Need Help with Fiance Visa Process (US Male, UK Female Citizen)

1) Also, if you print out your email receipt with the number on it, you can include that as well.

2) Yes, that's fine... though how are you getting your passport, biometrics receipt and application forms to her?


3) You put whatever your reason for choosing to live in the UK is.

1) The emails we received for the IHS were more confirmations that the transaction went through, though it does provide me with an IHS reference number.  I have one from the home office, and another from immigration health surcharge service.  I guess my wife will just print both and include them.

2) My wife was in America over the past two weeks so we could get married and get some of the visa stuff taken care of to the point where we could send it off when she got back to the UK.  We got my biometrics done the day she went back to the UK, so she has the stamped confirmation sheet, my passport, we printed my application so she has that, and we did the VAF4A while she was here so she has that as well.  The only documents we have left to gather are able to be shared through email so she can print them out at home and add them.

3) I would put down that she owns a flat that we will be living in once the renter's contract is up, but I'm worried that would complicate things with our application since the accommodation and land registry titles we are providing are for her parents house as we will be living there first (and until the renter is gone).  Is simply saying that we are married and wish to live together enough reason for us to want to live in the UK?  Or do I need to include more information?  I just don't want to put something down and for them to think it's not good enough to let me in.

1) The emails we received for the IHS were more confirmations that the transaction went through, though it does provide me with an IHS reference number.  I have one from the home office, and another from immigration health surcharge service.  I guess my wife will just print both and include them.

All you need is the number. It doesn't matter whether or not you include the email(s) - though if you want to, you can.

2) My wife was in America over the past two weeks so we could get married and get some of the visa stuff taken care of to the point where we could send it off when she got back to the UK.  We got my biometrics done the day she went back to the UK, so she has the stamped confirmation sheet, my passport, we printed my application so she has that, and we did the VAF4A while she was here so she has that as well.  The only documents we have left to gather are able to be shared through email so she can print them out at home and add them.

Ah, okay - I didn't check to see if you had already applied or not.

Remember, you only have 5 days from biometrics for her to post the documents.

3) I would put down that she owns a flat that we will be living in once the renter's contract is up, but I'm worried that would complicate things with our application since the accommodation and land registry titles we are providing are for her parents house as we will be living there first (and until the renter is gone).  Is simply saying that we are married and wish to live together enough reason for us to want to live in the UK?  Or do I need to include more information?  I just don't want to put something down and for them to think it's not good enough to let me in.

You just need 1 sentence... so whatever you feel explains it best.

Examples:
- my sponsor owns property in the UK, which we plan to live in in the future
or
- my sponsor has a more established career in the UK than I have in the US
or
- it's easier for me to transfer to a job in the UK than for my sponsor to find work in the US
or
- my sponsor has children/elderly parents/close family in the UK she wishes to remain close to
or
- I don't have as many ties in the US as my sponsor has in the UK
or simply
- we would prefer to live together in the UK rather than in the US

Remember, you only have 5 days from biometrics for her to post the documents.

Examples:
- my sponsor owns property in the UK, which we plan to live in in the future

As for biometrics, we got them done on 12 April 2018.  We plan to post the application with supporting documents on 16 April 2018, 17 April 2018 at the absolute latest.

If she writes that we would just simply prefer to live in the UK together rather than the US, and that she owns property which we plan to live in in the future, would we need to provide evidence that she owns the property?  If it is absolutely necessary, I could provide her land registry title as well, though I don't want to complicate the process or confuse the ECO.

All we really have left to do is finish her letter of support, print out the land registry title, make some final corrections on the VAF4A, and put in her missing payslip for March.

As for biometrics, we got them done on 12 April 2018.  We plan to post the application with supporting documents on 16 April 2018, 17 April 2018 at the absolute latest.

Cool . I didn't go back to check earlier posts in the thread, so I couldn't remember if you were aware of that or not.

If she writes that we would just simply prefer to live in the UK together rather than the US, and that she owns property which we plan to live in in the future, would we need to provide evidence that she owns the property?  If it is absolutely necessary, I could provide her land registry title as well, though I don't want to complicate the process or confuse the ECO.

You are seriously overthinking this. It's just a sentence - it won't affect the application in any way, and no evidence is needed because you are not using the flat to meet the accommodation requirement.

The relationship section of her letter should just read something like:

We met on A date in B location. We entered into a relationship on C date and have made the following visits to each other since (give visit dates). We keep in contact on a daily/weekly/monthly basis by (give means of contact). We got engaged on E date and got married on F date in G location. We are choosing to settle in the UK together because I own property in the UK which we plan to live in together in the future.

(I've only included the property reason, because you don't really need to put anything else)

Cool . I didn't go back to check earlier posts in the thread, so I couldn't remember if you were aware of that or not.

You are seriously overthinking this. It's just a sentence - it won't affect the application in any way, and no evidence is needed because you are not using the flat to meet the accommodation requirement.

The relationship section of her letter should just read something like:

We met on A date in B location. We entered into a relationship on C date and have made the following visits to each other since (give visit dates). We keep in contact on a daily/weekly/monthly basis by (give means of contact). We got engaged on E date and got married on F date in G location. We are choosing to settle in the UK together because I own property in the UK which we plan to live in together in the future.

