Applying for a fiance(e) visa: questions regarding large deposits, unemployment.

Hello! I'll be applying for a fiancee visa from the US in a month or so, and I have just a few questions that have been rattling me for the past couple days.

This is probably silly, and quite possibly unanswerable, but how large is a "large deposit"?  As in, is there a magic number at which point you need to explain where the deposit has came from? 

in keeping with that,  if given a monetary gift from a relative of 1000-4000 USD, (if necessary) how do you indicate that there is no expectation of repayment in the near-or-distant future, and the money is mine to spend freely in the UK?  A letter from the relative, signed and dated with a phone number and address attached, perhaps?  I just worry that there is no more "official" way to document a gift...When searching, I found an older thread that indicated that 1000 USD was not considered a large deposit, and it would be unnecessary to prove where those funds came from...So, is the large deposit explanation notice more for people who have sold cars or homes and deposited upwards of 10k into their accounts?

Very short, passport-style photo taken within six months: I know the applicant needs to provide one, but does the UK sponsor also need to provide one?  He'll be including his actual passport in our documentation; however, the photo was taken over 6 months ago...  Should an additional, recent passport-style photo be provided on his end as well?

Finally, I plan to quit my job about a month in advance of submitting the visa app/documents/et cetera, so i can concentrate on getting these items together, taking care of my final affairs here in the U.S., and so on and so forth; is this going to cause any consternation for those looking over our documents?  My payslips would end a few weeks before the actual submission of the application (as in, final slip dated week of June 24th, documents sent in week of July 22nd, just as an example) and I'll be technically "Unemployed" when filling out the app.

 I worry that this will be a mar--however, I have to imagine that many applicants for the fiance(e) visa going to the U.K. quit their jobs well in advance (at least a month, I'd suppose) of their travel date--just so that they may also prepare.  My thinking on the matter is as follows:  the UK is much more concerned with my sponsor's finances and job, as he will clearly have to be the providing partner until I've received a spousal visa/FLR.  So, will it cause much stink at all if I'm "unemployed" as of a few weeks before the visa application is sent in, with a little money of my own in savings and my fiance's finances shown as comfortably within the required range, weekly?  It always seems to me in reading and understanding of what they're looking for, that my current finances (unless something sets them apart, such as massive debt or massive savings--neither of which are the case for me) are really just a glaze--the eye is cast towards the UK partner to prove they can "provide" during the months leading up to marriage.


I know a lot of these are probably totally unfounded worries, but I also hope that these concerns are familiar to some of you, haha.  Just want everything to go as smoothly as possible, of course!  Thanks for any advice or experience.

Any gifts of money need to be explained by a letter from the person giving it to you. That it is a gift for whatever reason (just don't put 'to secure a visa') and that it does not need to be paid back. I would consider a 'large deposit' to be one of a size that is not normally transacting through my account.

Regarding passport photos - not need for a sponsor when applying from outside the UK.

As for your job, unless it will continue in the UK it is irrelevant to your visa application. You do not need to supply your payslips as it will not be included in the maintenance computation anyway as they will look at your sponsors financials (earnings/savings) and your savings since your job will not be continuing after you move.

Excellent, just as I had figured!  I was just a bit worried that a letter isn't too "official", in an application that is otherwise full of important documents just dripping with seriousness.  To have a letter from my mother saying "This is some rainy day money!" just seemed out-of-place, haha.

Glad to hear my payslips aren't even really a necessary aspect of the app; it makes perfect sense that since my job won't be continued into the UK they really don't care what I was making.  Thanks so much for the quick response!

Excellent, just as I had figured!  I was just a bit worried that a letter isn't too "official", in an application that is otherwise full of important documents just dripping with seriousness.  To have a letter from my mother saying "This is some rainy day money!"

Have it say more like a 'gift for your pending marriage'.

Oh yes, that definitely sounds much better--and is what the gift is intended for, as well!  Thank you again.

for ours we did:

letter from dad stating where money was from, what it was for (marriage gift) and that he didnt want it back
a copy of his bank statement showing money going out
copy of check

it was a fair amount, couple of grand.

Instead of creating a new thread, I'll just add on to this one with one more silly question:

I just got back from my appointment to have my biometric data collected, and I've seen a "receipt" referenced as the document I should be attaching to my visa application to prove that my biometrics have been taken.

