Spousal Visa Questions

Firstly, thanks for all the help in the past.

So first the background on our situation. My wife is a UK citizen although she born here in the USA and has lived here in the USA since she was a child, although she spent every summer in the UK with family. Her parents and grandparents on both sides are all from the UK. We have sold our house to meet the financial requirements and her parents have a small flat that they are kind enough to let us stay in to meet the housing requirement. Added to all of this is we are going to be bringing our beloved small dog with us. We are getting all our ducks in a row to start my spousal visa application in the next couple of months (if all goes as planed) but have some questions for the experts about our situation.

1- As stated above, to attain the required £62,000 we have sold our house. I think I remember seeing a discussion on UKY that in the case of a house sale the funds did not have to be in savings for the required 6 months. Does anyone know if this is the case? And if so what sort of supporting documentation would we need to prove the funds came from the sale of a home?

2- I have downloaded the required VAF4a form. No problem. We are however gun shy about the visa4uk site. Can I start an application there online and finish it later if I don't have all the required information? Are they asking basic things that I WILL know or are these difficult questions? Lastly... Is this something I should wait to complete right before I go for my bio-metrics or can I do it in advance make sure I have it all the information and make my bio-metrics appointment a week or a month after I have finished filling it in?

3- Assuming all goes well and I get my visa we are not sure how to answer the "Proposed Flight Itinerary" question. What do they want to hear on this?? (We realize that my wife will have to travel with or before me. We plan to travel together.) We don't know when we are traveling until we get my visa. Seems like a catch-22. Is there a time limit on when you have to fly after receiving the visa?

4- Relating to the "Flight Itinerary" question above. How are we supposed to plan ahead for moving the dog over and timing all of her shots? (Maybe the answer to the above will shed some light on this.)

5- Any advice on what to say in the sponsor letter? I'm sure we are not the first couple with a UK citizen living in the USA married, sponsoring and moving to the UK but it feels a little different.

6- Lastly Fees..
     A- Spouse Visa Fee £1,464
     B-Priority Processing £ 738
     C- Round Trip Shipping £ 227
      D - How much is the National Health Fee??
      E- Anything else I am not aware of??

Thanks so much in advance.

NWKH

Firstly, thanks for all the help in the past.

So first the background on our situation. My wife is a UK citizen although she born here in the USA and has lived here in the USA since she was a child, although she spent every summer in the UK with family. Her parents and grandparents on both sides are all from the UK. We have sold our house to meet the financial requirements and her parents have a small flat that they are kind enough to let us stay in to meet the housing requirement. Added to all of this is we are going to be bringing our beloved small dog with us. We are getting all our ducks in a row to start my spousal visa application in the next couple of months (if all goes as planed) but have some questions for the experts about our situation.

1- As stated above, to attain the required £62,000 we have sold our house. I think I remember seeing a discussion on UKY that in the case of a house sale the funds did not have to be in savings for the required 6 months. Does anyone know if this is the case? And if so what sort of supporting documentation would we need to prove the funds came from the sale of a home?

2- I have downloaded the required VAF4a form. No problem. We are however gun shy about the visa4uk site. Can I start an application there online and finish it later if I don't have all the required information? Are they asking basic things that I WILL know or are these difficult questions? Lastly... Is this something I should wait to complete right before I go for my bio-metrics or can I do it in advance make sure I have it all the information and make my bio-metrics appointment a week or a month after I have finished filling it in?

3- Assuming all goes well and I get my visa we are not sure how to answer the "Proposed Flight Itinerary" question. What do they want to hear on this?? (We realize that my wife will have to travel with or before me. We plan to travel together.) We don't know when we are traveling until we get my visa. Seems like a catch-22. Is there a time limit on when you have to fly after receiving the visa?

4- Relating to the "Flight Itinerary" question above. How are we supposed to plan ahead for moving the dog over and timing all of her shots? (Maybe the answer to the above will shed some light on this.)

5- Any advice on what to say in the sponsor letter? I'm sure we are not the first couple with a UK citizen living in the USA married, sponsoring and moving to the UK but it feels a little different.

6- Lastly Fees..
     A- Spouse Visa Fee £1,464
     B-Priority Processing £ 738
     C- Round Trip Shipping £ 227
      D - How much is the National Health Fee??
      E- Anything else I am not aware of??

Thanks so much in advance.

NWKH

Good questions!

1 It's actually not 62,000, for the savings requirement, it's 62.5kgbp. This is important because if you are even a penny short, they will have to refuse the visa.

