Spouse Visa - Accommodation Correspondence

Hi All,
I've got another question for the experts on this forum. We are currently filling out the spouse visa form and have booked a one day premium service appointment for the beginning of September. I'm an American citizen and I came here on a scholarship to do my masters in Birmingham. My husband and I got married last November but we've been living apart in different cities (birmingham and London) because of my schooling and his work. We moved in together in June but I went back home to the states for the summer and will only be returning a few days before our visa appointment. We realize that there's a correspondence component to the application and so far we've only got the council tax bill in both our names. My question is, is that enough or will we need an additional 6 letters of correspondence in both our names?

It tells you what to do on the FLR(M) application form

You are supposed to provide 6 documents in each name, spread evenly over the time you’ve lived together, but it says on the form that if you cannot provide 6 documents, then you must write a letter explaining why not.


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Just to expand on the point ksand24 has made, the correspondence doesn't have to have both names on the same piece (though it's easier if it does).  If you have correspondence in your separate names, you just submit one for you and one for your partner, and that counts as one of your six.

So, you have the jointly-addressed  council tax statement.  That's one.

Bank statements for each of you in June?  That's another one.

A letter from your GP and an electric bill for your partner in January?  That's number three.  Etc.

Do you have stuff like that?

Edited to add:  Okay, I admit I skimmed your initial post and missed the bit where you said you only just moved in together.

Ksand24, wouldn't they need to show how they maintained contact between November and June?  Call logs, etc.?

wouldn't they need to show how they maintained contact between November and June?  Call logs, etc.?

I would go one further and show proof of regular contact for the duration of the relationship.  They will want to see that this is a genuine, subsisting relationship and not a marriage for convenience if your current visa is about to expire.

Do you have stuff like that?

Edited to add:  Okay, I admit I skimmed your initial post and missed the bit where you said you only just moved in together.

Ksand24, wouldn't they need to show how they maintained contact between November and June?  Call logs, etc.?

Thank you for the reply Ksand4 and jfkimberly. Yes we have an additional documents that is a joint account that we opened in August and a joint water bill which brings the total number of correspondences to 3!

As for the last part we have chat logs from 2014. We have train tickets to show that we travelled to meet each other between September 2017 to June 2018.

We will also be writing out a letter to explain our relationship through the years in the best way possible.

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply!

I would go one further and show proof of regular contact for the duration of the relationship.  They will want to see that this is a genuine, subsisting relationship and not a marriage for convenience if your current visa is about to expire.

Hi KFancer!

I just saw your reply now. We have chat logs from 2014 and tickets between 2017-September and 2018-June. Also he flew out twice in December in the past three years to attend the enagement and wedding. I have read that taking the wedding invitation is a good idea. What do you think?

Hi KFancer!

I just saw your reply now. We have chat logs from 2014 and tickets between 2017-September and 2018-June. Also he flew out twice in December in the past three years to attend the enagement and wedding. I have read that taking the wedding invitation is a good idea. What do you think?

As you are applying in person, have the extra stuff with you and then you can show all that if asked.  I know you'll be fine - but I'm a believer in preparing for "worst case".  Then you know you won't need it.  Sounds like the bits you have will more than suffice. 

As you are applying in person, have the extra stuff with you and then you can show all that if asked.  I know you'll be fine - but I'm a believer in preparing for "worst case".  Then you know you won't need it.  Sounds like the bits you have will more than suffice. 

Thank you so much! I have been worrying about this since I read it somewhere!

And now that I have you here, I would like to ask an additional question or two

1. We are filling out the paper form on computer to keep everything neat. Is that ok?

2. We are due to move to a new property a day after the appointment. There is an option to move earlier but would that invalidate the correspondence from the previous property?

Thank you so much! I have been worrying about this since I read it somewhere!

And now that I have you here, I would like to ask an additional question or two

1. We are filling out the paper form on computer to keep everything neat. Is that ok?

2. We are due to move to a new property a day after the appointment. There is an option to move earlier but would that invalidate the correspondence from the previous property?

1. I tried to fill mine out as an editable pdf and it didn't work... how are you doing it?  I don't know if it has to be filled in by hand, but I ended up doing it because I couldn't make it work on my computer.  I do know they specify the ink colour (black).

2.  Your BRP will be sent to you a few days after your appointment.  Whatever you decide, make sure they know where to send it.  Moving won't invalidate the past correspondence.  The purpose of it is to show you were both living in the same place on the day it was posted to you.  Where you lived after that is unimportant, as long as it was together (or you have a good reason for not living together), and suitable accommodation.

Others have been able to successfully do it via PDF (I have no idea how).  It's not an issue.  They care about the contents, not how it's presented. 

1. I tried to fill mine out as an editable pdf and it didn't work... how are you doing it?  I don't know if it has to be filled in by hand, but I ended up doing it because I couldn't make it work on my computer.  I do know they specify the ink colour (black).

2.  Your BRP will be sent to you a few days after your appointment.  Whatever you decide, make sure they know where to send it.  Moving won't invalidate the past correspondence.  The purpose of it is to show you were both living in the same place on the day it was posted to you.  Where you lived after that is unimportant, as long as it was together (or you have a good reason for not living together), and suitable accommodation.

1. We are using the Preview app on Mac. From the settings auto addition of a period on pressing space twice has been disabled. Makes life a lot easier!

2. Hmm that's great news then! I guess now we need to ask the current letting agent if we can cancel the extra month of tenancy we asked for. Luckily we haven't signed any contract on that but I wonder if email communication counts as part of contract.

1. We are using the Preview app on Mac. From the settings auto addition of a period on pressing space twice has been disabled. Makes life a lot easier!

2. Hmm that's great news then! I guess now we need to ask the current letting agent if we can cancel the extra month of tenancy we asked for. Luckily we haven't signed any contract on that but I wonder if email communication counts as part of contract.

Sounds like things are coming together for you.  Hopefully, you can save a month's rent on the old place. 

1. We are using the Preview app on Mac. From the settings auto addition of a period on pressing space twice has been disabled. Makes life a lot easier!

2. Hmm that's great news then! I guess now we need to ask the current letting agent if we can cancel the extra month of tenancy we asked for. Luckily we haven't signed any contract on that but I wonder if email communication counts as part of contract.

The form only needs to be legible, and the latest version, so check again before your appointment to make sure they haven't brought out a new one.
And I'm sure you've got this, but don't confuse the correspondence evidence with the accommodation evidence. You still need to prove that you have a place to live  as well as providing the correspondence in both names.

The form only needs to be legible, and the latest version, so check again before your appointment to make sure they haven't brought out a new one.
And I'm sure you've got this, but don't confuse the correspondence evidence with the accommodation evidence. You still need to prove that you have a place to live  as well as providing the correspondence in both names.

Hmm so if I understand this correctly. I can use letters which are addressed to my old property as letters of correspondence. And for the accommodation evidence, I would require a letter from the new agent/landlord confirming that they are ok with me and my husband staying in the place?

Edit1: New forms are brought out once a year right?

Sounds like things are coming together for you.  Hopefully, you can save a month's rent on the old place. 

Yes my husband is beating himself up over this! He did not want to risk the ~£1600 by moving places a week before the application date but now it looks like we could be saving another £600 if all things work out as expected. Fingers crossed!