Extending the Spouse Visa - Starting questions

Hello!!!

Can you just tell me is it this form......
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-extend-stay-in-the-uk-as-a-partner-form-flrm

Not applying until May but want to make a start with paperwork.

Also Biometrics. My husband had these done in America for the first spouse application. Does he need to have them done again? I am very confused when reading the notes. I would have assumed he didnt but I cant see anywhere that states that.

Im sure there will be more questions soon 

Thanks so much!

It's a very good idea to get started early with your research. Good for you! Don't be surprised though if the form changes a bit before you apply.

Yes, you have the correct form, FLR(M) and yes, biometrics are taken at every step of the process to prove you are who you say you are!

Thank you so much!!!

Is there a certain timeframe we need the biometrics done in? Could we apply now and get it? If we did it wouldnt expire or anything before the visa application in May?

Thanks again

If you apply in person, it'll happen on the day.
If you apply by post, you'll receive an letter a week or two after they receive your application inviting you to attend a Post Office to take your biometrics.

Let me just get this straight what I meant was if we went down to the post office now to get this BRP and then we have it ready for the visa application process when we send that off in May.

But do you mean that we cant do that and we have to wait until we have sent the visa application process in and they then send us a letter to tell us to go do it at the post office.

Im guessing the latter applies here. So then I ask you....his Visa runs out June the 18th and the reason we are applying late is because we are on the cusp of the earnings threshold with his income and some house rent and we need that month. We are planning to apply after the 10th of May when we get that last rental income. Will that be ok so long as they receive the application way before June 18th?

Also I notice you say apply in person . I didnt know you could do this. Do you get a decision the same day or is it just all the paperwork and biometrics done?  We are actually wanting to get our 2 little girls their american citizenship should they ever want to go live in America when they are older so maybe thats a feasbile thing for us to do although timing 3 appointments may be a nightmare there!

Thanks again!

Let me just get this straight what I meant was if we went down to the post office now to get this BRP and then we have it ready for the visa application process when we send that off in May.

You can't do that, no.

But do you mean that we cant do that and we have to wait until we have sent the visa application process in and they then send us a letter to tell us to go do it at the post office.

That's right.

Im guessing the latter applies here. So then I ask you....his Visa runs out June the 18th and the reason we are applying late is because we are on the cusp of the earnings threshold with his income and some house rent and we need that month. We are planning to apply after the 10th of May when we get that last rental income. Will that be ok so long as they receive the application way before June 18th?

Perfectly fine, yes.

Also I notice you say apply in person . I didnt know you could do this. Do you get a decision the same day or is it just all the paperwork and biometrics done?  We are actually wanting to get our 2 little girls their american citizenship should they ever want to go live in America when they are older so maybe thats a feasbile thing for us to do although timing 3 appointments may be a nightmare there!

The decision would be the same day unless there were any complications. It costs 500gbp in addition to the application fee and IHS.

Thanks again!

Brilliant!!! Thanks for all that information. Yeah we have his income we are using to contribute with the rental. We also have my self employment income but cant use that unfortunately which seems a bit unfair but never mind!

Holy Moly £500. They sure know how to rinse you! I think we will stick to the mail application ha ha. I paid the additional for fast track last time by mail and I still ended up contacting my local MP as it was delayed. Im not giving them anymore hard earned money!!! 

Thanks again, much appreciated!

Yeah, using self employment is a minefield!

We applied by mail, it's not that bad. Much better than the initial spouse visa because you're here already.

Unless you have urgent travel booked or nothing better to spend the money on (!) I think applying by post is the way to go. 

I should mention that there is a newish option to file online for FLR(M). I haven't seen much/any feedback but presume it's more like the postal application in that you will still have to get your supporting evidence to them anyway.

Don't spend too much time on things now.  The form will change in March/April when the fees rise again, so there will definitely be a revision.

But you can be collecting your joint mail and savings money now!   

After doing the in person appointment I have some recommendations.

Just be aware that the summer is the busy period when it comes to visas. Do not be surprised if it take months to receive your visa after application. This means you will not be able to travel during this period. In person applications are recommended if you need to travel soon after your visa expiry date as you get a decision on the day and the BRP a week later in the post.

Your visa application date is the day you send off your visa, not when they receive it. So as long as your application is date stamped before June 18th when sending it then that's acceptable. His visa will still be valid from the period after June 18th and receipt of your visa extension and is not classed as 'overstaying your visa'.

BRP is always after application because if you get refused you don't get one. Your visa has to be approved before you're eligible to then get a BRP (that's the whole point  ).

And as KFDancer mentioned, my wife and I started looking into our extension early November for our appointment on January 9th....the form changed two times in that small period and I can guarantee it will again because I saw an error on the latest form we used

After doing the in person appointment I have some recommendations.

Just be aware that the summer is the busy period when it comes to visas. Do not be surprised if it take months to receive your visa after application. This means you will not be able to travel during this period. In person applications are recommended if you need to travel soon after your visa expiry date as you get a decision on the day and the BRP a week later in the post.

Totally different when applying from inside the UK versus outside the UK.  An application inside the UK has a standard processing time of 8 weeks year round.  This doesn't increase in the summer.  Usually it's only about 6 weeks, but very rarely is the application not received within 8 weeks of submission (usually because documentation wasn't provided and UKVI delays the decision instead of simply refusing it).

Totally different when applying from inside the UK versus outside the UK.  An application inside the UK has a standard processing time of 8 weeks year round.  This doesn't increase in the summer.  Usually it's only about 6 weeks, but very rarely is the application not received within 8 weeks of submission (usually because documentation wasn't provided and UKVI delays the decision instead of simply refusing it).

Ah I see. Much better then. Worth noting for our ILR in two years

Ah I see. Much better then. Worth noting for our ILR in two years

But then ILR is an entirely different application with different processing times.  Cross that bridge when you get there.

Ah I see. Much better then. Worth noting for our ILR in two years

As KFDancer said, ILR is completely different.

FLR(M) applications should be processed within 8 weeks (that's their service standard processing time), while the service standards processing time for ILR is 6 months.

Let me just get this straight what I meant was if we went down to the post office now to get this BRP and then we have it ready for the visa application process when we send that off in May.

The BRP (Biometrics Residence Permit) is your visa, you so you can't get it until after you have applied for it in May.

Instead of getting a visa sticker in your passport, this time when you apply there will be no sticker, your visa will be issued as a plastic BRP card.

The way it works is:

Apply in person (£500 extra)
- attend an in-person appointment to submit the visa application and documents
- your biometrics are taken at the appointment
- the visa decision will be made that day
- your BRP card (your visa) will be mailed to you within 10 working days

Apply by post
- mail your application and documents to UKVI
- about 2 weeks later you will receive a letter inviting you to get biometrics done at a local post office. You must take the letter with you, or you won't be allowed to get them done.
- when you have given biometrics, they will be sent electronically to UKVI, once they receive them, they will start processing your application
- when the decision has been made, the BRP and your documents will be mailed back to you

We are actually wanting to get our 2 little girls their american citizenship should they ever want to go live in America when they are older so maybe thats a feasbile thing for us to do although timing 3 appointments may be a nightmare there!

Your children already have US citizenship, simply because your husband is a US citizen, so what you will actually be doing is making an appointment to register their births abroad and to apply for their US passports.

Why not just make the appointments at the US Embassy for them now? That way, you can get it out of the way a few months before you need to worry about applying for the visa.

See: https://uk.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/birth/