Priority Spouse Visa FALL Timeline (Oct-Dec)

I did about 150 photos with dates, I don't think there was a minimum stated. I may have been a bit excessive. I was so worried that I wouldn't have enough proof so just went excessive on everything.

oh my god 150?? heheh... but this makes me nervous coz i just put 5 photos...

oh my god 150?? heheh... but this makes me nervous coz i just put 5 photos...

Well we put 2, lol.  One before we were married, and one of our wedding.  It's my understanding that the pictures are merely to prove that you've physically met.

Hey guys!

New timeline to add and a question as well.

Country applying from: Canada
Application Type: Fiancé
Priority Paid: Yes
Date of Biometrocs: October 18 2017
Received in Sheffield: October 23 2017
Decision Made Email: Waiting..

Now a quick question. I've read online some people have been refused in the past due to their employers not answering a phone call. Although I'm sure this won't be an issue I've worked myself into a state! Does the ECO always call the employer or does it just depend on the application/ECO? My fiancé and his employer have both not received a call yet so just curious if this is standard protocol or not?

Thanks! Good luck everyone!

oh my god 150?? heheh... but this makes me nervous coz i just put 5 photos...

No more than 2 photos need to be included with the application... and they should only be of you and your sponsor.

The photo(s) are just to prove you have met in person at least once.

5 photos are fine.

150 photos is massive overkill - it won’t affect the visa decision, but all those photos will clutter the application and make the ECO’s job a bit harder as they’ll have to wade through them all to get to the important documents.


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Now a quick question. I've read online some people have been refused in the past due to their employers not answering a phone call. Although I'm sure this won't be an issue I've worked myself into a state! Does the ECO always call the employer or does it just depend on the application/ECO? My fiancé and his employer have both not received a call yet so just curious if this is standard protocol or not?

Welcome .

It’s almost unheard of for either sponsor or their employer to receive a phone call, especially for an application from Canada or the US.

The people you’ve read about online are likely to be applying from high risk countries with higher rates of application fraud, which require more scrutiny from UKVI.

Applications from the US and Canada have about a 95% approval rate and I don’t recall anyone’s sponsor or employer in particular receiving a call in the last few years (it may have happened, but I don’t remember it specifically).



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Hi everybody,
I'm curious about how long it takes between decision email and receiving your visa. Do you usually receive it the next day or within the week?
Also, although this might be premature as I haven't received an answer yet. On the spouse visa are we allowed to move from the address we provided them with? Or do we have to inform the home office that we've moved?

Thanks in advance

It can take a few days - the decision email is sent when the decision is made, but they still have to package up the documents for shipping and then UPS/DHL have to pick them up (about 4pm each day), and then it takes 2-3 days for them to be delivered back to you. They may be picked up the same day as the decision email is sent, or it could be a couple of days later.

In regards to your address, you can move as much as you like once you are in the UK, but when you do move, there’s just a form you need to fill out to inform UKVI of the move so they can update the personal details on your BRP card.


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Hey guys!

New timeline to add and a question as well.

Country applying from: Canada
Application Type: Fiancé
Priority Paid: Yes
Date of Biometrocs: October 18 2017
Received in Sheffield: October 23 2017
Decision Made Email: Waiting..

Now a quick question. I've read online some people have been refused in the past due to their employers not answering a phone call. Although I'm sure this won't be an issue I've worked myself into a state! Does the ECO always call the employer or does it just depend on the application/ECO? My fiancé and his employer have both not received a call yet so just curious if this is standard protocol or not?

Thanks! Good luck everyone!

I've had a few Canadian acquaintances go through the UK fiance/spousal visa process and they've never mentioned the ECO calling their partner's employer. I'd say it isn't worth working yourself into a state about. I don't think it's standard protocol and I'd guess it would only happen if there was something really confusing or out of the ordinary about your partner's employment.

I'm on the same timeline/visa route as you, also from Canada, and as the days go by, it gets easier and easier to question the application and the process--- but try not to!! I hope we both hear something soon!

