Stressed to the max and sooo confused.

Hi from snowy Maine (USA)!
My name is Courtney and I am an American married to a Brit. We've been living in the US since we married in 2008 and my husband got a green card. We've decided to move back to the UK and although it's taken all year (sell our house, most of our belongings, etc), he is now living in England (Dover area!) and is working and I am still in the US, looking after our three kids (all under 5) until my visa is approved and we can all join him. In applying for the spousal visa, we have submitted the application online and paid for it, but here is where I'm lost... I know I will need supporting documents to take with me to my biometrics appointment, but I guess I didn't realize how extensive this could be! Could someone point me in the direction of what supporting documents I will need? I am notoriously bad at filling out paperwork and with three small kids (the youngest who turned 3 months old today!), I feel like I'm all over the place! I have been looking through this fantastic site and you all seem so knowledgeable and I'm afraid I'm desperate for some help! Can anyone point me in the direction of what I need exactly? I'm sure this has been asked many times, but maybe you'll take pity on this scatter brained, stressed-out momma who is missing her Brit?

Thank you all- and I'm looking forward to learning so much from this site and meeting you all!

OK-- I think I can narrow down my first question for a little help from you knowledgeable folks. I have set up my biometrics appointment and while doing so, was told this "You must bring your APPOINTMENT BOOKING CONFIRMATION NOTICE and your PASSPORT with you. Your biometrics cannot be captured without these TWO documents. No other documents are required for your visit to the Application Support Center." 

This to me means that I will get my biometrics done and then will be able to submit my application (as long as it's within 2 weeks) after I have all my supporting documents together.

Now that I've printed my appointment confirmation letter, I read that it says:

"Your application will not be accepted at any other location. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. Please be aware if you arrive any earlier, you may not be admitted to the application centre. If you arrive after your scheduled appointment time, you may be asked to re-book a future appointment. Failure to submit documents may result in delay and/or lead to the refusal of your application."

So what does this mean exactly? They aren't accepting my application here, right?!?

What financial category are you applying under?  There is no need to take supporting documents to the biometric's appointment.  Once you have had biometrics taken you mail the application, biometric's receipt, Appendix 2 and all your supporting documents to Sheffield for processing.  You have 14 days from the time you have biometrics taken to get your package sent to Sheffield.  If you haven't gathered your documents most of which will have to come from your husband, you're going to struggle.  Most people gather their supporting documents before they make the online application.

You need proof that he meets the financial requirement.  For example if it's under Category A, he'll need to send you his 6 most recent bank statements, 6 most recent pay slips and a letter of employment.  The most recent bank statement and pay slip can be no more than 28 days old at the time of online application.  All documents must be original.  

You need proof of accommodation.  If he rents that will mean a tenancy agreement, letter of permission from the landlord allowing you to live there and a council tax or other bill to prove your husband lives there.

You need proof of relationship.  That will include your marriage certificate, a few photos and proof that you were living together in the US (things like joint bills and bank accounts) and proof that you've been keeping in touch while separated (email logs, Skype logs, text logs).

He should write a letter of sponsorship and you should write a letter of introduction.

You also need to send your passport, 2 UK sized passport photos and a waybill and return envelope so your documents can be returned to you.

The online application is only part of the whole application form... have you printed out and completed VAF4a Appendix 2 as well?

This is the main part of the application form and contains all of the important questions specific to the spousal visa - including your relationship history, where you will live in the UK and which financial requirement category you are applying under.

Appendix 2: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270484/VAF4A-Appendix2.pdf

This to me means that I will get my biometrics done and then will be able to submit my application (as long as it's within 2 weeks) after I have all my supporting documents together.

You don't have to take any documents to the biometrics - they are taken by US immigration who don't have anything to do with your actual application.

However, you should really have gotten all your documents sorted out before you even applied online, because it can sometimes take a few weeks to get everything together (some people spend months gathering documents)... and most of the documents have to come from your husband in the UK and must be originals.

