Hoping to send my application in mid June!

Good luck! I applied under the same category with my husband starting his job in Scotland back in April. I am no expert but I have all my documents (photocopies) and got lots of help from ksand and KfDancer - also just got my kids' U.K. Passports if you're doing that for your 5 y/o (MUCH easier but still stressful) - so if you need anything pm me and I can send you my email address. I'm in Florida with my 3 kids so I feel your stress! (Awaiting my decision email any day now)

Cool! I can't imagine doing this with three kids. You're a trooper. We got her UK passport last fall when she was still four.

 

Yeah! I'm super grateful Ksand caught that slip because I clearly was heading down the wrong path all together.

For other people who've been married awhile (we're coming up on 9 years, known each other since 2003) what sort of examples of correspondence did you send? All of our emails are just forwarded health care stuff or UPS tracking info. Not really showcasing our genuine, loving marriage but definitely proving that we at least are legally co-habitating in the eyes of my FSA and Amazon Prime! 

Plus he's been flying back and forth between here and the UK every 2 weeks since he left his job so we're not exactly mailing each other cards.
 

Yeah! I'm super grateful Ksand caught that slip because I clearly was heading down the wrong path all together.

For other people who've been married awhile (we're coming up on 9 years, known each other since 2003) what sort of examples of correspondence did you send? All of our emails are just forwarded health care stuff or UPS tracking info. Not really showcasing our genuine, loving marriage but definitely proving that we at least are legally co-habitating in the eyes of my FSA and Amazon Prime! 

Plus he's been flying back and forth between here and the UK every 2 weeks since he left his job so we're not exactly mailing each other cards.

Do you have your boarding passes for the flights? Those are FABULOUS evidence.

They don't want to see any content of your emails or messages, they just want to see that you're communicating.

So those emails are just fine!

Do you have your boarding passes for the flights? Those are FABULOUS evidence.

He only has Delta's emails saying "your flight is confirmed."

They don't want to see any content of your emails or messages, they just want to see that you're communicating.

So those emails are just fine!

Sounds good to me then, thanks!

Definitely make sure that your relationship proof covers the whole of your marriage. One person on this forum has been married for 20 years and was refused due to insufficient relationship proof.

Do you have tax returns in both your names? These can be used to prove cohabitation.

He only has Delta's emails saying "your flight is confirmed."

In the future, save any boarding passes for trips to see each other. Also any cards or letters you mail to each other while apart. Plus everything else already suggested.

Definitely make sure that your relationship proof covers the whole of your marriage. One person on this forum has been married for 20 years and was refused due to insufficient relationship proof.

Do you have tax returns in both your names? These can be used to prove cohabitation.

I can definitely do tax returns, and I just stuck a copy of "proof of rent paid" from 2010, and maybe a copy of our purchase agreement when we bought our house I've got like 10 copies of that floating around so I might as well do something with one of those! I've got a picture dated 08/2003 I'm sending, which is pretty hilarious paired with our most recent photos.

I wish I could remember what I sent the first time we did this!

I can definitely do tax returns, and I just stuck a copy of "proof of rent paid" from 2010, and maybe a copy of our purchase agreement when we bought our house I've got like 10 copies of that floating around so I might as well do something with one of those! I've got a picture dated 08/2003 I'm sending, which is pretty hilarious paired with our most recent photos.

I wish I could remember what I sent the first time we did this!

I'm like you- together since 02. I included about 4 pics (the K's recommend 2) spanning when we started dating (I.e. 25 pounds ago ), a wedding pic, a pic with the kids and a Christmas card that was dated/ I managed to find most of our tax returns so just did page 1 of most of those, a house deed, an insurance declaration page with both our names, and some random health insurance card I had with all 5 of us. I also did a Skype call log for about 1 week between when he left and when I sent in the application. In threw in the kids' birth certificates for good measure since I had ordered a bunch of extra copies in preparation for our move, but everyone said it wasn't necessary here. I applied just after the lady mentioned above got a refusal so I was nervous I'd be too relaxed about this part...originally wasn't going to do all the tax returns, but I got spooked...to be honest, I think her refusal was an error at UKVI.

I'm like you- together since 02. I included about 4 pics (the K's recommend 2) spanning when we started dating (I.e. 25 pounds ago ), a wedding pic, a pic with the kids and a Christmas card that was dated/ I managed to find most of our tax returns so just did page 1 of most of those, a house deed, an insurance declaration page with both our names, and some random health insurance card I had with all 5 of us. I also did a Skype call log for about 1 week between when he left and when I sent in the application. In threw in the kids' birth certificates for good measure since I had ordered a bunch of extra copies in preparation for our move, but everyone said it wasn't necessary here. I applied just after the lady mentioned above got a refusal so I was nervous I'd be too relaxed about this part...originally wasn't going to do all the tax returns, but I got spooked...to be honest, I think her refusal was an error at UKVI.

Her refusal was UKVI being a total and utter *bleeeeeeep*

(Ha, UKY. I censored myself. )

I can definitely do tax returns, and I just stuck a copy of "proof of rent paid" from 2010, and maybe a copy of our purchase agreement when we bought our house I've got like 10 copies of that floating around so I might as well do something with one of those! I've got a picture dated 08/2003 I'm sending, which is pretty hilarious paired with our most recent photos.

I wish I could remember what I sent the first time we did this!

It's a good thing you don't remember!      The requirements are much more stringent now and I think that people who have been through this in the past are actually at a disadvantage because it was so easy to get a spouse visa back then.

Other ideas, anything joint, so joint bank accounts, credit cards, insurance policies,-house, car, life, medical.
Wills. I even sent one of our joint AAA membership letters!

I'm like you- together since 02. I included about 4 pics (the K's recommend 2) spanning when we started dating (I.e. 25 pounds ago ), a wedding pic, a pic with the kids and a Christmas card that was dated/ I managed to find most of our tax returns so just did page 1 of most of those, a house deed, an insurance declaration page with both our names, and some random health insurance card I had with all 5 of us. I also did a Skype call log for about 1 week between when he left and when I sent in the application. In threw in the kids' birth certificates for good measure since I had ordered a bunch of extra copies in preparation for our move, but everyone said it wasn't necessary here. I applied just after the lady mentioned above got a refusal so I was nervous I'd be too relaxed about this part...originally wasn't going to do all the tax returns, but I got spooked...to be honest, I think her refusal was an error at UKVI.

This is nearly identical to what I've got down to the lone Christmas card from 2012. I've got assorted official documents showing our shared address dating back to 2010. I've got property tax statements instead of tax returns because we didn't always file jointly.

Between renewing the 5yo's US passport and applying for her UK one in the last six months; selling the house; and doing our taxes in March I've got an ever-present pile of assorted documents and copies at my disposal.

This is nearly identical to what I've got down to the lone Christmas card from 2012. I've got assorted official documents showing our shared address dating back to 2010. I've got property tax statements instead of tax returns because we didn't always file jointly.

Between renewing the 5yo's US passport and applying for her UK one in the last six months; selling the house; and doing our taxes in March I've got an ever-present pile of assorted documents and copies at my disposal.

You really only need one item per year.  Maybe two if you want to go wild.  I'd do the joint tax returns for sure, doesn't get more official than that and maybe a few other random items spaced evenly through your time together in the US.

Other ideas, anything joint, so joint bank accounts, credit cards, insurance policies,-house, car, life, medical.

Together with my wife since '93, and paranoid about identity theft, so I tried to find the most official documents with least amount of personal information, before sending them out into the wild. I settled on car registrations - found I had like 20 years' worth from California and Texas with both our names and our address at the time. I'll report back if it works or not!