Married now (yay!) and ready to begin Spousal Visa Application Process

All ok!   

And meant to mention, make a copy of your appendix 2 and the online application to keep for your own records. It'll save a lot of time when it comes time to apply for the next visa!

Yay!! Doing a happy dance! 

Good to know about the application and appendix 2. Will do!

Thank you so much for taking your time to help me today! I'm going to get working on that online application now and will report back when it's all done!

Would you like to post your list first?

I am working on the online application. On the part where it asks about employment, I answered "unemployed." Will that be seen as a negative thing held against me? Should I explain the circumstances of my unemployment in the additional information section of my online application?

I am working on the online application. On the part where it asks about employment, I answered "unemployed." Will that be seen as a negative thing held against me? Should I explain the circumstances of my unemployment in the additional information section of my online application?

Your employment status is not relevant to the application so it's not necessary to elaborate but if you would like to, there is no harm in explaining.

Your employment status is not relevant to the application so it's not necessary to elaborate but if you would like to, there is no harm in explaining.

Oh wow! You're awake! LOL! I wasn't expecting an answer for hours. Thanks for this! 

The only other part of the online application I am struggling with is the family details, spouse/partner section... Are they wanting my husband's info or my info? It's confusing how they ask the questions... At one point it refers to "you" as in me (I guess) and then in the next instant it refers to "their" as in my spouse. I've taken it as if they want only my spouse's info their but then I had to repeat all of the same info on the sponsor's page... Do you know anything about this or if I am approaching it correctly?

It’s badly worded but they want your spouse’s information, then YOUR parents information - to check you aren’t already entitled to U.K. citizenship through your parents.


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It’s badly worded but they want your spouse’s information, then YOUR parents information - to check you aren’t already entitled to U.K. citizenship through your parents.


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Ah, okay... Thank you. I was probably racking my brain over it for an hour, like trying to make sense of it. Sheesh, they should make it a bit clearer for us!

Would you like to post your list first?

Could you please review when you have a moment? Thanks! 



Updated Documents checklist:

Priority service receipt - complete
Return shipping label - complete
Submission shipping label - complete
Visa application fee/pymt confirmation receipt - complete
Online application - completed, printed out, and signed
Appendix 2 - complete
IHS payment receipt - complete
Biometrics receipt - appointment scheduled for 9 AUGUST 2018

One passport photo of me (in small labeled envelope)
Two of my previous passports (the third one is missing/deemed never returned from passport agency)
My current passport
A photo copy of his passport photo page (has not been certified or notarized)

Letter from my bank on official bank stationery which states that the statements are original
Bank statements for my cash savings covering 7 months from 21 Dec 2017 - 20 July 2018

His sponsor letter which states his citizenship/residency, living accommodation, why we are choosing to live in the UK versus the US, how we met, and how our relationship progressed, and how we meet the financial requirement.

His land registry document to show home ownership

Our official marriage certificate
My divorce papers
His divorce papers

4 photos documenting different points in our relationship - (the two of us during my first trip to the UK to visit him in June 2016, the two of us during his first visit to Miami to meet my family in March 2017, the two of us on our wedding day 17 May, 2018, and a photo of us with his daughter/my stepdaughter in July 2018 in the UK)

Two greeting cards he sent/gave to me - one was mailed by post includes envelope and the other is a birthday card given to me in person

A screenshot of our continuing Words With Friends games (how/where we met in 2016)
Facebook Messenger chat log - 3 pages (names, dates, and times given only) - 17 April 2016 - 12 July 2018
WhatsApp chat log - 3 pages (names, dates, and times given only) - 1 Nov 2016 - 31 July 2018
Skype video chat log screenshots (names, dates, and times only) - 24 April 2017 - present —we have used Skype to video chat from the very beginning but the history only goes back to the date listed

A letter explaining the travel history/itinerary page - my mom is an airline retiree and so we fly on passes. This page documents dates of my travel to and from the UK as well as my husband’s on the occasions where he has used the passes as well.
My husband’s other travel itineraries from trips he planned using regular airline reservations

Photocopies of all original documents we would like returned - marriage certificate, my divorce documents, his divorce documents, his land registry document)

---------------------------------------
Am I supposed to have two declarations pages and two barcode pages that printed out with my application? One set is located before the application pages and the other set located at the end of the application pages.

