Do I need housing BEFORE applying???

Okay... So one thing I've come across is that we are planning on moving together from the US to the UK at *preferably* at the same time. However, I've seen a number of people mentioning how they are showing documentation of where they will live.  This has led me to wonder, do we need to secure a flat before we apply for a visa? Or can we do that once we get into the country and see the lay of the land so to speak for wherever our jobs are etc.?

TIA!   

You MUST have guaranteed accommodation in the U.K. before you apply for the visa - it’s one of the 3 main requirements:
- financial requirement
- accommodation requirement
- relationship requirement

There are a few options for accommodation:
- you can use property that you and/or the sponsor already own in the UK
OR
- the UK citizen secures a rental in the UK in their name, with a letter of permission from the landlord for you to live there as well once the visa has been granted
OR
- you can live with friends or family members in the UK until you find a place of your own. You need to provide evidence of their homeownership along with a letter of permission from them for you to live there and confirming the home will not be overcrowded.

See here for the accommodation requirements:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maintenance-and-accommodation-maa/maintenance-and-accommodation-maa--2#maa9-assessing-adequate-accommodation

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