UK Spouse visa - use a lawyer service?

I didn't use any priority services when doing biometrics or anything as I had to do this online when applying but not sure if times maybe have changed and this is something you can do now?(although it sounds as though this hasn't changed and the priority process is for other visas)

Applications have all been online for at least 10 years. Biometrics have been done the same way for years as well.

The only difference now is that there are various different services available for actually submitting the visa now, but most of them do NOT apply to fiance/spousal visas.

The options:
Not available to fiance/sposual visa applications:
- pre-paid shipping labels to/from New York ($34 return only, $53 round trip)
- Priority Processing ($258 - gets your application package put to the front of the line when it arrives in New York)
- Gold Premium Service Package ($1,400... walk-in biometrics and application submission at a number of cities, next business day decision)
- Silver Premium Service Package ($650... walk-in biometrics and application submission at a number of cities, application put to the top of the pile for processing)
- Bronze Premium Service Package ($235... walk-in biometrics and application submission at a number of cities... standard processing times)


Available to fiance/spousal visa applications:
- pre-paid shipping labels to/from Sheffield ($141 return only, $227 round-trip)
- Settlement Priority Processing ($771 - gets your application package put to the front of the line when it arrives in Sheffield)


HOWEVER, it looks like they are introducing a SETTLEMENT Gold Premium Service package, for fiance/spousal visa applications starting on November 15th (in 2 days):
- it costs $1,600 (on top of the £1,464 visa fee)
- it includes Settlement Priority Processing
- it's available at any of the 10 Premium Service Centres in the US (Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami ,New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC)
- it's by appointment only
- appointments will only be available between 12:00 and 14:00 on a Wednesday

See: https://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/user_pay_services.html#15
and
http://vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/applicationcentre.html#3

Hi All,

My husband has his Biometrics appointment on Tuesday for his Spouse visa and I'd really appreciate it if the very knowledgeable people of this forum could help check our supporting documents list! I've copied the Table of Contents we have written here. As a little background; met in 2014, engaged in 2015, married in 2017. We currently live together in Boston, MA. I have a UK employment contract, signed, due to start feb 1st 2018 in the UK, earning over the threshold. (I've been with the same employer since 2012, and have just switched between working in the UK > US > UK). I'm not sure I need to include all the employement documents that I have but figured I may as well?

Many thanks in advance!!!

Table of Contents – Visa Application for Michael XXX[/b][/b]

Please note that for all documents, we have provided originals and 1 copy.

1.   Confirmation of Priority Visa payment of $771
2.   Sponsor Letter
3.   Passport of Michael XXXXX
Within the passport you will find Michael’s Marriage visitor visa which was obtained for our wedding in the UK.
4.   Form VAF 4A
5.   Printed Online Visa Application
6.   NHS Surcharge Payment Confirmation
7.   Passport Photos of Michael XXXX
8.   Marriage Certificate
9.   Certified Copy of Laura XXXX’s passport
10.   Laura  – 6 Months of Pay Cheques
11.   Laura  – 6 Months of Bank Statements
12.   Laura  –  UK Employment Contract starting Feb 1st 2018
Contract  confirming Laura’s continued employment with the company in the UK.
13.   Laura Heritage – Employment Verification Letter
This letter confirms Laura’s employment history with the company. I have also included my secondment agreements to the US, and my US employment contract.
14.   Laura Heritage – US Secondment Agreements 2014 – 2016
15.   Laura Heritage - US 1.12.2016 Employment Contract
16.   Laura Heritage – P.45 30.11.2016
17.   Accommodation Letter and Land Registry Doc
18.   Michael and Laura  – Apartment Rental Lease 2015-2016
Michael and Laura have lived together since July 2015, we have included all our apartment rental leases since 2015 to confirm this.
19.   Michael  and Laura  – Apartment Rental Lease 2016-2017
20.   Michael  and Laura – Apartment Rental Lease 2017-2018
21.   Return Envelope for Passport and Documents

I'm just going to organise your documents into the correct sections for the visa, in the order they should be placed. Anything I've added or clarified is in blue.