Just going to reorganise your documents into the correct sections and order for the package:

Applicant Documents
- Priority service receipt
- Return shipping label
- Cover/contents letter
- Online application
- Appendix 2
- Stamped biometrics confirmation
- IHS receipt
- Current US passport
- previous passports
- 1 passport photo

Sponsor's Documents
- photo copy of his passport photo page
- his letter of support for the visa

Financial Documents - Category D: Cash Savings
- Bank statements for my cash savings covering 7 months from 21 Dec 2017 - 20 July 2018
- Letter from my bank on official bank stationery which states that the statements are original

Accommodation Documents
- His land registry document to show home ownership

Relationship Documents
- Our official marriage certificate
- My divorce papers
- His divorce papers
- 4 photos (I personally would only send 2, but it's up to you). Only you and your sponsor in the photo, no one else (it is only to show you have met once in person).
- flight boarding passes/e-tickets/travel history letter
- greeting cards
- 3 pages of Facebook chat
- 3 pages of WhatsApp chatF
- no more than 3 pages of Skype calls

Photocopies

Am I supposed to have two declarations pages and two barcode pages that printed out with my application? One set is located before the application pages and the other set located at the end of the application pages.

The barcodes are important - your online application form must have a barcode on the front page (it will be scanned into the system in Sheffield) and your biometrics letter must have one too (it will be scanned at your biometrics appointment).

The declarations pages should be part of your application form - they are to confirm that the information and documents you are providing are correct and true.

Just going to reorganise your documents into the correct sections and order for the package:

Applicant Documents
- Priority service receipt
- Return shipping label
- Cover/contents letter
- Online application
- Appendix 2
- Stamped biometrics confirmation
- IHS receipt
- Current US passport
- previous passports
- 1 passport photo

Sponsor's Documents
- photo copy of his passport photo page
- his letter of support for the visa

Financial Documents - Category D: Cash Savings
- Bank statements for my cash savings covering 7 months from 21 Dec 2017 - 20 July 2018
- Letter from my bank on official bank stationery which states that the statements are original

Accommodation Documents
- His land registry document to show home ownership

Relationship Documents
- Our official marriage certificate
- My divorce papers
- His divorce papers
- 4 photos (I personally would only send 2, but it's up to you). Only you and your sponsor in the photo, no one else (it is only to show you have met once in person).
- flight boarding passes/e-tickets/travel history letter
- greeting cards
- 3 pages of Facebook chat
- 3 pages of WhatsApp chatF
- no more than 3 pages of Skype calls

Photocopies

The barcodes are important - your online application form must have a barcode on the front page (it will be scanned into the system in Sheffield) and your biometrics letter must have one too (it will be scanned at your biometrics appointment).

The declarations pages should be part of your application form - they are to confirm that the information and documents you are providing are correct and true.

Thank you so much for this! Ok, I'll be sure to organize everything in that order. Does the cover letter just simply state what the contents are (in order) or is there any other information I should include in it?

If there is anything about your application that might need additional explaining, you can address it in your letter. 

I don't recall you mentioning anything, but things like previous refused applications or bounces.  If you are not able to provide a specific document, or you are unable to obtain an original.  Lost passports, and so on.

As you are meeting the financial requirement with your savings, I would explain this as usually it is the UK sponsor who must meet the requirement.  You don't want the ECO to wonder where your spouse's financials are and mistakenly think they weren't provided and you don't meet that requirement.  I know he will mention it in his but also include it in yours, and the source of the money.

ETA: Fat fingers and buses.  Not a good combo, LOL.

Before I accidentally hit the submit button early again - you should explain the source of your savings and clarify they are wholly your funds, fully accessible at any time, and not a loan that would need to be repaid.

