Form specific questions

Hi everyone.
I just did my first pass over the new FLR(M) form that was released April 6th. I, sadly, have a list of questions that I was hoping to get advice on? Most of these are just asking for clarification or double-checking that I've read it right. I apologise if this seems stupid, but I often have issues here in the UK with interpreting things people say or write in the way its meant. My husband and I could read a line of legislation and come up with two completely different interpretations. :-( So your patience is greatly appreciated.

1. Any question that is not applicable (like, do I have other nationalities?), I should just leave blank, right?
2. What is a home office reference (section 1.13)?
3. I only have a mobile - should I put this as my daytime number as well as my mobile? (sections 1.15, 1.16)
4. Section 3.9 How long has sponsor lived in UK? - My husband lived with me for about 5 months in the states on a BUNAC visa. Can I still just say "his entire life" or "he was born here"?
5. As he was born here, can I ignore 3.17 (On what basis did your sponsor obtain settlement in the UK?"? (Again, I know this is a stupid question, I just want to be 110% sure).
6. Do the first questions in Section 5 (Immigration History) pertain specifically to my current visa? Because I visited as a tourist for about 5 months in 2013/2014 and for 2 weeks in 2011 after I'd met my now husband.
7. Section 6 - Relationship with Sponsor:
      6.7 When did you start living together as partners? Do I put the date I arrived here or when we lived together in Florida for 5 months?
      6.9. I put "yes" because I have only lived with my husband since moving here, but I'm just double checking that I should put anything cause it says "If relevant....since your last grant of limited leave to remain..." and my visa was "leave to join." Semantics, I know - but just checking
      6.10-6.15 - we have always lived together, so I just skipped these like the form said but I just wanted to check if I should add info because we did live together outside the UK and question 6.12 (Can we live together outside UK?) was brought up to me in another thread.
       6.33 - Shared financial responsibilities? I'm sad to say that due to the nature of my job (archaeology work is month to month) and my student loans, my husband pays the rent and most of the expenses here in the UK. I contribute when I can, but he wants me to tackle my loans, bless him. So not sure how best to answer.
8. Section 7.3A - should I put any of my work info on the financial section? My husband makes over the required amount or the visa, so that is not an issue. Just don't know if I should include my info - if so, how? Or if not - include an explanation?
9. Section 9 Biometric Residence Permit:
     9.12 - I ticked no because I only had to do fingerprints. Right on?
     9.14 - There is not enough space for the details of where my fingerprints were taken. The office title itself takes 40 spaces, then city and country. Not sure what all to put. As much as I can and then add separate explanation?
   9.15 "Give details of the British diplomatic post involved if the application was made abroad" - I have no idea what this means :-(
10. Section 10.14 "Please state what ties you have with...the country where you were born." So they want to all my friends and family in the states? Other connections? Really not sure what they want here :-(

Again, really sorry this is so long. I appreciate any and all advice anyone can give on any of these questions. You guys are so great! I don't know what I'd do without you.

1. Yes, either leave blank or put N/A - whichever you think works best for that question

2. You likely won't have a home office reference number... they are usually only included on letters from the Home Office sent from inside the UK. If this is your first application from inside the UK, you probably won' t have one.

3. Yes, just put the mobile number for both

4. This question is mainly to find out if he is a UK-born citizen or if he moved to the UK from another country and then naturalised as British. So, I'd put something like: From Birth until X date, then from Y date to Present'.

5. Just leave 3.16 and 3.17 blank as they do not apply to him

6. They are specifically in reference to your current immigration status... they want to know what date you entered on your fiance or spousal visa and started your legal residency in the UK

7.
6.7 - I would put the first date you started legally living together... so if he was legally living in the US with you (i.e. not just visiting), I would put that date
6.9 - I would tick "YES" here because one of the requirements of your current visa is that you have lived together since you arrived... otherwise you would have to explain why you haven't lived together for length of your visa (and if you haven't, you need to provide good reasons why you couldn't live together)
6.10-6.15 - Not relevant to you... as long as you ticked YES to 6.9, you skip straight to 6.16. If you ticked 'No' to 6.9, this is where you would explain why you have not been living  with your spouse in the UK for the last 2.5 years.
6.33  - it's up to you how you answer. I think really it's looking for things like legal financial responsibilities that both your names are on and you could both get in trouble for not paying. Things like mortgages, joint loans, joint credit cards etc. However, some people put rent and bills as shared responsibilities. You could always say something like 'I try to contribute to household expenses when I can, though my variable income does not always allow it.'

