[Merged]: Assorted ilak Questions

I never asked for anymore opinions. I said thank you for the help and said my goodbyes. Don't jump the gun WebyJ.

And I'm not really trying to have a go either--I just don't understand why, if getting something simple like a basic checking account would make your visa application (and life in general) much easier, why it seems to be such a problem to do. Bank statements are the easiest way to prove finances, and like I've said before it's not difficult to get one, but you seem stuck on proving his finances through much more difficult means (IMHO). If you desperately don't want to do it, then fine, but it seems a bit silly to complicate your application when it's quite simple to remedy it.

But, it is your application, so do what you want to do. I thought you were hiring Vicky's services anyway, if you are she can answer these things for you.

I never asked for anymore opinions. I said thank you for the help and said my goodbyes. Don't jump the gun WebyJ.

Honestly, she isn't jumping the gun--this is a question you've posted before, and people tried to answer it. People can only point to guidance and experience for so long before you just run out of things to say. If gets a little frustrating after a while when people try to help, but it doesn't seem to go very far.

I never asked for anymore opinions. I said thank you for the help and said my goodbyes. Don't jump the gun WebyJ.

In spite of your snarky reply I'm going to give you an idea that has just crossed my mind this morning.

In the light of lack of a ledger that a bank account would provide from your husband, have him contact his utility companies and council and his landlord and get letters stating that his accounts with them are in good standing and have been paid according to the agreed upon schedule.

Just a thought. It might help and it might not.

I agree with Kittenfish, if you've hired Vicky as you stated you have in open forum, I'm stepping away from your threads and any further questions or queries you have should be directed to her in a private manner.

Good luck...and good bye.

Ok kool thanks. Alittle less then I thought won't hurt will it. 

The amount you have to pay for the visa changes every few weeks due to the exchange rate changing - last summer, the visa fee was £515 and the exchange rate was close to $2=£1, so applicants were charged $1082. From April 2009, the visa fee was increased to £585, but the exchange rate had changed dramatically, so applicants were being charged $936.  The exchange rate used for the visas (on the Worldbridge site) is updated a few times a year, so people applying in a couple of months may pay a different amount again.

You would need 3 months bank statements, and you may very well have to wait that long. It sucks, but 3 months is the minimum requirement for bank statements,

This is not true.  If you haven't got three months, then you obviously can't produce them.  It would really be an idea minimum for the sponsor, but again if he genuinely did not have a bank account then this can be explained and the ECO cannot refuse to accept the application.

Re:  maintenence.  No one disputes that food and expenses can come out of the £100, that isn't what we were arguing about.

Vicky

Hi Becca thanks for your reply...

I am going to be working very soon in the US to make some money while I am here (job markets pretty tight, taking ages to get a job!!) but I should have one this week. But I dont understand how that will help my budget? I don't plan on working long enough to make an incredible amount of savings... don't even have an account here. I have one in UK.

How will my job here help me? Also, I will look up where I found info about the 105.95 and ill send the link when I find it... Lemme look it up...

Any amount of money you can bring in to add to your application will help, since your figures are on the low-side. 

Did you close out your old US account before you visited the UK?  You might be able to get it re-instated if it was in good standing before you left.  My thinking is that you'd need a US account in order to get paid, as I don't know many places that pay in cash in the US.  You said family has accounts at Fulton?  AFAIK, Fulton is pretty easy to open an account at.  Just bring your passport and SSN since you no longer have a valid US license. 

Re:  maintenence.  No one disputes that food and expenses can come out of the £100, that isn't what we were arguing about.

Vicky

Oh, okay. For some reason I thought the issue was over what counts before needing £100.95 left. Oops.

This is not true.  If you haven't got three months, then you obviously can't produce them.  It would really be an idea minimum for the sponsor, but again if he genuinely did not have a bank account then this can be explained and the ECO cannot refuse to accept the application.

Re:  maintenence.  No one disputes that food and expenses can come out of the £100, that isn't what we were arguing about.

Vicky

That's fair enough then. My main argument was that they would make life much easier to have, instead of having to explain this to the ECO, and that to the ECO, not that she would get automatically refused for not having them. She already has to explain an overstay, and it seems that it's not really a huge deal to wait 3 months to get bank statements and payslips--especially if they have a shortfall in the budget somewhere that they need to sort out *anyway*. Her application is going to be slightly complicated as it is, and it seems silly to complicate it further because she doesn't want to wait 3 months to get some simple bank statements and payslips in order to simplify her application in some regard. But instead, she'll have to get receipts or letters from all the places he pays bills to showing what he's paid, and a bank statement would do all that if he would just go get one on his own.

Hi,

You dont have to have a bank account to work in the US. I am going to be working at the same place where I worked before I went to england to get married. Its called Giant. A grocery store. Im sure you know of it especially if you are in PA.

They give you a paycheck every friday and you can get it cashed in the store at any register. You only need a bank account if you want to debit your money into your account or if you need it otherwise... but its not a must where I work. I know alot of places just give paychecks and you do what you want with it. Usually you can cash it out where you work.

I trust Vicky with all her advice. She will be helping me. Obviously bank account from my sponsor is not a big deal. All they are looking at is genuine relationship and that he is EARNING income enough to support.