If there is anything about your application that might need additional explaining, you can address it in your letter. 

I don't recall you mentioning anything, but things like previous refused applications or bounces.  If you are not able to provide a specific document, or you are unable to obtain an original.  Lost passports, and so on.

As you are meeting the financial requirement with your savings, I would explain this as usually it is the UK sponsor who must meet the requirement.  You don't want the ECO to wonder where your spouse's financials are and mistakenly think they weren't provided and you don't meet that requirement.  I know he will mention it in his but also include it in yours, and the source of the money.

ETA: Fat fingers and buses.  Not a good combo, LOL.

Before I accidentally hit the submit button early again - you should explain the source of your savings and clarify they are wholly your funds, fully accessible at any time, and not a loan that would need to be repaid.

Thank you for providing the details! I do have an old misdemeanor from 1995 that I declared on the application as instructed. I stated that the misdemeanor was for disorderly conduct, I was sentenced to one year non-reporting probation and fined $350. The incident was expunged from my record long long ago.

Should I give details of what the misdemeanor stemmed from in the cover letter? Basically I was at a party that was a bit out of control... I’ll leave it at that! LOL! Or should I leave those details out?

Also, I do have a missing passport. Not sure if it was lost in the mail being returned to me or if the agency never sent it back. So I just put it as lost on the application.

We generally err on the side of caution, and advise to disclose everything and briefly address those points (if any) in your letter. 

If it's something that won't make a difference to the visa being granted, nothing will happen if you address it.  The visa will be issued regardless. 

Our abundance of caution stems from the worry that if it's something you believe is trivial, but UKVI takes a different view, you could end up in trouble for inadvertently not addressing it.  If you haven't disclosed and addressed it because you thought it was minor and wouldn't make a difference, but it ended up being significant to UKVI, it *could* appear that it wasn't disclosed deliberately.  At least if there was an issue that arose from you disclosing something, there wouldn't be any worry about your credibility for future applications.

So, in summary, we advise to be fully transparent.

That being said, you don't need to provide an overly detailed novel of an account.  It is fine to declare it in the application (as you've done) and write a brief sentence or two about it in your letter.  For example, "In 1995, I had a misdemeanour for disorderly conduct at a party.  I paid a fine of $350 and was sentenced to non-reporting probation for 1 year.  Due to the time elapsed and no further incidents, the misdemeanour has been expunged from my record."  As for the lost passport, a similar brief sentence or two about it:  what you think happened to it (and approximately the year it happened) and due to that, you are unable to include it with your supporting documents.

We generally err on the side of caution, and advise to disclose everything and briefly address those points (if any) in your letter. 

If it's something that won't make a difference to the visa being granted, nothing will happen if you address it.  The visa will be issued regardless. 

Our abundance of caution stems from the worry that if it's something you believe is trivial, but UKVI takes a different view, you could end up in trouble for inadvertently not addressing it.  If you haven't disclosed and addressed it because you thought it was minor and wouldn't make a difference, but it ended up being significant to UKVI, it *could* appear that it wasn't disclosed deliberately.  At least if there was an issue that arose from you disclosing something, there wouldn't be any worry about your credibility for future applications.

So, in summary, we advise to be fully transparent.

That being said, you don't need to provide an overly detailed novel of an account.  It is fine to declare it in the application (as you've done) and write a brief sentence or two about it in your letter.  For example, "In 1995, I had a misdemeanour for disorderly conduct at a party.  I paid a fine of $350 and was sentenced to non-reporting probation for 1 year.  Due to the time elapsed and no further incidents, the misdemeanour has been expunged from my record."  As for the lost passport, a similar brief sentence or two about it:  what you think happened to it (and approximately the year it happened) and due to that, you are unable to include it with your supporting documents.

Ok cool. That's pretty much what I wrote about it in my cover letter so I think I'm good. Thanks a lot! 

@krysia ---

Take a look at this thread. It'll help you get everything in order.