8. If your husband meets the requirement with only his income, I would NOT include any of your own income on the application form. If you do, you would have to provide all the required financial requirement documents as well... and that would just make your application complicated. Others have said that when they applied in person, the immigration officer only wanted to see one set of financial evidence if one half of the couple met the requirement on their own.

9.
9.12 - Correct - assuming your visa was issued before May 31 2015 and is a 33-month sticker in your passport, you tick NO
9.14 - just fit in what you can of the USCIS address. You can always write it out in full on a separate sheet. You don't need the office title. For example, if you did them at the Miami office, you could just put: USCIS, 8801 NW 7th Ave Miami, FL 33150 - which is only 38 characters with spaces
9.15 - this is the address of the consulate that issued your visa. So it will be the address of UKVI Sheffield.

10. They want any ties you have to the US that might mean you could return to live there - i.e. whether you would have something to go back to if your visa was refused.
So, you could just put: 'friends and family', or you can add more detail if you like.
If you own property in the US, that is something else you could put... just depends on your personal circumstances

Hi everyone.
I just did my first pass over the new FLR(M) form that was released April 6th. I, sadly, have a list of questions that I was hoping to get advice on? Most of these are just asking for clarification or double-checking that I've read it right. I apologise if this seems stupid, but I often have issues here in the UK with interpreting things people say or write in the way its meant. My husband and I could read a line of legislation and come up with two completely different interpretations. :-( So your patience is greatly appreciated.

1. Any question that is not applicable (like, do I have other nationalities?), I should just leave blank, right?
This one you should answer: no if you don't have any or N/A.

Basically if it's a question in a section that doesn't give you the option to skip it you answer it even if it's a yes/no/ not applicable.

2. What is a home office reference (section 1.13)?

If you have one you'd know. Don't worry about it.

3. I only have a mobile - should I put this as my daytime number as well as my mobile? (sections 1.15, 1.16)
it's not a big deal,
Put it in one or both, they'll recognize it's a mobile.

4. Section 3.9 How long has sponsor lived in UK? - My husband lived with me for about 5 months in the states on a BUNAC visa. Can I still just say "his entire life" or "he was born here"?
I would put he was born here. And include that he lived with you on the visa in the USA from date to date.
 

5. As he was born here, can I ignore 3.17 (On what basis did your sponsor obtain settlement in the UK?"? (Again, I know this is a stupid question, I just want to be 110% sure).
just put he was born here again. Or something similar.
 

6. Do the first questions in Section 5 (Immigration History) pertain specifically to my current visa? Because I visited as a tourist for about 5 months in 2013/2014 and for 2 weeks in 2011 after I'd met my now husband.

I'm not on my laptop. I'll leave that to someone else.

7. Section 6 - Relationship with Sponsor:
      6.7 When did you start living together as partners? Do I put the date I arrived here or when we lived together in Florida for 5 months?

If he was legally living in the US and he shared bills, had a lease, etc. Definitely mention it. If it was a visitor visa situation, than it doesn't count. 

      6.9. I put "yes" because I have only lived with my husband since moving here, but I'm just double checking that I should put anything cause it says "If relevant....since your last grant of limited leave to remain..." and my visa was "leave to join." Semantics, I know - but just checking

Again. Don't have the form in front if me.

      6.10-6.15 - we have always lived together, so I just skipped these like the form said but I just wanted to check if I should add info because we did live together outside the UK and question 6.12 (Can we live together outside UK?) was brought up to me in

       6.33 - Shared financial responsibilities? I'm sad to say that due to the nature of my job (archaeology work is month to month) and my student loans, my husband pays the rent and most of the expenses here in the UK. I contribute when I can, but he wants me to tackle my loans, bless him. So not sure how best to answer.

Do you have a shared bank account? If you do, yes you have shared bills. Who says what money goes to what? You can always mention a lions share of your income goes towards student loans. Its good to have shared bills.

8. Section 7.3A - should I put any of my work info on the financial section? My husband makes over the required amount or the visa, so that is not an issue. Just don't know if I should include my info - if so, how? Or if not - include an explanation?
only put details for employment/income for the income you want them to use for your application. If that's your husband, leave yourself off completely.
 

9. Section 9 Biometric Residence Permit:
     9.12 - I ticked no because I only had to do fingerprints. Right on?

    09.14 - There is not enough space for the details of where my fingerprints were taken. The office title itself takes 40 spaces, then city and country. Not sure what all to put. As much as I can and then add separate explanation?
you only need city/state/country for the US. Thats what I put on mine in Feb and my visa was approved.

   9.15 "Give details of the British diplomatic post involved if the application was made abroad" - I have no idea what this means :-(
this is not applicable to you as you applied from the US.

10. Section 10.14 "Please state what ties you have with...the country where you were born." So they want to all my friends and family in the states? Other connections? Really not sure what they want here :-(

I put my immediate family and very close friends with their state and USA.
 

Again, really sorry this is so long. I appreciate any and all advice anyone can give on any of these questions. You guys are so great! I don't know what I'd do without you.

It got a little messy...

I realise my response, 'answer everything unless told otherwise', is different than Ksand's.

I always put an answer because a random blank space could simply be one you forgot to answer, whereas a No or N/A shows you've looked at it and responded accordingly.

I realise my response, 'answer everything unless told otherwise', is different than Ksand's.

I always put an answer because a random blank space could simply be one you forgot to answer, whereas a No or N/A shows you've looked at it and responded accordingly.

Yeah, I think either is okay. Whatever you're most comfortable with.

I think your advice to answer all the questions unless you're told to skip them is good.

Thank you both so much!
Just two follow-up questions.....
 9.15 - you are both two trustworthy sources, but your answers differ on this one. To be safe, should I put the Sheffield address and then offer explanation?

3.9/6.7 - (Re: husband's time living in FL with me on BUNAC visa) should I include evidence of his visa and our old lease like in my original visa application?

Thanks again!

9.15 is definitely the address of the Sheffield consulate, as it is asking which consulate you applied through if you applied ABROAD (which you did - you applied in the US, through the Sheffield consulate)

There is no need to write an explanation. In the 10 years I have been advising on the forum, the answer to 9.15 has always been the address of the consulate where your visa was processed. Before 2013, this was NYC, and since then, it has been Sheffield.

3.9/6.7 - no, because they are only concerned with where you have lived in the last 2.5 years. Where you lived together previously is irrelevant now.


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Ha. Sorry, I didn't have to answer that one this time. My last visa was an in country one. I got it confused with the one before, 9.14. The one where you list your biometrics.

Thanks about clarifying 9.15! :-)

3.9/6.7 - no, because they are only concerned with where you have lived in the last 2.5 years. Where you lived together previously is irrelevant now.

Sorry, I'm a bit confused on that. You both said for 6.7 to put when we began living together as a couple as the very beginning, when he lived with me on a BUNAC visa in Florida? Or should I use when the date I arrived here in the UK and moved into our house?

For 6.7, as we said, you can write on the form that you lived together in Florida, because you did live together.

However, in your last question you asked if you need to include his visa and lease as well... and the answer is no, because there is no requirement to include any evidence of living together in Florida because it was more than 2 years ago.

Really, it's totally up to you which date you put for 6.7, because the only thing that matters is that you have lived together since you moved to the UK... whether you lived together in Florida or not is irrelevant for this visa.


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Oh, ok! Sorry for the confusion. Thanks so much!!!!!!

Ok, so I've ordered my bank statements from my missing time frames and my husband has his. Out of curiosity, for the proof of residency, do I need to send complete bank statements or just the address page? I ask just because my husband's are rather long and cover a couple months at a time.

When you get the bank statements, go through them carefully to make sure all of the dates match up. We had what we thought were the correct bank statements, only to find that the dates were slightly off. Delayed our application a good 2-4 weeks waiting for that last statement.

Ok, so I've ordered my bank statements from my missing time frames and my husband has his. Out of curiosity, for the proof of residency, do I need to send complete bank statements or just the address page? I ask just because my husband's are rather long and cover a couple months at a time.

Are you saying you want to use bank statements recently printed as part of your 6-12 pieces of post?

Ok, so I've ordered my bank statements from my missing time frames and my husband has his. Out of curiosity, for the proof of residency, do I need to send complete bank statements or just the address page? I ask just because my husband's are rather long and cover a couple months at a time.

My understanding is you send the entire document, whether it's 1 to however many pages. I used some utility bills and will use joint bank statements for my ILR in a little over 2 years time.