Greg and Tre's advice thread

It needs to be a bit more detailed than that with exact details of how you meet each requirement.

For example:

To The Entry Clearance Officer

I am writing to confirm my support for my husband, Jonathan Tremaine Thompson's application for a settlement visa to join me in the UK. I am a UK citizen and have lived in the UK since birth [or whatever applies to you].

I am currently employed as a [FULL-TIME, PERMANENT] [JOB TITLE] at [COMPANY], where I have worked as since [DATE]. My current annual salary is [EXACT AMOUNT] and I have been earning this salary since [DATE]. [if you have received a payrise in the last 6 months this must be stated]. Therefore, I meet the financial requirements under Category A.

Once Jonathan's application has been granted we will live together at [FULL ADDRESS], which is a one-bedroom flat which I have owned since [DATE]. I am including my Land Registry document and latest mortgage statement.

Jonathan and I met online in April 2017 and then met in person on Xth March 2018 in [where you met]. We entered into a relationship on [DATE]. We keep in touch daily by Telegram chat app, Facebook and email. Since March 2018, I have visited Jonathan in the US X times [date and location of each trip] and he has visited me in the UK Y times  [date and location of each trip]. We got engaged on [DATE] in [LOCATION] and married on [DATE] in [LOCATION]. We have decided to settle in the UK as I already have a mortgage here, my job is more permanent, and my family all live in close proximity to each other.

Regards,

Your Name

Awesome ksand24, I'll update accordingly.  I'm awaiting a new and improved version of my covering letter, so once that comes through I'll make sure all the details match up.

Hi forum

It's two weeks until we get married, and therefore only a day or so more than that until we submit!  I'm getting the docs together, and was hoping an experienced eye can tell us if what we have so far is ok?

My new HR letter has arrived. Does it look ok now? Also, ksand24 in her redrafted sponsor letter above said my post is 'full time and permanent' which isn't true - it's part-time and permanent. But it still meets the £18600 threshold so I assume I just need to put 'part time and permanent' on my covering letter and all is well?


My land reg document looks like this - I guess I just want to check that this is the right documnet as I have heaps of stuff from when I moved in here!:



Finally I have a mortgage statement dated 4th June 2019 - is this date recent enough?  And not on the third page the highlighted figure - I  did this when it arrived so I could enquire about it, but I've read that Entry Clearance Officers don't like disfigured documents, so is this potentially an issue?




Thanks everyone

The Land Registry document is perfect.

I believe the important part on the letter is that the position is permanent, otherwise they might think that you wouldn't be able to provide the support past the end of whatever contract the temporary position is involved with. As yours states the hours per week that looks pretty OK to me

(Let someone more experienced comment though. I'm just here to tell you it looks good to me )

For your sponsor letter, you are correct.  As long as you will meet the income requirement and have done so for at least the past six months, they don't care if you work full or part time.  Just change it in your letter (as composed by ksand24) to be accurate and you're fine.

The mortgage statement is usually an annual statement, so they are usually months old for applications.  It's fine.  UKVI just like to see proof that the mortgage is being paid as agreed so you're not about to be foreclosed on and made homeless. 

If you want to add a sentence into your sponsor letter explaining the highlighting, you can, but I would be inclined to think it's really insignificant.  The bulk of the document is untampered, and the highlight doesn't obscure anything.  I used to write "paid" and the date I paid on utility bills... I mean, I don't anymore, but way back in the early days I did!  I never explained those notes.

Your HR letter is much better. I see dates of pay levels, tenure, position, the fact that it's permanent, and the annual gross salary before and after the pay rise.  Looks good to me.

And as biscuits said, that is what you need from the Land Registry.

Thanks biscuits and jfkimberley

I fly out one week today - eeek!! So I have some little questions, a list of documents, and I'd like to run through the process to check I know what's gonna happen and can be prepared.


Questions:

re passports we're going to send a copy of my passport photo page, and Tre's current passport. Does my copy need to be certified? Do we need any previous passports of Tre's? Do we need any previous passports of mine? - my one prior to this one was stolen

my pay is listed on my bank statements as 'UK EXCL CM & W'. I have no idea what it stands for but I do know that it doesn't look very similar to 'Royal Mail'! Will this be an issue? Or will they just see figures and dates that match the payslips and tick the box?

should I include my P60 from april 2019?

I've been a bit confused about whether we should scan any of the documents? My plan was to just post the package including everything in hard copy (eg my payslips are genuine through the mail) to NYC, but if there's a better plan, we'd like to know...?


