Fiance Visa copies, originals, notarized oh my!

I'm sorry but this is going to be long. Sit down and get comfortable.

Met my fiance online 2007, met in person a year later and have visited each other since every 2-3 months. We are now applying for a fiance visa. Am now posting here because I can't stop worrying. We're both approaching this application from opposite sides. I think she's being too blase about it and she thinks I'm worrying way too much.

The following are concerns/issues I have with the application. Please help!

1. I used A4 paper (to make everything uniform and match her stuff as her stuff was copied in UK with A4 paper).

2. Copies/online print-outs of bank/phone statements.

Her employer has a self-service paycheck printing machine that looks like I could make it at home. No letter from employer because she is not 'out' and is afraid of being outed - they all know each other there.

After some convincing, she has notarized copies of past 3 P60s, passport, evidence of her ownership of her apt, etc.

3. Evidence of contact.

Most calls made to her landline which is not listed in her bills/statements.

We talk to each other daily through my Skype To Go (best invention ever!). It's a subscription service that gives me a local number to call which then routes me to call anyone internationally. She is listed on my Skype To Go speed dial. I've printed screenshots of this info. I've also printed out screenshots of my mobile account showing the local Skype To Go number as one of my 5 Friends and Family (you can call those numbers with unlimited time). My online printouts of my mobile account show that I call her via Skype To Go.

When she does call me on her mobile, the number that shows up on my statements is not clear. First it looks like a US number, the first 2 digits is 44 (as in the country code!) then it has the rest of her number but it cuts out the last 2 digits of her number (so the numbers match up except the last 2!). When I first saw this I googled the number and I wondered who was calling me from Jamaica lol.

My credit card/phone statements are online-printouts. I would have to pay $5 each to get statements mailed to me by mobile company. The guy on the phone says it will look like what I've been able to print out on their website.

4. There are 2 issues concerning her bank and credit card statements.

She has had to get a new credit card (long story) about 3 months ago and now has no way of showing how she paid for things concerning our trips together (we paid mostly cash when we were together on trips).

In the past someone has used her account without her permission/knowledge and is now quite protective of information such as account numbers. She blacked out the last 4 digits of her bank account number. Will this be a problem?

She has written letters stating that the ECO have the permission to investigate.

5. Other evidence of contact.

She doesn't like to keep things! So she doesn't have her boarding passes, and other relevant items to support our trips together. We have only flied British Airways and she has been able to print-out a trip history showing everytime she has visited me here. We also printed online confirmations from her email account. That's the best we could do on that end.

Thank goodness I'm such a sentimental fool (or I could be a hoarder) that I've actually kept most that stuff on my end of the bargain. I even kept an unused napkin from a restaurant we ate at (Junior's) lol. Don't worry, I've since thrown it away.

There are some good things about our application lol. We have a lot of correspondence that I spent quite a bit of money copying in full color (for better authentication). We have a lot of pictures from each trip.

We have letters of support from her and her mom. Printed out both of our email logs and printed out private message logs from the website that we first met. We've also printed out a handful of emails and private messages.

We're going to use a courier. I thought this was going to be another battle with her but surprisingly, she also thinks its a good idea.

I was thinking of burning some videos on a cd for them to watch. Do you think that would be good?

I don't know what else to say or do. Please comment if only to say it's going to be ok in the end. 

Hi,
Don't worry too much about the evidence of a relationship- I don't think they would be interested in watching a cd/dvd at all. It sounds like you have more than enough to show you are in a true valid relationship and have met each other in person.

Using A4 paper is a non issue:)

I would address and explain the reason for blacking out part of the account number and say that they are welcome to phone for any further information. I wouldn't think it would be a problem.

The p60s should suffice to show her earnings, although a letter from employer would be helpful- I can understand her reluctance. Does she have a job contract she could use?

Are the bank statements only print outs? this could be a problem.
Overall I think it sounds like you have things well thought out and covered.

  OMG thank you for wading through all that information HG!

Yes, her bank statements are printouts. She seems to think that none of it matters. It's like pulling teeth. To be honest I don't understand where she's coming from having so much faith that "they will understand" and that they will be able to verify the information if they wanted to. I hope she is right. In the meantime, I will see about getting proper bank statements.

Another thing I forgot. I was born in a different country and am a naturalized citizen of US. I obviously have a passport and will send a copy of my naturalization certificate. However, for some inexplicable reason, I've misplaced my old passport from the country of my birth. Do I need to address that or do I have everything I need?

My worry is that the ECO will look at the copies of the bank statements, etc and decide he/she couldn't be bothered and give us a refusal. My fiance seems to believe that they will call/investigate the matter (i.e. call her employer, call her bank, etc) to confirm the information. I don't know.

Visa applications have been refused because of a lack of original bank statements, so yes, you have reason to be concerned. The ECO is not likely to call to verify incomplete information such as whether bank statements are original copies or not - this burden is placed on the applicant.

