Priority Spouse Visa FALL Timeline (Oct-Dec)

I’m Southernbetty’s (applicant) other half, but yes we do seem in a similar boat!

I figured, but I wasn’t 100% sure!

Gah! I only sent in our marriage cert., one photo of the wedding party, and the deed to the house we bought together. It didn’t seem like they wanted too much proof of relationship. It seemed all about the financial proof. I included my partner PR visa that I got for Australia too. I wonder if that is enough. I wish they were more explicit in exactly what they want. I have loads of proof that I had to provide for Australia, but it was specifically outlined. I didn’t want to send them the “story of us” and it look like more of a hassle to process.

Our marriage certificate, all of our flight details from every time we met up, some Skype logs (I probably could have sent more) and about 5-6 photos. I probably didn't include enough communication between the two of us. I plan on doing that now and I will definitely let them know that I have more that I can send, larrabee!

Gah! I only sent in our marriage cert., one photo of the wedding party, and the deed to the house we bought together. It didn’t seem like they wanted too much proof of relationship. It seemed all about the financial proof.

Unfortunately it is about ALL the requirements:
- finances
- accommodation
- relationship

Hopefully you'll be okay with what you sent (and they may ask for more documents if they need them), but last year, we did have one person refused because UKVI didn't believe they were in a genuine relationship, despite the fact that they had been married and living together in California for 20 years... because they didn't send enough proof that they had lived together for all of those 20 years.

I wish they were more explicit in exactly what they want. I have loads of proof that I had to provide for Australia, but it was specifically outlined. I didn’t want to send them the “story of us” and it look like more of a hassle to process.

They are pretty specific.

From the UKVI spousal visa pages:

Proof of relationship
If you’re applying as a spouse or partner, you’ll be asked about:
- your relationship with your partner, for example how you met and how often you see each other
- how long you’ve lived together - you’ll need to send proof like council tax bills
- things you pay for together
- whether you’re your partner’s carer

(https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/provide-information)

From the Supporting Documents Guidance:

Evidence of your relationship to your sponsor and any contact between you
This could be a letter from your sponsor confirming your relationship and that they are supporting your application along with copies of:
 birth certificate or adoption certificate
 marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate
 death or divorce certificate
 photographs of your wedding, civil partnership ceremony or other time spent together
 phone records
 emails, letters or cards

(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270197/sup-docs-settlement.pdf)

That’s it! My documents are sent out! I have now joined your ranks!!


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I did fulfill all those requirements that you mentioned and listed from UKVI. I didn’t include texts, messages, etc.

That’s ridiculous about the other couple. I hope they appealed or something.

I couldn’t have included more to satisfy the financial and accommodation requirements, but the relationship proof is so subjective. I guess we’ll see if I am as throughough I think I am!

Unfortunately it is about ALL the requirements:
- finances
- accommodation
- relationship

Hopefully you'll be okay with what you sent (and they may ask for more documents if they need them), but last year, we did have one person refused because UKVI didn't believe they were in a genuine relationship, despite the fact that they had been married and living together in California for 20 years... because they didn't send enough proof that they had lived together for all of those 20 years.

They are pretty specific.

From the UKVI spousal visa pages:
(https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/provide-information)

From the Supporting Documents Guidance:
(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270197/sup-docs-settlement.pdf)

Good luck! Welcome to the waiting game!

That’s it! My documents are sent out! I have now joined your ranks!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good luck! Welcome to the waiting game!

Thank you!
I realized I forgot to mention that I had a UK number so when they looked at our old texts they would know they weren't made up, but I mailed it and they know I lived in the UK, I’m at that point of apathy after months of getting that stuff ready



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I did fulfill all those requirements that you mentioned and listed from UKVI. I didn’t include texts, messages, etc.

That’s ridiculous about the other couple. I hope they appealed or something.

I couldn’t have included more to satisfy the financial and accommodation requirements, but the relationship proof is so subjective. I guess we’ll see if I am as throughough I think I am!

