Spouse Visa Questions

I have had a VERY thorough search for any documentation for the year of 2008. Non of our bills nor our tax returns were in both of our names at that time as we were not yet married and household bills with either in my husband's name or mine but not both and we were living month to month so did not have a lease for that year.

I do have my tax return and my husband's tax return from 2008 and they both show our address as the same. Would that be sufficient?

I have had a VERY thorough search for any documentation for the year of 2008. Non of our bills nor our tax returns were in both of our names at that time as we were not yet married and household bills with either in my husband's name or mine but not both and we were living month to month so did not have a lease for that year.

I do have my tax return and my husband's tax return from 2008 and they both show our address as the same. Would that be sufficient?

That's fine! 

If it makes you feel any better, they do NOT review the application with the Gold service, even though they state they do.  So you are making 100% the correct choice with priority processing. 

Sierradenver, I understand exacty how you feel. My family is also relocating from the Bay Area to the UK due the ridiculous cost of living here. You are in good hands with the UKY visa experts here. Good luck in your application!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sierradenver, I understand exacty how you feel. My family is also relocating from the Bay Area to the UK due the ridiculous cost of living here. You are in good hands with the UKY visa experts here. Good luck in your application!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you @masonjohnsmum I appreciate that.  We're nearly there!

If it makes you feel any better, they do NOT review the application with the Gold service, even though they state they do.  So you are making 100% the correct choice with priority processing. 

Thanks you @KFdancer. I DO however wish I had my husband give a closer review to my application before I hit submit  I new if I made a mistake it would be something stupid and simple because I was reading the directions so thoroughly on everything but the MOST simple. Today I went for my biometrics and they caught my error.  I forgot that 'given name(s)' includes the middle name!!! In the US, we say 'first', 'middle' and 'last' so I completely forgot to put my middle name on my application with of course is on my US Passport.  The biometrics officer corrected it on my application in writing and said they corrected it in their system.  So I then hand wrote my sponsor's (husband) middle name at each place on the application and my two son's middle names as well on each page where their names were given. Do you think this will be a problem? 

Second, they did not give me a separate biometrics sheet but rather stamped and signed page 1 of my application.  Was their something else they are meant to have given me? (they did mention that this was the new UK application form--they seemed unfamiliar with it)

Other questions:
Do I staple my one passport photo to the first page of the application where the image of the passport photo is?

Do I need to use brown paper with a string to pack my application (which I read on the forum from several years back) or is a large envelope sufficient?

I'm sweating over my error. I hope this isn't a $3000 mistake 

Thanks you @KFdancer.
Second, they did not give me a separate biometrics sheet but rather stamped and signed page 1 of my application.  Was their something else they are meant to have given me? (they did mention that this was the new UK application form--they seemed unfamiliar with it)

At closer look, it appears to me that the first 3 pages of my application may in fact be the biometrics confirmation sheet?  The first page begins with "applicant biographical details and travel date" and includes other headings such as "visa applicant contact details", "visa application fee and payment confirmation". And this is the page the biometrics officer stamped and dated. There is also a place for a passport photo. Page 2 then has a signature page and page 3 has two barcodes, one of which is the one that the Biometrics Officer said that they needed to process my biometrics. Page 4 then starts with my information again as I entered it in my application (through page 11) and the last 2 pages again are a signature page and the then a page with barcodes again.  Do you think then that I should leave it in this order as it was printed, rather than placing my biometrics page after Appendix 2 which is recommended here on the forum?

One more question (brain fatigue so I'm wacky at this point), do my supporting documents to establish relationship evidence (eg leases, tax returns, etc) need to be originals or can they be copies? I don't know why this didn't occur to me until now as they want originals of application documents, accommodation evidence, etc.

I'm shipping it all out tomorrow (Tuesday) and would appreciate your wisdom!

Thanks all

Thanks you @KFdancer. I DO however wish I had my husband give a closer review to my application before I hit submit  I new if I made a mistake it would be something stupid and simple because I was reading the directions so thoroughly on everything but the MOST simple. Today I went for my biometrics and they caught my error.  I forgot that 'given name(s)' includes the middle name!!! In the US, we say 'first', 'middle' and 'last' so I completely forgot to put my middle name on my application with of course is on my US Passport.  The biometrics officer corrected it on my application in writing and said they corrected it in their system.  So I then hand wrote my sponsor's (husband) middle name at each place on the application and my two son's middle names as well on each page where their names were given. Do you think this will be a problem? 

Second, they did not give me a separate biometrics sheet but rather stamped and signed page 1 of my application.  Was their something else they are meant to have given me? (they did mention that this was the new UK application form--they seemed unfamiliar with it)

Other questions:
Do I staple my one passport photo to the first page of the application where the image of the passport photo is?

