RE: items of correspondence

[Mohammed24]

I selected family in the end- it seemed the right option given that FLR(M) is

Application for an extension of stay on the basis of your
family life

[seagul]

make sure its red route

[Mohammed24]

make sure its red route

I did, thank you.

[Mohammed24]

Quick question please.

Do we need to provide photocopies of all our documents alongside the originals? E.G. Original marriage certificate AND a photocopy?

Also, I've contacted my bank manager abroad and she's agreed to provide a letter stating confirming that my electronic bank statements are originals. She asked em to draft a letter and I wanted to know if this would suffice:

Home Office Leave to Remain - FLR(M)
PO Box 495
Durham
DH99 1WR

27th August 2018

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you to confirm and certify that the attached Westpac bank statements for our client; Mr. John Smith, D.O.B 13-04-1983 with the account number 123456 and BSB 34567 are both authentic and genuine documents which have been provided by Westpac Banking Corporation.

Should you require any further verification or information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you,
Yours Faithfully,

Likewise, I've drafted one to my previous employer as I'm guessing I'd need some confirmation from them too to certify that my electronic pay slips are authentic:

Home Office Leave to Remain - FLR(M)
PO Box 495
Durham
DH99 1WR

27th August 2018

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you to confirm the employment of Mr. John Smith, D.O.B 13-04-1983 and passport number Gxxxxx with ABC Services LTD from x date to x date.
I can confirm that the attached payslips are both authentic and genuine documents which were provided by ABC Services LTD.

Should you require any further verification or information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you,
Yours Faithfully,

Any thoughts?

Thank you.

[seagul]

There is no fixed template for drafting these letters but based on common sense they should precisely give the all key information. By the way why don't your bank & employer draft such letters at their own

[Mohammed24]

There is no fixed template for drafting these letters but based on common sense they should precisely give the all key information. By the way why don't your bank & employer draft such letters at their own

I wish I knew!

[Mohammed24]

If you're applying via the savings route, are we allowed to access that money at all while the visa application is with the Home Office? Or do we have to wait to receive a decision before we can touch our bank accounts?

[Casa]

If you're applying via the savings route, are we allowed to access that money at all while the visa application is with the Home Office? Or do we have to wait to receive a decision before we can touch our bank accounts?

Maintain the savings at the qualifying level until the visa application has been approved.

[Mohammed24]

If you're applying via the savings route, are we allowed to access that money at all while the visa application is with the Home Office? Or do we have to wait to receive a decision before we can touch our bank accounts?

Maintain the savings at the qualifying level until the visa application has been approved.

Thanks for clarifying that, Casa.

Quick question please:

On page 11 of the Flr(M) form, I have indicated that I will be applying under this category- which I believe to be correct for us?

Spouse or partner of a person present and settled in the UK and a biometric immigration
document.

At the end of the page, it asks:

2.2 Is this the first time you have applied for a visa or extension of stay in one of the above
categories (including previous leave granted as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner) with your
current sponsor?

Should the answer to that be Yes because this is our first FLR(M) application, or NO because we applied to come to the UK on the VAF4A (I think it was called) based on my wife being British?

Also, when it says:

Please indicate what stage of extension of leave you are applying for or why you are
choosing to extend your current leave in one of the above categories.

Also, which would FLR(M) be considered out of the following options:

First period of leave to remain (following an initial period of entry clearance as a partner of a
settled person, or person who is in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection, or
as a child of a person who has limited leave as the partner of settled person, or following an
initial period of entry clearance as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner of a settled person - 6
months).

You are making a first application from within the UK but have not previously had leave to
enter/remain as a partner of a settled person, or person who is in the UK with refugee leave
or humanitarian protection or a child of a person who has limited leave as the partner of a
settled person or person who is in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection.

Second period of leave to remain (following initial grant of leave to remain as a partner of a
settled person or person who is in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection, or
as a child of a person who has limited leave as the partner of a settled person).

