Spousal Visa - Final Checklist + Questions

Hello Everyone,

Me and my wife are looking to apply on the 29th May and if you could have a look at our final checklist of documents, it would be much appreciated. So close to the finish line, we can taste it.

- Content Page

Application docs:
- Receipt of the priority visa service
- Pre-paid return shipping label from VFS
- VAF4A online application, signed
- VAF4A appendix 2
- IHS payment receipt
- Biometrics confirmation letter, stamped

Wife (Applicant):
- 2 passport pictures
- current passport and old passport (2013 - from when she was 18. We do not have any earlier as she was classed as a child then)
- 6 months bank statements showing over £16,000 in cash savings for 6 months
- birth certificate

Myself (Sponsor):
- My cover letter - (How I am eligible to sponsor, employment details and financial category, housing details and short history of relationship)
- Copy of Passport certified
- old passport
- Original tenancy agreement
- Letter from estate agent granting permission for applicant to live at address
- Letter from employer
- Original employment contract
- P60 (From current employer, but does not include previous employers. Should I apply for a full one from the government?)
- 6 month’s of bank statement (November 29th - May 29th )
- 6 month full pay slips (December, January, February, March, April, May - All 26th)

Proof of Relationship:
- Two pictures from wedding - 1 with me and the wife - 1 with both families included
- Two picture from earlier in the relationship
- 2018 - facetime history screenshots
- 2017 - whatsapp screenshots
- 2016 - Facebook messenger screenshots

Questions:
- In my bank statements, it shows that my wife has sent me some money in the past. Should I make a note of this in my cover letter to let the visa officer know that is where the money came from?
- I also received bonuses from work, but my basic salary has been over the £18,600 threshold. Should this matter?
- In January I briefly went into my agreed overdraft with my bank, should this affect anything or are they checking to make sure my pay was just going into my account?

Any help you guys could give would be amazing.

Thank you.   

Hello Everyone,

Me and my wife are looking to apply on the 29th May and if you could have a look at our final checklist of documents, it would be much appreciated. So close to the finish line, we can taste it.

- Content Page

Application docs:
- Receipt of the priority visa service
- Pre-paid return shipping label from VFS
- VAF4A online application, signed
- VAF4A appendix 2
- IHS payment receipt
- Biometrics confirmation letter, stamped

Wife (Applicant):
- 2 passport pictures
- current passport and old passport (2013 - from when she was 18. We do not have any earlier as she was classed as a child then)
- 6 months bank statements showing over £16,000 in cash savings for 6 months Remove, they won't consider her income for the financial requirements as you are not using cash savings to meet the requirement. And as £16k doesn't meet the financial requirement you run the risk of confusing the entry clearance officer. 
- birth certificate  Not required.  Her passport is all she needs.

Myself (Sponsor):
- My cover letter - (How I am eligible to sponsor, employment details and financial category, housing details and short history of relationship)
- Copy of Passport certified
- old passport
- Original tenancy agreement
- Letter from estate agent granting permission for applicant to live at address
- Letter from employer
- Original employment contract
- P60 (From current employer, but does not include previous employers. Should I apply for a full one from the government?)  No, just the current one is fine
- 6 month’s of bank statement (November 29th - May 29th )  See below.
 Also she should NOT submit the application until she has your documents IN HER HANDS
- 6 month full pay slips (December, January, February, March, April, May - All 26th)  What day is your December pay?  I suspect it was early that month.  Make sure your bank statement is cut to show this deposit. 

Proof of Relationship:
- Two pictures from wedding - 1 with me and the wife - 1 with both families included
- Two picture from earlier in the relationship
- 2018 - facetime history screenshots
- 2017 - whatsapp screenshots
- 2016 - Facebook messenger screenshots
Any boarding passes or flight confirmations?  These hold more weight, if you can add some in, great!

Questions:
- In my bank statements, it shows that my wife has sent me some money in the past. Should I make a note of this in my cover letter to let the visa officer know that is where the money came from?  Non issue
- I also received bonuses from work, but my basic salary has been over the £18,600 threshold. Should this matter?  Nope.  How have they worded it in your employment letter
- In January I briefly went into my agreed overdraft with my bank, should this affect anything or are they checking to make sure my pay was just going into my account?  They only care about what is going IN to your bank account.  You could have insane amounts of debt that could never be repaid but they don't care so long as the income in high enough.   

Any help you guys could give would be amazing.

Thank you.   

You are also missing your marriage certificate
And if either of you has been married before, you need the divorce decrees.

Hello,

- Yes we have the marriage certificate. I forgot to add that.

- My December pay was actually the 23rd, so will it still be ok doing 29th November to the 29th May?

- In the employment letter, they have said what my basic salary is, and in the payslips it says which part is a bonus and which is my basic.

