FLR(M) - 13B - wording

Hi folks,

Me again. Sorry.

I was planning to include as a matter of course the marriage certificate and decree absolute, but I see the paragraph states:

"If you are applying for a first extension of stay as a spouse or civil partner, in addition to the relevant documents in sub-section 13A, you must provide the following documents:"

(then goes on about marriage certs and decree absolutes).

As this is our second FLR(M), following the first FLR(M), after the fiancee visa, does this make it so we WOULDN'T need to include them (!). I'm going to anyway, to be on the safe side, but in terms of literally ticking the boxes on the application form, is this something I SHOULDN'T do? Eek.

I expect it doesn't matter if I tick them, and include them, and then don't need them, but has anyone stumbled on this wording before?

Thanks!

You must always include both your marriage certificate and all divorce decrees for EVERY visa you apply for.

Regardless of what it says (and I think that's just bad wording on their part), it is a requirement to prove you are still married and that your marriage is legal, for every application you make... because if you are no longer married, you will not qualify for the visa as the spouse of a UK citizen.

P.S. It's easier for us to give advice if you keep all your questions in just one thread, rather than starting a new topic for every question you have. That way we can easily keep track of your application situation and what we've said to you before .

Perfect, thanks ksand. I suspected it was, and I'll do that!

I'll keep the questions in one thread if any more come up. I was just thinking maybe the topic would be helpful for others but, that makes sense - cheers!

Thanks again for all your help!

I'll keep the questions in one thread if any more come up. I was just thinking maybe the topic would be helpful for others but, that makes sense - cheers!

No worries .

It can just get confusing sometimes when we have several people applying close together and it's easy to forget who is in which situation - I know in the past I've ended replying to one person with incorrect information because I got them confused with another person who was applying for the same visa. I've also ended up giving one person the same advice 2 or 3 times because I've forgotten that I'd already told them that information in a different thread .

But if each person just has one thread for their particular application, then it's easy to scroll back up through the thread and check a) what their situation is and b) what information we've already given them

Renamed the subject, not sure if I can do this at the parent to hopefully keep it all in one thread now. Etiher way, this is about that question 13B.

Definitely going to include all of the relevant documents (marriage cert, decree absolute) - should I leave the box on the form unticked, or tick it, as this is the second time. My gut says to include the documentation and ignore the boxes!

I would include the documents AND tick the boxes (it's really only a checklist, after all).

In fact, I think the wording is actually a mistake on the form, because you MUST include the documents for every single visa. After all, you have to sign the declaration that states you are still married, so it's only logical that you need to include your marriage certificate and divorce decrees.

In all the years of being on this forum, I have never heard of anyone NOT including their marriage certificate... because after all, if you separate and/or divorce, your visa becomes invalid and you won't qualify for FLR(M), so you have to prove you are still married.

Brilliant. We'll do that then - after all, we'll be there in person to answer any questions thanks again for your help

So my vague attempts to rename the topic failed. Oh well

On to my next questions: organisation.

1. I can't remember how I did this last time. I know I paper-clipped bits of it together, but I believe I used sheets of paper to separate the document sections (e.g. finance here, correspondence there). Any thoughts on this?

2. They suggest that for expediency, you can provide your own photocopies. I can do this for sure, however, should they appear altogether at the back of the application, or interleaved; should I provide e.g.:

• land registry document
• copy of land registry document
• marriage certificate
• copy of marriage certificate
• other doc 1
• copy of other doc 1
• other doc 2
• copy of other doc 2 (and so on)

OR

• land registry document
• marriage certificate
• (all other docs)
• copy of land registry document
• copy of marriage certificate (etc.)
• (copy of all other docs

No rush, and thanks!

So my vague attempts to rename the topic failed. Oh well

On to my next questions: organisation.

1. I can't remember how I did this last time. I know I paper-clipped bits of it together, but I believe I used sheets of paper to separate the document sections (e.g. finance here, correspondence there). Any thoughts on this?

2. They suggest that for expediency, you can provide your own photocopies. I can do this for sure, however, should they appear altogether at the back of the application, or interleaved; should I provide e.g.:

• land registry document
• copy of land registry document
• marriage certificate
• copy of marriage certificate
• other doc 1
• copy of other doc 1
• other doc 2
• copy of other doc 2 (and so on)

OR

• land registry document
• marriage certificate
• (all other docs)
• copy of land registry document
• copy of marriage certificate (etc.)
• (copy of all other docs

No rush, and thanks!

1- You can put a blank page between your sections if you like but there is really no  need. They know what they are looking for/at!

2-First pile all the originals, second pile all the copies.

Brilliant - thanks very much larrabee

It's all the details I guess. I'm on this nice and early, and I think I'm getting the 'ducks in a row' jitters! Probably going to print out a manifest this weekend and see what I'm missing for our January appointment; couple of stamped payslips (ETA end of next week) and an up-to-date interim bank statement from the bank (probably grab that at the end of the week). Then I should have everything tidy for a relaxing Christmas...

... well, as relaxing as Christmas can be with a pending visa application, erk!

Then I should have everything tidy for a relaxing Christmas...

... well, as relaxing as Christmas can be with a pending visa application, erk!

I know huh? 

I'm going to have to get going on our ILR soon, I'm getting the itch to start but it's just a little too soon yet so I've decided to enjoy Christmas first and then get down to work!

Alright, correspondence time!