Documents:
marriage certificate
2 photos (one July 2018, one wedding august 2019)
return postage label - do we need to include an envelope? Can we include a note to request that the return courier tries to leave it with reception if Tre isn't home? (Tre lives on an apartment complex)

Tre(applicant):
current passport
divorce certificate
passport photo (we'll include one but not worry about certifying it)
applicant letter? - is this required?
appendix 2 form
completed printed online application form + priority receipt + IHS receipt
stamped biometrics form

Greg(sponsor):
sponsor letter
property deed
mortgage statement
stamped bank statements x7 mid-dec to mid-jan, ...., mid-jun to mid-jul, and an interim statement from mid-July to the 28th (all black and white, single-sided)
Royal Mail payslips from mid-Dec to now (all checked that pay date and amounts match bank statements exactly)
proof of employment and earnings letter from HR - do I need to explain derivation of HR annual figure from payslip weekly figure?
1-page document with screenshots of Tre's emails to me
1-page document with screenshots of my emails to Tre
1-2 page doc showing the date and duration of our video chats via facebook messenger
1-2 page doc showing our messages via Telegram app (thinking one message-and-reply per fortnight, so averages at one message per week for the approx 70 weeks since we met in person)
copy of passport photo page - is this needed? is black and white ok? is non-certified ok?
assorted boarding passes and cards - how much should we include? we have: cards - birthday card me to him, birthday card him to me, xmas card me to him, valentine's card me to him | boarding passes - both of us to palma majorca one-way july 2018, me from manchester to houston oct 2018, me return manchester to hamburg november 2018 but we only have Tre's from Hamburg to Manchester, Tre Dallas to Manchester december 2018 but not the return, both of us Manchester to Alicante AND Barcelona back to Manchester January 2019, both of us Stansted to Rome AND Venice to Manchester February 2019, me Manchester to Houston return April 2019, me Manchester to San Antonio return May 2019, Tre Houston to Manchester return June 2019, both of us Manchester to Faro return June 2019

*Note Tre lives in San Antonio but we have used other Texas airports such as Houston and Dallas depending on where we could get cheap flights - I hope this won't be an issue...or should we also include greyhound bus tickets to/from Dallas and Houston etc?


Process - so we think our steps are:
print and fill in appendix 2 form. We think we can do this ahead of time? - so probably I'll print a few copies to take (in case we screw up!)and we'll get this done in the 2-3 days before the wedding
Marry august 7th, pick up certificate from 8am next day, and spend the morning filling in the online form, submitting it, paying visa+priority+IHS, printing completed form+IHS receipt+priority receipt, book biometrics (USCIS ASC, not a premium centre) - can we book an appointment for the same day?
attend biometrics and include stamped receipt in pack
purchase/print return shipping labels - not sure exactly when we do this?!
put everything in a big envelope, write PRIORITY in big letters, post to New York
...have we misunderstood any of the steps etc??

There seems to be some confusion about the correct website that we need to use? - can someone clarify this re the application form, priority payment and shipping labels?

Thanks everyone, we can't wait to be married and get all this paperwork done!
G&T

Thanks biscuits and jfkimberley

I fly out one week today - eeek!! So I have some little questions, a list of documents, and I'd like to run through the process to check I know what's gonna happen and can be prepared.


Questions:

re passports we're going to send a copy of my passport photo page, and Tre's current passport. Does my copy need to be certified? Do we need any previous passports of Tre's? Do we need any previous passports of mine? - my one prior to this one was stolen   For the sponsor, you only need the current passport, and I am pretty sure the photo page copy does not have to be certified.  A lot of people do have it certified at the Post Office, but I don't think that's a requirement.  You do not need sponsor's past passports.  You do need applicant's past passports.

my pay is listed on my bank statements as 'UK EXCL CM & W'. I have no idea what it stands for but I do know that it doesn't look very similar to 'Royal Mail'! Will this be an issue? Or will they just see figures and dates that match the payslips and tick the box?  My husband worked for Royal Mail for my fiancee and two FLR(M) applications.  We never explained anything.  We just submitted our bank statements, payslips, employer letter, and original contract.  He had weird things in his payslip, too.  We just let UKBA/UKVI (they changed their name after my first FLR(M)) figure it out.

should I include my P60 from april 2019?  It's not required, but if you have it and it isn't confusing, include it.

