Application & Supporting Documents for Spouse Visa

Hi all,

I'm a British citizen, and my wife is American. After 2 years of maintaining a marriage through intermittent visits, we're ascending Mt Paperwork to request a UK visa for her to join me permanently.

I've looked through the Guide to Supporting Documents [nofollow] , the VA4FA [nofollow] , and the Appendix 2 for VA4FA [nofollow] , and have started filling out the latter 2. I've also been lurking on here, and hoovering up tips from other applicants - this place is a treasure trove!

Anyway, I've made a quick list of the supporting documents and evidence that I think I need to provide, and would be very grateful if a more experienced eye could give it a once-over and let me know if I'm including things I shouldn't, or have made any obvious omissions:

Visa Application Checklist
Basics:
   Completed Visa Application form VAF4A
   Completed Financial Requirement Form VAF4A Appendix 2
   My wife's current passport
   My wife's previous passport(s)
   Two passport-sized colour photographs of my wife
   Evidence of my wife's current employment: Letter from employer on company headed paper, detailing salary and length of employment
   My wife's degree certificates (demonstrates English language proficiency, as she was taught in the USA, in English)

Accommodation:
   My UK Tenancy Agreement
   Supporting letter from my landlord in the UK
   UK Council Tax statement

Financial Evidence (using my salary):
   My employer reference and payslips
   My bank statements for past 12 months – with official letter confirming authenticity, or stamped with official stamp of issuing bank on each page
   Do I need a separate letter from the bank?
   Notarised copy of my passport, to prove my identity/UK citizenship

Relationship Evidence:
   Letter from me, as my wife's sponsor, confirming our relationship, support for her application, and a list of the evidence being provided by me
   Marriage certificate (we were married in Virginia, USA)
   2x photos of us together
   Screengrabs listing emails exchanged, original letters or cards

I'm sure this kind of post has come up time and time again, but I'd be very grateful for your help nonetheless Thank you!

EDIT: Also, possibly foolish question, but is it better to just stack everything together, or put the docs in a binder, with tabs to clearly show where each form/item of evidence can be found?

Just a quick one to tell you that you don't hand fill out the VAF4 document, your wife will need to fill it out online at:

https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/home/welcome

When your wife is done she will choose where to have her biometrics taken, pay the IHS fee and print off a copy to be sent to the UKVI. It is suggested to print off a copy for herself for reference on future applications.

You do have to hand fill out the Appendix 2 document.

IMPORTANT: It's best not to hit the completion button until your wife has all the documents she needs in hand. There is only 5 days after her biometrics are taken to get the application in the post on it's way to Sheffield. (It may still say 14 days on the website/paperwork, it's out of date info. UKVI is slow to update much to our chagrin)

Also, keep your application as clutter free as possible. We don't suggest binders or folders for each section. When I applied I just used paperclips and alligator clips. Keep it simple.

I'll leave the rest to the 'professionals'.

Visa Application Checklist
Basics:
   Completed Visa Application form VAF4A
   Completed Financial Requirement Form VAF4A Appendix 2
   My wife's current passport
   My wife's previous passport(s)
   Two passport-sized colour photographs of my wife
   Evidence of my wife's current employment: Letter from employer on company headed paper, detailing salary and length of employment
   My wife's degree certificates (demonstrates English language proficiency, as she was taught in the USA, in English)

Accommodation:
   My UK Tenancy Agreement
   Supporting letter from my landlord in the UK
   UK Council Tax statement

Financial Evidence (using my salary):
   My employer reference and payslips
   My bank statements for past 12 months – with official letter confirming authenticity, or stamped with official stamp of issuing bank on each page
   Do I need a separate letter from the bank?
   Notarised copy of my passport, to prove my identity/UK citizenship

Relationship Evidence:
   Letter from me, as my wife's sponsor, confirming our relationship, support for her application, and a list of the evidence being provided by me
   Marriage certificate (we were married in Virginia, USA)
   2x photos of us together
   Screengrabs listing emails exchanged, original letters or cards

I'm sure this kind of post has come up time and time again, but I'd be very grateful for your help nonetheless Thank you!

EDIT: Also, possibly foolish question, but is it better to just stack everything together, or put the docs in a binder, with tabs to clearly show where each form/item of evidence can be found?

Hi Ash, welcome to the forum!

You don't send the paper copy of VAF4A, you print out the online copy and send that. It should be the last thing you do though.

Leave out your wife's evidence of employment, her employment income doesn't count, only yours does.

Leave out the degree certificates, as she's a USC, her passport is evidence of her English language ability.

Landlord's letter must specifically give her permission to live there when the visa is granted if she is not on the lease.

You don't need a separate letter from the bank if the statements are stamped on each page or are originals.

If you have them, it's recommended to enclose your job contract and P60.

Just pile everything together, no binder/tabs required.
Include photocopies of everything which you'd like returned. Also keep a copy of the application for your own records.

Just wanted to say thanks for the advice - very helpful, and my wife is attending her biometrics appointment today, after which everything will be in the post! 

...unfortunately this is the second attempt, as she made a typo in my passport number on the online application during the first attempt, and only noticed after she'd submitted the form and we'd paid the fees. Incredibly, there's no mechanism whatsoever for changing anything at that point, so the helpline advised us to request a refund (will be considered within 28 days), create a new account, and submit a second application. My credit card is not having a good week!

Just wanted to say thanks for the advice - very helpful, and my wife is attending her biometrics appointment today, after which everything will be in the post! 

