Fiance Visa final questions

Hi again all.  I am finalizing all the paperwork for submission next week after my biometrics appointment and would like your thoughts.  We are using the savings route as my fiance in the UK just recently started her own consulting company and that seems to be more paperwork and more difficult.  She has over 100k in savings for over the 6months.  Please let me know your thoughts on this list:

Applicant (me):
completed online application - printed and signed
vaf4a appendix 2 printed
intro letter
priority receipt and return label
certified copy of divorce decree
copy of original marriage (not sure if needed?? one solicitor told me that i would need this - i didn't hire him and instead doing myself with your help)
screenshots of WhatsApp, email inbox screenshots, few pics together
2 recent boarding passes for both of us
UK size passport photo
passport - current
old passports (two - do i need to send these too?)
investment statements from fidelity for past 6months for my IRA (not sure if needed?)
couple cards that we've sent each other (our 1 and 2 year anniversary) and a congratulations card on our engagement

note: I am not working since last fall and once married in the UK will again work in tech

Sponsor (fiance)
Letter from her kept simple: that is -> UK citizen, financial using savings route, will live at her place which she owns, statement that she has no dependents and has never been married, 1 paragraph how we met, list of documents she included
Certified copy of her passport page
Bank statements for past 6 months (latest is end of Feb as she hasn't gotten march yet)
water bill
council tax bill
mortgage statement
certified copy of deed

We plan on getting married after I arrive (after waiting period) at the local (islington town hall).  When we looked to book the room it said that if either of us has been divorced (yes, me) then we could not book a room until we went to the give notice meeting.  Thus we haven't booked anything yet - will this be a problem?

If there is anything else that i should include please let me know.  thanks again in advance for your help.

We didn't go savings route but here is my checklist. From your list I think you need photos and communication proof. The wise elders on this side can give you more help obviously.but mine got approved!

 
Table of contents
a.   Current Passport
b. Any  Expired Passport
d.   2 passport sized photos of applicant

1.   Application and Receipts
a.   Application-
b.   Appendix-
c.   Biometrics Stamped Receipt
d.   IHS Payment Receipt and Confirmation Receipt
e.   Letter of Introduction
f.   Letter of Sponsorship
g.   Copy of Sponsor’s passport page
j.   Flight Itinerary
k.   Extra Return Shipping Label

2.   Financial Requirement – (so proof of savings held for 6 or more months with no dropping below minimum requirement

3.   Accommodation(may differ depending on what you are doing but must show what is going on we did staying with family)
a.   Letter of Invitation from Sponsor’s Parents to Live at Property
b.   Land Registry
c.   Land Lease
e.   Mortgage Statement

4.   Proof of Relationship
a.   Marriage license(you would add intent to marry information here)
b.   Photos
c.   Visits to See One Another and Holidays Taken Together( we did fight email confirmations some people do boarding passes)
d.   Communication Examples
i.   Facebook Messenger
ii.   Emails

    7. Return Shipping Packaging 

    8. We only did copies of what we wanted back so that's up to you what you wanted.


You would need to include your divorce decrees as well. And in proof of relationship show intent to marrry so engagement rings, corresponding with register that sort of thing.

What accommodation sre you using. Rental or ownership. If you let us know we can tell you what to send

Sorry you don't need your ira. You must send current and any expired passports.
 You don't need your original marriage certificate but you do need your divorce proof.

For property is she owns you need land registry, mortgage statement and that should be sufficient. 

Sorry replied fast on my phone earlier so missed a few things.

Please don't forget your divorce decree! Someone else did and was rejected with no chance to submit the decree.

Good luck!

Thanks for the feedback. I think I should be good on photos - I selected a few google photo collages from a few places we've been together (menorca, crete, barcelona) and from the engagement.  I took some screenshots of my inbox (not every month but a few selected months) and the same with viber chats.  I also have a sampling of screenshots from WhatsApp which we use for voice calls. I also have boarding passes from recent flights as well as couple e-ticket emails printed from two prior trips together.  I have a selection of cards from her to me and me to her over the past couple years to include. Finally, I printed off a few pages from FB showing our posts where we've been tagged.

On the divorce decree - I have a certified copy still in the manila envelope sent from the court house so that's of course going.

One more question - I do have 2 children from prior marriage.  I checked no to dependents on my app as they live with their mother and she has primary physical custody (although we share legal custody).  Is it worthwhile to note this in my letter (that i have 2 teenagers but they live with my ex and will come to visit during school breaks with no intention to live with me) or is this just asking for trouble?  i ask as on the decree it's names the kids and our parenting plan is attached as part of the decree [which is about 50 pages long as it was a negotiated separation agreement that was incorporated into decree].

thanks again for any feedback.

The more expirenced on the site would be better able to advise on the children but if you pay support for them they are still dependants? However they aren't moving with you so...yes I would wait to see what the others say. 

In terms of photos you only need really two. Don't do collages. I copy and pasted a picture into pages on mac(word is fine as well) and just wrote when and where it was and if any family or friends were in the photos with us. I went way overboard and did 8 but others on here have only done 2 and been just fine. 

Don't include the cards or the facebook status stuff it won't be considered. Stick to basic correspondence between you too(whats app, email, facebook messenger, text messages and phone record, Skype) pick one or two types don't overwhelm them. 

A common phrase used on here is the visa is tick boxs. Don't add more than what's needed as the important stuff can get lost in the shuffle. The checklist I pasted in is a good place to start.

You didn't respond about your accomidation situation. Does she own or renting? If you let us know we can tell you exactly what you need for your type!

sorry about the accommodation - she owns a flat (well has a mortgage) and has since 2009ish.  i have certified copy of land registry deed, mortgage statement, council tax and water bill.


i checked no to dependents as if i checked yes then there were a bunch of questions leading me to believe that is only for if they are moving with the applicant (and they are not).

thanks for advice on less is more - i want to ensure i have enough without overdoing it.

Believe me, we all get that worry it's so hard proving to others a relationship you know is real and loving. But the best advice on got here was to stay organised and just check the boxes of what they ask for. And they were right my visa was processed(non priority!) in less than a week! 

Ok so accommodation you have everything you need but you don't need the water bill. You just need the land registers, Mortgsge statement and you could Include the council tax. But not necessary. Just make sure in her letter of introduction she says she owns the property. Has she written that letter yet? 

sorry about the accommodation - she owns a flat (well has a mortgage) and has since 2009ish.  i have certified copy of land registry deed, mortgage statement, council tax and water bill.

Take out the water bill and the council tax bill - they are not required.

All you have to prove is that she OWNS the property... and you do that with the Land Registry document (and optional mortgage statement).

Anyone can be named on a water bill or council tax bill, whether they own the property or not (i.e. if you rent, you still have your name on those bills), so they do not prove homeownership and therefore do not need to be included.

i checked no to dependents as if i checked yes then there were a bunch of questions leading me to believe that is only for if they are moving with the applicant (and they are not).

Yes, that's correct - by dependents they mean children under 18 who are not UK citizens and are also applying for visas to move to the UK (i.e. children from a previous relationship). If there are any non-UK children applying too, then the income requirement that your fiance has to meet is higher because she has to show she can support the children too (i.e. fiance/spouse only is £18,600, fiance/spouse + 1 child is £22,400, fiance/spouse + 2 children is £24,800).