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Topic: Student to Spouse Visa  (Read 1028 times)

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Student to Spouse Visa
« on: April 23, 2012, 04:22:06 PM »
Hi all, my English fiance and I are planning to be married in late May, here in the UK, so I can submit my spouse visa app before the speculated changes in June. I hope we make it!
I have a few questions pertaining to the process of applying from the Tier 4 student visa that I currently have to the spouse visa.
    I have been in the UK getting my MA since September 2011. My boyfriend and I met back in the States in 2010 while he was a student there, and had a long distance relationship until I started school here. Do I (or the both of us) need to submit documentation of our relationship up until now? If so, what form would this take?

My next question is about the application process and the transition from Tier 4 to Spousal. When I submit the online application, do I need to make a biometrics appointment to be done in the UK? Or will my biometrics taken for my student visa (which was done in Sept 2011) also apply to the Spousal visa?

My student visa doesn't run out until January 2013, but we want to leave enough time should anything go wrong with my application. I know nothing is concrete with the proposed changes to Spouse visas in June, but currently our plan is to get married between the 24-31st of May and submit my application either the day of or the day after the wedding. Is it even plausible to apply so soon after the marriage, with regard to having the marriage certificate processed? Are applications processed with the rules that were in place on the date they were mailed to the UKBA?

Finally, since I am already here on a student visa, is there any reason or step in the visa application process that I should have to complete back in the US? I haven't found anything on the UKBA site stating this, but I don't want to miss anything.

Many thanks in advance! This forum has been so helpful so far!






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Re: Student to Spouse Visa
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2012, 04:33:49 PM »
Do I (or the both of us) need to submit documentation of our relationship up until now? If so, what form would this take?
You'll have to look at the documentation required for an FLR(M) visa - the requirements are slightly different when you switch in the UK compared to when you apply for a spousal visa from the US.

Usually, just the marriage certificate is needed as proof of relationship. Also, you've been living in the same country and have been seeing each other in person on a regular basis, so you won't need to prove regular long-distance contact like fiance and spousal visa applicants would.

The FLR(M) form is here: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/partners-families/citizens-settled/spouse-cp/applying-in-uk/

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My next question is about the application process and the transition from Tier 4 to Spousal. When I submit the online application, do I need to make a biometrics appointment to be done in the UK? Or will my biometrics taken for my student visa (which was done in Sept 2011) also apply to the Spousal visa?
You must re-submit biometrics for every visa you apply for - this is for 2 reasons: 1) so they can confirm that you are the same person who applied for the Tier 4 visa and 2) they need a new photograph for your biometrics residence permit.

You don't apply online when you apply in the UK, at least not in the same way as in the US - you normally just print out the application and fill it out by hand (although I believe there is an interactive form you can fill out online, but only if you will be making an online payment for the visa and I've heard that sometimes the form doesn't work properly).

You have two application options:

1) Apply by post (£561)
- You print out the application and fill it out
- Then you mail the application, along with your documents and payment method to UKBA.
- A couple of weeks later, you will receive a confirmation letter from them
- About a month after that you will receive another letter asking you to book a biometrics appointment
- A month or two after you have submitted your biometrics you should receive your visa/residence permit in the mail

2) Apply in person (£867)
- You make an in-person visa appointment at a PEO (there may be a wait of a few weeks for appointments)
- You print out the application and fill it out
- You collect your documents and take them with you to the appointment (your husband must go with you)
- You will pay for the visa and have biometrics taken on the day
- The visa decision will be made on the day and you will receive your biometrics residence permit about a week later in the mail

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Finally, since I am already here on a student visa, is there any reason or step in the visa application process that I should have to complete back in the US?
Nope, everything is done in the UK.

See: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/partners-families/citizens-settled/spouse-cp/applying-in-uk/

« Last Edit: April 23, 2012, 04:36:59 PM by ksand24 »


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Re: Student to Spouse Visa
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2012, 04:41:49 PM »
Thank you so much for clarifying!  :)  I'm sure more questions will follow as we get further into the process, but your answers are so very helpful!


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