So I've dug out from the biscuits archives the following original documents which should hopefully cover all the bases, and hopefully at the right times. There's definitely too many here, but this is the shortlist. For reference, the visa expires early February, and our appointment is mid January.

a) Bank statement, 01/11/2015-30/11/2015, in both names (applicant's maiden name shown on bill)
b) Bank statement, 01/03/2016-31/03/2016, in both names
c) Bank statement, 01/03/2016-31/03/2016, in applicant's name
d) Council tax bill issued 18/03/2016, in both names
e) Bank statement, 01/07/2016-31/07/2016, in applicant's name
f) Bank statement, 01/07/2016-31/07/2016, in both names
g) Credit card statement, 22/07/2016, in sponsor's name
h) Electricity bill issued 26/10/2016, in both names (applicant's maiden name shown on bill)
i) Gas bill dated 26/10/2016, in both names
j) Bank statement, 01/11/2016-30/11/2016, in both names
k) Bank statement, 01/11/2016-30/11/2016, in applicant's name
l) Council tax bill dated 17/03/2017, in both names
m) Credit card statement, 23/03/2017, in sponsor's name
n) Bank statement, 01/03/2017-31/03/2017, in both names
o) Bank statement, 01/03/2017-31/03/2017, in applicant's name
p) Broadband bill dated 31/07/2017, in both names
q) Water bill dated 07/08/2017, in both names
r) Electricity bill dated 25/10/2017, in both names
s) Broadband bill dated 29/11/2017, in both names
t) Bank statement, 01/11/2017-30/11/2017, in applicant's name
u) Bank statement, 01/11/2017-30/11/2017, in both names

So, question is, which should I keep and which should I take out? Billing by the utility companies is irritatingly done at 6 month intervals, so only one will "do" per year. These are just about misaligned with the council tax bills - council tax bills are March, gas/electric in October. To this end, I've put bank statements in which will map to November, and similarly around July, which should make up the 4 month spacing (March - July - November). These are separate bank statements to those being used for the financial evidence.

The joint bank statements are pretty weak for those particular months (having usually just one transaction on) - does this matter? (I guess not, but it "feels" weak).

I also have statements from our broadband company, Virgin, but these aren't strictly phone bills, as we're broadband only. Are these good or not?

I'll be taking a bonus bag along to our in-person appointment with all of the other documents we have so I can always pull another one out if it doesn't suffice on the day!

Okay, you only need 6 items total in each name, 3 per year for the last 2 years, from at least 3 different sources

So, based on the dates of your documents, I would go with:

Mar 2016
1. b) Bank statement, 01/03/2016-31/03/2016, in both names (Source 1)

July 2016
2. f) Bank statement, 01/07/2016-31/07/2016, in both names

Nov 2016
3. j) Bank statement, 01/11/2016-30/11/2016, in both names

Mar 2017
4. l) Council tax bill dated 17/03/2017, in both names (Source 2)

July 2017
5. p) Broadband bill dated 31/07/2017, in both names (Source 3)

Nov 2017
6. s) Broadband bill dated 29/11/2017, in both names
OR
6. u) Bank statement, 01/11/2017-30/11/2017, in both names

The joint bank statements are pretty weak for those particular months (having usually just one transaction on) - does this matter? (I guess not, but it "feels" weak).

All that matters is that both your names are on it, at the same address. The content of the statement is irrelevant.

That's brilliant ksand, thanks so much

I knew I had too many but just trying to pull down which would be the optimal choices was troublesome! I'll carry the remainder along in the bag "just in case" (I know, I know )

Hi folks,

Happy Christmas Eve!

In my bid to try to get everything done and dusted for our in-person appointment (scheduled for 13th January), I wonder if anyone might cast an eye over my documents list, and see if they can spot anything missing. I think it should all be there, and I'll have a bunch of others in my bag on the day.

- Completed form FLR(M)
- Applicant's current passport
- Applicant's previous passport (in maiden name, contains fiancée visa)
- Sponsor's passport
- Sponsor’s son's/applicant’s stepson's passport
- Applicant's biometric residence permit
- Sponsor's birth certificate
- Sponsor’s son's/applicant’s stepson's birth certificate
- Marriage certificate
- Decree absolute from sponsor
- Couple of photographs from wedding

- Financial evidence: letters from sponsor’s employer (HR and line manager)
- Financial evidence: sponsor’s payslips: June 2017 – December 2017, P60 from April 2017
- Financial evidence: sponsor’s bank statements since 17th June 2017: 17/06/2017-16/07/2017, 17/07/2017-16/08/2017, 17/08/2017-16/09/2017, 17/09/2017-16/10/2017, 17/10/2017-16/11/2017, 17/11/2017-16/12/2017, Temporary statement from bank covering 16/12/2017-22/12/2017

- Accommodation: Land Registry document

- Relationship - Items of correspondence:
a) Council tax bill issued 18/03/2016, in both names
b) Bank statement, 01/07/2016-31/07/2016, in both names
c) Bank statement, 01/11/2016-30/11/2016, in both names
d) Council tax bill dated 17/03/2017, in both names
e) Broadband bill dated 31/07/2017, in both names
f) Broadband bill dated 29/11/2017, in both names

- Children – item of correspondence – letter from child's school detailing attendance
- Children – item of correspondence – letter from dentist detailing registration
- Children – item of correspondence – hospital letter - operation

- Passport photographs of applicant in a small sealed envelope
- Passport photographs of sponsor in a small sealed envelope

Side question: is it OK to cut down the passport photographs from the standard sheet of 5 these machines spit out to provide them with them? Last time I think we just left them uncut and handed over the sheet of all 5!

Thanks!