Fiance or Spouse Visa - Our journey to marriage

In regards to your questions:

5. Easier just to write one and post it... though, really, it should be your employer that writes it, not you! You can draft one though, so you know what needs to be included and can make sure your company includes everything required

6. You must include the FULL bank statement, so send all of April's statement.

If you're applying in October, you will need to send the following payslips (assuming you are paid at the end of each month):
March 2018
April 2018
May 2018
June 2018
July 2018
August 2018
September 2018

And the following bank statements:
10th Mar - 9th Apr
10th Apr - 9th May
10th May - 9th June
10th June - 9th July
10th July - 9th Aug
10th Aug - 9th Sept
10th Sept - 9th Oct

7. No, if the payslips are digital, they must be accompanied by:
"a letter from the employer on the employer’s headed paper and signed by a senior official, confirming the payslips are authentic"
This can be incorporated into the main employer letter, and it should state the amount and date of every payslip

1,2,3,4 - Awesome thanks, again just wanted to be really sure 

5 - We are a pretty small company and our CEO and CFO have been supportive in giving me information and also up for signing anything required, so he won't mind if I hand to him to sign and ask to verify thats okay to do

6 - 7 - Great thank you, I have a version written up with the intension of us sending in October. I have questions beside statements, just to check those are okay?


XX/XX/2018
To The Entry Clearance Officer,
Ref: Employment confirmation - (my name)

I am writing to confirm that (my name) is currently employed at (company). as (my role).  (my name) has been employed on a permanent, full-time, salaried contract with us since 01/09/2013. The total length of employment till date is 6 years.  (my name) current annual salary is (££££) and they have been earning this salary since 01/06/2017. I got a salary increase since my original contract amount, is this note here okay?


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

March 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £, tax month 12 covering the month of March 2018.
April 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £, tax month 01 covering the month of April 2018.
May 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £, tax month 02 covering the month of May 2018.
June 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £, tax month 03 covering the month of June 2018.
July 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £2, tax month 04 covering the month of July 2018. Note: this is in higher value due to a tiny bonus, the payslip shows this higher value, is this okay?
August 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £, tax month 05 covering the month of August  2018.
September 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £, tax month 06 covering the month of September 2018.

Please Note:
The payment date on April, May, July, August and September payslips are different to the entry on the bank statements due to the clearance of funds from (company name).

The payment date on June payslip was cleared in the beginning of July 2018 due to delayed funding from investors to the company. This payment entered(my name) bank account on July 2018.

P60 – Total pre-tax income of (amount shown on P60) covering tax year to 5 April 2018.

If you require further information please contact (CEO e-mail)

Sincerely,
CEO
CEO of company Ltd.

Just going to make a few adjustments to the letter:

XX/XX/2018
To The Entry Clearance Officer,
Ref: Employment confirmation - (my name)

I am writing to confirm that (my name) is currently employed at (company). as (my role).  (my name) has been employed on a permanent, full-time, salaried contract with us since 01/09/2013. (my name) current annual salary is (££££) and they have been earning this salary since 01/06/2017.

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

March 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £, paid into bank account on X date
April 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £, paid into bank account on X date
May 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £, paid into bank account on X date
June 2018 – Basic pre-tax salary of £. paid into bank account on X date
July 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £, paid into bank account on X date
August 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £,  paid into bank account on X date
September 2018 - Basic pre-tax salary of £, paid into bank account on X date

If you require further information please contact (CEO e-mail)

Yours Faithfully,
CEO
CEO of company Ltd.

Notes on the adjustments:

- you'll see I have taken out your notes about the differing dates... because I have simply added in the date that the money went into your bank account in each month... so that there's no need to explain it. As long as the differing dates are addressed in the letter, it shouldn't affect the visa.

- I have also taken out the sentence about working there 6 years. You only need the start date on there, as that shows the length of time employed

- You do not need to mention the change in salary since the original contract, because it happened more than 6 months ago. The only reason to mention a payrise is if it happened in the last 6 months, because in that case, only the previous salary can be considered, not the new salary.

- The higher salary in one month will not be looked at, so no need to mention it.... if you are salaried, then the way they calculate the income for the requirement is that they take the LOWEST payslip amount from the 6 months and multiply it by 12 to get the annual salary... so the higher payslip won't even be considered for the visa.

Notes on the adjustments:

- you'll see I have taken out your notes about the differing dates... because I have simply added in the date that the money went into your bank account in each month... so that there's no need to explain it. As long as the differing dates are addressed in the letter, it shouldn't affect the visa.

