i'm sniffing institutional discrimination....

i'm not going to bowdown and worship the ECOS gods cos we have tried to do our best....

You can say a lot of things about UKBA, and a lot them will be true.  But queerphobing isn't part of their act, and hasn't been for a long long time.  If you treat the rules and requirements in a cavalier way, they will respond in kind.

I agree with the other observations that you have been lucky, probably it's the extra slack they give to Americans and you would be advised to hunker down and get them what they are asking for in short order. 

As a gay person I am assuring you that this was not discrimination of any sort. You did not do your homework beforehand and sexuality has nothing to do with this. The embassy had every right to deny your application due to the lack of due diligence on your part. The website clearly states what you need to send and it sounds as if you sent nothing. Had the ECO been prejudiced in some way they surely would have, at the very least, flat out denied your application. You should consider yourself very fortunate that you were given a chance to rectify the situation. There have been several instances of straight couples being denied for missing one or two items clearly requested on the same website we all have access to without being given a chance to send in further information. IMHO you should get rid of the idea of having some proverbial card to play as it not only does not impress anyone; quite frankly it gives the rest of us a bad name. 

i don't care if you're not impressed. i'm not trying to impress you. and for your information i did supply some supporting documents. "sounds or seeming" are different from "doing" and i did do something. I don't care if you're gay. and frankly you are of no help to me or my partner. so i suggest you keep your own opinions to yourself. 

Back ground information: I’m applying for settlement in the UK from the US. It is in the category of civil partnerships I got married to him in June 2011. I sent our application as settlement priority and the ECO got back to me and stated these:

1. A certified copy of your sponsor's British passport or indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
2. Original evidence of accommodation in the UK (This can be property deed, land registry).
3. Evidence of your sponsor's employment in the UK- original employment letter and recent pay slips.
4. Additional bank statements/assets showing sufficient funds to support and maintain yourselves.

You applied for a VISA and did not send any of the above? I cannot believe they didn't just reject it :|

I understand you are frustrated but trust me, you are very lucky lol. Take this serious this is not some informal application this is something that is going to effect the very foundation of the rest of your life!

This is open, although moderated, message board. 

You can't control what other people post as long as they aren't violating any rules.

i don't care if you're not impressed. i'm not trying to impress you. and for your information i did supply some supporting documents. "sounds or seeming" are different from "doing" and i did do something. I don't care if you're gay. and frankly you are of no help to me or my partner. so i suggest you keep your own opinions to yourself. 

What's up with the attitude? No one here has to answer your questions. All of the posters took time out of their day to assist you and offer their input on your situation. You made a mistake while applying (it happens), the IO wasn't fully satisfied yet they're giving you another chance (NEVER happens). You asked if you were being discriminated against but everyone has undoubtedly informed you that the fact you're getting a second chance is a step ahead of many others. Yes, the process is frustrating, but chalk it up to experience. You're not even losing your application fee so I don't understand why you aren't more appreciative. If you plan on staying with your partner in the UK, you've got a long road ahead of you and will need to file more applications for settlement so in the future you'll be ready and well versed in what they're expecting. Take the advice the others gave you, take that second chance and run with it.

You probably feel like people are jumping on you, but try not to take it that way. It's just that so many people have gone through the pain, it's hard to remember how totally aggravating the whole thing is! I probably would have felt I were being discriminated against if it weren't for the fact that we are a white hetero couple.

Some of the super experienced here can also be frustrated by seeing the same questions/problems/complaints over and over again, but the advice you will get here is priceless (even if it does sometimes sound mean - it's not meant that way).

So it's not you, it's that the rules are crazy and confusing and they have made everyone insane! Now you, like me and many others, have a new insight into the wacky world of immigration. I was hoping that after gay rights were sorted, we could move onto women's rights (ERA never passed), but I think we need to do something about global immigration rights.

You should have everything you need now, so I hope you can get sorted out soon. When in doubt, send more information than you think should be required, and make it the most official version of that information possible. My application was about five inches thick with documentation.

Good luck!

I didn't find the rules for applying for a visa crazy or confusing.  The wait might have been, the rules are quite clear about what you do, or do not, need to include.

Hubby I have never understood the backlash when those who have historically suffered great persecution sense injustice. Even if it's a tad bit paranoid. Stay vigilant. Question sh*t.

