Need some advice on applying for spousal visa!!

Hello all - not only am I new to this forum but I am really in need of some help and guidance!!

I am an American, while on a 'holiday' to England on a visitors visa my fiance and I were married in Gretna Green, Scotland on 30 June 2004. I returned home and here I am now trying to sort out my visa.

My husband has rented a house out in the Bristol area, the only thing we're wondering is what sort of things do we have to send as proof along with the visa application and what other things are we supposed to include? And do they honestly deny people a spousal visa?  I mean it sounds absurd that they would deny me to go live with my husband. What sort of questions do they ask in the interview process? I just want to make sure both he and I are prepared as it was a struggle enough to get the visitors visa, I'm just wondering if the spousal visa is as equally as hard to come by.

He and I are both very eager to get back together as soon as possible as it's almost been a month since we've been apart and we are both becoming very depressed being away from the other.  :\\\'( I'm just interested in getting back to him as soon as possible!

Any advice you can offer in any way would be greatly appreciated.  And thank you so much for reading this!! Ta and take care!!

x x x - Missy 

I would suggest going to the British Embassy website here http://www.britainusa.com/ and check out their section on visas.  This article on the spouse visa will give you a comprehensive list of what you need when applying: http://www.britainusa.com/visas/other_show.asp?SarticleType=25&Other_ID=322

I would also suggest checking out this recent post by Graham http://www.talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=5921.0  The statistics offered are pretty encouraging.  Yes, denials of spouse visas happen but it seems those are pretty few.  You most likely have absolutely nothing to worry about. 

Best of luck!

If you're anywhere near one of the consulates (NY, LA, Chicago), I'd suggest you apply in person.  We applied in person in September at the NYC consulate and it was a much simpler process than we had a imagined.  The link below gives our experience.  Note that an appointment is required at the NYC consulate now.

If you can make a day trip, it'll definitely save you some headache and some waiting time!   

If you're anywhere near one of the consulates (NY, LA, Chicago), I'd suggest you apply in person.  We applied in person in September at the NYC consulate and it was a much simpler process than we had a imagined.  The link below gives our experience.  Note that an appointment is required at the NYC consulate now.

If you can make a day trip, it'll definitely save you some headache and some waiting time!   

I agree with Lola!!!  And do read about her experience, it helped me out a lot!  Good Luck!

Hello all and thank you for the prompt responses!! 

The thing that I noticed a lot was that everyone seems to join their spouse at one of the locations here (NY the most it seems) to apply there. However, my husband works for the RAC and all of the time off that they are alloted he took while I was there in June/July time.

As I live in Florida, none of the locations are really a hope skip and a jump away. It would be a project to get out to any location and in the end I would be alone as hubby wouldn't be able to join me.

He and I have been working day and night to figure out all of the things that we need to do to get me back over there. I have been on the phone to people in the NY Consular office and he has called places in England staying on the phone for almost three hours with some places.

It feels as though we are the only ones who are trying to do it this way - I would just like some human guidance as all of the websites that I read fall short of all the things that I really want to know.

I appreciate all of your responses though and did find the website with Lola's experience interesting it's just rather unfortunate that it can not be that easy for he and I. It will have to be done by the post since the RAC won't allow him anymore time off and he has an upcoming course with the TA Para Regiment that he is in that can not be missed either.

Any other ideas or suggestions? Or anyone who's been in this sort of situation? We really need as much help as possible! Even if it's just responses that will ease our minds a bit. Our biggest fear is not being prepared for it and them denying us and all of that money being wasted.

What sort of things are vital to send? What are some questions that they ask? Again, any help is greatly appreciated by both my husband and myself!! Tc!!!

x x x - Missy 

I did a fiancée visa via partial post.  I hand-delivered my documents to the Consulate in DC (no longer doing applications now), but had my documents and visa returned in the post.  It took a week from the time I delivered the documents to the time I received the visa.