Do I need to use brown paper with a string to pack my application (which I read on the forum from several years back) or is a large envelope sufficient?

I'm sweating over my error. I hope this isn't a $3000 mistake 

Unless it has changed, I think you have had them stamp your application form rather than the biometrics receipt which you will find if you sign into your visa account.
The fact that they were able to do your biometrics from the barcode you provided is good and means you will probably be ok, as they are transmitted electronically but if it was me, I'd go back and see if they will stamp the correct page for you.

One more question (brain fatigue so I'm wacky at this point), do my supporting documents to establish relationship evidence (eg leases, tax returns, etc) need to be originals or can they be copies? I don't know why this didn't occur to me until now as they want originals of application documents, accommodation evidence, etc.

I'm shipping it all out tomorrow (Tuesday) and would appreciate your wisdom!

Thanks all

They should be originals in as much as that is possible. For example if your copy of an old lease is all you have, then just use it but things like utility bills and bank statements which have come to you by mail should be originals and not copies.

Unless it has changed, I think you have had them stamp your application form rather than the biometrics receipt which you will find if you sign into your visa account.
The fact that they were able to do your biometrics from the barcode you provided is good and means you will probably be ok, as they are transmitted electronically but if it was me, I'd go back and see if they will stamp the correct page for you.

Thank you @larrabee. Actually they did stamp my application.  I now understand what the separate document (title "UK Appointment Confirmation") they had been referring to (I didn't have it with me; I had printed out a print out of the appointment screen shot.) But they DID stamp my application. Phew! As I would not be able to get back to the Biometrics Office.

Should they have ALSO done something to the "UK Appointment Confirmation" sheet?

Thanks you @KFdancer. I DO however wish I had my husband give a closer review to my application before I hit submit  I new if I made a mistake it would be something stupid and simple because I was reading the directions so thoroughly on everything but the MOST simple. Today I went for my biometrics and they caught my error.  I forgot that 'given name(s)' includes the middle name!!! In the US, we say 'first', 'middle' and 'last' so I completely forgot to put my middle name on my application with of course is on my US Passport.  The biometrics officer corrected it on my application in writing and said they corrected it in their system.  So I then hand wrote my sponsor's (husband) middle name at each place on the application and my two son's middle names as well on each page where their names were given. Do you think this will be a problem? 

My BIGGEST concern is this point. Does anyone have experience with having to handwrite in to correct mistakes after the application has been confirmed on-line?  Will this automatically void my application? Am I better off just sending the application "as is" and not write in the middle names under "given name(s)" as they appear on the passports?

Again, like all of us on this forum, I am very grateful for the attention you volunteers give to this forum.  Truly appreciated!

My BIGGEST concern is this point. Do anyone have experience with having to handwrite in to correct mistakes after the application has been confirmed on-line?  Will this automatically void my application? Am I better off just sending the application "as is" and not write in the middle names under "given name(s)" as they appear on the passports?

Again, like all of us on this forum, I am very grateful for the attention you volunteers give to this forum.  Truly appreciated!

You are good!  You are supposed to correct any mistakes by hand. The guidance used to specifically state that but it was lost in the shuffle when the website changed. And the fact that they corrected your name at biometrics is perfect!

Thank you @larrabee. Actually they did stamp my application.  I now understand what the separate document (title "UK Appointment Confirmation") they had been referring to (I didn't have it with me; I had printed out a print out of the appointment screen shot.) But they DID stamp my application. Phew! As I would not be able to get back to the Biometrics Office.

Should they have ALSO done something to the "UK Appointment Confirmation" sheet?

The biometrics receipt with the barcode is what you should have taken to the appointment to have stamped, not the application. But they have obviously been able to get to your account using the barcode on the application so I wouldn't imagine that there will be any problems. That's the first time I've heard of that happening though! 

My BIGGEST concern is this point. Do anyone have experience with having to handwrite in to correct mistakes after the application has been confirmed on-line?  Will this automatically void my application? Am I better off just sending the application "as is" and not write in the middle names under "given name(s)" as they appear on the passports?

It’s perfectly fine to change it by hand and not an issue at all. In fact, that’s what you need need to do, as the online application is not transmitted anywhere and won’t be seen anyway.

A while ago there was a bug in the online application where it would put the applicant’s name as:
First Maiden Married
Instead of
First Middle Married

To correct it, you had to ask them to change it in the system at the biometrics appointment and also correct it by hand on the form... which is exactly what you have done .

Do NOT send the application as is because the names won’t match and the visa could be refused.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk