Fiance or Spouse Visa - Our journey to marriage

Oh also, I plan to get an authenticated copy of my passport today!

It seems the Post Office can do this? Can anyone verify they are the best or least the recommended way to do this

Be careful, when we took it to the central Post Office in Belfast they wanted to charge us the full verification fee for each double page (or something equally ridiculous). They eventually just charged us twice for the whole copy of one passport.

Be careful, when we took it to the central Post Office in Belfast they wanted to charge us the full verification fee for each double page (or something equally ridiculous). They eventually just charged us twice for the whole copy of one passport.

You only need a certified copy of one page of the passport - the photo page.

Not sure about in NI, but in England, the Post Office will certify up to 3 different documents for about £10.


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You only need a certified copy of one page of the passport - the photo page.

Not sure about in NI, but in England, the Post Office will certify up to 3 different documents for about £10.


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We thought that too, but whatever guidance we were following - probably the online application form - definitely specified a certified copy of every passport page.

We thought that too, but whatever guidance we were following - probably the online application form - definitely specified a certified copy of every passport page.

Which visa were you applying for?

For a fiancé or spousal visa application made outside the U.K., you need:
- a photocopy of the biometrics (photo) page only. This does not have to be certified, but it can be if you want to be on the safe side.

For FLR(M) or ILR applications made inside the U.K., you need:
- a regular photocopy of every single page of the passport. It does NOT need to be certified (this is explicitly stated in the application guidance).

So, basically, there is no visa for which you need a certified copy of every page.


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Which visa were you applying for?

FLR(M). You're probably right but I'm sure we read they wanted the whole thing certifying.

Either way that's not what OP needs!

FLR(M). You're probably right but I'm sure we read they wanted the whole thing certifying.

Either way that's not what OP needs!

Yeah, exactly!

Not sure what the online application guidance states for FLR(M) (we do not recommend using the online form because it has confusing and ambiguous information on it), but the FLR(M) guidance states:

If you are making your application by post you can send a complete and full copy of your sponsor’s valid or most recent passport, national identity card or travel document with your application. Every page of the passport must be copied including any blank pages. The copy does not need to be certified; your sponsor must sign the declaration at section 14 of the application form to confirm it is a complete and true copy of their current passport, national identity card or travel document.

Yeah, exactly!

Not sure what the online application guidance states for FLR(M) (we do not recommend using the online form because it has confusing and ambiguous information on it), but the FLR(M) guidance states:

Sorry I am confused now!

So I needed every page of my passport photo copied and verified?

I have the photo part just verified.

Sorry I am confused now!

So I needed every page of my passport photo copied and verified?

I have the photo part just verified.

Sorry it looks like someone highjacked your post.

For an application OUTSIDE the UK (your case), you only need the photo part. 

Sorry it looks like someone highjacked your post.

For an application OUTSIDE the UK (your case), you only need the photo part. 

Yeah, which doesn't help! 

Thank you for that @KFdancer 

So we had a close family friend who is lawyer look over our documents and they made some suggestions, but I would love to run them by you guys to see what you's think?

This is from the lawyer:

1. 1.19 - I think I would specify any time when you have lived as husband and wife even if it is when you are at (spouse's) parents.  I think that the Home Office are trying to weed out scam marriages and they might wonder why you have not lived together if you are now married.

Is this something we should change and mention that when we got married I stayed in the same room as my spouse? Or something of that regard?

2. My spouse previously took a trip to Israel when she was on her Tier 5-religious visa. The lawyer noted this:
I would explain the trip to Palestine and Israel which I presume was a religious journey?  Also the pedant in me would point out that it’s Palestinian.

Something we should add in the additional information page?

Yeah, which doesn't help! 

Thank you for that @KFdancer 

So we had a close family friend who is lawyer look over our documents and they made some suggestions, but I would love to run them by you guys to see what you's think?

This is from the lawyer:

1. 1.19 - I think I would specify any time when you have lived as husband and wife even if it is when you are at (spouse's) parents.  I think that the Home Office are trying to weed out scam marriages and they might wonder why you have not lived together if you are now married.

Is this something we should change and mention that when we got married I stayed in the same room as my spouse? Or something of that regard?

2. My spouse previously took a trip to Israel when she was on her Tier 5-religious visa. The lawyer noted this:
I would explain the trip to Palestine and Israel which I presume was a religious journey?  Also the pedant in me would point out that it’s Palestinian.

Something we should add in the additional information page?

Neither will hurt or help the application.