I think one of the most annoying things about the entire process is that UKVI contradicts themselves. That was actually the reason that I joined this forum in the first place. They have a process that could be laid out simply, but they don't do it. There are 15 different web pages to visit, links to more information on each of those pages and then there is stuff like this:

Proof of relationship
If you’re applying as a spouse or partner, you’ll be asked about:

your relationship with your partner, for example how you met and how often you see each other
how long you’ve lived together - you’ll need to send proof like council tax bills
things you pay for together
whether you’re your partner’s carer
You don’t generally need to send in things like WhatsApp messages, Skype history or photos of you together.

I understand that phone records and Skype are different, but for people in international relationships, most will have the latter and not the former. Also, in cases like mine, we don't write to each other in emails, cards and letters because you know.... it's 2018 and those aren't standard practices any more. Basically everyone uses Skype, Whatsapp, or Facebook messenger.

I don't know, I'm fairly ranty about this whole process in general but even when I was gathering materials and filling out the application I noticed that one and it irked me. I know that it says "generally" as well, but I find it to be rather misleading in the labyrinth of web pages that you have to go to even find all of the information.

I did fulfill all those requirements that you mentioned and listed from UKVI. I didn’t include texts, messages, etc.

You provided 4 years of evidence of living together in Australia? Tax returns, utility bills, rental agreements/mortgage statements? As well as evidence of travelling together/trips to see each other since leaving Australia?

That’s ridiculous about the other couple. I hope they appealed or something.

They didn't, because
a) an appeal takes about a year and is unlikely to be successful unless they did provide all the required evidence of living together and UKVI ignored it
and
b) they didn't really have a leg to stand on, since they did not send any evidence of living together. I believe they only sent their marriage certificate and a few photos.

They reapplied for the visa, including a lot more evidence, and got it no problem the second time.

I couldn’t have included more to satisfy the financial and accommodation requirements, but the relationship proof is so subjective. I guess we’ll see if I am as throughough I think I am!

The relationship proof is pretty standard for everyone and isn't particularly subjective:

- If you have been living together, you send evidence of you both living at the same address as each other for the duration of the relationship (rental agreements, house deeds, mortgage statements, annual tax returns, utility bills etc.)

- If you have been in a long-distance relationship/apart for any period of time, you send evidence of how often you communicate with each other while apart (boarding passes, letters/cards, emails, messages, calls etc.)

However I do not like the contradiction on the UKVI website about not sending WhatsApp, Skype history or photos together, because they ARE required and visas have been refused for not including them. It's a fairly new update to the site and is a direct contradiction of their own official guidance .

I think one of the most annoying things about the entire process is that UKVI contradicts themselves. That was actually the reason that I joined this forum in the first place. They have a process that could be laid out simply, but they don't do it. There are 15 different web pages to visit, links to more information on each of those pages and then there is stuff like this:

I understand that phone records and Skype are different, but for people in international relationships, most will have the latter and not the former. Also, in cases like mine, we don't write to each other in emails, cards and letters because you know.... it's 2018 and those aren't standard practices any more. Basically everyone uses Skype, Whatsapp, or Facebook messenger.

I don't know, I'm fairly ranty about this whole process in general but even when I was gathering materials and filling out the application I noticed that one and it irked me. I know that it says "generally" as well, but I find it to be rather misleading in the labyrinth of web pages that you have to go to even find all of the information.

My theory is that they deliberately keep the process opaque to keep the number of successful applications to a minimum...call me a cynic! 

My theory is that they deliberately keep the process opaque to keep the number of successful applications to a minimum...call me a cynic! 

Oh, I fully agree with you. The harder it is to figure out, the more money that they make which is wonderful for a government agency with no money. I think I read an article that says it costs them £240ish to actually process the application, so it's about a 800% markup. If I were them, I'd keep it opaque too.

I'm so wary of all of this stuff, you might as well call me Ron Swanson at this point.

Oh, I fully agree with you. The harder it is to figure out, the more money that they make which is wonderful for a government agency with no money. I think I read an article that says it costs them £240ish to actually process the application, so it's about a 800% markup. If I were them, I'd keep it opaque too.

