Our FLRM application thread

Hi all,

We're getting started on getting my second FLRM visa, and we just had some questions about the online application:

1. For the separate ID's, do we list out of date State ID? I have one, but it's expired

2. the question that asks what is my current permission to be in the UK (the options are visit/workstudy/family/EEA residence permit, settlement or other) do I list other, then type in spousal? or do I select 'family'

3.Under shared financial responsibilities, I have student loans, that I personally pay for. would they be classed as a shared financial responsibility?

4. In the documents section, what are they referring to when they say : "Any relevant declarations or third party consent to request verification checks "

5. We're also concerned that there is no section for financial checks. Is that a separate form? We  don't want to accidentally not do what is needed to show that we qualify . My husband is disabled and on personal independent payments, but we would be looking to satisfy the financial requirements using just my wage and our combined savings. (£15500 net wage £24000 his savings and £4700 my savings)

1. For the separate ID's, do we list out of date State ID? I have one, but it's expired

You should not be listing any ID except your passport.

2. the question that asks what is my current permission to be in the UK (the options are visit/workstudy/family/EEA residence permit, settlement or other) do I list other, then type in spousal? or do I select 'family'

It's either Family or Settlement (because a spousal visa is a family settlement visa, so technically, it's both).

I think most people put Family.

3.Under shared financial responsibilities, I have student loans, that I personally pay for. would they be classed as a shared financial responsibility?

No, because your spouse is not named on your student loan... so, it's YOUR responsibility to pay it, not your spouse's.

It's asking for JOINT responsibilities that BOTH of you are responsible for paying together.

So, things like:
- rent or mortgage payments, to which you both contribute
- loans you have taken out together, so both your names are on them
- utility bills that you both pay for
etc.

4. In the documents section, what are they referring to when they say : "Any relevant declarations or third party consent to request verification checks "

The declarations are part of the online application - you will be asked to sign them when you get to that section.

I believe there is:
- applicant declaration
- sponsor declaration
- consent to request verification checks form for your sponsor to sign

5. We're also concerned that there is no section for financial checks. Is that a separate form? We  don't want to accidentally not do what is needed to show that we qualify . My husband is disabled and on personal independent payments, but we would be looking to satisfy the financial requirements using just my wage and our combined savings. (£15500 net wage £24000 his savings and £4700 my savings)

No, there is no separate form.

There should be an entire section of the online application dedicated to how you meet the financial requirement, as it is one of the most important parts of the application.

It should ask you how you are meeting the financial requirement, and will ask for your employment and savings details.

If he is receiving PIP though, you should be exempt from meeting the financial requirement - which you will indicate on the application form -  and will need to show Adequate Maintenance through your employment and savings:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/452967/IDI_Adequate_Maintenance_and_Accommodation_Appendix_FM_Annex_1_7A.pdf

No, there is no separate form.

There should be an entire section of the online application dedicated to how you meet the financial requirement, as it is one of the most important parts of the application.

It should ask you how you are meeting the financial requirement, and will ask for your employment and savings details.

If he is receiving PIP though, you should be exempt from meeting the financial requirement - which you will indicate on the application form -  and will need to show Adequate Maintenance through your employment and savings:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/452967/IDI_Adequate_Maintenance_and_Accommodation_Appendix_FM_Annex_1_7A.pdf [nofollow]

We haven't seen a section where we show that we meet the requirement through savings. There has been one on my employment status and monthly income, but no place to list his savings or a place to state how we want to apply (savings combines with net wage)
Is this because we listed his receiving of PIP? Did it change the layout of the application? Or is there something that I may have missed?

Thank you, I'm just very nervous that I may be missing something important.

We haven't seen a section where we show that we meet the requirement through savings. There has been one on my employment status and monthly income, but no place to list his savings or a place to state how we want to apply (savings combines with net wage)
Is this because we listed his receiving of PIP? Did it change the layout of the application? Or is there something that I may have missed?

Thank you, I'm just very nervous that I may be missing something important.

No, I don’t think you are missing anything.

It’s likely because you listed his PIP - because that means the normal financial section does not apply to you.

Instead of applying under Category A/B and Category C and meeting the £18,600 requirement. You now are not applying under any of the categories and are applying as exempt from meeting the financial requirement.

This means that instead of showing £18,600 per year in employment plus savings, you instead show that:

- you have at least £114.85 left over each week after paying rent and council tax.

