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Topic: Spousal Visa Questions  (Read 1166 times)

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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2017, 03:49:51 PM »
ECO is the Entry Clearance Officer.

However, ECOs are not at Heathrow - they work at the Sheffield and New York consulates, processing visa applications. The ECO is the person who will decide your visa application in Sheffield.

At Heathrow, it will be the IO (Immigration Officer) you talk to when you go through passport control.

Thank you, ksand24!  I wondered if I'd got that wrong when I was typing it, and then I tried to verify it, but ... yeah.. I was already committed to the wrong acronym.  Sorry for the confusion!   :-[
9/1/2013 - "fiancée" (marriage) visa issued
4/6/2013 - married (certificate issued same-day)
5/6/2013 - FLR(M)#1 in person -- approved!
8/1/2016 - FLR(M)#2 by post -- approved!
8/5/2018 - ILR in person -- approved!
22/11/2018 - Citizenship (online, with NDRS+JCAP) -- approved!
14/12/2018 - I became a British citizen.  :)


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #16 on: August 09, 2017, 03:22:49 AM »
OK so just to add another layer to all of this we are also bringing our beloved small dog with us to the UK. After much thought and looking at all our options we are thinking of flying from USA to France, since we are allowed to bring the dog with us in the cabin, then get ourselves and the dog across the channel to Folkstone. (I will spare you all the detail on how we are doing this since this is not the pet board.) Here are our questions....

Obviously this will be my first time entering the UK on my spouse visa so....

1. Is it ok to enter the UK at Folkstone on a spousal visa from the USA or do i need to do it at Heathrow to get an official stamp? In other words at Folkstone will they stamp my passport and do what is necessary to make the visa valid?

2. Do I need my passport stamped for my biometric residence permit?

I guess the important thing is, is it ok to go from France to UK when entering on a spouse visa as USA citizen? Or should we do this another way?

As always....thanks so much for the time.

NWKH
UK Spouse Visa
Married: 2001 (Both Living in the US)
Biometrics: 27 Dec 2017
Received in Sheffield: 02 Jan 2018
Decision email: 24 Jan 2018 (17 Bus. Days)
Returned mail: 28 Jan 2018 It's a YES!!!
Landed in UK: 11 Feb 2018
Granted FLR(M): 22 Oct 2020
Granted ILR:  28 Feb 2023
Citizenship Granted:  18 Jan 2024


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #17 on: August 09, 2017, 06:14:48 AM »
1. Is it ok to enter the UK at Folkstone on a spousal visa from the USA or do i need to do it at Heathrow to get an official stamp? In other words at Folkstone will they stamp my passport and do what is necessary to make the visa valid?

Yes, that's fine, and yes, they will stamp the visa. The only time it cannot be stamped is if you enter the UK via the Republic of Ireland as there are no immigration controls between Ireland and the UK.

Quote
2. Do I need my passport stamped for my biometric residence permit?

Yes, you do - which is why you should not enter through Ireland on your first entry. They need to see the stamp to issue the BRP... and also that stamp determines what date you are eligible to apply for your FLR(M) and ILR visas over the next 5 years.

Quote
I guess the important thing is, is it ok to go from France to UK when entering on a spouse visa as USA citizen? Or should we do this another way?

Yes, that's fine.



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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #18 on: August 09, 2017, 07:50:23 AM »
OK so just to add another layer to all of this we are also bringing our beloved small dog with us to the UK. After much thought and looking at all our options we are thinking of flying from USA to France, since we are allowed to bring the dog with us in the cabin, then get ourselves and the dog across the channel to Folkstone. (I will spare you all the detail on how we are doing this since this is not the pet board.)


Maybe, once you're safely here, you could do a write up of the US to UK via France with an animal process on the pet board? 
The subject comes up regularly and there is very little information there already so it would be spectacularly helpful!  ;D


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #19 on: August 09, 2017, 04:02:03 PM »
ksand24 - Thanks so much. Feeling much better about the plan...

larrabee - Yes!!! I am working on a post for the pet board with updated links. Seems the info could definitely use an update.

