Hello,
Help needed in finalising my application for FLR(M). I have to do the premium service because I cannot be without the BRP for 8 weeks. The biggest concern is the evidence, mainly because so many people in the FLR(M) timeline thread have said they were asked to send additional documentation. My understanding is that if we do not have all the documentation on the day of the premium appointment, then it basically becomes a postal application, we've wasted £500 and a day off work. So we have got to get it right the first time! Unfortunately for us, the evidence is not totally straightforward, hence my questions.
1. After we were married we lived in a house that is my in-laws' holiday home. This was stated on the original spouse visa application with evidence. We did not pay rent or have a lease or have our names on any utility bills (one exception: husband had a work phone line installed so we have one invoice from that - he didn't save any others! Arrgh.). I understand that we need to provide a letter from the in-laws stating the terms of our stay. (It was meant to be temporary but lasted 21 months.) We will provide the utility bills for the owners (as we were asked for them in first application). We can link these with bank statements to prove we paid them as well. We have plenty of evidence for _my_ residence at that address. We have very little for my husband: one BT bill, a letter from GP, and otherwise a few pieces of non-utility correspondence. For our current residence most utility bills are in both our names and so is the lease, so that is fine, except it is only for the past 10 months. Is there any other evidence that anyone can think they might request? My worry is proving we actually did live together from March 2014 to December 2015. Photos or other proof somehow that anyone could suggest? (We have online evidence that we rode our bikes together from the same address nearly every day, could that help?)
2. How many documents to provide? I know there was a post somewhere recently here that the "6 documents" was not actually a legal requirement (yet the HO still requires them), so of course we intend to provide too many rather than not enough. (A very helpful post here when I started my research listed quite a lot fo evidence successfully submitted.) I suspect a
minimum total of 12 is best. In terms of the time period more time was spent at the address of our in-laws, for which we have less evidence. In theory we would need more than 6 (if time-weighted). We have easily got 6 for current (here for 10 months), but if we include the letter about our residency at the prior address how much more evidence might we need?
3. Does anyone know whether, at a premium appointment,
if they ask for further evidence can you have it with you and provide it on the spot? My current plan is to take EVERY piece of evidence with us just in case, but provide a minimum of 12 documents (likely more) with the application. Also, as required, to include an explanatory letter and list the additional evidence we can provide.
Thanks so much for any/all advice on this. I have read and re-read the guidance and appendices etc... relevant parts of which are clear as mud.