You only have 14 calendar days after biometrics for your documents to ARRIVE in the UK for processing.

So what does this mean exactly? They aren't accepting my application here, right?!?

No, that's just generic instructions for all applicants in all countries, and in some countries you submit your documents to the consulate in person when you go for your biometrics appointment.

But in the US, biometrics are done by US immigration on behalf of UKVI and then you mail your documents to the UK for processing.

For biometrics, you walk in, they check your ID, stamp your biometrics confirmation letter, take your photo and fingerprints and send you home. You then include the stamped letter with your documents when you mail the application to Sheffield.

It takes 5-10 minutes in total and you don't submit anything to them.

_________________________________________________ ______________

The general documents you will need to send are:

Applicant (You)
- Printed Online application
- Completed Appendix 2 form
- Biometrics appointment sheet which will be stamped when you attend biometrics
- Your passport
- You previous passports
- 2 passport photos
- Sample itinerary for flight to UK
- Optional cover letter (stating visa applied for, list of documents you are including and explaining anything about your documents or your previous immigration history/criminal record if you have one)

Sponsor
- His original passport or certified copy of passport photo page
- Letter of confirmation for the visa (sample here: http://www.londonelegance.com/transpondia/sites/default/files/spousal.pdf)

Finances
You need to work out which Category you can apply under as the required documents will depend on that:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/337420/Annex_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement.pdf

Assuming Category A (your sponsor earns £18,600 or more in the UK and has been earning it, with the same company, for 6 months or more):
- last 6 months of sponsor's original payslips
- last 6 months of sponsor's original bank statements
- letter from sponsor's employer stating salary, length of employment, length of time earning current salary, type of employment
- sponsor's original P60
- sponsor's original job contract

UK accommodation
If sponsor owns:
- land registry document
- mortgage statement if he has a mortgage

If sponsor rents:
- tenancy agreement
- letter of permission from landlord for applicant to live there if they are not on the tenancy agreement

If you will be living with sponsor's family:
- land registry document
- letter from homeowner giving permission for you to live there and stating it won't be overcrowded
- mortgage statement if they have a mortgage

Relationship evidence:
- marriage certificate
- 1 or 2 photos of you together
- evidence of regular contact while he's been in the UK (boarding passes from trips to see each other if you have seen each other, letters/cards sent to each other, screenshot of email inbox/Skype call log etc. showing regular correspondence while apart

Thank you both for your quick replies, they have been incredibly helpful and have helped alleviate a significant amount of my stress, although it's obvious we are going to struggle with this application. We have been planning this move since the beginning of 2014, but with the chaos of a new baby, two small kids, selling a house, cars and many, many other things, neither one of us realized how extensive the application process is. We mistakenly thought filling out the online application and submitting paystubs would be sufficient. Boy do I feel silly 

I don't know how I would have known about appendix 2 or any of the other required documentation without your assistance! I am thinking I may need to delay my biometrics appointment now, unless my husband can get me the required documents within 14 calendar days.... yikes...

Where did you all find this information initially? What did I miss?! I feel like I'm in a nightmare where I'm being given a big important test and I didn't study.... My own fault of course 

I don't know how I would have known about appendix 2 or any of the other required documentation without your assistance! I am thinking I may need to delay my biometrics appointment now, unless my husband can get me the required documents within 14 calendar days.... yikes...

Okay, you have a couple of options:

1) Delay the biometrics, but you still have only 30 days from the online application to attend biometrics AND get your documents to Sheffield, which is reduced to 14 days from bioemtrics, whichever is sooner.

or

2) As long as you haven't attended biometrics yet, you can cancel the application and request a refund in writing (details are in the FAQ on the online application website). It may take several weeks to get the refund, but you would get it back, providing you don't attend the biometrics.

Alternatively, if your husband gathers all his documents together and has them all ready to add to the application, you could mail your application directly to him in the UK, then he just adds his documents and forwards everything to Sheffield for you. You would still need to be able to get everything there within the deadline though.

