Biometrics residence permit

Hey everyone,

I don't recall my spouse (US national) being given a biometrics resident permit/card for her initial UK Spouse visa. She attended to have her fingerprints & photos done in the US and then had her appointment letter stamped. This was back in October 2014 before the rules were changed in March 2015 (?).

Am I right in assuming that when we apply for FLR(M) she'll be issued with her first BMR card?

Cheers
cornetoo

You are correct!

This was the same for us and my wife received her BRP after FLR(M)

Thanks both!

I was beginning to think we majorly messed up somewhere as I was reading that we should have picked up her BMR from the post office when she arrived in the UK....over 2 years ago.

So we'll just go ahead and tick the relevant box that she just had her finger prints taken at the local office in the US (and provide their details where asked)

Cheers!

I was beginning to think we majorly messed up somewhere as I was reading that we should have picked up her BMR from the post office when she arrived in the UK....over 2 years ago.

No, you're fine - BRP were only issued for visas applied for inside the UK (i.e. FLR(M) and ILR) until May 2015.

As you applied in 2014, your visa was issued as a sticker in the passport, not as a BRP card. But now, when you apply for the FLR(M), it will be issued as a BRP card instead of a sticker.

So we'll just go ahead and tick the relevant box that she just had her finger prints taken at the local office in the US (and provide their details where asked)

That's correct.

You tick NO to 9.1 and then skip to 9.12, where you enter:

9.12 - Yes
9.13 - Date of US biometrics
9.14 - address of USCIS centre where biometrics were taken
9.15 - address of the Sheffield consulate (where the spousal visa was processed)

Thanks ksand24!

Hopefully last question:

2.2 on the form - is this the first time you have applied for a visa or extension of stay in one of the above categories (including previous leave granted as a fiance or proposed civil partner) with your current sponsor?

This would be YES right? (previous application being the initial spouse visa)

Cheers

Hopefully last question:

2.2 on the form - is this the first time you have applied for a visa or extension of stay in one of the above categories (including previous leave granted as a fiance or proposed civil partner) with your current sponsor?

This would be YES right? (previous application being the initial spouse visa)

It's a bit of a confusing question, but you answer NO for this one.

This is your SECOND 'visa or extension' in this category:
- the first one was the spousal visa
- the second one is this application for FLR(M).

It's basically asking if you are already in the UK on a spouse/partner visa or if you are switching from a work or student visa.

- If you put YES, you are saying you DON'T currently have a fiance or spouse visa, and are switching from a work or student visa.

- If you put NO, you are saying you DO already have a spouse, fiance or FLR(M) and are now applying for an extension of it.

So, in this section, you answer as follows:

For 2.1, you tick the first box (spouse)
For 2.2, you tick NO (it's your second application for a spouse/partner visa)
For 2.3, you tick the first box (it's your first application for an EXTENSION of your spouse/partner visa)

Thanks! you're awesome.

My spousal visa was approved in April and the letter I received from the Home Office instructed me to pick up a BRP, which would be available a week after my arrival in the U.K., later this month. So, I guess this must be new for such visas? I have to go to a post office to collect it, and it'll be available from 7 days after the first date I can enter the country.

My spousal visa was approved in April and the letter I received from the Home Office instructed me to pick up a BRP, which would be available a week after my arrival in the U.K., later this month. So, I guess this must be new for such visas? I have to go to a post office to collect it, and it'll be available from 7 days after the first date I can enter the country.

The BRP on visas issued in the US began in May 2015.   

My spousal visa was approved in April and the letter I received from the Home Office instructed me to pick up a BRP, which would be available a week after my arrival in the U.K., later this month. So, I guess this must be new for such visas? I have to go to a post office to collect it, and it'll be available from 7 days after the first date I can enter the country.

Yes, as of May 31 2015, all visas valid for more than 6 months and issued outside the UK are issued in two parts:
1) 30-day visa vignette in your passport, to enter the UK
2) BRP card valid for the length of the visa, which you pick up at a designated post office after arriving. You need to pick it up either within 10 days of entering the UK, or within the 30-day visa vignette validity.

Thank you. Now I hope I won't encounter any issues in retrieving it. Some have posted that it wasn't available on the date specified, but will keep my fingers crossed.

It's a bit of a confusing question, but you answer NO for this one.

This is your SECOND 'visa or extension' in this category:
- the first one was the spousal visa
- the second one is this application for FLR(M).

It's basically asking if you are already in the UK on a spouse/partner visa or if you are switching from a work or student visa.

- If you put YES, you are saying you DON'T currently have a fiance or spouse visa, and are switching from a work or student visa.

- If you put NO, you are saying you DO already have a spouse, fiance or FLR(M) and are now applying for an extension of it.

So, in this section, you answer as follows:

For 2.1, you tick the first box (spouse)
For 2.2, you tick NO (it's your second application for a spouse/partner visa)
For 2.3, you tick the first box (it's your first application for an EXTENSION of your spouse/partner visa)

I keep trying to flag all these posts so when I fill out my application I don't have to ask too many questions, but I know I will be! I read through the form the other day and I'm already confused! I will print the paper form and do that one so that I can get help when I need it!  Do you think the application form will change between now and August/September (I can submit from August 1-October 8, I think)? I'm happy to start filling it in, but I'm afraid they will make changes before I'm ready to submit.

Also, is there some easy way to find the date I did my fingerprinting before? Like is it on my previous paperwork or something? Or do I need to do calendar math back 2 1/2 years?

I keep trying to flag all these posts so when I fill out my application I don't have to ask too many questions, but I know I will be! I read through the form the other day and I'm already confused! I will print the paper form and do that one so that I can get help when I need it!  Do you think the application form will change between now and August/September (I can submit from August 1-October 8, I think)? I'm happy to start filling it in, but I'm afraid they will make changes before I'm ready to submit.

Also, is there some easy way to find the date I did my fingerprinting before? Like is it on my previous paperwork or something? Or do I need to do calendar math back 2 1/2 years?

It may well change, they do tweak it from time to time. The changes are not usually very great though so you could still start fill it in but just be sure to check before you send it that you have the latest one.

If you have kept the emails from your initial visa application, the date'll be in there

I keep trying to flag all these posts so when I fill out my application I don't have to ask too many questions, but I know I will be! I read through the form the other day and I'm already confused! I will print the paper form and do that one so that I can get help when I need it! 

Feel free to ask questions when you fill out the form .

Do you think the application form will change between now and August/September (I can submit from August 1-October 8, I think)? I'm happy to start filling it in, but I'm afraid they will make changes before I'm ready to submit.

It's hard to know - they just updated it in April, but they have done updates in the last year: March 2016, April 2016, November 2016, December 2016 and April 2017.

The forms don't usually change that much, so you can always use the current form to practice, and then if it is updated just before you apply, you'd only need to copy your answers over.

Also, is there some easy way to find the date I did my fingerprinting before? Like is it on my previous paperwork or something? Or do I need to do calendar math back 2 1/2 years?

Do you still have your appointment confirmation email? That's one way to find out.

Some people have it in their signatures, although yours only has the date you applied and the date your visa was issued, but not your biometrics date... so you could estimate the biometrics date from that if you don't have it.

Alternatively, you can check your previous posts on the forum to see if you mentioned it there... actually just having a look at your old posts, it looks like your biometrics were taken on December 30th 2014:
http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=84431.msg1114927#msg1114927