UK Spouse Visa
Married: 2001 (Both Living in the US)
Biometrics: 27 Dec 2017
Received in Sheffield: 02 Jan 2018
Decision email: 24 Jan 2018 (17 Bus. Days)
Returned mail: 28 Jan 2018 It's a YES!!!
Landed in UK: 11 Feb 2018
Granted FLR(M): 22 Oct 2020
Granted ILR:  28 Feb 2023
Citizenship Granted:  18 Jan 2024


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #20 on: August 09, 2017, 06:33:38 PM »
ksand24 - Thanks so much. Feeling much better about the plan...

larrabee - Yes!!! I am working on a post for the pet board with updated links. Seems the info could definitely use an update.

Thank you!  ;D


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #21 on: August 10, 2017, 12:50:24 PM »
So now we are going over our supporting documents and want to make sure we get them right. In one of the lists we see here on UKY it says "Original and certified copy of marriage license."

1-Does this mean a NOTARIZED copy?
2-Are we required to send the original marriage license?

Thanks,

NWKH
UK Spouse Visa
Married: 2001 (Both Living in the US)
Biometrics: 27 Dec 2017
Received in Sheffield: 02 Jan 2018
Decision email: 24 Jan 2018 (17 Bus. Days)
Returned mail: 28 Jan 2018 It's a YES!!!
Landed in UK: 11 Feb 2018
Granted FLR(M): 22 Oct 2020
Granted ILR:  28 Feb 2023
Citizenship Granted:  18 Jan 2024


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #22 on: August 10, 2017, 12:55:07 PM »
So now we are going over our supporting documents and want to make sure we get them right. In one of the lists we see here on UKY it says "Original and certified copy of marriage license."

1-Does this mean a NOTARIZED copy?
2-Are we required to send the original marriage license?

Thanks,

NWKH

No, it doesn't have to be notarised.  It does need to be an official copy issued from whichever county you were married in.  Likely has a raised or coloured seal.


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #23 on: August 10, 2017, 02:40:57 PM »
Does that mean you cannot fly Aer Lingus which has a layover in Dublin?  Looks like the one-way fares for some days are cheaper than Icelandair.


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #24 on: August 10, 2017, 03:01:16 PM »
Does that mean you cannot fly Aer Lingus which has a layover in Dublin?  Looks like the one-way fares for some days are cheaper than Icelandair.

Yes, that's correct. Aer Lingus is cheaper, but if you enter the UK through Dublin, you will NOT go through UK immigration. Instead your passport will be stamped in Ireland. It is actually illegal for UK immigration to stamp your passport when you arrive via Ireland, because Ireland and the UK are part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) and there are no immigration controls between the two.

This means you will not get a UK immigration stamp in your passport, which means you won't have a record of entering the UK, and will not be able to pick up your BRP (as you have to show the stamp).


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #25 on: August 10, 2017, 03:03:12 PM »
I'm glad I saw this.  Hopefully the Icelandair flight won't be too much more.


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #26 on: August 10, 2017, 03:04:30 PM »
I'm glad I saw this.  Hopefully the Icelandair flight won't be too much more.

You can always buy a round trip ticket if it's cheaper.


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #27 on: August 10, 2017, 04:55:31 PM »
KFdancer-

So to be clear it seems we need to send our original USA marriage certificate (which they will return) AND a notarized copy for the Entry Clearance Officer to keep for their records?

Thanks,

NWKH
UK Spouse Visa
Married: 2001 (Both Living in the US)
Biometrics: 27 Dec 2017
Received in Sheffield: 02 Jan 2018
Decision email: 24 Jan 2018 (17 Bus. Days)
Returned mail: 28 Jan 2018 It's a YES!!!
Landed in UK: 11 Feb 2018
Granted FLR(M): 22 Oct 2020
Granted ILR:  28 Feb 2023
Citizenship Granted:  18 Jan 2024


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #28 on: August 10, 2017, 05:07:42 PM »
KFdancer-

So to be clear it seems we need to send our original USA marriage certificate (which they will return) AND a notarized copy for the Entry Clearance Officer to keep for their records?

Thanks,

NWKH

No, you send your original marriage certificate and a regular photocopy for them to keep for their records.


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Re: Spousal Visa Questions
« Reply #29 on: August 10, 2017, 05:07:58 PM »
KFdancer-

So to be clear it seems we need to send our original USA marriage certificate (which they will return) AND a notarized copy for the Entry Clearance Officer to keep for their records?

Thanks,

NWKH

No, send the original and a simple photocopy.


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