Where did you all find this information initially? What did I miss?! I feel like I'm in a nightmare where I'm being given a big important test and I didn't study.... My own fault of course 

Well, I know this stuff because I've been on this forum for almost 8 years and have followed the immigration rules for all that time... and I've seen hundreds of people here on UK-Yankee applying for their visas, so I know the process pretty much off by heart.

All of the information is on the UKVI website (although it's not clear that you have to fill out Appendix 2):
https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

How to apply in the USA:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/usa-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-the-usa

How to purchase priority processing:
http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/USA/applicationcentre.html

The application forms and list of suggested supporting documents are here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-uk-visa-for-family-settlement-form-vaf4a

The financial requirements are here (Annex FM 1.7):
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-for-uk-visa-for-family-settlement-form-vaf4a
and
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-rules-appendix-fm-se

Also, you can refer to Transpondia's website for a detailed guide and the sponsor sample letter:
http://www.londonelegance.com/transpondia/family-visas/spousal-visa

Again, thank you sooo much for all of this! I can't thank you enough! I've been stressed out since 5am this morning when my husband emailed me asking about 'supporting documents'...

Another question for you. I was looking at the application I printed - it says something about submitting this to New York, NY.

"SUBMISSION METHOD: BY MAIL - APPLICANTS MUST PROVIDE A PREPAID RETURN
SHIPPING LABEL AND PACKAGING.
VISA APPLICATION
LOCATION:
BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL NEW YORK - NEW YORK"....

but according to one of the links you sent me, non-settlement visas go to the british consulate in New York and Settlement visas go to Sheffield:

Non-settlement applications:
UK Visas and Immigration
British Consulate General
845 Third Avenue
New York
10022

Settlement applications:
International Operations and Visas
6 Millsands
Vulcan House
Sheffield
S3 8NH
United Kingdom

Now I'm not sure what to do! Can you offer any insight on this?

Also- my husband and I have been married for almost 7 years and in that time we've had three children. They can't possibly need proof of our relationship, can they?!

Now I'm not sure what to do! Can you offer any insight on this?

As it says, settlement applications go to Sheffield, not New York.

The online application confirmation has an error on it regarding sending it to New York, so just ignore what it says (it doesn't seem to realise that settlement applications are not processed in New York).

Whatever you do, DO NOT mail anything to New York. They will just mail it right back to you and tell you to mail it to Sheffield instead.

Some people got caught out by the online application telling them to send it to NYC... it took NYC a month to return it to them and then by the time the application arrived in Sheffield, the processing times had increased from 1-2 weeks to 2-3 months... so a visa that should have been processed in 1 week in February was not processed until May... all because it was mistakenly mailed to NYC instead of Sheffield!

Also- my husband and I have been married for almost 7 years and in that time we've had three children. They can't possibly need proof of our relationship, can they?!

It sounds silly, but they still need proof - if you don't send it, it's an automatic visa refusal. You should probably send some evidence of living together in the US over the last 7 years, and then you MUST also send evidence of regular contact while you've been apart.

They need to make sure you are still in a genuine relationship and are not just using him to try to get a visa (i.e. if you were separated, but he offered to 'help' you get a visa by pretending you were still together, that would be considered using deceit on the application and could lead to a 10-year ban from the UK).

The visa is a 'tick box' application - as long as you send all the required documents, and they conform to all the requirements, the visa will be granted... regardless of personal situation, length of relationship or anything like that.

Again, thank you sooo much for all of this! I can't thank you enough! I've been stressed out since 5am this morning when my husband emailed me asking about 'supporting documents'...

Another question for you. I was looking at the application I printed - it says something about submitting this to New York, NY.