I've been a bit confused about whether we should scan any of the documents? My plan was to just post the package including everything in hard copy (eg my payslips are genuine through the mail) to NYC, but if there's a better plan, we'd like to know...?  IF you post your documents to NY after you get married and submit your application, be sure you're sending copies, and leave the originals with Tre in Texas.  I can't advise you on whether to scan or post your documents, though... in the early days after they switched to the NY scanning hub I would have said scan them yourself, because there were a lot of problems with the scanning in NY going poorly and UKVI contacting the applicants to resubmit various documents (slowing their application down).


Documents:
marriage certificate
2 photos (one July 2018, one wedding august 2019)
return postage label - do we need to include an envelope? Can we include a note to request that the return courier tries to leave it with reception if Tre isn't home? (Tre lives on an apartment complex)  It's technically supposed to be signed for, I think (though a lot of people just find their post waiting on their doorstep).

Tre(applicant):
current passport
divorce certificate
passport photo (we'll include one but not worry about certifying it)
applicant letter? - is this required?  No... the sponsor's letter is required, but one from the applicant is not required.  Usually, you would include one if there is something not-straightforward about the application that needs explaining.  Or some people do one as a sort of table of contents.
appendix 2 form
completed printed online application form + priority receipt + IHS receipt  When you do go to submit your documents to NY, make sure the priority receipt is the very first thing on top of the pile, so when they open it up and take it out they can't miss it.
stamped biometrics form

Greg(sponsor):
sponsor letter
property deed
mortgage statement
stamped bank statements x7 mid-dec to mid-jan, ...., mid-jun to mid-jul, and an interim statement from mid-July to the 28th (all black and white, single-sided)
Royal Mail payslips from mid-Dec to now (all checked that pay date and amounts match bank statements exactly)
proof of employment and earnings letter from HR - do I need to explain derivation of HR annual figure from payslip weekly figure?  No. 
1-page document with screenshots of Tre's emails to me
1-page document with screenshots of my emails to Tre
1-2 page doc showing the date and duration of our video chats via facebook messenger
1-2 page doc showing our messages via Telegram app (thinking one message-and-reply per fortnight, so averages at one message per week for the approx 70 weeks since we met in person)
copy of passport photo page - is this needed? is black and white ok? is non-certified ok?  Yes, it is needed.  I don't know if B&W is okay as my husband just sent me his passport and I submitted his whole thing along with mine... you'll be traveling, so you can't do that.
assorted boarding passes and cards - how much should we include?  we have: cards - birthday card me to him, birthday card him to me, xmas card me to him, valentine's card me to him  I only had a couple of cards because our long distance relationship was brief.  You don't need to send everything you have.  Just demonstrate that you have been in regular contact over the course of the relationship, and that it is a genuine relationship.

boarding passes - both of us to palma majorca one-way july 2018, me from manchester to houston oct 2018, me return manchester to hamburg november 2018 but we only have Tre's from Hamburg to Manchester, Tre Dallas to Manchester december 2018 but not the return, both of us Manchester to Alicante AND Barcelona back to Manchester January 2019, both of us Stansted to Rome AND Venice to Manchester February 2019, me Manchester to Houston return April 2019, me Manchester to San Antonio return May 2019, Tre Houston to Manchester return June 2019, both of us Manchester to Faro return June 2019  Include any that show you flying to Texas or him flying to the UK, and any that you have both flying together.

*Note Tre lives in San Antonio but we have used other Texas airports such as Houston and Dallas depending on where we could get cheap flights - I hope this won't be an issue...or should we also include greyhound bus tickets to/from Dallas and Houston etc?  I don't think you need to show bus tickets.  Just the flights to Texas should be sufficient.


Process - so we think our steps are:
print and fill in appendix 2 form. We think we can do this ahead of time? - so probably I'll print a few copies to take (in case we screw up!)and we'll get this done in the 2-3 days before the wedding  You can fill in everything ahead of time.  Just be very careful not to submit the online bit until after the wedding.
Marry august 7th, pick up certificate from 8am next day, and spend the morning filling in the online form (you can fill this in now if you wanted, or in the days before the wedding, as long as you don't submit it 'til after the wedding), submitting it, paying visa+priority+IHS, printing completed form+IHS receipt+priority receipt, book biometrics (USCIS ASC, not a premium centre) - can we book an appointment for the same day?  I'm not sure what it's like now, but waaaaay back in my day (2012), I submitted my application on a Friday night (woo!  Party!), and had my biometrics appointment on Monday afternoon.  And I've also seen many UKY members report that they booked their biometrics for a certain day, but then went early to see if they could get it done sooner on a walk-in basis.
attend biometrics and include stamped receipt in pack
purchase/print return shipping labels - not sure exactly when we do this?!  I would have said that you need to do this at the same time you buy priority, but I think they changed who you buy priority from now, so it's no longer VFS Global... but you still buy shipping labels from VFS.  Anyway, you'll pay for priority at the same time that you're paying the application fee, IHS, etc.
put everything in a big envelope, write PRIORITY in big letters, post to New York  Unless they've changed it, write "PRIORITY Settlement"
...have we misunderstood any of the steps etc??