Applicant
1. Confirmation of Priority Visa payment of $771
2. Table of Contents – Visa Application for Michael XXX[/b][/b]
3. Printed Online Visa Application
4. VAF4a Appendix 2 form
5. Passport of Michael XXXXX
6. Passport Photos of Michael XXXX
7. Return shipping label
8. NHS Surcharge Payment Confirmation

Sponsor
1. Certified Copy of Laura XXXX’s passport (photo page only)
2. Sponsor Letter

Financial Requirement
1. Laura  – 6 Months of Pay Cheques
2. Laura  – 6 Months of Bank Statements
3. Laura – Employment Verification Letter
4. Laura  –  UK Employment Contract starting Feb 1st 2018

Accommodation
1. Accommodation Letter
2. Land Registry Doc

Relationship
1. Marriage Certificate
2. 1-2 photos of you together
2.   Michael and Laura  – Apartment Rental Lease 2015-2016
3.   Michael  and Laura  – Apartment Rental Lease 2016-2017
4.   Michael  and Laura – Apartment Rental Lease 2017-2018
Do you have anything else showing you have lived together? Annual tax returns, for example?


You do NOT need the following, so take them out as they are irrelevant to the application:
14.   Laura Heritage – US Secondment Agreements 2014 – 2016
15.   Laura Heritage - US 1.12.2016 Employment Contract
16.   Laura Heritage – P.45 30.11.2016
21.   Return Envelope for Passport and Documents

Thank you very much for that! I will include some photos of us together.

I'm sure we have a couple of utility bills I could include. Does it matter how many we include? If I just include one or two, would the date of the bill matter?

Thank you!

Laura

No, it shouldn't matter how many - I was just thinking that 3 rental agreements and nothing else seems a bit sparse for proof of living together. Usually people also include their annual tax return and/or a couple of utility bills per year.

Ok, unfortunately we have not yet filed joint tax returns so do not have this to show. I'll see what else I can find as proof of living together.

Is there any value in including screenshots of facebook/text message conversations/call logs etc?

Ok, unfortunately we have not yet filed joint tax returns so do not have this to show. I'll see what else I can find as proof of living together.

They don’t have to be filed jointly - if they are separate but both show the same address, you can use them.


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Is there any value in including screenshots of facebook/text message conversations/call logs etc?

Not unless you have spent significant time apart since getting married and have had to carry out a long-distance relationship.

If you live together, you show evidence of living together.

If you have not been able to live together yet because you live in different countries, then you show evidence of visits to see each other and evidence of communicating regularly through emails/Skype etc.


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Hi all,

I am in the process of sponsoring my wife. My annual income is above the legal threshold of 18.600. However, the monthly rent of the 3-bed house that I rent for the last 8 years is 1700. My solicitor thinks this might constitute a reason for HO to refuse on the grounds of "affordability" as the rent is remarkably higher compared to my monthly income. Some other solicitors that I consulted rule this out and claim that HO is only interested in our income, not outgoings. I have been sub renting two of my rooms for the last 10 months and asked my accountant to include this in my tax returns this year. I, technically, pay like 650 rent at the end of the month with all the bills and councils tax included.

I am deeply concerned about this issue and literally stuck at the moment. Does my outgoings have considerable bearing on my income which is 28.375 for the last 12 months. Any opinion and advice is greatly appreciated indeed!

Many thanks

applicant-uk, I’ve just replied to your question in the topic you started (it’s easier if you don’t post the same question in multiple threads, so we don’t have to answer it multiple times )


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Received Visa Today!

Priority Spouse Visa:

Biometrics Appointment: 21.11.2017
Application Received in Sheffied: 22.11.2017
Decision Email Received: 27.11.2017
Visa and Passport Received: 29.11.2017

We can't believe how quickly it arrived! Thank you everyone for all your help!!!

Received Visa Today!

Priority Spouse Visa:

Biometrics Appointment: 21.11.2017
Application Received in Sheffied: 22.11.2017
Decision Email Received: 27.11.2017
Visa and Passport Received: 29.11.2017

We can't believe how quickly it arrived! Thank you everyone for all your help!!!

Congrats

Incredibly fast! happy for you Laura!
We also sent the documents on the 22nd of NOV. priority too. lets see how long ours will take:(