legally binding - however I would still actually push the bank to send actual statements for the period. It may take a few days extra but will give peace of mind .

[Casa]

I agree. Also the ECO won't be interested in transactions during 2014, they will want to see the transactions during the 6 months preceding the application. Unless your '2014' was intended as 2016.

[seagul]

Sorry to interrupt but it's relevant. If a sponsor not want to submitt original British passport of 48 pages then should all 48 pages be notarised? And should it be notarized / certified because post office can cheaply certify but not notarize? Please clear this confusing query.

[Casa]

Sorry to interrupt but it's relevant. If a sponsor not want to submitt original British passport of 48 pages then should all 48 pages be notarised? And should it be notarized / certified because post office can cheaply certify but not notarize? Please clear this confusing query.

All pages. The Post Office can certify them for a fee.

[John Green]

I have read that only the passport pages with the bio and photograph need to be notarised. I have never read (and I have done the research) that an entire passport needs notarising or copying. As it happens, I have copied the stamps at the back my passport also, to prove that I travelled on the dates I told them about.

The bank statement. It covers the entire period to 27 June 2016. This is because all my transactions (there are few) since the account was opened can be fitted on one sheet of paper. I cannot imagine that UKVI will "object" if there are details for over 6 months. In all cases, the amounts deposited were over £62,500.

On the bank transaction date. I was thinking of asking them to supply a "date" of the statement. On the other hand, it says on the statement that it covers all transactions to 27 June 2016 (that date is stated on the statement), so unless the ECO's are a bit dim they should see and understand. Presumably, the bank only produces these statements with "no" date on. The functional "requirement" for a bank statement to be dated in some form is simply to ensure that the statement is under 28 days old. So if it says the statement covers transactions up to 27 June 2016, for me that must be good enough to use it for a few more weeks.

[Casa]

Sending original documents
You must send the original documents or certified copies.

A certified copy is one that includes a signed statement by the issuing authority or by a solicitor or notary. The certifier must confirm that it is an accurate copy of the original document. Each document must be certified, clearly detailing the certifier's name, their signature and the organisation that they represent. If a certifier's details cannot be verified, we will reject the document. Sometimes, when a document has more than one page, the certifier does not want to certify every page. We will accept the document if the pages are all attached together (such as stapling) and the top page is certified as described. The certification must also clearly state how many pages have been certified.

If we ask for any documents that are not in English or Welsh, they must be accompanied by a certified translation. The translator's credentials should be provided, with their official confirmation that the translation is accurate.

We reserve the right to ask for original documents.

[John Green]

Right, I knew about the certified notario, etc. In Moldova, because it uses two "official" languages, you find notarios all over the place.

Interesting though the passage that says "Sometimes, when a document has more than one page, the certifier does not want to certify every page. We will accept the document if the pages are all attached together (such as stapling) and the top page is certified as described. The certification must also clearly state how many pages have been certified."

Have you the source for the info please?

As it happens, there are a few cases where two or three pages of the above supporting documents are stapled together to notarise. So this will save on the cost of the authentication.

I did ask at the end of last week for BM Savings to send me another statement. So what they have done is to send a covering letter that is dated 1 July, saying in a few days I will receive a second copy of the bank statement. So I think that with this (dated) covering letter and a second statement, all will be absolutely well.

[Casa]

Right, I knew about the certified notario, etc. In Moldova, because it uses two "official" languages, you find notarios all over the place.

Interesting though the passage that says "Sometimes, when a document has more than one page, the certifier does not want to certify every page. We will accept the document if the pages are all attached together (such as stapling) and the top page is certified as described. The certification must also clearly state how many pages have been certified."

Have you the source for the info please? Search the Immigration Rules.

As it happens, there are a few cases where two or three pages of the above supporting documents are stapled together to notarise. So this will save on the cost of the authentication.

I did ask at the end of last week for BM Savings to send me another statement. So what they have done is to send a covering letter that is dated 1 July, saying in a few days I will receive a second copy of the bank statement. So I think that with this (dated) covering letter and a second statement, all will be absolutely well.