Yes, as long as you have owned the house for more than 6 months, you don't have to have had the cash in the bank for that long.

(d) Funds held as cash savings by the applicant, their partner or both jointly at the date of application can be from the proceeds of the sale of property, in the form only of a dwelling, other building or land, which took place within the period of 6 months prior to the date of application, provided that:

    (i) The property (or relevant share of the property) was owned at the beginning of the period of 6 months prior to the date of application and at the date of sale by the applicant, their partner or both jointly.
    (ii) Where ownership of the property was shared with a third party, only the proceeds of the sale of the share of the property owned by the applicant, their partner or both jointly may be counted.
    (iii) The funds deposited as cash savings are the net proceeds of the sale, once any mortgage or loan secured on the property (or relevant share of the property) has been repaid and once any taxes and professional fees associated with the sale have been paid.
    (iv) The decision-maker is satisfied that the requirements in sub-paragraphs (i)-(iii) are met on the basis of information and documents submitted in support of the application. These may include for example:
        (1) Registration information or documentation (or a copy of this) from the Land Registry (or overseas equivalent).
        (2) A letter from a solicitor (or other relevant professional, if the sale takes place overseas) instructed in the sale of the property confirming the sale price and other relevant information.
        (3) A letter from a lender (a bank or building society) on its headed stationery regarding the repayment of a mortgage or loan secured on the property.
        (4) Confirmation of payment of taxes or professional fees associated with the sale.
        (5) Any other relevant evidence that the requirements in subparagraphs (i)-(iii) are met.
    (v) The requirements of this Appendix in respect of the cash savings held at the date of application are met, except that the period of 6 months mentioned in paragraph 11(a) will be reduced by the amount of time which passed between the start of that 6-month period and the deposit of the proceeds of the sale in an account mentioned in paragraph 11(a).
   

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

and https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/525708/Appendix_FM_1_7_Financial_Requirement.pdf

2- You can start the online application any time and save it as you go. Do not submit it until you are completely ready, with all your supporting evidence in hand.
It is basically your personal information so you will know the answers and very similar to vaf4a. You also need appendix 2 which must be filled by hand and included with your application. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270484/VAF4A-Appendix2.pdf

3 You don't have to include a proposed flight itinerary. It is not a requirement but you do need to pick an intended date of travel which amounts to the same thing. Put the earliest date you will be ready to travel. If this date has passed, your visa will be made valid from around the date of the decision. You will have 30 days to enter the UK.
You can go together or the UKC first, the USC can't go before the UKC.

4 Get the microchip (first) and the rabies shot done now. Research the current requirements now too.

5. Nope, not different at all!
You need a short paragraph on

1-The eligibility to sponsor (UKC)
2-How you meet the financial requirements
3-Where you will live
4-Breif history of your relationship, don't emote.

6-IHS 600gbp

2- I have downloaded the required VAF4a form. No problem. We are however gun shy about the visa4uk site. Can I start an application there online and finish it later if I don't have all the required information? Are they asking basic things that I WILL know or are these difficult questions? Lastly... Is this something I should wait to complete right before I go for my bio-metrics or can I do it in advance make sure I have it all the information and make my bio-metrics appointment a week or a month after I have finished filling it in?

- The online application can be saved as you go
- The online questions are just generic questions about you, the applicant (your personal details, your parents' details, your sponsor's details, your employment details etc.)
- The questions are very similar to the paper VAF4a form, so you can use that one for practice (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/274029/VAF4A.pdf)
- All the important questions about how you meet the requirements for the spousal visa are on VAF4a Appendix 2, which you fill out by hand anyway (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270484/VAF4A-Appendix2.pdf)
- You should not submit the online application until you are completely ready to mail your documents to Sheffield for processing. Once you submit, that is your official application date. You pay for the visa and book the biometrics appointment at that time too

3- Assuming all goes well and I get my visa we are not sure how to answer the "Proposed Flight Itinerary" question. What do they want to hear on this?? (We realize that my wife will have to travel with or before me. We plan to travel together.) We don't know when we are traveling until we get my visa. Seems like a catch-22. Is there a time limit on when you have to fly after receiving the visa?

The date you put is the date they will make the visa valid from. It can be up to 3 months ahead of the date you submit the online application and the visa will be valid for 30 days from this date.