There seems to be some confusion about the correct website that we need to use? - can someone clarify this re the application form, priority payment and shipping labels?  I believe you need to use AccessUK now.

Thanks everyone, we can't wait to be married and get all this paperwork done!
G&T

Thanks jfkimberley for the awesome response

"You do need applicant's past passports" - would that just be passports of his own, ie not ones where he was on a parent's passport?

"be sure you're sending copies" - I thought they'd want to see the originals? for example I'm not getting my payslips verified because I was told that if they're originals with the perforated edges you get through the mail, then that was sufficient. If I send copies, wouldn't they then need to be authenticated in some way? Likewise my bank statements are going to be stamped in branch - if I take and send copies, won't I need a letter saying the copies are genuine?

Thanks again!

Thanks jfkimberley for the awesome response

"You do need applicant's past passports" - would that just be passports of his own, ie not ones where he was on a parent's passport?

"be sure you're sending copies" - I thought they'd want to see the originals? for example I'm not getting my payslips verified because I was told that if they're originals with the perforated edges you get through the mail, then that was sufficient. If I send copies, wouldn't they then need to be authenticated in some way? Likewise my bank statements are going to be stamped in branch - if I take and send copies, won't I need a letter saying the copies are genuine?

Thanks again!

They've changed it ALLLLL since you first started this process.  You want to send copies now, but have he originals to hand if asked/needed.

It's hard to keep up with the changes sometimes!

Oh my goodness, yes it is!

So which documents should I send originals, and which photocopies?

Originals: cards and boarding passes, photos, chat logs, Tre's passport, sponsor letter, HR letter, appendix 2, application form, IHS+priority+biometrics receipts, return postage label

Copies: property deed, mortgage statement, payslips, bank statements, P60?, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, my passport page

Oh my goodness, yes it is!

So which documents should I send originals, and which photocopies?

Originals: cards and boarding passes, photos, chat logs, Tre's passport, sponsor letter, HR letter, appendix 2, application form, IHS+priority+biometrics receipts, return postage label

Copies: property deed, mortgage statement, payslips, bank statements, P60?, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, my passport page

Don't send any original evidence!  Photocopy everything onto A4 (or standard 8-1/2 x 11" US copy paper) and send the copies.  But leave the originals with Tre in case UKVI reaches out to him to resubmit anything (if something doesn't make it from NY to Sheffield).  Print extra copies of all the application materials and receipts in case you he needs those, too.

Thanks jfkimberley

They want his passport, and the application forms and receipts, in original form though, right?

Is this better?:

Originals: photos, Tre's passport, sponsor letter, appendix 2, application form, IHS+priority+biometrics receipts, return postage label

Copies: property deed, mortgage statement, payslips, bank statements, P60?, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, my passport page, cards and boarding passes, chat logs, HR letter

Thanks jfkimberley

They want his passport, and the application forms and receipts, in original form though, right?

Is this better?:

Originals: photos, Tre's passport, sponsor letter, appendix 2, application form, IHS+priority+biometrics receipts, return postage label

Copies: property deed, mortgage statement, payslips, bank statements, P60?, marriage certificate, divorce certificate, my passport page, cards and boarding passes, chat logs, HR letter

Yes, that's it.  And I'd print extra copies of all those things in the "originals" section, or save them as PDF or something, in case Tre is asked to resubmit any of them.

Great!

So I got my bank statements stamped in branch today, one stamp per page.  She did print them double-sided but I figured if we have to scan them anyway it doesn't matter?

Great!

So I got my bank statements stamped in branch today, one stamp per page.  She did print them double-sided but I figured if we have to scan them anyway it doesn't matter?

Yeah, it's fine.  But if you copy them to post to NY instead of scanning them yourself, make sure the copies are single-sided.  I have no personal experience with them, but I don't fully trust the scanning people to catch double-sided documents and scan them to Sheffield properly.