Tier 1 Dependant Application Form

As I've mentioned before, my husband was approved for a Tier 1 General visa in March.  Now we're trying to apply for my dependent visa and are experiencing something sort of screwy.  Based on the VAF10 form and general guidance, I had thought my application would consist of only personal information, evidence of maintenance, and evidence of our relationship, plus my husband's passport.  However, as I try and apply for a Tier 1 General (Partner) visa on the Visa4UK website, I'm being asked much more detailed information than I was expecting - things such as employment status, employer details (phone, email), gross income, net monthly income, monthly living expenses, etc.  Furthermore, it's vaguely written as to whether or not the application is asking about my current employment (at which I plan to be for another 1.5 months) or for employment plans once in the UK. 

None of this was on my husband's application and given that his visa is already issued, isn't there a simpler application process?  Do I have the wrong form?  Am I interpreting the instructions incorrectly?  Thanks once again for your help! 

Sorry for bumping this, but I've been fiddling around the the visa4uk site and am wondering if I have been trying to do this all wrong.

When we started the visa application yesterday, I chose "PBS Tier 1 Highly Skilled Migrant" as the Purpose of Application, and "Tier 1 (General) Partner" as the Type of Application.  But now I'm wondering if I am supposed to choose "Work Permit" for the Purpose, and "Work Permit Dependant more than 6 Months" as the type? 

Thanks again for any help/advice anyone may have!

Your husband has a Tier 1, why wouldn't you be a Tier 1 dependent?

'Work Permit' would be Tier 2 and 'work permit dependant more than 6 months' would be a Tier 2 dependant, so neither of these apply to you. I'm pretty sure you should be applying for Tier 1 (General) Partner (I just tried the application myself to see the options and I don't see any 'work permit' or 'work permit dependant' on there at all - it just says Tier 1(...) and Tier 2(...) ).

Just curious though as to why you didn't apply for the dependant visa at the same time your husband applied for his Tier 1? The UKBA page for Tier 1 dependants states that they prefer it if you send in both applications together.

From http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier1/general/applicationsbydependants/

Completing the dependant application form

If you have dependants who wish to join or remain with you in United Kingdom, you or they should complete the separate dependant application form.

We encourage you to send dependant applications at the same time as the main application.

Dependants should state if they are submitting their application at the same time as your application. This tells us that both applications should be considered together.

If you are the main applicant and you have already received official notification from us that your application has been successful, this should also be indicated in this section.

Dependants should also state the category under which you have submitted an application.

Thanks for your reply ksand24 - I didn't apply at the same time as my husband because we weren't totally sure his visa would be approved (there was some question as to whether his bank statements would be accepted).  Because losing one application fee was preferable to losing two, we didn't apply at once. 

When I went to the online visa application page, Tier 1 (General) Partner seemed to make the most sense (even though "Partner" has different implications than "Dependent").  The online application however was VERY different than the downloaded PDF VAF10 from the Home Office and had questions that seemed to imply a different set of approval criteria.  On the UK Home Office dependent application guidance, there is no mention of my needing to prove income or monthly expenses, etc., and yet for some reason this application was asking for a level of detail that felt incorrect. 

We have joint bank statements to prove maintenance and a marriage certificate ready to go to the consulate for approval, but this application issue is holding us up.  Something doesn't feel right about the online application for Tier 1 (General) Partner. 

I am hoping it is a simple oversight on my part and that there is an easy solution that will get us back on our way.  Can anyone else who has gone through this recently help?  Thanks again to all for your time. 

The on line forms are sh*t.  That is the only issue here.  You have to answer the pointless irrelevant questions anyway.

Vicky

Thanks for your reply, Victoria.  Do you think I should just classify myself as "unemployed" so I don't have to fill in all of the extraneous information?  Even though I am still currently employed, I will be unemployed and without a job lined up when I arrive in the UK in July.  Thanks again for your input!

I think you need to answer the questions honestly, as the situation is at the time of application.  You can't just misrepresent things because the questions are dumb.

Vicky

Sorry, I think my question wasn't clear.  I have no intention of being dishonest, I'm just not sure if the questions were referring to my current employment status, or my employment status in the UK.  The questions about the main applicant (my husband) also ask specifically about his employment in the UK (of which he currently has none).  Sounds like for me, I'll answer them in regards to my current situation. 

Thanks once more.

I realize it's a bit of a moot point now for this situation, but I thought that if you apply for your dependents at the time of the primary application that you only have to pay one fee and that only if you apply for dependents later do you have to pay a separate fee for them. Is that correct? 

No.  There has always been a seperate fee with out of country applications.  Dependents used to be free with in-country applications but now they are £50 each.

Vicky

No.  There has always been a seperate fee with out of country applications.  Dependents used to be free with in-country applications but now they are £50 each.

Vicky

Aww ok good to know! Thanks again Vicky.