Applicants employment qualifies. Does partners employment need including

[himherandme]

I've just read through those fascinating 59 pages of the ILR application and a few small questions popped up. Is anyone kind enough to clarify?

Context: My wife is Canadian, married since 2009. Entered UK on spouse visa 5 year route Dec 2012. Our son was born in England 4 years ago, is a UK national with passport (because I was born in England, uk national with passport).

Page 6: Home office ref number is 8 boxes. The 'our ref' on my wifes letters is 9 numbers but starts with a zero. Is this the number to use - her 'case number' I think it was called? Top of all the letters from the home office.

Page 9: I don't understand the difference between question 2.5 and 2.6. It feels like the same question?
- 2.5 How long have you been living in a relationship?
- 2.6 When did you begin living together?

Page 13: SECTION 2C - Is this section not applicable/relevant for us? Because my wife is not a single parent and our son doesn't need a visa or ILR, he's a UK national? SECTION 3 from page 14 onwards is definitely not for us but 2C is a bit unclear.

Page 42: Please provide details of all periods of absence from the UK during that time. I think this is wanting every flight in and out of the UK for 5 years but there's only 4 boxes - is that correct? We've been to Canada, Spain, Portugal, Mallorca, etc - many multiple times. I'm not sure what to do here, 5 boxes is not enough...

Finally the financial section - what is the EASIEST way to provide this given we meet the criteria in various ways?

- Last time at 2.5 year renewal, I had to send audited accounts, CT600, SA302s, payslips, all bank statements for me and the company, Companies house stuff, VAT certificate, etc etc. Huge hassle. I'm a director of a limited company with only 2 directors and 1 employee. I earn well over threshold but only £11k through salary, the rest is dividends from my company.
- This time, my wife earns £19,850 before tax since August 1st 2017. Maybe easier just to use her salary? This would just be payslips only?
- We also have over £16k savings for the last 6 months, provable in bank statements, maybe this is easier?

Thanks very much in advance for any help given!

[CR001]

Page 6: Home office ref number is 8 boxes. The 'our ref' on my wifes letters is 9 numbers but starts with a zero. Is this the number to use - her 'case number' I think it was called? Top of all the letters from the home office.

The box does say 'For Official Use Only'. It is not for you/wife to complete but for HO to complete.

Page 9: I don't understand the difference between question 2.5 and 2.6. It feels like the same question?
- 2.5 How long have you been living in a relationship?
- 2.6 When did you begin living together?

Some people don't live together before marriage, others do. Answer the question honestly.

Page 13: SECTION 2C - Is this section not applicable/relevant for us? Because my wife is not a single parent and our son doesn't need a visa or ILR, he's a UK national? SECTION 3 from page 14 onwards is definitely not for us but 2C is a bit unclear.

Section 2C not relevant. Section 3, you need to complete the table, point 3.6 as far as I understand.

Page 42: Please provide details of all periods of absence from the UK during that time. I think this is wanting every flight in and out of the UK for 5 years but there's only 4 boxes - is that correct? We've been to Canada, Spain, Portugal, Mallorca, etc - many multiple times. I'm not sure what to do here, 5 boxes is not enough...

You can do it on an excel schedule and write 'please see attached schedule'.

Finally the financial section - what is the EASIEST way to provide this given we meet the criteria in various ways?

- Last time at 2.5 year renewal, I had to send audited accounts, CT600, SA302s, payslips, all bank statements for me and the company, Companies house stuff, VAT certificate, etc etc. Huge hassle. I'm a director of a limited company with only 2 directors and 1 employee. I earn well over threshold but only £11k through salary, the rest is dividends from my company.
- This time, my wife earns £19,850 before tax since August 1st 2017. Maybe easier just to use her salary? This would just be payslips only?
- We also have over £16k savings for the last 6 months, provable in bank statements, maybe this is easier?

If your wife meets the requirement on her own, you can use her 6 months payslips and corresponding 6 months bank statements.

[himherandme]

Page 6: HO Ref no.

The box does say 'For Official Use Only'. It is not for you/wife to complete but for HO to complete.

Ha, no, not at the top - middle of the page: 1.10 Home Office reference if you have one

Page 9:
- 2.5 How long have you been living in a relationship?
- 2.6 When did you begin living together?