I'm on the same timeline/visa route as you, also from Canada, and as the days go by, it gets easier and easier to question the application and the process--- but try not to!! I hope we both hear something soon!

Tell me about it! The amount of times I check my email a day is insane even knowing there are people who've been waiting weeks longer than I have. The process is stressful to say the least! 

No more than 2 photos need to be included with the application... and they should only be of you and your sponsor.

The photo(s) are just to prove you have met in person at least once.

5 photos are fine.

150 photos is massive overkill - it won’t affect the visa decision, but all those photos will clutter the application and make the ECO’s job a bit harder as they’ll have to wade through them all to get to the important documents.


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Well then our ECO is in for a treat  when processing our application. Not only do they have to wade through our massive overkill of photos, but My husband is self employed and had to submit a years worth of not only personal but also business bank statements..... no wonder it's taking so long 😂

Well then our ECO is in for a treat  when processing our application. Not only do they have to wade through our massive overkill of photos, but My husband is self employed and had to submit a years worth of not only personal but also business bank statements..... no wonder it's taking so long 😂

Same with our paper work.. My husband is self employed and also works remotely from UK for a company here in the US.. I submitted so much paper work.. An easy 200 Plus pages

Hey guys!

Hi Aviator, welcome! 

Well then our ECO is in for a treat  when processing our application. Not only do they have to wade through our massive overkill of photos, but My husband is self employed and had to submit a years worth of not only personal but also business bank statements..... no wonder it's taking so long 😂

And that's not all you needed! There is a *lot of paperwork required for the self employment categories. The lists are different depending on the type of self employment. Did you include the rest of it too?

.7. In respect of self-employment in the UK as a partner, as a sole trader or in a franchise all of the following must be provided:
(a) Evidence of the amount of tax payable, paid and unpaid for the last full financial year.
(b) The following documents for the last full financial year, or for the last two such years (where those documents show the necessary level of gross profit as an average of those two years):
(i) annual self-assessment tax return to HMRC (a copy or print-out); and
(ii) Statement of Account (SA300 or SA302).
(c) Proof of registration with HMRC as self-employed if available.
(d) Each partner’s Unique Tax Reference Number (UTR) and/or the UTR of the partnership or business.
(e) Where the person holds or held a separate business bank account(s), bank statements for the same 12-month period as the tax return(s).
(f) personal bank statements for the same 12-month period as the tax return(s) showing that the income from self-employment has been paid into an account in the name of the person or in the name of the person and their partner jointly.
(g) Evidence of ongoing self-employment through the provision of at least one of the following: a bank statement dated no more than three months earlier than the date of application showing transactions relating to ongoing trading, or evidence dated no more than three months earlier than the date of application of the renewal of a licence to trade or of ongoing payment of business rates, business-related insurance premiums, employer National Insurance contributions or franchise payments to the parent company.
(h) One of the following documents must also be submitted:
(i) (aa) If the business is required to produce annual audited accounts, such accounts for the last full financial year; or
(bb) If the business is not required to produce annual audited accounts, unaudited accounts for the last full financial year and an accountant’s certificate of confirmation, from an accountant who is a member of a UK Recognised Supervisory Body (as defined in the Companies Act 2006) or who is a member of the Institute of Financial Accountants;
(ii) A certificate of VAT registration and the VAT return for the last full financial year (a copy or print-out) confirming the VAT registration number, if turnover is in excess of £79,000 or was in excess of the threshold which applied during the last full financial year;
(iii) Evidence to show appropriate planning permission or local planning authority consent is held to operate the type/class of business at the trading address (where this is a local authority requirement); or
(iv) A franchise agreement signed by both parties.
(i) The document referred to in paragraph 7(h)(iv) must be provided if the organisation is a franchise.