My case is only complicated cus of the overstay. But without that, its really not that complicated.

Vicky - could you please send me the fee information and how we can get in touch to get this process started as I would like to get started asap. I am waiting for your PM.

Thanks for all the help x

Yep, I'll get onto that tomorrow.

Vicky

Hi,

You dont have to have a bank account to work in the US. I am going to be working at the same place where I worked before I went to england to get married. Its called Giant. A grocery store. Im sure you know of it especially if you are in PA.

They give you a paycheck every friday and you can get it cashed in the store at any register. You only need a bank account if you want to debit your money into your account or if you need it otherwise... but its not a must where I work. I know alot of places just give paychecks and you do what you want with it. Usually you can cash it out where you work.

I've only ever been employed by places that required direct deposit or that didn't offer the opportunity to cash your cheque for you.  It's nice that Giant does this for their employees. The reason I was suggesting a bank account was also so you had a place to keep your money instead of keeping it all in cash.  No, you don't need the bank account to work, but I personally would rather put my money in the bank where I know it's safe.  Particularly if you're planning on taking cash with you to the UK.  It can be unsafe to carry large sums of money through airports, and even less safe to put it in your luggage.

Obviously bank account from my sponsor is not a big deal. All they are looking at is genuine relationship and that he is EARNING income enough to support.

It's actually not him earning enough to support you that they look at. They look to make sure the couple can support the couple.  I think what most of us were getting at with suggesting you get a job to have money to add is that your husband does not need to be the sole provider.  If his income is squeaking close to the limit (which it looks like it is based on your prior numbers), you can add your own income/savings to his to prove enough money to support the two of you with.  There is no rule against the applying spouse providing money towards support.  

I trust Vicky with all her advice. She will be helping me. Obviously bank account from my sponsor is not a big deal. All they are looking at is genuine relationship and that he is EARNING income enough to support.

My case is only complicated cus of the overstay. But without that, its really not that complicated.

No, they're looking at your finances *as a couple* on one hand--anything you can add to it is helpful. They would want to see what money the USC would feasibly be bringing into the household once in the UK. Since me and my husband both have bank accounts, I had to submit mine as well--it wasn't a lot of money, but it was looked at together with my husband's, who is the main wage earner in the home and carried much of the finances in my application. But it doesn't hurt any, which is what we're trying to say. It seems silly that if you're earning money, you can't show it for your application which could only help you.

On the other hand, they're looking to see that if you were to lose a job, the household could still run on one income since you wouldn't get jobseeker's allowance--as I see it, it's a two-fold issue with the finances.

And your case is complicated (IMHO) because of the tight finances--that's why I was suggesting possibly waiting a couple of months, having your husband sort out his issues at work where he might be getting paid more (or whatever, along with more payslips), while you work in the US and put money away to bulk your application with--but you would need a bank statement to prove that. At 75 quid left over a week that's not a ton, and I don't know if it'll pass the smell test with ECO.

But, since you're hiring Vicky's services, you should go with her advice on Monday or whatever--it's just my two pence from reading over guidance notes and my own application. I think I remember you mentioning in another thread that you only trusted her advice anyway, which is fine--she's a smart lady. That's why I was surprised when you initially posted this thread, since I distinctly remember you saying that.

No, they're looking at your finances *as a couple* on one hand--anything you can add to it is helpful. They would want to see what money the USC would feasibly be bringing into the household once in the UK. Since me and my husband both have bank accounts, I had to submit mine as well--it wasn't a lot of money, but it was looked at together with my husband's, who is the main wage earner in the home and carried much of the finances in my application. But it doesn't hurt any, which is what we're trying to say. It seems silly that if you're earning money, you can't show it for your application which could only help you.

Thanks for reminding me of this. I was totally thinking since Tim and I meet all the requirements with his income alone, I wouldn't need to send my bank statements. Thanks for reminding me...now to FIND my bank statements. You know, just in case....

Thanks for reminding me of this. I was totally thinking since Tim and I meet all the requirements with his income alone, I wouldn't need to send my bank statements. Thanks for reminding me...now to FIND my bank statements. You know, just in case....

IMHO, if you know 6 months ahead of time or so when you're going to apply, I'd start collecting bank statements then. The minimum is 3 months, but if it's not a problem to provide 6 it can't hurt any--I started collecting mine in January up until June and submitted those with my application. Even though I don't have a ton of money, what little I do have can be taken to the UK. In my case it really wasn't needed since the budget was fine with my husband's income alone, but it's just something I included with my application anyway.

OK thanks to Becca and Kittenfish for all your help. I appreciate you taking time to reply to me. Also, Vicky.

I guess I will wait til I get talking to Vicky about my case in detail and obviously follow her every advice - she seems to know what she is saying as she is a professional.

I will let you know whatever the outcome of my case :--)

What about my NHS Medical Card? I registered with a doctor when I was in England just recently on my 6 Month Visitor Visa. I had no problem registering. They looked at my passport. Obviously if I registered while on my overstay period it prolly would have been a problem right?

Im disclosing everything in my application. I know I got a license to drive, bank account, and used NHS. I didn't have any probs getting these things but what I want to know is...

Is the NHS allowed during overstay or visiting visa period? I dont seem to get a clear answer?