FLR for the first time at 30 months. Lots of questions!

Exactly.

Ours wasn't perfect.  The individual ones weren't always from the same month, but they were fine.  But if I had one for my husband in April, I made sure I had one for March or May in my name.

Thanks so much!  I'll post the list when I have it all together.

For the section on children. Section 4.
My husband has a child from a previous marriage. He is an adult, living in the US and nothing at all to do with this application.

We can just ignore this section all together then can't we?

Does anyone know if it is acceptable to use bank accounts from US financial institutions for the items of correspondence? Thanks!

I would think so,  as long as they are addressed to you and/or your husband here in the UK. We will be using an overseas statement as part of our documents.

I am still a bit unsure about the dates of the official correspondence.  Why don't they want to see anything fir the first few months? We are advised to add our spouses names immediately to bills, etc and I thought that was so we could show we were living together from day 1!

I am still a bit unsure about the dates of the official correspondence.  Why don't they want to see anything fir the first few months? We are advised to add our spouses names immediately to bills, etc and I thought that was so we could show we were living together from day 1!

Yes, it was to show that - the main reason for getting your names on things right away and keeping all your mail was to show correspondence for ILR, not for FLR(M).

Under the old rules before July 2012, it was only 2 years on a spousal visa or FLR(M) to qualify for ILR and you had to show correspondence addressed to both of you for the entire 2 years.

However, since the rule change, it's now 5 years to ILR, not 2 years, and when the new rules started, we assumed they might now need to see 5 full years of correspondence for ILR rather than 2 years... but this has not yet been confirmed as the first applications for ILR under the new rules won't be filed until July 2017.

It's only a recent change that you now have to provide 2 years of correspondence for FLR(M) as well (i.e. in the last few months)... I don't know why they ask for only 2 years and not the full 2.5 years, but that's what the form says.

Having said that though, I would still make sure to get your names on documents as soon as you can and save mail right from the beginning of the 5 years because we don't currently know how many years of correspondence they will require for new rules ILR applications - they may only ask for the last 2 years or they may want evidence of the full 5 years.

I would think so,  as long as they are addressed to you and/or your husband here in the UK. We will be using an overseas statement as part of our documents.

I am still a bit unsure about the dates of the official correspondence.  Why don't they want to see anything fir the first few months? We are advised to add our spouses names immediately to bills, etc and I thought that was so we could show we were living together from day 1!

Thank you! Yes, they are. That was the first thing I did when we arrived so they start at the UK address from the second month here I think.

I'm a bit unsure about most of it to be honest, it's just different enough from the original application to have me second guessing the whole thing again!

It would be so much less confusing if they just asked for 2 1/2 years worth.

Thank you! Yes, they are. That was the first thing I did when we arrived so they start at the UK address from the second month here I think.

I'm a bit unsure about most of it to be honest, it's just different enough from the original application to have me second guessing the whole thing again!

Basically, you should be providing all the same documents as you did for the first visa, but instead of showing evidence of regular communication (emails, phone records etc.), you send 6 documents addressed to both of you, spread over 2 years.

Everything else should be pretty much the same, the main documents being:

- marriage certificate
- evidence of accommodation
- financial requirement documents for the relevant category
- 6 items of correspondence over 2 years

It would be so much less confusing if they just asked for 2 1/2 years worth.

Maybe, but then people apply for FLR(M) for a number of different reasons and switch from other visa types... so it can be even more confusing for them.

For people applying for FLR(M) at the end of a spousal visa, it's just a case of providing only the last 2 years worth of evidence instead of 2.5 years.

However, other people will be applying after getting married on a 6-month fiance visa, or they may be switching from a student or a work visa, and/or they may have never lived with their spouse before, or have only lived with them for a few months and they may not have 6 items of mail in both names yet... so they have to figure out what to use and how much evidence to provide, or how to explain why they don't have the evidence.

Thanks ksand24 

Regarding original documents, the rules seem to have tightened up a bit since our original application.

I know the instructions used to read that the document had to be original or a certified copy.

I've looked a page 4 of the FLR(M) guidance notes and also at page 2 of appendix FM-SE and basically it seems they will now only accept a notarized copy if there is a valid reason for not being able to provide the original.

Also, the reasons for not being able to provide the original must now be explained in a covering letter.

Is "in safe keeping with my solicitor" a valid reason  for providing a notarized copy instead of the original document?

Did anyone have an issue submitting a notarized copy recently?

What document is it that is with your solicitor?

What document is it that is with your solicitor?

It's the Notice of Title proving my ownership of the house. It was just issued in August in my name from the Sasine Register. (Scotland)

When I asked at the solicitors for the original, I was told that it is with the Title Deeds in their safekeeping.

I need to know if I have to put up a big fight to get it from them or if a notarized copy from them will do! 

It's the Notice of Title proving my ownership of the house. It was just issued in August in my name from the Sasine Register. (Scotland)

When I asked at the solicitors for the original, I was told that it is with the Title Deeds in their safekeeping.

I need to know if I have to put up a big fight to get it from them or if a notarized copy from them will do!

That shouldn't be a problem - you should be able to get hold of a copy of it for the visa from either your solicitor or the Scotland Land Registry website: https://www.ros.gov.uk/

A copy ordered from the land registry website (or through your solicitor) should be fine for the visa - that's what most other people here do.

Thank you ksand24.
Yes, I had every intention just to have the solicitors notarize it, I had that done for one or two things last time, I just wondered if it was still OK as the wording of the guidance has definitely changed.

I suppose then that I will need to write the explanation of why I am not sending the original. What would you say for that?

Thank you ksand24.
Yes, I had every intention just to have the solicitors notarize it, I had that done for one or two things last time, I just wondered if it was still OK as the wording of the guidance has definitely changed.

I suppose then that I will need to write the explanation of why I am not sending the original. What would you say for that?

But if you order a copy from the website (or your solicitor orders one for you), it is considered an official, original document and does not need to be notarised or explained.

But if you order a copy from the website (or your solicitor orders one for you), it is considered an official, original document and does not need to be notarised or explained.

Great! Thank you!