I'm so wary of all of this stuff, you might as well call me Ron Swanson at this point.

Yep, I'm cynical along with larrabee. I've seen various incarnations of the UKVI website over the years (it was UKBA previously) and with each update to the website, more information is taken out and everything is made more vague and ambiguous.

Oh, I fully agree with you. The harder it is to figure out, the more money that they make which is wonderful for a government agency with no money. I think I read an article that says it costs them £240ish to actually process the application, so it's about a 800% markup. If I were them, I'd keep it opaque too.

I'm so wary of all of this stuff, you might as well call me Ron Swanson at this point.

You can find archived webpages of the old UKBA website in the Wayback Machine.

The following are all from January 2008 (old visa rules from before July 2012, so this is before the £18,600 financial requirement came in and it was only years to ILR and 3 years to citizenship):
https://web.archive.org/web/20080407231537/http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk:80/ukresidency/eligibility/partnersandchildren/husbandwifecivilpartner/

And this page has so much information on it compared to now:
- what a visa is
- how to apply for the visa
- what documents to include
- what 'present and settled' means
- what happens when you make your application
- who needs to complete the Sponsorship Undertaking Form etc:
https://web.archive.org/web/20080412124953/http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk:80/en/howtoapply/infs/inf6familymembers

What you can and can't do in the UK with a visa (healthcare, employment, public funds etc.):
https://web.archive.org/web/20080407205056/http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk:80/ukresidency/rightsandresponsibilities/

For FLR visas:
https://web.archive.org/web/20080407210127/http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk:80/ukresidency/extendingyourstay/applicationtype/

For ILR:
https://web.archive.org/web/20080406232751/http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk:80/ukresidency/settlement/

Visa fees - you probably don't want to see the difference 10 years of fee increases can make!

Fees for applications made outside the UK:
https://web.archive.org/web/20080412115357/http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk:80/en/howtoapply/visafees/

Fees for applications made inside the UK:
https://web.archive.org/web/20080407193955/http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk:80/ukresidency/cost/

£515 for a spousal visa

Man... why couldn't I have met my husband back when I was a wee lass. Funny enough, we were actually due to meet in 2009 on a trip to Morocco but I couldn't go because I was living in France and getting paid poverty wages to teach. If only we had met back then, we could have avoided so much nonsense, hahahaha.

I def did not include 4 years of bills. I did throw a random water bill from 2 years ago though, along with the mortgage on the house we bought.

We haven’t lived apart since I came to the states in mid January. I went to the U.K. in August with my husband and stayed for 5 months. We barely text or call each other when we are living together. Only when we are apart, so I have barely any communication to show except the 3 months we were apart 4 years ago and the 6 weeks since I left England.

What irks me is that they can deny the visa if they want more proof, rather than just asking for it. In Australia, everything was done electronically, so if they wanted something more, you just uploaded it to your existing application. Paying 2x for the visa is ridiculous!

You provided 4 years of evidence of living together in Australia? Tax returns, utility bills, rental agreements/mortgage statements? As well as evidence of travelling together/trips to see each other since leaving Australia?

They didn't, because
a) an appeal takes about a year and is unlikely to be successful unless they did provide all the required evidence of living together and UKVI ignored it
and
b) they didn't really have a leg to stand on, since they did not send any evidence of living together. I believe they only sent their marriage certificate and a few photos.

They reapplied for the visa, including a lot more evidence, and got it no problem the second time.

The relationship proof is pretty standard for everyone and isn't particularly subjective:

- If you have been living together, you send evidence of you both living at the same address as each other for the duration of the relationship (rental agreements, house deeds, mortgage statements, annual tax returns, utility bills etc.)

- If you have been in a long-distance relationship/apart for any period of time, you send evidence of how often you communicate with each other while apart (boarding passes, letters/cards, emails, messages, calls etc.)

However I do not like the contradiction on the UKVI website about not sending WhatsApp, Skype history or photos together, because they ARE required and visas have been refused for not including them. It's a fairly new update to the site and is a direct contradiction of their own official guidance .