"SUBMISSION METHOD: BY MAIL - APPLICANTS MUST PROVIDE A PREPAID RETURN
SHIPPING LABEL AND PACKAGING.
VISA APPLICATION
LOCATION:
BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL NEW YORK - NEW YORK"....

but according to one of the links you sent me, non-settlement visas go to the british consulate in New York and Settlement visas go to Sheffield:

Non-settlement applications:
UK Visas and Immigration
British Consulate General
845 Third Avenue
New York
10022

Settlement applications:
International Operations and Visas
6 Millsands
Vulcan House
Sheffield
S3 8NH
United Kingdom

Now I'm not sure what to do! Can you offer any insight on this?

Also- my husband and I have been married for almost 7 years and in that time we've had three children. They can't possibly need proof of our relationship, can they?!

All settlement visas are processed in Sheffield.  Since you are married for proof of relationship they are looking for proof that you live together and have joint responsibilities typical of a married couple.  That includes joint bills, bank accounts, mortgages. And since you have been separated whilst he is in the UK and you are in the U.S. they want to know that you are keeping in touch.

You need to document all 3 requirements: financial, accommodation and relationship.

THANK YOU!!!

I truly appreciate you both taking the time to respond to me. I was in a true state this morning! Things have calmed down now and we're well on our way to having all the documents necessary and think we might actually be able to swing it!  Thank you both- I am extremely grateful!!!

Just wanted to throw in my 2p since I went through this whole process earlier this year.  It may seem like a lot but if you can buckle down and amass everything that has been listed for you then you should be fine.  The people on this forum are very good at disclosing clear, precise information that has been successful for quite a few applications.  Just make sure that you have everything on the list.  

The most important issue is to determine under which financial category you will be applying.  If your husband has been in the UK for 6 months and has been working for 6 months making over £18,600 (I am assuming that your children are UK citizens and, thus, do not affect the income threshold for your application) then you can apply under Category A.  If he has not bee employed for 6 months but has made £18,600 in the 12 months prior to your application, you can apply under Cat. B (I believe but verify in  the financial requirements document ksand mentioned).

Definitely send to Sheffield.  Several parts of the application as well as the priority service mention New York- ignore this!  Settlement visas are processed in Sheffield.

Only passport and the Biometrics appointment letter are needed at the Biometrics appointment.  I brought everything 'just in case' and needed none of it!  

Also, make sure that wherever you will be living in the UK will hold your family of 5 without being overcrowded.  I believe that, as you have two children under 10 and one child under 1 then you will need a 2-bedroom location.  This is according to the Housing Act of 1985 which, I believe, is the one used by UKVI.

Good luck with everything!  If you think you need more time then withdraw your application and try again later.  This forum was so helpful when I applied so I wish you the same success.  

*Edited for clarification.

Definitely send to Sheffield.  Several parts of the application as well as the priority service mention New York- ignore this!  Everything is processed in Sheffield.

  

For US applicants only settlement visas are processed in Sheffield.  All non-settlement visas which include student, work and visit visas are processed at the Consulate in NYC.

For US applicants only settlement visas are processed in Sheffield.  All non-settlement visas which include student, work and visit visas are processed at the Consulate in NYC.

Yes, should have been more clear, everything for which the OP is applying is processed in Sheffield.  Should have clarified that that is what I meant.

You guys are really great! I was extraordinarily stressed out yesterday and you all calmed me down and made this seem do-able! As I'm sure you can imagine, 3 kids under 5 without my husband here is a trial, but now this whole thing doesn't seem as impossible as it did when I first posted. We will file under category B, and the accommodations we will be in initially is a 5 bedroom home, so there will be more than enough space!  thank you all again!

Now, part of my history is a refusal of entry to the UK once in 2007. I am making this clear in my application and explaining that it was due to my entering the UK through Ireland, which meant that I only had 3 months to stay in the UK and I stayed for 5 (I didn't know about that 3 month requirement at the time). I have been to the UK 5+ times for visits since then without any trouble at all. Do any of you have insight on whether this may cause me problems as far as my application goes?

3 kids under 5 without my husband here is a trial

God bless you!!!! I stand in awe!