...unfortunately this is the second attempt, as she made a typo in my passport number on the online application during the first attempt, and only noticed after she'd submitted the form and we'd paid the fees. Incredibly, there's no mechanism whatsoever for changing anything at that point, so the helpline advised us to request a refund (will be considered within 28 days), create a new account, and submit a second application. My credit card is not having a good week!

Oh no - you should have mentioned it here, because there was no need to do any of that!

All you needed to do was print the first application out and correct the passport number by hand.

It's perfectly fine to make corrections in pen to the printed application after it has been submitted, without needing to start over and get a refund.

It's interesting that if a small error is made in filling out the online spouse visa, it can be corrected on the printed out version that is dated and signed.  In this situation, do the ECO's simply go with the printed out version information, or does the change need to be flagged up by the applicant in the printed version?  I thought the other day that with their wanting so much detailed information, it's not that uncommon for an error to be made, for example in typing out a passport number.

It's interesting that if a small error is made in filling out the online spouse visa, it can be corrected on the printed out version that is dated and signed.  In this situation, do the ECO's simply go with the printed out version information, or does the change need to be flagged up by the applicant in the printed version?  I thought the other day that with their wanting so much detailed information, it's not that uncommon for an error to be made, for example in typing out a passport number.

The online application does not go anywhere at all when you submit it - it's simply a means of filling out the application (I believe it's deleted off the system after a period of time).

Therefore, the only copy that will ever be seen by the ECO in Sheffield is the printed copy you send them - so as long as the corrected information is on the printed form, that's all that matters.

Ah, see what happens when I assume the experts are on the official helplines? 

Ah well, hopefully our error will help someone else if they see it here first!...and also hopefully I'll get a refund.

Unfortunately the 'helplines' are known for giving incorrect information and have even advised people to apply for the wrong visas before (visas they don't even qualify for)!

As long as the biometrics were not attended before requesting the refund, you should be fine and will get the money back. However, it could potentially take several weeks for the refund to be processed.


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Also the time to make sure that the passport information is correct is at the biometrics appointment - they will check your passport against the details on the biometrics sheet and if there's an error they should be able to correct it in the system at the appointment.

A while ago, there was an error with the online form where the names in the passport were not printed correctly on the form, so people were having to get their passport name corrected in the system when they went for biometrics.


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When you've logged into the Visa4UK website, look at the Right hand side for direction.

You complete the application & click Submit. 
Next is Declaration Signed.  You type your name here & when this page is printed out, you cursive sign it.
Next is BRP Collection Location.  Put in a post code & the page will pick where you need to go to pick up the BRP.  Don't be surprised if it doesn't choose the closest post office to the post code.
Next is View Appointment.  You'll pick where & when you want to go for your BIOS.
Next is IHS Payment.  You pay for the Insurance.
Next is View Payment.
Last is Print Application.  You're printing out the online application you filled out.

So you are:

Printing out the Appendix you need & handwriting this--write neatly (no cursive), use a BLACK pen.  I printed out 2 so I had a fallback if I made a mistake--DON'T cross out.

Eventually printing out the online Application.  DON'T rush through it; read every new page carefully so you don't miss something important.

BOTH Application & Appendix(s) go in your packet to send over.

Watching for "do not reply" emails.  I printed them just in case but the important 3 are your BIOS appointment paper, your IHS payment paper & your UPS labels (if you've bought).

Hi Ash, welcome to the forum!

You don't send the paper copy of VAF4A, you print out the online copy and send that. It should be the last thing you do though.

Leave out your wife's evidence of employment, her employment income doesn't count, only yours does.

Leave out the degree certificates, as she's a USC, her passport is evidence of her English language ability.

Landlord's letter must specifically give her permission to live there when the visa is granted if she is not on the lease.

You don't need a separate letter from the bank if the statements are stamped on each page or are originals.

If you have them, it's recommended to enclose your job contract and P60.

Just pile everything together, no binder/tabs required.
Include photocopies of everything which you'd like returned. Also keep a copy of the application for your own records.

so i'm essentially at the same point as well. my wife and i are about to leave on holiday to Greece for a week, and then i'm heading back to the States where i'll begin submitting my online app. we have essentially all of our paperwork together, but i noticed one thing you had written in regards to the tenancy agreement.

just this month we have found a flat in London, and she's moved her stuff in, i have some stuff thats already there. It is just her name on the agreement. You're saying that we will need a specific letter from the landlord/property management company stating I have permission for us to live there together?
Will this then be an issue otherwise?

thanks!

Yes, you must show that the applicant has permission from the homeowner to live in the property - it's one of the requirements

If your name is not on the tenancy, then you need an original, signed letter from the landlord giving you permission to live there (possibly also stating that you will be added to tenancy after you have moved).


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Yes, you need to demonstrate that you have somewhere for them to live, and if it's a rented property, that you have the permission of the landlord or letting agent. Our letter was in the following format, which I produced and asked my landlord to sign:


<Landlord address>
<landlord phone number>
<date>
FAO: Entry Clearance Officer, British Embassy

Dear Sir/Madam,

I, <landlord name>, am the landlord of the property: <address>, in which <my name> has been residing since

<move-in date>, and in which he continues to reside. This property consists of <number of rooms, bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen> and is suitable for a couple to reside in comfortably.

<my name> has informed me that that he intends to request a visa for his wife, <my wife's name>, to live

with him in the UK. I am happy for <wife's name> to be accommodated in the property named above, and I

confirm that this property is for the exclusive use of <my name> and his wife, <wife's name> for

the duration of their tenancy.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me should you need any further details or clarification.

Yours faithfully,

<landlord signature>
<landlord name>