However, if the date has passed before the visa has been processed, they will just make it valid for 30 days from the date of decision (or thereabouts)

5- Any advice on what to say in the sponsor letter? I'm sure we are not the first couple with a UK citizen living in the USA married, sponsoring and moving to the UK but it feels a little different.

I've seen dozens, if not hundreds, of people in your exact situation over the last 10 years... it's very common.

The sponsor letter should state:
- how she is eligible to sponsor you (she is a UK citizen)
- how you meet the financial requirement (Category D: Cash Savings from the sale of property)
- where you will live in the UK (the address of her parents' flat, with details of rooms and number of people living there)
- a short paragraph about your relationship history (how/where you met, when you got married, where/how long you've lived together, why you are choosing to move to the UK)

6- Lastly Fees..
     A- Spouse Visa Fee £1,464
     B-Priority Processing £ 738
     C- Round Trip Shipping £ 227
      D - How much is the National Health Fee??
      E- Anything else I am not aware of??

Some of those fees are the US dollar fee, not the UK GBP one.

The figures in GBP are:
- Visa: £1,464
- IHS Surcharge: £600
- Priority processing: £551
- Shipping: quoted in USD only

And in US dollars (exchange rate fixed by UKVI)
- Visa: $1,976 in USD
- IHS Surcharge: around $800
- Priority processing: $738
- Shipping: $141 return only, $227 round-trip

So total in US dollars will be around $3,740 (with round trip shipping)

Thank you both so much. This was such a big help. I really cant tell you what a help it it knowing we have a place to go for answers and support.

Cheers

NWKH

So just to double check something. I DO NOT need to fill out the VAF4A (Personal Details Form)?

I only need the printed VAF4A Appendix 2 (Financial Requirement Form) and the printed online application once completed?

Thanks,

NWKH

So just to double check something. I DO NOT need to fill out the VAF4A (Personal Details Form)?

I only need the printed VAF4A Appendix 2 (Financial Requirement Form) and the printed online application once completed?

Thanks,

NWKH

Correct.  VAF4A is the equivalent of the online application but you send the print of the online app (and appendix 2) instead.

Great thanks.

NWKH

So after some thought is look like my wife/sponsor may be traveling ahead of me to the UK. If this is the case, and assuming all goes well and I am granted my visa, does the sponsor have to meet the visa recipient at the point of entry? So... does she have to come to Heathrow or is my passport/visa good to get me into the country and the important thing is to go get my biometric residence permit (BRP) within the ten days after entry like required?

Thanks,

NWKH

So after some thought is look like my wife/sponsor may be traveling ahead of me to the UK. If this is the case, and assuming all goes well and I am granted my visa, does the sponsor have to meet the visa recipient at the point of entry? So... does she have to come to Heathrow or is my passport/visa good to get me into the country and the important thing is to go get my biometric residence permit (BRP) within the ten days after entry like required?

Thanks,

NWKH

She does not have to meet you at Heathrow.  You go through Entry on your own, and once you're cleared by the ECO, you're your own man.

JFKimbery-

Thanks so much go to know.... I realize Im WAY ahead of myself here.. but what is ECO? Do i have to go someplace special at Heathrow when entering the first time I go though customs upon entry??

Regard,
NWKH

JFKimbery-

Thanks so much go to know.... I realize Im WAY ahead of myself here.. but what is ECO? Do i have to go someplace special at Heathrow when entering the first time I go though customs upon entry??

Regard,
NWKH

No, no place special.  Just wait in the long line for non-EU people.  I was referring to the person you show your passport to and answer questions to.  It's the same procedure to enter now as it's always been, except this time you'll have much less risk of being denied entry. 

JFKimbery-

Thanks so much go to know.... I realize Im WAY ahead of myself here.. but what is ECO? Do i have to go someplace special at Heathrow when entering the first time I go though customs upon entry??

Regard,
NWKH

ECO is the Entry Clearance Officer.

However, ECOs are not at Heathrow - they work at the Sheffield and New York consulates, processing visa applications. The ECO is the person who will decide your visa application in Sheffield.

At Heathrow, it will be the IO (Immigration Officer) you talk to when you go through passport control.


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So many abbreviations...FLR, ILR, ECO, BRP. Thanks so much for clearing that up and being patient with a stressed out visa applicant. Always such a big help to have friends to turn to.

Regards,

NWKH

So many abbreviations...FLR, ILR, ECO, BRP. Thanks so much for clearing that up and being patient with a stressed out visa applicant. Always such a big help to have friends to turn to.

Regards,

NWKH

Stick around here and you'll get the hang of it in no time!