Faxed Document Okay?

Hi all,

I've posted once before, when I was considering going the fiance visa route. After some wonderful advice from many of you, we decided to get married in the USA first and then apply for my UK Spouse Visa afterwards... We were married on March 27th (YAY!) and he was back in the UK on the 31st. We submitted the online application, and I did my biometrics a week and a half ago. We have every document we could possibly need except for ONE!

There is where my issue lies. I'm overnighting my application, and want to send it no later than tomorrow morning to assure it gets there within 2 weeks of my biometrics. However, the only thing we are missing is a letter from our Landlord saying I can move in. We have the tenancy agreement, which my Husband's name is on, but not the letter relating to me. Our landlord did write a letter for us, and my husband mailed it Airsure, which should have meant it would be here in 4 days at the most, which means it should have been here last week. Yet as of today, it is still not here... He was able to obtain a SECOND letter from our landlord, which he is now faxing out of desperation at the horrible mail service (whom I have been on the phone to countless time, and no one will hold any sort of accountability). I wrote a letter to include with my application, explaining why it is a faxed copy and not the original. Everything else is the original except for my husband's passport (which is a notarized copy) and a copy of my degree (also notarized). Will this hurt us?

Oh, I also included in my letter that my husband can directly mail them another original letter from the landlord if the faxed copy does not suffice.

I believe you'll be ok...most of my doc's for my spousal were copies or scanned copies of docs...as yourself we have the luxury of being American and so the ECO's tend not to be as picky if you were applying from another country. All you can do is sit back and relax...If the consulate has an issue they most likely will just call you and ask for the original...it's happened before.

You may still end up getting your letter through the mail--my fiance used Airsure to mail his documents, and I got my stuff after about a week or so. Their website said something about 3-5 days, but that wasn't guaranteed at all, and they don't track the package once it hits the US, so that may be why they can't tell you anything. So, it may still come through, but it doesn't seem like it'll be in time.

They may very well ask for the original letter at some point, but as long as you make a point in your letter to state that you do have an original in the UK, it should be alright. Your husband might be wise to FedEx the original to you so you can send it off if you need to (if it doesn't still come through the post), just in case they do ask for it, so you're not waiting for it to come through from the UK while keeping your application on hold. I don't think having the faxed letter would *automatically* disqualify your application--the ECO will just ask for the original if they need to. And you're alright with notarized copies of those other documents as well.

I believe you'll be ok...most of my doc's for my spousal were copies or scanned copies of docs...as yourself we have the luxury of being American and so the ECO's tend not to be as picky if you were applying from another country. All you can do is sit back and relax...If the consulate has an issue they most likely will just call you and ask for the original...it's happened before.

This made me feel MUCH better. Thank you very much! I love this community...

You may still end up getting your letter through the mail--my fiance used Airsure to mail his documents, and I got my stuff after about a week or so. Their website said something about 3-5 days, but that wasn't guaranteed at all, and they don't track the package once it hits the US, so that may be why they can't tell you anything. So, it may still come through, but it doesn't seem like it'll be in time.

They may very well ask for the original letter at some point, but as long as you make a point in your letter to state that you do have an original in the UK, it should be alright. Your husband might be wise to FedEx the original to you so you can send it off if you need to (if it doesn't still come through the post), just in case they do ask for it, so you're not waiting for it to come through from the UK while keeping your application on hold. I don't think having the faxed letter would *automatically* disqualify your application--the ECO will just ask for the original if they need to. And you're alright with notarized copies of those other documents as well.

Yeah, read that Airsure isn't guaranteed as well. I'm so upset about it though... It has never taken me this long to recieve a letter from him, even when it's been sent First Class!!!

FedExing is an idea... Although, I have a feeling it will come through. We're thinking I'll end up getting it tomorrow. However, I do not want to risk waiting and making my application late... If the original comes, and they request it, I'll overnight that to them as well. If they request it and it has NOT come in the mail, I could just make my husband FedEx it directly to the consulate.

Thanks for your help! And congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Exactly 2 months after mine.  I hope yours is wonderful as well. Good luck to you.

Yeah, read that Airsure isn't guaranteed as well. I'm so upset about it though... It has never taken me this long to recieve a letter from him, even when it's been sent First Class!!!

FedExing is an idea... Although, I have a feeling it will come through. We're thinking I'll end up getting it tomorrow. However, I do not want to risk waiting and making my application late... If the original comes, and they request it, I'll overnight that to them as well. If they request it and it has NOT come in the mail, I could just make my husband FedEx it directly to the consulate.

Thanks for your help! And congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Exactly 2 months after mine.  I hope yours is wonderful as well. Good luck to you.

Are you using a courier? If you needed to you could overnight it to the courier and they could make sure it got there safe as well. And I was a bit nervous about Airsure as well, they were supposed to have me sign for it (supposedly anyway, that's what they told my fiance at the post office) but it got stuffed in my mailbox instead

It's prolly a good idea to send the fax, generally, so you can make the deadline; it'd be worse not to include it at all than to have the fax, and make it known that it's not a problem at some point to send in the original. I'm sure they've seen stuff like that before.

Awww, thanks, I'm starting to get a bit antsy to get this stuff going and get my visa sorted Good luck with your application

Awww, thanks, I'm starting to get a bit antsy to get this stuff going and get my visa sorted Good luck with your application

I know all about being antsy! And I only had a small wedding (Really, only 9 guests. We went with the minimalist approach). Mostly because we wanted to do it quickly, and because it was sudden. I had been doing my student teaching in London, and my school was going to sponsor me for a work visa, but then found out that their borough didn't have a license to sponsor americans. So rather than live apart for another year, until we could afford a bigger wedding, we took the easy way out. And it was wonderful.

