Spouse Visa - Wording of the living together question

Hello,

My wife (US) and I (US&UK) are putting together our spouse visa application. We are in London now, I got a job offer but am waiting for the offer letter to arrive. Once I get that letter we will be returning to the US to apply for the spousal visa. We're trying to prepare as much as possible so that we can apply as soon as we get back to the US. I know I have more than one question about the wording of answers to the Qs but here's my first two:

1. For Appendix 2, Q1.19 - "Have you lived with your sponsor in a relationship akin to marriage?.... If Yes please give full details...." This is what we're going to write:

"We lived together in Brooklyn, NY from October 2007 until 15th July, 2016. We then travelled to Ireland, Spain, Portugal and France for a vacation. We arrived in London on 31st August, 2016. We lived with friends until [date when we leave to be inserted] while my husband [me] looked for work.My husband has now found a job in London and we have returned to the United States to live with my mother."

So the question is, is this ok? I'm purposely verging on giving the fullest answer possible.

The other question is, is there anything generally helpful that people put at the end of the appendix in the Additional Info section? (Part 5)

Any help greatly appreciated.
I managed to keep politics completely out of that!!!....................   

It's fine .

The question is mainly aimed at Unmarried Partner applications where they must prove they have lived together for at least 2 years before applying for the visa.

As you are applying for a spousal visa, there is no requirement to have lived together before applying, so for you, there's no right or wrong answer to this question - just be honest.

Generally I think most people either leave Part 5 blank or use it to complete questions where there wasn't enough room.


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Thanks, again, Ksand.

A couple more Qs if possible (just went through the North Korean version of the form):

1. For my (US) wife's contact details we're going to put her mother's address. For the "How long have you lived at this address?" question - very confused about that one. She hasn't actually lived there for about 14 years. We lived in Brooklyn, left there, went to London for 9 weeks so I could find a job, and now we're back to apply for the visa. Her drivers license does have her mother's address on it but we'll only be there for maybe 3 days by the time we apply for the visa - what should she put?  Literally "3 days"?

2. Q 6.4  - Have you been granted any UK visa in the last 10 years? Do we need to put all of the visitor visas for the UK in the last 10 years? A lot of those stamps are hard to read but some are clearer. If she does have to give all those details would she write, e.g. "Immigration Officer 6056" under the reference number?

3. For the sponsor [mine] permanent address what's the best choice. (I know this one probably varies). I can put my sister's house in Northern Ireland where I've been getting UK mail for some years, I can put my mother-in-law in Maryland where I'll be staying when we apply, or I can put where we'll be continuing to stay in London with friends when we get back to the UK. I suppose I should put the mother-in-law's as the correspondence address? Not quite sure.

Thanks a million in advance,
Craig

1. Can she not just say that it's her mother's address and give how long she lived there for 14 years ago, and then add the 3 days in 2016 as well?
She can always explain further in the additional information section or a cover letter.

2. There is some debate as to whether it means only actual applications submitted in advance of travel or all visitor visas issued at the border as well. Have you read the guidance notes on the paper version of VAF4a? It says on there: 'Please enter the reference number, if known'.

3. Since you have lived with your wife in the US for the last few years, it ought to be the same address as your wife... Otherwise they might wonder why you claim to live together but live in different countries!


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Thanks Ksand,

1. Yes, that makes sense - so basically she should explain further in the additional comments section. I hope that doesn't seem unnecessarily complicated to the person reading it.

2. Yes, I read those notes. She has one six month visitor visa from her last entry. It has an NXB prefix, but the others just show that 4 digit "Immigration Officer 6056" stuff. I suppose the safest thing is to include all the ones we can find so that they correspond with the list of times she has entered the UK.

3. Thanks - makes sense.

Very grateful.

Hello,

Can anyone tell me if a copy of my contract of employment is sufficient?

I asked HR to include a cover letter with that but I have a strong suspicion that they are not going to bother.

So is whatever contract copy they give me enough or does it need to be an original?

Thanks,
Craig

Do you mean instead of the employment letter?  No, that is absolutely mandatory.  You can always print the guidance/requirement out from UKVI and give it to your representative.  They shouldn't have a problem confirming the details required.

If you mean a copy of your contract, that'll be okay.  It's not required just strongly suggested. 

Hi KF,

Sorry, I should have been more clear.

I've been dealing with someone in HR who is telling me that my copy of the contract will include the info I'm asking for - position, salary, the fact that this is permanent role, start date.

I'm not sure that a copy of the contract is enough on its own, so I asked her to also have someone write a letter, on letterhead with original signature, confirming those details. She tells me that "the contract will be enough", and I'm telling her that it isn't. Am I correct in that?

I haven't actually been able to find a really good example of where that UKVI requirement is in writing. I have the 'supporting docs' pdf but it's quite hard to follow - I don't suppose you have something within easy reach?

Thanks.

Yeah, they don't know what they are talking about.

Show them this link.  You'll need to search the text as it's not in a page format.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-fm-se-family-members-specified-evidence

A letter from the employer(s) who issued the payslips at paragraph 2(a) confirming:
(i) the person’s employment and gross annual salary;
(ii) the length of their employment;
(iii) the period over which they have been or were paid the level of salary relied upon in the application; and
(iv) the type of employment (permanent, fixed-term contract or agency).

Thanks, that's the link I've been trying to re-find. This isn't for a job I've been doing in the UK though, it's for a job offer that I (the spouse) have in the UK (I've been working in the US for the last 17 years). So it looked like the guidance was this (below) - which may not actually require a cover letter, am I right? (But would the signature on the contract have to be an original or can it be my copy of the contract?) Not sure.

4. In respect of a job offer in the UK (for an applicant’s partner or parent’s partner returning to salaried employment in the UK at paragraphs E-ECP.3.2.(a) and E-ECC.2.2.(a) of Appendix FM) a letter from the employer must be provided:
(a) confirming the job offer, the gross annual salary and the starting date of the employment which must be within 3 months of the applicant’s partner’s return to the UK; or
(b) enclosing a signed contract of employment, which must have a starting date within 3 months of the applicant’s partner’s return to the UK.

That link may have saved my bacon though over something else I think I was missing - I need to get a letter from my former employer in NYC confirming that the payslips are genuine is that correct? Sorry about all these questions - what a wet, joyous Monday this has been!!!.......

(bb) Payslips must be:
(i) original formal payslips issued by the employer and showing the employer’s name; or
(ii) accompanied by a letter from the employer, on the employer’s headed paper and signed by a senior official, confirming the payslips are authentic;

Ah, okay.  Gotcha.

Either the letter or the contract has to have an original signature.  You can use either/or though.  Does the contract specify a start date?  I ask as mine never have.

I would recommend getting a letter about your payslips from your old employer if you are able. 

Original signature, original signature, that's what I've been telling them! And because time is tight and I couldn't get an answer out of them I've been asking for the contract and the letter anyway.

Thanks, KF, much obliged as usual.