The article that Elle supplied shows the documentation that you must supply.  So gather that together, fill-out your application and post it to the Consulate for your area.  I don't believe it's a requirement that your spouse be present for the application.

I know that applying for a visa and thought of being turned down is a scary -- I've been there too.  However, so long as you supply what they want and you have a valid marriage, there's little reason to be turned down.  They might ask for more information, but as Graham's statistics show, refusals are few and far between.

Hi Missy,

My husband and I just went to NYC to get our spousal visa (last week).  The things they spent the most time on were the marriage certificate, his employment letter, how much money he has RIGHT NOW in the bank, and a copy of our lease.  Of course, we didn't have a copy of the lease, we just had the thing that we got through the letting agency.  We were supposed to have the actual lease (with signature and terms and conditions) but they let it go- I'd make sure you put the real one in! They might be more forgiving if you're standing there right in front of them.

We had an appointment, but the people behind us didn't (they obviously didn't know about this website!).  Surprisingly, they were let in and they got their visa no problem.  I thought the visa process was relatively painless (other than the nerve-wracking 15 minutes where they silently sift through your paper work). As long as you're prepared, you'll be fine.  The girl we had was really sweet and was dating an American guy so she understood where we were coming from.

I thought you didn't both need to be present for the interview?  If you can do it in person, I'd recommend it.  We got our visa that same day and flew out 4 days later.    Good luck!  I hope you guys get to see each other soon. 

Sarah

Thanks Sarah!! I hope so too, he and I are both very torn to be apart from eachother for so long. It feels like an eternity rather than the month it has actually been.

My work here is very demanding of hours as well and I believe the easiest way to go about things is to send all of my stuff in via the post. I'm just really wanting to make sure that I give them all the paperwork they need when I first send the application in. Some people say not to send too much in and others say not to send too little in. Though my family that livs in Chicago is more than willing to put me up if I need to go there, it would just be more convenient to stay here and post it all off.

Another question that comes to mind is, how much money are they looking for you to have available in your bank accounts? Applying for the visa and a flight is pretty much going to tap me out and he's paying for the rent, his car, utilities and whatever else on his pay. I thought all you had to prove was that they had enough money to support you? Not that they had a lot of money on them. I mean he's already started a savings...not a lot I assure you only a couple of hundred £'s but he gets paid almost £1200 a month from the RAC. Facturing in all of the bills he has to pay I don't really know what's what.

My other worry is that they'll take one look at me going over there on a visitors visa and getting married and raise an eye to that. But I honestly didn't think you needed to get a fiance visa if you were planning on coming home as the point of the fiance visa is to get out there marry within six months and stay. I needed to come home and settle things here first.

Help!! LoL!!

x x x - Missy 

Neither my husband nor I had any real savings to our names at the time of my fiancée visa application.  But he did have a job (been there for 12 years) and a flat in his name, so we were able to demonstrate sufficient earnings (and he didn't have a big salary either, probably £18k at the time) to cover me and my son.  With a fiancée visa, you are not allowed to work until you are married and have obtained FLR (further leave to remain), which at the time could have meant his salary would have had to cover three people for close to a year (max. six months to marry + 3 or so months for FLR application to come through).  You are in an even better position because once you have the spousal visa, you can work immediately.

They are looking for evidence that you can support yourselves without recourse to the welfare state.  So long as he has accommodation that he can maintain on his salary and a regular, steady income, I don't see any problems.

I'm just really wanting to make sure that I give them all the paperwork they need when I first send the application in. Some people say not to send too much in and others say not to send too little in.

Again, I would emphasise to go through the list that the website provides.  When I was gathering information from that list, I didn't know if I just needed a few things or all of them.  You need all of them.  If you do not provide enough, the consular's office will contact you and ask for further information if they require it.  They won't just deny your application because you didn't provide enough information.  But if you follow the list, you should be fine.

Another question that comes to mind is, how much money are they looking for you to have available in your bank accounts?