Hubby I have never understood the backlash when those who have historically suffered great persecution sense injustice. Even if it's a tad bit paranoid. Stay vigilant. Question sh*t.

I won't comment on the visa application aspect but this is totally true. Majorities never will understand it and some even perpetuate and thrive on backlash. It destroyed the women's movement before even even got up speed.

I would like to officially nominate: "Do not make any travel plans before receiving your visa, but do enter the exact dates of your travel plans into your visa application" as crazy and confusing.

As a follow up, I would add the bit about the visa application demanding a date you will leave, when your plans (or mine as an EEA family permit) are to stay.

3. Evidence of your sponsor's employment in the UK- original employment letter and recent pay slips.
4. Additional bank statements/assets showing sufficient funds to support and maintain yourselves.
My comments on:

3. what do they mean by letter from the employment? any sort of letter with my partner’s name on it from his employment, is this good enough?
4. this just frustrates me, do they think my partner and I are millionaires?!?! Tbh, my partner has about 3000 GBP and then he has about 1250 in premium bonds what more money do they want?!?! I have a balance of $2,500 on my statements I gave them.

3. You should give 3-6 months worth of payslips. The letter from the employer should be one that he requests his employer to write, not just any old document from work that mentions his name. He needs to ask his employer to write a letter that states: His full name, his job title, the business or institution he works for, when he started the position, how much he earns, and that this job is current and ongoing. I got a letter like this from the Human Resources Department at work. I suggest getting it on official letterhead as well.
4. Again, 3-6 months worth of bank statements is what matters, not just the most recent statement. Also, they should be official documents from the bank, not just internet print outs.

So it's not you, it's that the rules are crazy and confusing and they have made everyone insane!

I definitely feel like some things aren't clearly spelled out on the UKBA website - like how much money you need for maintenance.  But the things that the OP did not include in the application are clearly requested in the supporting documents pdf on the UKBA website - 6 months of payslips etc.

I would like to officially nominate: "Do not make any travel plans before receiving your visa, but do enter the exact dates of your travel plans into your visa application" as crazy and confusing.

As a follow up, I would add the bit about the visa application demanding a date you will leave, when your plans (or mine as an EEA family permit) are to stay.

i have to agree with you, i found that confusing. so does this mean our intent of going back to UK?, how can you even set up dates when you don't have the visa? right?

3. You should give 3-6 months worth of payslips. The letter from the employer should be one that he requests his employer to write, not just any old document from work that mentions his name. He needs to ask his employer to write a letter that states: His full name, his job title, the business or institution he works for, when he started the position, how much he earns, and that this job is current and ongoing. I got a letter like this from the Human Resources Department at work. I suggest getting it on official letterhead as well.
4. Again, 3-6 months worth of bank statements is what matters, not just the most recent statement. Also, they should be official documents from the bank, not just internet print outs.

i think this really helps thank you for your input

You probably feel like people are jumping on you, but try not to take it that way. It's just that so many people have gone through the pain, it's hard to remember how totally aggravating the whole thing is! I probably would have felt I were being discriminated against if it weren't for the fact that we are a white hetero couple.

Some of the super experienced here can also be frustrated by seeing the same questions/problems/complaints over and over again, but the advice you will get here is priceless (even if it does sometimes sound mean - it's not meant that way).

So it's not you, it's that the rules are crazy and confusing and they have made everyone insane! Now you, like me and many others, have a new insight into the wacky world of immigration. I was hoping that after gay rights were sorted, we could move onto women's rights (ERA never passed), but I think we need to do something about global immigration rights.

You should have everything you need now, so I hope you can get sorted out soon. When in doubt, send more information than you think should be required, and make it the most official version of that information possible. My application was about five inches thick with documentation.

Good luck!

thank you so much for commenting. i really was thinking of leaving this forum because people were jumping on me like i was an ignorant bafoon. I did as much as I can, with the understanding of as much as I can.--this goes for my partner also. if it wasn't for good comments like this i would have definitely closed my account here. so once again THANK YOU
on a side note, i have to agree on women's rights--men are just too afraid about the power of women. i think we all need to unite. I heard from an instructor that we should advocate not on our own isms but the isms of others because then it shows the majority  how our issues are critical that even another ism is fighting for it. thank you!