- I have also taken out the sentence about working there 6 years. You only need the start date on there, as that shows the length of time employed

- You do not need to mention the change in salary since the original contract, because it happened more than 6 months ago. The only reason to mention a payrise is if it happened in the last 6 months, because in that case, only the previous salary can be considered, not the new salary.

- The higher salary in one month will not be looked at, so no need to mention it.... if you are salaried, then the way they calculate the income for the requirement is that they take the LOWEST payslip amount from the 6 months and multiply it by 12 to get the annual salary... so the higher payslip won't even be considered for the visa.

Ahh amazing ksand24 thank you for that

With the payment entering the account at a later date, shall I not highlight the bank statements of the payment? I read on here its best to keep the bank statements clean of any highlights or markings

Ahh amazing ksand24 thank you for that

With the payment entering the account at a later date, shall I not highlight the bank statements of the payment? I read on here its best to keep the bank statements clean of any highlights or markings

No, I wouldn't highlight anything on the bank statements.

UKVI know what they are looking for, (they deal with thousands of applications), so if the letter states what date the payment entered your account, all they have to do is look for the transaction on that specific date.

No, I wouldn't highlight anything on the bank statements.

UKVI know what they are looking for, (they deal with thousands of applications), so if the letter states what date the payment entered your account, all they have to do is look for the transaction on that specific date.

Just re: the employment letter, its stating the pre-tax salary, but the money going into the account is post tax and also this will be on the bank statements?

But highlighting the pre tax (or as my payslips say 'Gross') makes sure I fit £18,600 requirements?

Just re: the employment letter, its stating the pre-tax salary, but the money going into the account is post tax and also this will be on the bank statements?

But highlighting the pre tax (or as my payslips say 'Gross') makes sure I fit £18,600 requirements?

You are fine.  This is how everyone's pay is. 

Part of the checks UKVI do is to check with HMRC to ensure you are paying tax.  They do these calculations all day long.  I promise they will look at the payslip, calculate pay based on gross pay, but look for net pay on the bank statements. 

You are fine.  This is how everyone's pay is. 

Part of the checks UKVI do is to check with HMRC to ensure you are paying tax.  They do these calculations all day long.  I promise they will look at the payslip, calculate pay based on gross pay, but look for net pay on the bank statements. 

Haha thank you for the reminder to calm down

Obviously I will be shipping a letter package to the USA containing:

1. Employment letter - P60, Original contract
2. Payslips and bank statements
3. Relationship proof - remaining e-ticket or boarding cards (I am going to bring everything else such as letters and other boarding tickets with me in September which will save shipping it later)
4. Landlord letter and tenancy agreement
5. Letter of support for spouse visa
6. Passport copy - certified at the post office

So Maria will be able to compile with the online application (printed), the VAF4a Appendix 2 and all other forms that are needed.

Is there a recommended postal service I should use so the document package there with in our 28 day window from all the signatures across my employment? DHL, Parcelforce or UPS?

Edit: reason being, she is getting her passport changed as soon as we get married, so it'll likely be October before we can apply

Haha thank you for the reminder to calm down

Obviously I will be shipping a letter package to the USA containing:

1. Employment letter - P60, Original contract
2. Payslips and bank statements
3. Relationship proof - remaining e-ticket or boarding cards (I am going to bring everything else such as letters and other boarding tickets with me in September which will save shipping it later)
4. Landlord letter and tenancy agreement
5. Letter of support for spouse visa
6. Passport copy - certified at the post office

So Maria will be able to compile with the online application (printed), the VAF4a Appendix 2 and all other forms that are needed.

Is there a recommended postal service I should use so the document package there with in our 28 day window from all the signatures across my employment? DHL, Parcelforce or UPS?

Use one of the courier services, they are much safer. Definitely not Parcelforce, you may never see your documents again!

Use one of the courier services, they are much safer. Definitely not Parcelforce, you may never see your documents again!

Haha! Yeah I have had a nightmare with them in the past with work things. TNT look to be the best option in terms of price and estimated delivery time of 1 - 3 days.

Haha! Yeah I have had a nightmare with them in the past with work things. TNT look to be the best option in terms of price and estimated delivery time of 1 - 3 days.

In my 11.5 years on the forum, I've actually never heard of anyone using TNT (I just had to look them up as I don't know anything about them!).

Personally, I would go with the safest option and choose one of the more mainstream ones, namely UPS, DHL or FedEx. You don't want to risk your original documents getting lost.