UKVI *know*  you haven't lived together since marriage as you haven't had a visa to live together.  We've literally had thousands of couples in your exact same circumstance married who haven't lived together and it's a non-issue.  In fact, trying to say you *have* lived together could complicate your application as UKVI will look for evidence that you had a visa in the other person's country.  Simple to just not go there.  It's not needed, required, or viewed in a positive or negative light.

If it was a USA application, a trip to Israel or Palestine would maybe need to be explained.  Not for the UK.

1. 1.19 - I think I would specify any time when you have lived as husband and wife even if it is when you are at (spouse's) parents.  I think that the Home Office are trying to weed out scam marriages and they might wonder why you have not lived together if you are now married.

Is this something we should change and mention that when we got married I stayed in the same room as my spouse? Or something of that regard?

This question is only really relevant to people applying for Unmarried Partner visas, as the requirement for that visa is that you must have lived together for at least 24 consecutive months before applying for the visa (and you must have proof of it). As you are applying for a spousal visa, it doesn't matter if you have lived together or not before, as it is not a requirement for the visa, and it makes no difference if you answer yes or no... though if you answer yes, they will be expecting you to provide official evidence that you lived together (i.e. rental agreements and bills).

Also, most people applying for a spousal visa will never have been able to legally live together because they have been living in separate countries... so UKVI are not expecting you to have ever lived together before, and are more likely to be expecting you to answer NO than YES.

As she doesn't have a visa yet, and you have not been able to legally live in the same country at the same time yet (not just visiting each other), personally I would answer NO.

The guidance notes state:

1.19 Have you lived with your sponsor in a relationship akin to marriage or a civil partnership at any time (including since your wedding/civil partnership ceremony)?
Put a cross in the relevant box. If ‘Yes’ please state the dates and at what address you lived to together. If ‘No’, please
 explain why you have never lived together.

So, I would put NO and the reason being "we live in separate countries and have been maintaining a long-distance relationship, so have not been able to live together yet".

Though actually, I've just noticed you mention she had a Tier 5 visa - if you ever lived together while she was on the Tier 5, then you can mention it here, and you should provide evidence of living together as part of your relationship evidence, such as tenancy agreements, utility bills in both names etc.

2. My spouse previously took a trip to Israel when she was on her Tier 5-religious visa. The lawyer noted this:
I would explain the trip to Palestine and Israel which I presume was a religious journey?  Also the pedant in me would point out that it’s Palestinian.

Something we should add in the additional information page?

I don't think I've heard of anyone explaining their reasoning for visiting a particular country before (i.e. in this context), but I guess she can if she wants. I don't see why UKVI would care though.

If the online form has a box for 'reason for trip' she could mention it there, but I wouldn't do anything more than that.

Neither will hurt or help the application.

UKVI *know*  you haven't lived together since marriage as you haven't had a visa to live together.  We've literally had thousands of couples in your exact same circumstance married who haven't lived together and it's a non-issue.  In fact, trying to say you *have* lived together could complicate your application as UKVI will look for evidence that you had a visa in the other person's country.  Simple to just not go there.  It's not needed, required, or viewed in a positive or negative light.

If it was a USA application, a trip to Israel or Palestine would maybe need to be explained.  Not for the UK.

This question is only really relevant to people applying for Unmarried Partner visas, as the requirement for that visa is that you must have lived together for at least 24 consecutive months before applying for the visa (and you must have proof of it). As you are applying for a spousal visa, it doesn't matter if you have lived together or not before, as it is not a requirement for the visa, and it makes no difference if you answer yes or no... though if you answer yes, they will be expecting you to provide official evidence that you lived together (i.e. rental agreements and bills).

Also, most people applying for a spousal visa will never have been able to legally live together because they have been living in separate countries... so UKVI are not expecting you to have ever lived together before, and are more likely to be expecting you to answer NO than YES.

As she doesn't have a visa yet, and you have not been able to legally live in the same country at the same time yet (not just visiting each other), personally I would answer NO.



So, I would put NO and the reason being "we live in separate countries and have been maintaining a long-distance relationship, so have not been able to live together yet".

Though actually, I've just noticed you mention she had a Tier 5 visa - if you ever lived together while she was on the Tier 5, then you can mention it here, and you should provide evidence of living together as part of your relationship evidence, such as tenancy agreements, utility bills in both names etc.

Thank you both!

Yes that does make sense, since if we lived together we would have to provide evidence of that. And yes @ksand24 we never lived together when she was here on her Tier-5, so we don't need to worry about that

Re: the Israel trip, yeh it may have been her just being over cautious and doesn't seem relevant to anything about our relationship or marriage.