So it will be calculated as:

(All weekly income from any source + average weekly savings) - (weekly rent + weekly council tax) = £114.85 or more

Or if you are calculating it monthly, you would need to show £497.68 left over each month after paying rent and council tax.

Thanks, that really put our minds at ease,

I just wanted to check when would be the best time to actually submit my application. My visa expires on July 18th. I've heard from some that leaving the submission until later is better, but knowing the amount of time typically done would be really helpful.

I just wanted to check when would be the best time to actually submit my application. My visa expires on July 18th. I've heard from some that leaving the submission until later is better, but knowing the amount of time typically done would be really helpful.

This is your second FLR(M), correct?  Meaning you entered the UK on a fiance visa, got married and switched to FLR(M)?

In that case, the absolute earliest date you can apply is 28 days before your visa expires... so if your visa expires July 18th, the earliest you can apply will be 20th June 2020.

Normally the issue with applying 'too early' is if you use the Super Priority Service for a 24-hour decision, because that will mean that your visa will be issued quickly and may not give you much time to apply for ILR in 2.5 years.

For example, say you applied online on June 20th, had your biometrics appointment on June 22nd, and your visa was granted on June 22nd... that would mean that it would expire on December 22nd 2022. However, assuming your first FLR(M) started on 18th January 2018, you cannot apply for ILR until December 21st 2022... which gives you a window of only 48 hours to apply for ILR.

However, if you applied online on June 20th, had biometrics on June 22nd, but didn't pay for the Super Priority Service, it would normally take 8 weeks for your visa to be processed, meaning you would get it in late August and it would expire in late February 2023, giving you a window of 2 months to apply for ILR.

ALSO, with the biometrics centres being shut for the last 2.5 months, and no Super Priority service having been available, and the fact that there's likely to be a delay with processing applications since they haven't been able to process any applications from March, April, or May yet,  it's likely you'll have to wait several weeks for a biometrics appointment anyway, so regardless of when you apply, it's unlikely you'll get your visa 'too soon' anyway.

Thanks, this has been incredibly helpful so far in the application process. Just a few more questions as we're rounding off getting everything sent.

1. I just wanted to double check how many pieces of mail are needed from each of us, from how many sources, and how should they be distributed through the past years?

2. In regards to my husband's parent's passports, how many pages should be photocopied? Should we copy every page of their passports, or just the pages that identify them. Also, does it matter if their passports have expired?

3. How recent do my bank statements need to be? Do I need the bank statement for June? or just up to May?

For mail, it's 6 joint or 12 individual items.  From at least 3 different sources spaced evenly over the last period of leave, so one item from each 4/5 month period.

Your husband's parents passports are not needed for the application at all.

Bank statements must be no older than 28 days old from the DATE of application.  So all depends on the date you apply as to what date range you need to cover.

In regards to payslips.

I have PDF copies of my payslips from the past 6  months. Is it adequate proof to have my employer print and sign those?

Also I asked for a letter from my employer with the below information. Is it adequate?

a confirmation of my employment
My role within
My gross annual salary
My annual salary after tax and National Insurance contributions
My length of employment and type of employment (permanent, fixed-term, contract or agency)

I asked that it be signed and dated.


Thank you

Hello all,

In regards to the consent forms. My in-laws provide us with rent free housing. Does that count as financial support? I want to know, because if so they would have to sign the third party sponsor consent form. I don't want to accidentally not have them sign it, or have them sign it when it is not necessary.

Also, when photocopying their passports as ID, do I need to include all of the pages, or is only the ID page needed?

Thanks

Hello all,

In regards to the consent forms. My in-laws provide us with rent free housing. Does that count as financial support? I want to know, because if so they would have to sign the third party sponsor consent form. I don't want to accidentally not have them sign it, or have them sign it when it is not necessary.

No, that does not count as financial support.

Third party financial support would be where a family member or a friend uses their income or savings to meet the financial requirement for you... however, this is not allowed for a straightforward FLR(M) visa. Only people who are exempt from meeting the financial requirement are allowed to use third party financial support.

Therefore, no one should be signing the third party support consent form.

Also, when photocopying their passports as ID, do I need to include all of the pages, or is only the ID page needed?

I don't believe you actually need their passports (it's not listed anywhere in the official guidance outside of the online form), however, if you do choose to include them, I think only the photo ID page should be needed.