Documentation for Settlement Visa for Spouse

Hi everyone!

After finding this wonderful site, I've been absent a few weeks while my spouse was visiting in the US.  Yes, my spouse - we got married on July 20!  Now in the process of getting a settlement visa and just as overwhelmed as we were in the beginning.  We've completed the online application and saved it for the final touches.  So, a few questions, if someone could be so kind as to guide us...

1) What is the link for the documentation that should be submitted with settlement visa application?

2) When answering the questions about financial resources, how detailed do we have to be?  And more specifically, what do we send to prove that my spouse owns her own home and that I own mine in the US?  Surely they don't want the original titles to our property???  And do we submit an itemized budget?

3) When considering government support, does it count against us if my spouse receives various forms of gov't support her children, including one daughter who is disabled?

4) Somewhat tangentially, but if I visit my spouse in the UK before the settlement visa application is completed, but obviously after we have been married in the US, what are the ramifications?

5) I want to move to the UK in Dec 2010 / Jan 2011 as I'm waiting on my dog to be ready to travel.  If I submit my settlemtn visa application giving those as the estimated dates of my relocation, will they date the visa accordingly so that I can go ahead with the application process immediately??

We will probably have many more questions, but these will get us started on our immediate efforts.

Thanks so very, very much!  Cheers!

~Teddy

Congratulations!!!

1) The documents can be found here: http://londonelegance.com/transpondia/spouse/

2) Deeds are required to prove ownership if there is no mortgage on the properties. The application is quite specific when asking about resources. Any documents that you submit must be originals or certified copies. Budgets are not required.

3) You can find more on benefits & how they affect visas here:
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/ecg/maintenanceaccommodation#17693183

4) You can visit as long as you can prove that you are returning to the US (ie a return ticket), proof of ties to the UK & that you can support yourself during your visit to the UK. Just like any other visitor. But be aware that your visa application to be processed at the Consulate requires your passport, so once you submit your documents for processing you will not be allowed to travel because you will not have your passport.

5) You can apply up to 3 months in advance of your intended travel date however you do need to ask specifically for your visa to begin on a certian date or else the date it is issued will be the date it is valid from. So if you want to travel in Late December early January the earliest you can apply is Late September/Early October.

Thanks so much, dancer, for the quick, clear & helpful response!  We are a bit puzzled on the financial questions - in particular, how do you classify whether something is a living expense versus whether it is for support of dependent children?  Our thought was to submit a brief budget listing items and they could see for themselves were income goes.  Would that be a bad strategy, I wonder?

On the documentation, what does one submit if one has a mortgage? Something from the bank?

Also, little nit-picking question - we made a xerox copy of my wife's passport and had it notarized as true to the original, but the xerox copy was in black-and-white.  Should that be sufficient?

Thanks again & cheers!

~Teddy, who loves his wife & crumpets, and England!

Budgets are not worth the paper they're printed on in my opinion. The ECO's understand benefits, how they work and her dependent children will be listed on your application anyway...they're quite bright individuals ya know  they'll figure it out.

As for a mortgage, one should be getting periodic mortgage statements, the most recent one is acceptable.

If the copy is a notarised copy then it's fine and doesn't matter what colour or not it is.

I know Weby is not a fan of budgets, but if you are a nervous applicant (as I was), and dont want to rely on the ECO figuring anything out for themselves or drawing their own conclusions about anything, you absolutely can include a budget.  I did this eventhough our "left over" income was clearly over the requirements, and they didnt return it when they returned other documents with my visa. Perhaps its in the trash, or perhaps its in a file somewhere, but it made me feel like I had a stronger application for including it.  Its not a "bad strategy" and will certainly not work against you, but it most likely isnt necessary.

Oh dear...     I was just looking at some of the info on restrictions against relying on public funds.  At the moment, I'm a bit too frazzled to make sense of it.  Didn't mention it earlier, but I'm actually here in the UK now, and will be returning to the US on August 26 -- less than two weeks for us to be together after getting married in the states on July 20, and coming to the UK for a month here with my new wife.