Okay so I got my final payslip before we I get everything shipped of to my spouse to send to New York. I know I have asked this before, but if I could just verify it again I would really appreciate it

So with the 6-month requirements I have:

1. Printed payslips from May 2018 - October 2018. All of these payslips show my pre-tax salary, the date of payment, NI number etc.
2. A letter from my CEO, ready to go, that states; my employment, how long I have worked here, my pre tax salary and that the P60, original contract and digital payslips are authentic. Only the letter will be signed.

Due to payments going in late than the date marked on the payslips, this is what it has been written as. This is the second paragraph in the document:



I can also confirm that the payslips and P60 provided with this application are authentic and correct, as follows:

May 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 30th May 2018

June 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXXX. paid into bank account on 3rd July 2018

July 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 26th July 2018

August 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX,  paid into bank account on 29th August 2018

September 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 27th September 2018

October 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on XXth October 2018 - I will change this when it enters the account.

Can I just confirm this is all still okay?



3. My bank statements, these will all be digital and I will get them stamped by Nationwide Building Society (this is my bank). However, I get my statements on the 10th of every month.
So for example, the first part of Mays statement has the 11th - 30th April payments on it. Is this okay or do I need to include April? But then it will have the same issue, of having some of March's payments and so on.

So with the 6-month requirements I have:

1. Printed payslips from May 2018 - October 2018. All of these payslips show my pre-tax salary, the date of payment, NI number etc.
... as follows:

May 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 30th May 2018

June 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXXX. paid into bank account on 3rd July 2018

July 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 26th July 2018

August 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX,  paid into bank account on 29th August 2018

September 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 27th September 2018

October 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on XXth October 2018 - I will change this when it enters the account.[/i]

Can I just confirm this is all still okay?

Do your payslips explicitly state the start date of each pay period?  The only date I see is the payment date of May 30th for the first one.  That is not six full months ago.  You will likely need to include the previous payslip as well.

And likewise with the bank statements... you need six FULL months, and the statements must show each of your payslip deposits going in.  This often means you provide more than six months to get your dates to match up.

I can also confirm that the payslips and P60 provided with this application are authentic and correct, as follows:

May 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 30th May 2018

June 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXXX. paid into bank account on 3rd July 2018

July 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 26th July 2018

August 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX,  paid into bank account on 29th August 2018

September 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on 27th September 2018

October 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £XXXXX, paid into bank account on XXth October 2018 - I will change this when it enters the account.

Can I just confirm this is all still okay?

At the moment, it looks like you only have 5 months of payslips, not 6 months, which will not meet the requirements for the visa.

What dates are printed on each payslip? That's what you must use to work out whether you have enough or not.

If your latest payslip is dated, say 30th October, then the 6 months you must cover is 30th April to 30th October and every single day must be covered by the payslips and bank statements (including April 30th).... but at the moment, yours only cover 30th May to 30th October, with no evidence that you were earning that salary on April 30th.

Which means you'd need to include the April 30th payslip as well, to prove you were earning that salary on that date.

Or if the date on your October payslip is, say, October 24th, your 6 months will be April 24th to Oct 24th.... but if your April payslip date is April 30th, then you would also need to include the March payslip as well, to cover the actual day of April 24th.

3. My bank statements, these will all be digital and I will get them stamped by Nationwide Building Society (this is my bank). However, I get my statements on the 10th of every month.
So for example, the first part of Mays statement has the 11th - 30th April payments on it. Is this okay or do I need to include April? But then it will have the same issue, of having some of March's payments and so on.

Assuming your October payslip is dated the 30th, you will need to include the bank statement that shows your April 30th payslip deposit on it, so you will need:
1. 11th April to 10th May (showing the April 30th pay deposit)
2. 11th May to 10th June
3. 11th June to 10th July
4. 11th July to 10th August
5. 11th August to 10th Sept
6. 10th Sept to 10th Oct
7. 10th Oct to present (showing the 30th Oct payslip deposit) - you'll either need to request a partial statement, or wait until 10th November for your next bank statement

But if the October payslip is dated, say, Oct 24th, you will need the March payslip and bank statement as well.

Basically, if you can post the exact dates printed on your payslips, we can help you work out which ones you need to include.
- if they only say the actual pay date/the end of the pay period (i.e. 30th of the month), then you will need to include the April payslip and bank statement as well (or perhaps even the March one too, depending on the dates)
- if they specify the entire month (i.e. 1st to 30th of the month), then you may be okay with just the May payslip... but then technically, you would be 1 day short of the requirement (i.e. April 30th isn't covered), so you'd be safer sending the April one too.

So, my advice, given no other info:
Include 7 months of payslips and bank statements regardless:
- April 30th to Oct 30th for the payslips
- April 11th to present for the bank statements

But be prepared to also include the March payslip and bank statement, depending on the dates printed on the payslips.