Further period of leave following a previous grant of leave to remain as a partner of a settled
person or person who is in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection, as a child of
a person who has limited leave as the partner of settled person, or following an initial period
of entry clearance as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner of a settled person - 6 months)

It's confusing because this is our FIRSt application from within the UK- so I'm thinking point 2, but then point 1 seems to apply too?

[Mohammed24]

Hi everyone,

Quick question please regarding the following:

Six items of correspondence addressed to you and your partner at the same address as
evidence that you have been living together since your last grant of leave in this category, or
from the date you first started living together up to a maximum of two years.

The above does not clarify or mention how many items of correspondence we should provide if we have lived at multiple addresses during this period. For example, in our case we've actually lived in 4 different rental properties since we moved to the UK on VAF4A. In this case, how many joint or individually addressed items should we provide for each property?

Thank you.

[Casa]

Still 6 in total if in joint names (12 (6 each if in single names), spread as evenly as possible over the qualifying period. Avoid submitting any document for an address if you don't have anything showing both names while you were living in that property. The Case Worker simply wants to see that you were living together throughout.

[Mohammed24]

Still 6 in total if in joint names (12 (6 each if in single names), spread as evenly as possible over the qualifying period. Avoid submitting any document for an address if you don't have anything showing both names while you were living in that property. The Case Worker simply wants to see that you were living together throughout.

Thank you very much, Casa.

Regarding the bold part, would you advise against providing just a joint tenancy agreement for one or more of the properties if there are no other documents for that address? Or if we both have single name bank statements for that address along with a joint name tenancy agreement?

[Casa]

Still 6 in total if in joint names (12 (6 each if in single names), spread as evenly as possible over the qualifying period. Avoid submitting any document for an address if you don't have anything showing both names while you were living in that property. The Case Worker simply wants to see that you were living together throughout.

Thank you very much, Casa.

Regarding the bold part, would you advise against providing just a joint tenancy agreement for one or more of the properties if there are no other documents for that address? Or if we both have single name bank statements for that address along with a joint name tenancy agreement?

Fine if you have the bank statements supporting you were both living in the property.

[Mohammed24]

Still 6 in total if in joint names (12 (6 each if in single names), spread as evenly as possible over the qualifying period. Avoid submitting any document for an address if you don't have anything showing both names while you were living in that property. The Case Worker simply wants to see that you were living together throughout.

Thank you very much, Casa.

Regarding the bold part, would you advise against providing just a joint tenancy agreement for one or more of the properties if there are no other documents for that address? Or if we both have single name bank statements for that address along with a joint name tenancy agreement?

Fine if you have the bank statements supporting you were both living in the property.

Ok, that's great. Thanks again! So am I correct in saying that for every joint name document missing, we need to support our application with 2 single named documents? So if we had 5 joint, we'd need 2 single named documents?


Also, I wanted to ask about Question 10:14 please:

10.14 Please state what ties you have with: • The country where you were born. • Any other country whose nationality you hold. • Any country where you have lived for more than five years. You should tell us about any family, friends, or other connections with that country.

In the table, do we just state the country name and then under

Social cultural or family ties

list out names? Or just relations? Like country: Switzerland: grandparents, uncle, brother etc?

And this question is so vague:

5.2 When did you first enter the UK?

Should that be the date of the FIRST time I EVER set foot into the UK- whether as a student etc? OR the date of when we first entered, after we applied for the spouse settlement visa (VAf4A?)

[Mohammed24]

Also, should I as the applicant be making photcopies of my passports and providing them along with my original passports or am I just required to supply the original passports without photocopies?

Is it also true that we should make photocopies of ALL supporting documents if we wish to have our originals returned to us?

So essentially almost like have doubles of everything? If so how should we organise it?

Should we just have like blank pages with relevant headings - e:g "proof of marriage- original documents" and then have the originals, and then directly behind that, "proof of marriage- photocopied documents"

Do we also need to supply a pre-paid envelope so that our things are returned to us?