Some people don't live together before marriage, others do. Answer the question honestly.

We've lived in the same flat or house consistently since 2008 BUT... I still don't understand the difference in the two questions. It feels like the same question. 'Living in a relationship' does not mean living together?

Page 13: SECTION 2C

Section 2C not relevant. Section 3, you need to complete the table, point 3.6 as far as I understand.

Great - thank you very much

Page 42: Please provide details of all periods of absence

You can do it on an excel schedule and write 'please see attached schedule'.

Perfect, thanks.

Finally the financial section - what is the EASIEST way to provide this given we meet the criteria in various ways?

If your wife meets the requirement on her own, you can use her 6 months payslips and corresponding 6 months bank statements.

Brilliant, thanks. This will save me so much paperwork. One more Q: It's gross salary they're after isn't it? Before tax?

Thanks for your time answering - much appreciated.

[CR001]

Page 6: HO Ref no.

The box does say 'For Official Use Only'. It is not for you/wife to complete but for HO to complete.

Ha, no, not at the top - middle of the page: 1.10 Home Office reference if you have one

If she has a Biometric Residence Permit, it is that number (top right corner of card I think).

Page 9:
- 2.5 How long have you been living in a relationship?
- 2.6 When did you begin living together?

Some people don't live together before marriage, others do. Answer the question honestly.

We've lived in the same flat or house consistently since 2008 BUT... I still don't understand the difference in the two questions. It feels like the same question. 'Living in a relationship' does not mean living together?

So state in 2.5 9 years and in 2.6 the date (month/year) you started living together.

Finally the financial section - what is the EASIEST way to provide this given we meet the criteria in various ways?

If your wife meets the requirement on her own, you can use her 6 months payslips and corresponding 6 months bank statements.

Brilliant, thanks. This will save me so much paperwork. One more Q: It's gross salary they're after isn't it? Before tax?

Correct, Gross salary before any deductions.

[himherandme]

TWO parts, 1: on employment/financials. 2: on same-day applications.

My wife is applying for ILR as my married partner, as we've done throughout the 5 years.

She now earns £19,800 gross, which is enough. She has 6 months of payslips, 6 months of our joint bank account showing pay going in, a letter from the University that employs her, she has her p60, her contract of employment - everything asked for in the appendix.

For 8.3 we'll tick the box on salaried employment, enter 19800 and tick Category A. All good. Next page in the 'you' column we fill out all her details and leave the 'partner' column empty.

HOWEVER, on the next page it clearly asks joint income:
You and your sponsor’s total combined income from salaried employment?

Do we add mine too and doesn't that open a can of worms that I then need to fill out all the partner bits on the previous page AND all the paperwork that proves that?

In the first application and our 2.5 year application it was always based on me, and I'm a director of a 3 person company so there's SOO much paperwork they want, and I want to avoid that this time.

Next up - we're going to Sheffield for a same day appointment for this application, booked and paid for.

Questions:
- Our son (4) definitely doesn't need to be there, does he? Because he's not being applied for.
- Is it just waiting around while they process the application?
- Do they only ask us in if they have questions or need to know or see any extra evidence?
- If we miss anything on the application, are we paying for that level of flexibility that they talk to us there and we can fill it out or fix anything that isn't right?
- Context on last question: our son is born here, UK passport etc but we feel the child sections are a bit unclear which you fill out, because he's not applying, he's settled here and my wife isn't applying as a mother or a settled person, but as partner to me. He is however a dependent on both of us!
- I have 4 folders: 1. Application and Life in UK test pass. 2. Passports, marriage certificate, photos. 3. Employment docs mentioned. 4. Proof of living together docs and List of times outside UK for holidays and dates.
- I also have a 5th folder: Backup docs! Old passports, my SA302, first 6 months of bank statements, sons birth certificate and his passport. Should I just keep this on me in case or should I hand it in?
- Do we need any kind of personal letter of our history, why we're applying, etc? Do we need photos of us over the years or anything? My wife's been reading about people who take the Spam sink - how far do you go? My feeling is just what's asked for, but have backups on hand if necessary.
- Do we get our passports and original documents back the same day (we've provided photocopies of everything)?

Many thanks

[himherandme]

My post seems to have been merged with a much older one - so just waiving hoping someone picks this up as new, not as already having 4 answers! Our same date day is looming.