As you are applying for a spousal visa, I think what they will be more interested in is whether you'll be looking for work.  If spousal visas were dependent upon how much money one had in the bank, then mine should have been denied because neither I nor my husband had any money saved up.  It's when you're applying for a fiancee visa that I think they're more concerned.  If your husband is working and you have a place to live and he can support you while you are looking for work, then you should be ok.

What if we are continuing to get support from our families as well? I mean my parents are more than willing to help us on any money that we need and so are his parents. I believe that he only makes about £14k a year or something like that. But then it would only be he and I, rent is only about £475 and then whatever utilities are. His car is almost paid off which was an extra £200 a month and he has £200 pulled every month from his cheque that goes directly into his savings account which he does not touch so the £900 he does have that goes into his account will more than cover everything he needs to do plus still have that extra money going into savings each month.

It's just that I want to be able to apply for the spousal visa before this month is out and by that time he will have only £400 in savings (if that) and won't have much money in his account as he will have already put up money for the months rent and such.

It's these little imperfections that I'm worried the most about.

What if we are continuing to get support from our families as well? I mean my parents are more than willing to help us on any money that we need and so are his parents. I believe that he only makes about £14k a year or something like that. But then it would only be he and I, rent is only about £475 and then whatever utilities are. His car is almost paid off which was an extra £200 a month and he has £200 pulled every month from his cheque that goes directly into his savings account which he does not touch so the £900 he does have that goes into his account will more than cover everything he needs to do plus still have that extra money going into savings each month.

It's just that I want to be able to apply for the spousal visa before this month is out and by that time he will have only £400 in savings (if that) and won't have much money in his account as he will have already put up money for the months rent and such.

It's these little imperfections that I'm worried the most about.

If both sets of parents are willing to help out financially when needed while you look for work, then have them write "To Whom It May Concern" letters stating exactly that.  I think Wench had to do this as her mum-in-law was providing the financial support.

I believe that he only makes about £14k a year or something like that. But then it would only be he and I, rent is only about £475 and then whatever utilities are.

As long as he is maintaining a roof over his head with his £14k/year salary, I can't see the problem.

It sounds like enough to cover yourselves, even without parental support.  So as Elle's link suggests, provide the lease/tenancy agreement which proves accommodation.  Provide the letter of employment showing is length of service, salary, position and whether or not the job is permanent.  Then *tick* that part of the documentation is complete.

It's good to be getting such positive feedback, my husband is the sane and calm one between the two of us and believes that we have nothing to worry about but I am the panicky pessimistic one who is looking at all of the things that could possibley go wrong. Plus I'm the one trying to get into another country not him LoL!! He of course just thinks I'm a nutter.

I took a look at the application last night and it seems pretty self explanatory, only bit that I'm having a problem with is the time before last (before I got my visitors visa) I was denied entry as they believed that I didn't have enough money on me at the time, is that going to be a problem this time? And the section right below it says about being denied a visa and such, I was never denied a visa, just denied Leave to Enter...any ideas on what I'm supposed to put there.

Hubby will be sending me all of his docs in the post hopefully before the beginning of next week...so I'll have all of that sorted. Seems as though all the stuff we were already preparing to send was the things we were already getting together!!

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated as always!! Ta for all that you guys have done for me already, I'm so glad that I found this board!!!

x x x - Missy 

I was reading this thread and saw some of the things that have been said about savings and a spousal visa. That's all really good news because once we have bought all the tickets and paid the visa and PETS fees, my wife and I will have what I shall call a 'clean slate.' My wife is very employable, so she shouldn't have too many problems, but from what I understand in order for her to get a Spousal Visa we must have a place to live already up there. That means I have to go first, and I ain't quite as employable as my wife -- but I'm willing to do anything and will take any job I can get to secure a flat in the UK so my wife can apply for a Visa. I'm really worried about money and all these accounts of folks who got in with next to nothing are very encouraging to me.