I really appreciate all the help.

[Londoner007]

No harm sending photocopies but these days they scan everything into their systems.

If you really want to send copies then photocopy only things you want back desperately. No need to waste money and photocopy everything - you can do if you want to.

[Mohammed24]

No harm sending photocopies but these days they scan everything into their systems.

If you really want to send copies then photocopy only things you want back desperately. No need to waste money and photocopy everything - you can do if you want to.

Thanks for your reply. So it's not an actual requirement t provide a photocopy of the passports then?

[Mohammed24]

How should we go about answering:

3.9 How long has your sponsor lived in the UK?

Do we literally put the number of years and months? All in all, my wife has been in the UK since birth, minus a few years here and there. So do we deduct roughly the time my wife was out of the UK and put the number of years she's lived in the UK?

[Londoner007]

Since Birth - so put date of birth on there or her age.

I meant about the whole bundle - Photocopy of passport definitely required and recommended.

[Mohammed24]

Since Birth - so put date of birth on there or her age.

I meant about the whole bundle - Photocopy of passport definitely required and recommended.

Thanks again for your help!

[Mohammed24]

I have a few more questions if anyone can offer any help, it'll be much appreciated.

5.3 In what category were you granted permission to enter the UK?

What should we type here?
VAF4A? Spouse? Spouse settlement visa?

5.8 Have you ever been refused a visa for any country, including the UK? If yes please provide details

I was refused a visa once- to Canada, many many years ago. Going back probably more than 12 years now- on the grounds that I was still a student. Should we put that down?

Canada- reason for refusal was that I was still a student?

6.33 Do you and your sponsor have any shared financial responsibilities?

What exactly is this referring to? Would this include things like utility bills that are in both our names?

Thank you.

[seagul]

I have a few more questions if anyone can offer any help, it'll be much appreciated.

5.3 In what category were you granted permission to enter the UK?

What should we type here?
VAF4A? Spouse? Spouse settlement visa?

5.8 Have you ever been refused a visa for any country, including the UK? If yes please provide details

I was refused a visa once- to Canada, many many years ago. Going back probably more than 12 years now- on the grounds that I was still a student. Should we put that down?

Canada- reason for refusal was that I was still a student?

6.33 Do you and your sponsor have any shared financial responsibilities?

What exactly is this referring to? Would this include things like utility bills that are in both our names?

Thank you.

5.3: yes

5.8: yes state about Canada refusal as the question pretty clear.

6.33: Any thing you both hold like join account, utility bills etc.

[Mohammed24]

Thank you for your reply Seagul!

Regarding:

6.33 Do you and your sponsor have any shared financial responsibilities

My wife and I have all our utilities in JOINT names for the purpose of proving cohabitation, but I take full responsibility of paying the bills, not my wife. So I'm not sure if we should say yes or no in this case?

[seagul]

Thank you for your reply Seagul!

Regarding:

6.33 Do you and your sponsor have any shared financial responsibilities

My wife and I have all our utilities in JOINT names for the purpose of proving cohabitation, but I take full responsibility of paying the bills, not my wife. So I'm not sure if we should say yes or no in this case?

I think despite you pay off bills alone but still its in joint name so preferably say yes.

[Mohammed24]

Thank you for your reply Seagul!

Regarding:

6.33 Do you and your sponsor have any shared financial responsibilities

My wife and I have all our utilities in JOINT names for the purpose of proving cohabitation, but I take full responsibility of paying the bills, not my wife. So I'm not sure if we should say yes or no in this case?

I think despite you pay off bills alone but still its in joint name so preferably say yes.

I thought so too, as the actual companies would still chase my wife, if I was to withhold payment.

Would you happen to know if we could use the UK NARIC academic qualification level statement and English language proficiency statements that were provided to us now for the purpose of FLR(M).. if we'd be able to use the same statements when it comes to applying for ILR? Or would we have to dish out again and get the same statements again? :/