(I've only included the property reason, because you don't really need to put anything else)

Sorry to bother you guys, I know I'm going into way too much detail, I'm just wanting to make sure I do everything possible to ensure this goes right the first time.  I really appreciate the help.  My next post will probably be our document checklist before we submit it by post!

Cool . I didn't go back to check earlier posts in the thread, so I couldn't remember if you were aware of that or not.

You are seriously overthinking this.

I lied that this would be my last question. I'm really sorry.

I'm trying to pay for settlement priority service and for return shipping on VFS but it says: Security Channel Error, please try again!

What exactly is the issue?

Sorry to bother you guys, I know I'm going into way too much detail, I'm just wanting to make sure I do everything possible to ensure this goes right the first time.  I really appreciate the help.  My next post will probably be our document checklist before we submit it by post!

Don't worry, we understand! 

Make sure she uses special delivery from the post office if she is mailing within the UK.

I lied that this would be my last question. I'm really sorry.

I'm trying to pay for settlement priority service and for return shipping on VFS but it says: Security Channel Error, please try again!

What exactly is the issue?

It's often glitchy. Try clearing cookies, using another browser and if that doesn't work, leave it for a bit and get back to it. 

Don't worry, we understand! 

Make sure she uses special delivery from the post office if she is mailing within the UK.

It's often glitchy. Try clearing cookies, using another browser and if that doesn't work, leave it for a bit and get back to it. 

Thank you.

I just noticed that I was off by a day on my travel history to the UK on the visa application too   I accidentally put down the day I flew rather than the day I arrived since it was an overnight flight.  Am I able to cross out the date of arrival and write down the correct one?  I really hope I haven't screwed up majorly.

I just noticed that I was off by a day on my travel history to the UK on the visa application too   I accidentally put down the day I flew rather than the day I arrived since it was an overnight flight.  Am I able to cross out the date of arrival and write down the correct one?  I really hope I haven't screwed up majorly.

Not an issue and no need to correct it.

Presumably your boarding pass/flight ticket will show the date you got on the plane anyway.

Not an issue and no need to correct it.

Presumably your boarding pass/flight ticket will show the date you got on the plane anyway.

My wife wants to know how she needs to present the documents in the package before she posts it to UKVI in Sheffield?  Should we put all of the documents in folders/binders/dividers?  Should the documents be hole-punched and kept in a ring binder? Or should we just group all of the documents together in one pile, and put it in an envelope?  I just found out that we needed to write priority service on the outside, so I'll make sure that's done.  What is the best way to organize/send off the application and documents?

My wife wants to know how she needs to present the documents in the package before she posts it to UKVI in Sheffield?  Should we put all of the documents in folders/binders/dividers?  Should the documents be hole-punched and kept in a ring binder? Or should we just group all of the documents together in one pile, and put it in an envelope?  I just found out that we needed to write priority service on the outside, so I'll make sure that's done.  What is the best way to organize/send off the application and documents?

No folders.
Just two piles, one for all the original documents and one for copies.
Put them in order according to the requirements with the admin stuff at the top and the priority receipt on the very top.

My wife wants to know how she needs to present the documents in the package before she posts it to UKVI in Sheffield?  Should we put all of the documents in folders/binders/dividers?  Should the documents be hole-punched and kept in a ring binder? Or should we just group all of the documents together in one pile, and put it in an envelope?

No folders, binders, dividers, plastic sleeves or anything like that.

You just put them in sensible piles and place in an envelope. You can secure the piles with paper clips or rubber bands if you like.

So, it will be:
- priority receipt on the very top
- return shipping label
- Applicant documents:
- Sponsor documents:
- Financial documents
- Accommodation documents
- Relationship documents
- Copies of original documents

I just found out that we needed to write priority service on the outside, so I'll make sure that's done.

Yes, she must write SETTLEMENT PRIORITY SERVICE in very large letters on the outermost packaging, then the priority receipt goes on the top of the documents.

If she is sending from inside the UK she can use Royal Mail, but she should do either Recorded or Special Delivery so that it's signed for.

No folders, binders, dividers, plastic sleeves or anything like that.

You just put them in sensible piles and place in an envelope. You can secure the piles with paper clips or rubber bands if you like.

So, it will be:
- priority receipt on the very top
- return shipping label
- Applicant documents:
- Sponsor documents:
- Financial documents
- Accommodation documents
- Relationship documents
- Copies of original documents

Yes, she must write SETTLEMENT PRIORITY SERVICE in very large letters on the outermost packaging, then the priority receipt goes on the top of the documents.

If she is sending from inside the UK she can use Royal Mail, but she should do either Recorded or Special Delivery so that it's signed for.

Thank you.  She is a very organized person and wanted to just present it as nice as possible but I was just trying to explain that they didn't want any of that and we just needed to put it all in piles.  She was wanting confirmation.

If she is sending from inside the UK she can use Royal Mail, but she should do either Recorded or Special Delivery so that it's signed for.

I wouldn't use recorded delivery for anything that can't easily be replaced as it just goes with the regular mail so could get lost more easily.
Special delivery is a separate service and is tracked all the way so much safer for anything precious. 

Thank you.  She is a very organized person and wanted to just present it as nice as possible but I was just trying to explain that they didn't want any of that and we just needed to put it all in piles.  She was wanting confirmation.

Yeah, the first thing they would do would just be remove and discard any folders so you are making their work easier not to include them in the first place!