Family Visa - Partner route - Applying as a Partner of a Settled person from Tier 2 General route

[Emily2018]

Hi All,
I am applying for my family visa - as spouse of a settled person. I need your help to answer a couple of questions.
I came to the UK in October 2015 on Tier 2 Dependant visa of my husband who held a Tier 2 general visa at that time. In April 2017, I switched to my own Tier 2 General visa as my employer was willing to sponsor me. Now, my husband has got his ILR(settlement) so I am looking to switch to his spouse visa which is the category - "Family visa of a settled person". Is that the right visa category?

Now, in the application, there is this question:

1. Extending or switching to a partner route
Is this the first time you have applied for a partner route, or an extension, with your current partner (including as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner)?
Should I answer No or Yes?
I was thinking "NO" as answer because I first came to UK on my husband's Tier 2 dependant visa?

2. DO I need to show all the 12 evidence required to show continuous period of living together?

3.What type of ceremony was your wedding or civil partnership & was this an arranged marriage? Can anyone explain about what sort of details we need to provide?

Thanks All & our reply is much appreciated.

[Riori]

Now, my husband has got his ILR(settlement) so I am looking to switch to his spouse visa which is the category - "Family visa of a settled person". Is that the right visa category?

Yes, a settled person means a British Citizen or someone with ILR


1. Extending or switching to a partner route
Is this the first time you have applied for a partner route, or an extension, with your current partner (including as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner)?
Should I answer No or Yes?
I was thinking "NO" as answer because I first came to UK on my husband's Tier 2 dependant visa?

If what you applied for previously was solely based on your relationship with your partner and not work etc then i would put NO

2. DO I need to show all the 12 evidence required to show continuous period of living together?

They only require 6 pieces spanning over two years. But those must be in joint names. So if you have bills that are not in joint names then one bill in your name and one in his names counts as one. So 4 bills in joint names and 4 bills in separate names type thing. Hope that makes sense

3.What type of ceremony was your wedding or civil partnership & was this an arranged marriage? Can anyone explain about what sort of details we need to provide?

I put Wedding ceremony with a registrar. If it was with a priest or equivalent religious figure then you state religious ceremony with a priest(or equivalent) Arranged is for if you were arranged to be married by your parents or family etc.

Thanks All & our reply is much appreciated.

[Emily2018]

Thank you very much for your Reply Riori.

I have got an official Marriage Certificate from Marriage registrar in India which states that my wedding ceremony was on 15-Aug-2015 at my address and it was officially registered on 26-Aug-2018 at the Marriage registrar's office.
So, my only concern with the priest response is that -are they looking for the official ceremony response? Should I mention about both events?

Also, for the documents required my application states:

Items of correspondence addressed to Mrs A and Mr B at the same address as evidence you have been living together since your last grant of leave in this category, or from the date you first started living together, covering the last 2 years Items of correspondence should be addressed to you jointly or in both your names. The dates of the items of correspondence should be spread evenly over the whole 2 years. They should be from at least 3 different sources. If you do not have enough items in your joint names, you may also provide items addressed to each of you individually if they show the same address for both of you. For example - 4 items of correspondence in joint names to the same address and 2 items addressed to each partner at the address. In total 8 items would need to be submitted. If you and your partner have no bills or correspondence in joint names to the same address and 2 items addressed to each partner at the address. In total 8 items would need to be submitted. If you and your partner have no bills or correspondence in joint names, you will need to submit 12 items (6 each) of correspondence evidencing that you reside together at the same address. Examples of acceptable items include:
Letters or other documents from government departments or agencies, for example HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, DVLA, TV Licensing Letters or other documents from your GP, a hospital or other local health service about medical treatments, appointments, home visits or other medical matters Bank statements or letters Building society savings books or letters Council tax bills or statements Electricity or gas bills or statements Water rates bills or statements Mortgage statements or agreement Tenancy agreement(s) Telephone bills or statements

Q 1: Since I am applying now, so does that means I need to show the evidence documents since April 2017 until now? or since we started living together since 2015?
Q 2: Can I count different banks as different sources?
Q 3: I do not have hard copies of the bank statements , utility bills and the other correspondences as most of my banking is paperless, so Can I just print out and show the old statements and old bills? Would that be acceptable?

Thanks and your response is much appreciated.

[Riori]

Thank you very much for your Reply Riori.

I have got an official Marriage Certificate from Marriage registrar in India which states that my wedding ceremony was on 15-Aug-2015 at my address and it was officially registered on 26-Aug-2018 at the Marriage registrar's office.
So, my only concern with the priest response is that -are they looking for the official ceremony response? Should I mention about both events?
I am not 100% sure but I think if you state you had your ceremony on the 15th performed by ... and then it was officially registered on the 26th by a registrar. I dont think it is specifically a trick question, I think you just need to be honest.

Also, for the documents required my application states:

Items of correspondence addressed to Mrs A and Mr B at the same address as evidence you have been living together since your last grant of leave in this category, or from the date you first started living together, covering the last 2 years Items of correspondence should be addressed to you jointly or in both your names. The dates of the items of correspondence should be spread evenly over the whole 2 years. They should be from at least 3 different sources. If you do not have enough items in your joint names, you may also provide items addressed to each of you individually if they show the same address for both of you. For example - 4 items of correspondence in joint names to the same address and 2 items addressed to each partner at the address. In total 8 items would need to be submitted. If you and your partner have no bills or correspondence in joint names to the same address and 2 items addressed to each partner at the address. In total 8 items would need to be submitted. If you and your partner have no bills or correspondence in joint names, you will need to submit 12 items (6 each) of correspondence evidencing that you reside together at the same address. Examples of acceptable items include:
Letters or other documents from government departments or agencies, for example HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, DVLA, TV Licensing Letters or other documents from your GP, a hospital or other local health service about medical treatments, appointments, home visits or other medical matters Bank statements or letters Building society savings books or letters Council tax bills or statements Electricity or gas bills or statements Water rates bills or statements Mortgage statements or agreement Tenancy agreement(s) Telephone bills or statements

Q 1: Since I am applying now, so does that means I need to show the evidence documents since April 2017 until now? or since we started living together since 2015?
Normally it covers the last 2.5 years

Q 2: Can I count different banks as different sources?
Not sure maybe someone else will know

Q 3: I do not have hard copies of the bank statements , utility bills and the other correspondences as most of my banking is paperless, so Can I just print out and show the old statements and old bills? Would that be acceptable?
All printed bank statements must be stamped on each page by the bank. You should be able to get the utility companies etc to resend you bills via paper as this is what I did.

Thanks and your response is much appreciated.

[RabeelT]

I switched from Tier 2 Dependent to FLR M, both visas are entirely different so remember you should provide all the usual documents which people generally provide with FLR M 1st application from abroad.

Firstly: I would provide cohabitation documents from the day you start living together with your husband in uk + subsisting relationship proof such as pictures and shared financial responsibilities.

Secondly: I would also provide subsisting relationship proof since your relationship started and cover all the time you lived apart from your husband before you joined him in uk. That includes general pictures of you with your husband and family, wedding pictures, holiday together, whats app, mobile bills etc.

Earlier I thought cohabitation documents from 2 years are sufficient but was advised from group members to provide documents to proof subsisting relationship from the time relationship started.