Personally, I would with the safest options and choose one of the more mainstream ones, namely UPS, DHL or FedEx. You don't want to risk your original documents getting lost.

Was just going to say the same! 

In my 11.5 years on the forum, I've actually never heard of anyone using TNT (I just had to look them up as I don't know anything about them!).

Personally, I would with the safest options and choose one of the more mainstream ones, namely UPS, DHL or FedEx. You don't want to risk your original documents getting lost.

Haha!! 

Yeah DHL have a hub here which is good, I'll investigate

Just to let you know my fiancé is sitting in Dublin airport waiting for a flight to the US after going through US immigration (preclearance) in Dublin telling them he's going to get married and return. The border officer just said congratulations and he had no other questions, didn't ask for any documentation or anything. You will be fine! 

Just to let you know my fiancé is sitting in Dublin airport waiting for a flight to the US after going through US immigration (preclearance) in Dublin telling them he's going to get married and return. The border officer just said congratulations and he had no other questions, didn't ask for any documentation or anything. You will be fine! 

Have a great time! 

To follow from my original thread

https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=94057.0

Me (UK Citizen) living in N.Ireland and my fiance from Minnesota. She will be moving here, once we are married. We met whilst she was living here for 2 years under a religious visa, working for a charity.

But we have been looking at the fiance visa initially due to:

1. It allows her to be here for 6 months and plan parts of the wedding here and just have an extended time together.
2. It seems like the right process to follow? (although in the linked thread, it seems otherwise)

My fears around the "get married in the USA in a short ceremony" is from friends who did exactly the same thing and their spouse visa got declined. Now they were completely different in circumstances:

1. He is a musician, so his job title was not suffice to say he could support his wife and also has a massive tax gap in his records. So thats an obvious one.

2.They didn't have enough proof of their relationship - Is that to say, they didn't have photos of the marriage in the USA or what is the usual cause of this?


My questions are:

1. We have been looking at lawyers to help us with the paperwork and just make sure everything is correct. It seems alot of people here do it by themselves, but is there any advantage to a lawyer in what was or currently is your circumstances?

2. With my fiance who previously worked here, would that help our case at all? Since she was paying rent, been through the system etc.?

3. Re: relationship proof - that is my biggest fear currently, I have read here how to help with this part (2 photos, whatsapp/facebook messages, facetime calls etc.) Is there anything else we can do? I can get a letter from my Pastor as recommendation for either fiance or spouse visa?

Thanks so much guys. It's really helping alot with my overarching anxieties and fears ahead

I didn't have time to read your entire thread, so if someone said what I am about to please disregard my reply.

My husband and I fully intended on applying for a Fiance visa and getting married in the UK. However, once I joined this forum I realized how much more complicated that route is. (It's for some people, though, not trying to sway you just giving you my experience.)

I didn't want to get married in the US. We'd already set a date, put deposits and sent out save the dates to our wedding in the UK. However, when I began to gather documents and stuff for the fiance visa I realized how much of a nightmare that route would be for us. First, it's an additional ~$3,000 or so, and it expires after 6 months which means the timing is imperative. Additionally, since it expires after 6 months, applying for the FLM must happen IMMEDIATELY after the marriage. The FLM would include the IHS (International Healthcare Surcharge) which is (right now) about 600 pounds. It will go up this year *no one knows when* in addition to the normal visa cost which is outrageous. (For spousal my total for the visa charge, IHS, priority and shipping labels was $4,000)

As we discussed all of this with the forum we both decided to marry here in the states. It was relatively easy to get married here, we just needed our birth certificates, etc and to make sure that he did not plan on staying here after the marriage. So, we had to hurry up and set a small marriage ceremony date, so on and so forth. It was a nightmare. However, we are legally married now. He was here with me to do the online application and appendix 2 and double check that we had ALL of our documents for the Spousal Visa. As you can see by my signature I am still waiting on my "decision made email" and for my passport to be returned *hopefully* with a vignette inside. Our wedding date in the UK is set for 13 October. So, we got legally married here, big wedding in the UK yay!

The Fiance vs. Spousal route is a tough decision. We did what was best for us. On a spousal visa you can begin working immediately once you arrive in the UK and since you pay a IHS you have access to the healthcare. Whereas on a fiance visa you do not get either until the 6 months is up and you apply for FLM. In my opinion the finance visa has more time limits, more restrictions and it's more expensive. The decision is yours and I wish you happiness in your future marriage!

Good luck to you.