9. In respect of income from employment and/or shares in a limited company based in the UK of a type specified in paragraph 9(a), the requirements of paragraph 9(b)-(e) shall apply in place of the requirements of paragraphs 2 and 10(b).
(a) The specified type of limited company is one in which:
(i) the person is either a director or employee of the company, or both, or of another company within the same group; and
(ii) shares are held (directly or indirectly) by the person, their partner or the following family members of the person or their partner: parent, grandparent, child, stepchild, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece or first cousin; and
(iii) any remaining shares are held (directly or indirectly) by fewer than five other persons.
(b) All of the following must be provided:
(i) Company Tax Return CT600 (a copy or print-out) for the last full financial year and evidence this has been filed with HMRC, such as electronic or written acknowledgment from HMRC.
(ii) Evidence of registration with the Registrar of Companies at Companies House.
(iii) If the company is required to produce annual audited accounts, such accounts for the last full financial year.
(iv) If the company is not required to produce annual audited accounts, unaudited accounts for the last full financial year and an accountant’s certificate of confirmation, from an accountant who is a member of a UK Recognized Supervisory Body (as defined in the Companies Act 2006) or who is a member of the Institute of Financial Accountants.
(v) Corporate/business bank statements covering the same 12-month period as the Company Tax Return CT600.
(vi) A current Appointment Report from Companies House.
(vii) One of the following documents must also be provided:
(1) A certificate of VAT registration and the VAT return for the last full financial year (a copy or print-out) confirming the VAT registration number, if turnover is in excess of £79,000 or was in excess of the threshold which applied during the last full financial year.
(2) Proof of ownership or lease of business premises.
(3) Original proof of registration with HMRC as an employer for the purposes of PAYE and National Insurance, proof of PAYE reference number and Accounts Office reference number. This evidence may be in the form of a certified copy of the documentation issued by HMRC.
(c) Where the person is either listed as a director of the company, or is an employee of the company, or both, and receives a salary from the company, all of the following documents must also be provided:
(i) Payslips and P60 (if issued) covering the same period as the Company Tax Return CT600.
(ii) Personal bank statements covering the same 12-month period as the Company Tax Return CT600 showing that the salary as a director or employee of the company (or both) was paid into an account in the name of the person or in the name of the person and their partner jointly.
(d) Where the person receives dividends from the company, all of the following documents must also be provided:
(i) Dividend vouchers for all dividends declared in favour of the person during or in respect of the period covered by the Company Tax Return CT600 showing the company’s and the person’s details with the person’s net dividend amount and tax credit.
(ii) Personal bank statement(s) showing that those dividends were paid into an account in the name of the person or in the name of the person and their partner jointly.
(e) For the purposes of paragraph 19(a), evidence of ongoing employment as a director or other employee of the company or of ongoing receipt of dividend income from the company must be provided. This evidence may include payslips (or dividend vouchers) and personal bank statements showing that, in the period since the latest 12-month period covered by the Company Tax Return CT600, the person’s salary as a director or employee of the company (or both) (or dividend income from the company) was paid into an account in the name of the person or in the name of the person and their partner jointly. Alternative evidence may include evidence of ongoing payment of business rates, business-related insurance premiums or employer National Insurance contributions in relation to the company.

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

And that's not all you needed! There is a *lot of paperwork required for the self employment categories. The lists are different depending on the type of self employment. Did you include the rest of it too?

Yes, we had an immagration lawyer. She advised us on all of the documents we needed as well as putting our application and supporting documentation together.

Well then our ECO is in for a treat  when processing our application. Not only do they have to wade through our massive overkill of photos, but My husband is self employed and had to submit a years worth of not only personal but also business bank statements..... no wonder it's taking so long 😂

Yes, unfortunately with extra items that are not needed, it will likely take a bit longer to process than if you had simply submitted the required documentation and nothing extra.  We had someone once submit an application that weighed 11 pounds and they couldn't understand why their application was taking weeks longer to process.    

VISA APPROVED!!!!! Wifey is coming home for Christmas ♡ she woke me up at 130 am to open her package with me. The crazy thing is today's my birthday too.