Welcome to the forum
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In case you're not aware, filling out the online form should be the LAST thing you do, after you have researched the visa, worked out what financial requirement category you meet, have gathered all the documents and are completely ready to mail your documents and application to Sheffield for processing.
Your timeline should be something along the lines of:
- research the visa requirements and make sure you meet the accommodation, financial and relationship requirements
- start gathering all your documents, making sure that you get/order all the original copies you need
- print and complete VAF4a Appendix 2 form
- start filling out the online application
- when you have every document ready to mail, complete and submit the online application, paying for the IHS surcharge and the visa fee, and book biometrics
- purchase priority processing and/or shipping labels if using
- attend biometrics
- within 5 days of biometrics, mail your application forms and all your documents to Sheffield for processing
A) On the "Spouse/Partner" Page it asks for the details of the father and mother, is that my wife's father and mother or my father and mother?
This one trips a lot of people up. They want the US citizen applicant's father and mother's details... they ask for them to check that you aren't already entitled to UK citizenship.
B) Do I need to add my three children as dependent children or non-dependent?
If the form asks if you have any children, you say yes, but as they are UK citizens, they are not applying for 'Child Dependant' visas, and therefore, they are not included in the financial requirement calculation.
Have you checked out the paper version of the application form for reference? The questions are slightly different to the online form, but it tells you how to fill them out:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/274029/VAF4A.pdfAs well as the online form, you also need to print and fill out VAF4a Appendix 2, which contains all the questions relevant to meeting the spousal visa requirements:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270484/VAF4A-Appendix2.pdf