I see yours has been a long time coming too! (We also met online in 2001. Started dating in 2003, when I was only 16!) So revel in it! It will be the best day of your life.

I know all about being antsy! And I only had a small wedding (Really, only 9 guests. We went with the minimalist approach). Mostly because we wanted to do it quickly, and because it was sudden. I had been doing my student teaching in London, and my school was going to sponsor me for a work visa, but then found out that their borough didn't have a license to sponsor americans. So rather than live apart for another year, until we could afford a bigger wedding, we took the easy way out. And it was wonderful.

I see yours has been a long time coming too! (We also met online in 2001. Started dating in 2003, when I was only 16!) So revel in it! It will be the best day of your life.

Yeah, we're having a civil ceremony since he's only here for two weeks on holiday with his son, then he has to go back to work. But it'll be okay, I'll take two weeks instead of nothing And I think my application is pretty straightforward, and I'll use a courier, so I don't think the separation will be too bad.

I think it'll be pretty surreal, but I'm looking forward to it nonetheless, he'll be in town in about 34 days We started talking when I was 17 or so, but didn't *really* start talking and dating until 2005 once I finished school and he got divorced, so yeah, it's been a few years so far

So, I JUST got the letter today  . Actually they tried to deliver it yesterday and no one was home, so they left a slip that said I could pick it up today. I thought it was a package that I ordered, but no it was the letter. I just overnighted the application yesterday with a letter explaining why it was a faxed copy... Should I send the original with another letter? Or will the faxed copy suffice? It was faxed from the office that is renting us the flat, if that helps.

I'd wait to hear from the Consualte...most likely, if they need it they'll let you know and give you a call.

I'd wait to hear from the Consualte...most likely, if they need it they'll let you know and give you a call.

Alright. I thought that would be fine, but figured it was worth asking. Thanks!

Hi all,

I've posted once before, when I was considering going the fiance visa route. After some wonderful advice from many of you, we decided to get married in the USA first and then apply for my UK Spouse Visa afterwards... We were married on March 27th (YAY!) and he was back in the UK on the 31st. We submitted the online application, and I did my biometrics a week and a half ago. We have every document we could possibly need except for ONE!

There is where my issue lies. I'm overnighting my application, and want to send it no later than tomorrow morning to assure it gets there within 2 weeks of my biometrics. However, the only thing we are missing is a letter from our Landlord saying I can move in. We have the tenancy agreement, which my Husband's name is on, but not the letter relating to me. Our landlord did write a letter for us, and my husband mailed it Airsure, which should have meant it would be here in 4 days at the most, which means it should have been here last week. Yet as of today, it is still not here... He was able to obtain a SECOND letter from our landlord, which he is now faxing out of desperation at the horrible mail service (whom I have been on the phone to countless time, and no one will hold any sort of accountability). I wrote a letter to include with my application, explaining why it is a faxed copy and not the original. Everything else is the original except for my husband's passport (which is a notarized copy) and a copy of my degree (also notarized). Will this hurt us?

Oh, I also included in my letter that my husband can directly mail them another original letter from the landlord if the faxed copy does not suffice.

March 27th, eh? That's a good day to be married ... my husband and I just "celebrated" our 10th anniversary this past March 27th. (hard to really celebrate it when we were in different countries ... boo hiss)

My opinion, I think a faxed copy of the landlord's letter will be just fine. And I used a certified copy of my husband's passport (done at the post office) and a scanned copy of my uni transcripts showing I have a Bachelor's degree along with scanned copies of my husband's varied vocational certificates. It worked for me, I got my visa.

Again, the best of luck to you!

March 27th, eh? That's a good day to be married ... my husband and I just "celebrated" our 10th anniversary this past March 27th. (hard to really celebrate it when we were in different countries ... boo hiss)

My opinion, I think a faxed copy of the landlord's letter will be just fine. And I used a certified copy of my husband's passport (done at the post office) and a scanned copy of my uni transcripts showing I have a Bachelor's degree along with scanned copies of my husband's varied vocational certificates. It worked for me, I got my visa.

Again, the best of luck to you!

Aww yay! Sorry you had to be apart for your 10 year anniversary though.

March 27th was a PERFECT day. It was a bright sunny spring day. And the only day that wasn't rainy and cold in the time my Husband was here for the wedding (which by the way was only 10 days. I think it should be illegal to separate newlyweds. )

I think it should be illegal to separate newlyweds. )

I second that...I had to put my husband on a plane back to the UK 24 hours after we were married AND I was 28 weeks pregnant at the time...I caught a cold and lost my voice for 2 weeks so it made communicating nearly impossible on my way back to way up north California after watching him fly away from SF airport...but, what doesn't kill us makes us that much more stronger. Those were the worst 6 weeks of my life  :\\\'( I still get upset when I think about it.

I second that...I had to put my husband on a plane back to the UK 24 hours after we were married AND I was 28 weeks pregnant at the time...I caught a cold and lost my voice for 2 weeks so it made communicating nearly impossible on my way back to way up north California after watching him fly away from SF airport...but, what doesn't kill us makes us that much more stronger. Those were the worst 6 weeks of my life  :\\\'( I still get upset when I think about it.

Awwwww That is really depressing! I'm not pregnant, but I DID catch the worst cold right after he left. Maybe it's just heartbreak disease! It will only be slightly better when I go over to live with him though. Because I will have to leave my family, who I am very very close with... I wish I could just have everyone in the same place!