- Also as our payslips are done through a third party, should I get them signed by my employer or is them acknowledging it in the employer letter enough evidence?

Thanks again

Hello,

- Yes we have the marriage certificate. I forgot to add that.

- My December pay was actually the 23rd, so will it still be ok doing 29th November to the 29th May?

- In the employment letter, they have said what my basic salary is, and in the payslips it says which part is a bonus and which is my basic.

- Also as our payslips are done through a third party, should I get them signed by my employer or is them acknowledging it in the employer letter enough evidence?

Thanks again

Actually, I would include your November payslip as well.  As even if your December payslip specifies that it is from December 1st, to only cover to May 29th is not six FULL months.  So throw in November!

Ensure your bank statements show the November pay deposited as well as the May deposit (so six FULL months) and you'll be all set.

How do you receive your payslips?  Electronically or are they issued as paper copies?

I can put in November’s payslip but I started this position on the 13th November so it will not be a full pay slip. Would this affect it?

I get my payslips electronically.

I can put in November’s payslip but I started this position on the 13th November so it will not be a full pay slip. Would this affect it?

I get my payslips electronically.

If you get the payslips electronically, you will need to either have a letter from the issuing authority to authenticate them - or have them signed and stamped on each pay by your payroll or HR department.

Did we have this chat before?  I feel like we did?  I thought you were going to apply under category B and send all your payslips from the past year?  I may be confusing you with someone else, just the Nov 13th date is standing out.

Ok, super. I can get them stamped/authenticated.

No I don't think so as I spent last year from June to September in the US getting married so wouldn't be able to use last years payslips. I have just checked and December was on the 21st and Novembers part payslip was paid on 27th.

If my payslips are the 1st to the end of the month should I apply at the start of June instead and date my bank statement from 1st December to the 1st of June?

Ok, super. I can get them stamped/authenticated.

No I don't think so as I spent last year from June to September in the US getting married so wouldn't be able to use last years payslips. I have just checked and December was on the 21st and Novembers part payslip was paid on 27th.

If my payslips are the 1st to the end of the month should I apply at the start of June instead and date my bank statement from 1st December to the 1st of June?

Does your payslip say December 1st on it anywhere?  (defining the pay period)

No it only has the date that is was issued. Would it be better to include bank statements from the day I started and include the November payslip and have my employer make a note of it in in their letter?

No it only has the date that is was issued. Would it be better to include bank statements from the day I started and include the November payslip and have my employer make a note of it in in their letter?

Honestly?  I think you should wait one more month before applying.

As you weren't working before, you can't use Category B (adds up all the payslips over the previous 12 months - if over £18,600 - box ticked).

For Category A, they will use the LOWEST payslip from the previous six months and multiply that by 12.  If over £18,600 - box ticked.

If the November payslip is at least £1,550 before tax - you are good to apply now.  If not...  I'd wait.   

Is that even though I will have the 6 months payslips: December, January, February, March, April, May. These will all have been issued at the end of the month so does that not show six full months payments. I am just thinking because I will have been in my employment for over 6 months and and have 6 full payslips to show that.

Sorry if I am missing the point. :/

Is that even though I will have the 6 months payslips: December, January, February, March, April, May. These will all have been issued at the end of the month so does that not show six full months payments. I am just thinking because I will have been in my employment for over 6 months and and have 6 full payslips to show that.

Sorry if I am missing the point. :/

But the date on your payslips is December 21st - May 29th.... which is just over 5 months.  I get that it's six months pay.  But they will look at the dates.

You have to remember logic doesn't come into play.  It's literally a tick box visa. 

You could try by having your payroll/HR department write a letter to state that the six payslips provided cover from December 1st to May 31st to get you to the FULL six months.  But it would be a gamble.

We just recently had a member approved for being 4 days short.  That's why we are asking everyone to post the dates of their bank statements and payslips now.  Just doing what we can to help ensure approvals!

Ultimately it is 100% your decision.  Maybe I'm being too cautious.  But I don't gamble with other people's money.   

Yeah I know exactly where you are coming from. It is such a nightmare. I will talk it over with my wife and see what we want to do. I will also have a word with HR and get the full idea and see what they can prove.

I dont understand why they dont have a number you can call to ask these questions ha.

Yeah I know exactly where you are coming from. It is such a nightmare. I will talk it over with my wife and see what we want to do. I will also have a word with HR and get the full idea and see what they can prove.

I dont understand why they dont have a number you can call to ask these questions ha.

I know.  It's like they make the applications ambiguous in order to cause maximum confusion.

I know you've worked six months.  You know you've worked six months.  Your company knows you've worked six months.  UKVI - well <sigh>.  They have to tick those boxes, you know?

yeah, i suppose it is anything to make you apply twice. Thank you for all your help anyway.