I wasn't given a seperate receipt at the USCIS building, instead, my "Appointment Confirmation" printout that I had brought with me (with the barcode, which was scanned upon arrival) was stamped and signed--sort of a time-in, time-out, the person who took my data's signature, confirmation that my data was taken, et cetera sort of thing.

Now, like I said, probably a silly question-- but is this the same as the biometric receipt that is referenced in the various document checklists?  After this last little bit, we'll be completely ready to send it off!

It's the same thing.

Most excellent, all ready then!  Thank you so much for the super-speedy reply, WebyJ!  Here is hoping that the consulate will be even a fraction as prompt, haha.

If you purchase the Settlement Priority processing option for $300 you'd probably get it back by the end of the week 

Well, I did purchase the Priority Settlement Service as was made available on Worldbridge's site, and I've been billed accordingly: however, I was given an error message upon check-out and I have yet to receive a confirmation email.

I'm hoping it's just a matter of time before I receive the email; I've already emailed Worldbridge from their site--if I called the given number, do you think they'd be of any service, or would it be a waste of 12 dollars?  This whole process if fraught with enough tension, it would be nice if they had a more well put together check-out process.

I'll be buying the priority processing from WorldBridge and will post here to say if I get a confirmation email as part of the checkout process. I'd have thought one would; there's a whole flurry of emails after submitting the online application itself.

WebyJ, that sounds very encouraging. What if anything are you hearing about priority processing times for settlement visas at the moment? We're going through LA, unfortunately;   no big issues with the application, I hope, though our finances are a little non-standard.

You're definitely supposed to get a confirmation email, number, et cetera after purchasing the priority option--you have to attach the receipt of purchase and write the number on your envelope.  Iain, I hope it goes through fine for you, because this is definitely seeming to be quite the hassle if it doesn't immediately process in the correct fashion.  

Calling Worldbridge wasn't a massive pain, my connection was bad but that isn't their fault--however, I was just told that "the error would be reported to the consulate and they'd get back to me as soon as possible."  Doesn't exactly invoke a lot of confidence.

My only issue here, really, is the whole 'purchase on the same day you plan to send your application off' thing.  I wouldn't mind waiting to get this sorted out otherwise, I understand errors in newly implemented services.  I suppose, I mean, they did take my money (and the call's 12 dollar charge was added almost immediately as well); so at the very worst, they'll refund me for today's purchase and I'll do it again another day.  Just more waiting added on to a process that could very well give you an ulcer when it comes to waiting, haha.

edit: in case anyone in the future has a similar issue, or is worried that they may encounter the same problems, here is just some brief addendums:
-The browser I used while doing the transaction was Firefox, latest edition as of July 12th, 2010.
-The error message was something to the effect of "Object not found, technical department has been notified of this error."
-Within minutes I emailed Worldbridge through their "Contact Us" form, received standard form email back with 'case number'.
-About 30 minutes later I called the given number, had real trouble on the line understanding the woman/being understood (this was all connection based, and actually seems to be a problem on Worldbridge's side, as my fiance later calls and has the same issue)--after some time giving details such as my credit card info, what I had purchased, and my application GWF number, I'm told that she will contact the consulate and they will get in touch with me "as soon as possible".  The problem here being, it's already near 5:00 p.m. in Chicago, and a caveat of the priority service is that you must send your documents in the day of purchase.  Presumably, I will not hear back from them in time to send my documents in today (last express pick-up in my area is 8:30, but I would assume office hours have ended at the consulate), therefore, totally in a bind.
-My fiance also calls, gives same information, receives same answer.  Consulate will be contacted, you'll hear from them when you hear from them.

Doubt I'll be hearing back soon enough to turn in my documents today, so let's hope they recognize that, and just refund me the charge--and fix the cart error--and allow for me to purchase the service again tomorrow.  Boo hoo.

I've not come across anyone who has actually used the service through LA. But I would assume that it would be as quick as the old expediter route and say at least 24-48 hours. The new statistics aren't out yet so I can't rightly comment on it yet.

Thanks for the heads up, groupon. I think the whole online process could have done with a shakedown cruise.

And thanks, WebyJ. I'd been assuming it really would be 15 days. Sounds as if there's a chance she could be here quite a bit sooner... um, I'd better get the bachelor pad cleared up a little