I wish I had known sooner...

I submitted my application for a fiance visa to the LA office November 15, biometrics November 25, email confirmation that it was received December 15. I haven't heard anything yet, and I guess it's still early because of the holidays.

BUT I wish I had found this website way before I submitted the application. The only guidance I had was the info on the visa website, which was confusing. I thought I went above and beyond, but my concern now is that documents were not originals or notarized or certified or anything. They weren't even copies or printouts. They were printouts of pictures of documents that my fiance took and emailed to me. Is this going to cause me a problem?

My real actual bank statements that I submitted were original documents. I'm sure the evidence of our relationship is sufficient - I think I went overboard. But his bank statements and pay slips and letter from his employer and passport - those are all photos he sent me.

Problem? We're on a bit of a timeline. His lease with his friends is up February 20, and we were hoping to get a place together at that time and actually look at places together. My lease here is up January 31, and I guess I'll end up sleeping on couches if it doesn't come in the next couple weeks.

On that note, what do you suggest I do if my lease is up and I need to give them a new address to send it to? And If I don't hear back in time for us to get our own place, we're sorta screwed for housing, so I guess I'd have to give them his parents' address? Or tell them we'll be staying in a hotel until we find a place? What do I do?

They were printouts of pictures of documents that my fiance took and emailed to me. Is this going to cause me a problem?

Very likely, almost guaranteed.  There is a document verification department active in each Consulate now and their specific purpose is to detect non-original documents.  If you are lucky, you will get a call from the Consulate.  His stuff was actually far more important then your stuff.  Think about it, what would have prevented you from just finding some scanned documents on the Internet and sending those in?  If you sent in his passport, or a certified copy of his passport, it means you two have a real relationship.

If you have enough in savings to support you both then there won't be a problem there, but I strongly suggest that he couriers the originals to you now just in case.  The passport is an issue and he will need to either send the original passport, an original birth certificate, or a certified copy of the passport (details page only).

Youa re lucky you are in the US.  They will almost certainly contact you asking for the originals.  In most countries I deal with this would just mean a refusal.

Vicky

I just got here on a fiance visa....I didn't send original documents either.  The woman handling my case said it wasn't an issue because I am a US national.  The only thing that was continuously stressed was the savings part.  We had to have enough money to support ourselves for the whole of the 6 months, lucky for us she was nice and allowed us a few days to move money around.  Some of them handle their cases differently though, it seems like they can pretty much do whatever they want, so what may have been ok for me may not be the same for you.  Sorry if I'm not much help just sharing my experience. Try not to worry you should be fine....got my fingers and toes crossed for you.  Good luck!!!

I just got here on a fiance visa....I didn't send original documents either.  The woman handling my case said it wasn't an issue because I am a US national.  The only thing that was continuously stressed was the savings part.  We had to have enough money to support ourselves for the whole of the 6 months, lucky for us she was nice and allowed us a few days to move money around.  Some of them handle their cases differently though, it seems like they can pretty much do whatever they want, so what may have been ok for me may not be the same for you.  Sorry if I'm not much help just sharing my experience. Try not to worry you should be fine....got my fingers and toes crossed for you.  Good luck!!!

Yes, but what did you do with the passport?  Was it an original or ceritified copy.  You were damn lucky is all I can say and people shouldn't look at this as an example that it is ok to not send originals, particularlly the sponsors passport or proof they are present and settled in the UK.

His passport was a copy too...I know I was lucky, she never even said anything about it at all which really surprised me.  But like I said it was just my experience and everyone seems to have to jump through different hoops...   I found this forum the day after I sent in my application and almost had a heart attack about not sending originals. 

His passport was a copy too...I know I was lucky, she never even said anything about it at all which really surprised me.  But like I said it was just my experience and everyone seems to have to jump through different hoops...   I found this forum the day after I sent in my application and almost had a heart attack about not sending originals. 

Like you Jamie I sent scanned copies of all DH's stuff --- EVERYTHING. The only originals that I sent were my birth certificate, our marriage license and my current & expired passports. My bank statments were online statements and I didn't have them notarized or a letter from my bank either. I got a call from the ECO and not once was I questioned why I sent copies or that I should have sent originals. She just asked me a couple of questions and said your visa is approved. And that was the same day they received the pack I sent by FedEx. That was a monday, I had my visa in my hand on Wednesday and I flew out on Saturday. Oh and the other cardinal sin I commited is that I booked my flight BEFORE sending in my visa. Total visa processing time from receipt? 2 hours. 

But as Vicky likes to remind me I was lucky AND this was March 2007, lots has changed since then.

Guess we were both lucky.

And American.



Vicky

Oh my you were lucky mine took a bit longer than 2 hours....I waited a month.  And then when she finally did get a hold of me spent another week going back and forth with her, getting her more information.  She was SUPER nice by giving us chances to get her what she needed. 

And American.



Vicky

Oh yeah...forgot about that part.

Wow, thanks everyone. I sure was freaking out last night. I wish they would tell you that stuff is required. I've never had to apply for anything really, and I figured by now any kind of government office could just look up my entire life (and his) in a database. So if I go ahead and have him send me all that stuff now, how should I get it to them? If I mail it, what do I need to do so they know to add it to my application?

I think it would be nice for the visa app site to include a link here to UKY. Considering we have so many people here who know the rules and regulations -- it may reduce people neglecting to send in the proper documentation.

I am forever grateful to UKY and its members for finding this site before I started my visa nightmare journey. It saved me a potential headache.