Yes, her bank statements are printouts. She seems to think that none of it matters. It's like pulling teeth.

So often one of the partners is too laid back...and another is too panicky and stressed!

See if you can get her to join the forum 

I don't know too much about your question about being born in a different country- but it doesn't sound to me like something that would be an issue. I was born in Germany on a USA army base, my birth certificate is from the state department and my place of birth on my passport says Heidelburg, Germany. I gave it no thought- and then after sending everything off panicked that I didn't explain and they would wonder why the hell I am a US citizen if I was born in Germany- it never came up, it was a non-issue.

Using A4 paper is a non issue:)

Let me explain. I know it seems like such a none issue but I know an US immigration lawyer - she stated that some embassies (not necessarily British) can be quite fickle about things such as paper size and are known to reject applications because of it. My jaw dropped - it seems so wrong to do that. But I got worried anyway, and spent a whole weekend looking for A4 paper in NYC. I ended up having paper cut to size by a print shop ($20 for 200 sheets!)

I'm going to laugh about this someday, i know it. I hope so...

I'm going to laugh about this someday, i know it. I hope so...

You will...and hopefully it will be very soon!! It did make me smile already

Yeah, the paper size really does not matter, as HG said.

The Consulate may take issue with her altering the bank statements & etc by blacking out the account numbers. As a former government worker (in the US) this sets off alarm bells with me and makes me think you're trying to hide something. You don't need to send Credit Card statements either.

Paper size is really irrelevant. Half my stuff for my spouse visa was US Standard letter size and half was A4.

As far as burning a CD with videos? Really, all you have to prove is that you've met in person...and that's pretty much it.

So I managed to convince her to get original/bank issued statements and not to black them out    I think she's finally seeing the light   She called HSBC and inquired about the statements and they said they could mail up to 12 months worth for free if she wanted. It will take within 5 business days to arrive - then she'll have to mail them to me.

So we're going to wait to do the online application to make sure I've got all the necessary documents in my hand.

Is there anything in the online application that isn't on the downloadable version? We printed the paper application as a guide to which info they'll be asking for.

Another question. Not such a big deal but I was curious as to how you all presented your application packet/supporting documents. We decided to use a big binder (about 5 inch thick) with plastic cover sheets and separated by tabbed sheets. I thought she was crazy to buy such a big binder but we've actually filled it to the brim. It's got our pictures in it too.

I forgot to add that we also have notarized copies of all the pages of her passport with info on it (picture page, stamped pages). That should show/verify her coming/leaving the US. I felt bet getting her to notarize some of her documents because it was sooo expensive about 80 pounds!

Also, Thank You all so much! Everyone on this forum have been so helpful. My partner actually went on this site before and got the idea of buying me "Driving in Britain" which was very good at illuminating the mysterious secrets of the roundabouts.

Another question. Not such a big deal but I was curious as to how you all presented your application packet/supporting documents. We decided to use a big binder (about 5 inch thick) with plastic cover sheets and separated by tabbed sheets. I thought she was crazy to buy such a big binder but we've actually filled it to the brim. It's got our pictures in it too.

I just got my fiance visa and I was told NOT to put things in a binder. It makes it more difficult for the person going through the information. I just tabbed the different sections with little plastic tabs and put a binder clip around the entire packet.

I just got my fiance visa and I was told NOT to put things in a binder. It makes it more difficult for the person going through the information. I just tabbed the different sections with little plastic tabs and put a binder clip around the entire packet.

Good to know. Is this the same for others? I've got a huge packet - not sure if I'm going to find a big enough clip to fit the entire thing. Hmmm, back to the drawing board I guess...

So what are other people's experience with this?

Just make sure that when she sends her documents to you that she does not send them through Royal Mail, use FedEx, UPS or DHL.

I just got my fiance visa and I was told NOT to put things in a binder. It makes it more difficult for the person going through the information. I just tabbed the different sections with little plastic tabs and put a binder clip around the entire packet.

What about photographs? Sorry for all these little questions but I just want to avoid any problems if I can.

What is a sufficient amount of photographic evidence?

Is it a problem that I'm only sending a notarized copy of my fiance's (sponsor) passport? Will they need a copy or original copy of her birth certificate?

Oh my, I think a clump of my hair just fell off lol

With photos, there's no set amount--figure on a few photos and leave it at that, since there's no real sense to go overboard with those things (the ECO really doesn't want to look through thirty pages of photos, so a handful is usually sufficient). Like WebyJ said, you're trying to prove you've met in person before, so a few pictures should be more than enough to help in that department.

A notarized copy of your fiance's passport is fine as well--you would only have to send in the birth certificate if you *weren't* going to have the passport notarized (so in that case it'd be photocopy of passport + birth certificate).