My wife has 4 kids.  Her living expenses are from various forms of maintenance for the kids.  I don't really understand what constitutes public benefits here...  Everything she receives comes for the sake of the kids, and some of it is from an ex-husband.  Some of it is for a special needs daughter.  Combining what she gets for the kids, and what I will be able to bring, we should have enough income to get by and meet the minimum requirements.  I am disabled myself, and will be relying on disability benefits that will continue in the UK.  But are benefits my wife receives for the sake of the kids not allowed???

So alarmed and worried!!!  Please, if anyone can just give a generalized answer to this frazzled worry....

Thanks so much.

~Teddy

She can receive anything that she is entitled to.

MAA2 Public funds

UK Border Agency: Public funds

There is no objection to the British citizen/settled sponsor receiving any public funds to which he/she is entitled in his/her own right.
Details on current benefit and tax rates (means and non-means tested)

The fact that an applicant may not be eligible to claim public funds is not in itself sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Rules.

If the sponsor is in receipt of public funds, it does not mean that they will be unable to support the applicant, although clearly a person who is heavily dependent on the state because they don't have sufficient means of their own will find it difficult to support another person for any length of time.

The important factor to consider is whether there will be a need for the sponsor to claim additional public funds to support the applicant if leave to enter granted. 

Bear in mind that in some exceptional cases an applicant may be able to claim in their own right the public funds listed. This is either as a result of reciprocal arrangements between the UK and their home country, or as a result of the fact that they will be married to / living with a British citizen /EEA national.  Where these exceptional circumstances apply, the applicant should not be treated as having recourse to public funds.

For more detailed guidance on this please read:
Immigration directorate instructions: Chapter1 Section 7

It is YOU that are not allowed public benefits from the UK. If you receive Disability Benefits from the US then you will need to provide documentation that specifically addresses the fact that these benefits will continue for you AFTER you move to the UK. As long as you can show that you'd be able to provide for yourself without needing UK public funds then you should be fine.

OK, WebyJ, you've given me a great sigh of relief.  We should be okay then, because it won't be necessary for us to have any additional help.  I am a bit concerned about how I can get the US Social Security Administration to give me anything stating that my benefits will continue in the UK other than referencing information given on the SSA website for people who receive disability benefits and can continue receiving said benefits overseas.

Anyhow, thanks for relieving my immediate panic!

~Teddy

What you will need is your annual letter from Social Security that details what benefit type you are receiving and how much (you get one every year), if you do not have that letter then go to your local SS office and ask for proof of your benefits being paid. Then print off the information from the Social Security website that you're referring to. That should take care of the requirement.

What you will need is your annual letter from Social Security that details what benefit type you are receiving and how much (you get one every year), if you do not have that letter then go to your local SS office and ask for proof of your benefits being paid. Then print off the information from the Social Security website that you're referring to. That should take care of the requirement.

We lost my wife's annual letter. Here is where you can get a new proof of disability income letter:

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/BEVE/main.html

Free and quick.

Andy

Here is where you can get a new proof of disability income letter:

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/BEVE/main.html

Thanks, Andy!  Better to have extra copies of these things.

Yesterday we went to my wife's bank to get copies of her bank records going back 3 months.  So different from the States, as it was taking pages and pages.  We have to go back to get the complete printout and I'm hoping the back will somehow stamp it so that is seen as an obvious original.  Grrr... so many ticky details!!!

Cheers,
~Teddy

She can receive anything that she is entitled to.

It is YOU that are not allowed public benefits from the UK. If you receive Disability Benefits from the US then you will need to provide documentation that specifically addresses the fact that these benefits will continue for you AFTER you move to the UK. As long as you can show that you'd be able to provide for yourself without needing UK public funds then you should be fine.

Hello!  Thanks for the information on the benefits/public funds, that's very helpful and clears up some questions for us.  I'm wondering, though, can my husband (the UK citizen) sign up with a housing authority?  Would we be excluded because we live together and I am not allowed public funds?

Thanks!

Hello!  Thanks for the information on the benefits/public funds, that's very helpful and clears up some questions for us.  I'm wondering, though, can my husband (the UK citizen) sign up with a housing authority?  Would we be excluded because we live together and I am not allowed public funds?

Thanks!

He can sign up however he wouldn't be allowed to have a larger space or have your needs considered, though you would be required to be reported and your assets & income considered, you just won't count for what he can receive.