FLR(M) degree taught in English

[ssamara]

Hi all,

My wife and I are in the final stages of putting together my wife's FLR(M) application. She has already been in the UK on a spouse visa for 2.5 years, and it expires on August 8th. We were planning on posting the application next week after making some final checks.

For her spouse visa application (late 2012) we used her degree taught in English to meet the English language requirement, and provided the degree certificate, transcript, letter from university confirming it was taught in English, and a screenshot of the UKBA points based calculator showing that her degree was awarded 10 points for English. This was accepted and her visa was granted.

There was no hint that requirements surrounding this has changed on the FLR(M) form and guidance or on Appendix FM-SE so we had assumed that she can fulfil the English language requirement the same way with the same evidence. Now however I'm reading that the requirements have indeed changed and that a letter of confirmation from UK-NARIC is required on top of the degree certificate and transcript. Again there's no mention of this requirement on the FLR(M) for nor on Appendix FM-SE, hence us not noticing this until the 11th hour.

Unfortunately this has left us in a bit of a bind since UK NARIC quote 10 days (working, I assume) to provide the confirmation letter so it's unlikely we'll receive this before her visa expires. I'm thinking the only option left open for us is to submit the application regardless with the evidence we have, and explain that we've applied for but not yet received the UK NARIC confirmation, and that we can send it separately if required. Or are they going to reject the application out of hand because of this?

Any help will be hugely appreciated.

[vinny]

See also 32D.

[ssamara]

See also 32D.

Thanks for your response. Is your first link correct (it's talking about subject access requests) - sorry if that's a stupid question.

As for FM-SE 32D, if I'm reading it correctly: does this mean because the degree has already been accepted once by the Home Office as meeting the English requirement, it may be accepted again? That would seem to be sensible but what makes sense and what the Home Office does don't always seem to overlap....

We do still have the screenshot of the points based calculator too, for what that's worth (probably not much!).

[rivercam]

Hi

I was in your similar situation and noticed just on 18th July while I was having in person appointment booked on 29th July.

I just took a shot by applying on 18th July to NARIC and surprisingly got mine by 22 July ( I choose guaranteed next day delivery).

I guess you can try apply today by uploading documents and see if you get it before the expiry of your VISA.

[ssamara]

I guess you can try apply today by uploading documents and see if you get it before the expiry of your VISA.

Thank you, yes I've done the same, fingers crossed for the quick turnaround. Also good luck with your appointment!

On a somewhat related note, what's the absolute latest we can wait before posting the application (via special delivery) given that the visa is valid until the 7th of August (Sunday)? Would posting it on Friday the 5th be acceptable? I've read somewhere that the Home Office treats the postal stamp cancellation date as the application date.

[Casa]

I guess you can try apply today by uploading documents and see if you get it before the expiry of your VISA.

Thank you, yes I've done the same, fingers crossed for the quick turnaround. Also good luck with your appointment!

On a somewhat related note, what's the absolute latest we can wait before posting the application (via special delivery) given that the visa is valid until the 7th of August (Sunday)? Would posting it on Friday the 5th be acceptable? I've read somewhere that the Home Office treats the postal stamp cancellation date as the application date.

Correct. Date of posting. Make sure you send it by recorded or registered post and keep the receipt.

[ssamara]

Submitted the request to NARIC on Wednesday evening, got the confirmation letter through this morning (Friday). Granted most of these kinds requests must be money for old rope for them, but credit where it's due, that is decently efficient service.

Correct. Date of posting. Make sure you send it by recorded or registered post and keep the receipt.

Thanks, yes we were planning to send it via special delivery, and fortunately we won't need to wait until the last possible minute now.