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Topic: It's the Final Checklist!  (Read 638 times)

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It's the Final Checklist!
« on: February 17, 2019, 07:56:24 PM »
Hey, everyone!  After much strong-arming of a variety of people (property management, past employers, current employers, etc), my husband and I are about to submit my spousal visa application.  I'm going to post our FINAL checklist, which I've gone over at least 10 times, but definitely could always use another set of eyes!!

Applicant Docs:
Stamped Biometrics receipt
Visa receipt
Printed online application
Passport and photos
IHS receipt
Return shipping label
Appendix 2

Sponsor Documents:
Cover letter
Copy of passport (certified by the post office)

Financial Requirements:
Offer letter from current job
Contract from current job
Employment letter from current job
Bank statements from past year (stamped, dated)
Pay slips from past job (stamped, signed)
Pay slips from current job (stamped, signed)

Accommodation Requirements:
Tenancy agreement
Letter from property management company

Relationship Evidence:
Cover letter from applicant
Marriage certificate
Annotated Photos (3x of just my spouse and I)
iMessages
Flight receipts
Letters/Postage

And now, for my last minute questions:

What's the deal with the return shipping label that's needed? Do I purchase all of that stuff at my biometrics appointment or beforehand?
Should I highlight the dates in the iMessages I printed to make it more apparent?  Do I need to write anything else below the screen captures (i.e. the date)?
The man at Rite Aid didn't know what millimeters were and the passport photos came out a bit... wonky. They are rectangles as per the measurement requirements, but his cutting skills were sub-par. Will this be a problem? Do they need to be absolutely perfect?

Cheers to you all for your help!! I absolutely cannot wait to get over to the UK with my husband and maybe meet some of you great people there as well!
« Last Edit: February 20, 2019, 10:59:19 PM by skeletisms »
~ Visa application: Feb. 21, 2019
~ Biometrics: Feb. 27, 2019
~ Documents received in NY: Feb 28, 2019
~ Assigned to ECO: Apr 16, 2019
~ Decision email: May 16, 2019
~ Outcome: It's a yes - May 20, 2019!!

What a long, strange trip it's been!


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Re: It's the Final Checklist!
« Reply #1 on: February 20, 2019, 10:58:26 PM »
Bumpity Bump - we are looking to submit the application online tomorrow!! Lots of anxiety, lots of stress...
~ Visa application: Feb. 21, 2019
~ Biometrics: Feb. 27, 2019
~ Documents received in NY: Feb 28, 2019
~ Assigned to ECO: Apr 16, 2019
~ Decision email: May 16, 2019
~ Outcome: It's a yes - May 20, 2019!!

What a long, strange trip it's been!


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Re: It's the Final Checklist!
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2019, 07:01:17 AM »
Hey, everyone!  After much strong-arming of a variety of people (property management, past employers, current employers, etc), my husband and I are about to submit my spousal visa application.  I'm going to post our FINAL checklist, which I've gone over at least 10 times, but definitely could always use another set of eyes!!

Applicant Docs:
Stamped Biometrics receipt
Visa receipt
Printed online application
Passport and photos
IHS receipt
Return shipping label
Appendix 2

Sponsor Documents:
Cover letter
Copy of passport (certified by the post office)

Financial Requirements:
Offer letter from current job
Contract from current job
Employment letter from current job
Bank statements from past year (stamped, dated)
Pay slips from past job (stamped, signed)
Pay slips from current job (stamped, signed)

Accommodation Requirements:
Tenancy agreement
Letter from property management company

Relationship Evidence:
Cover letter from applicant
Marriage certificate
Annotated Photos (3x of just my spouse and I)
iMessages
Flight receipts
Letters/Postage

And now, for my last minute questions:

What's the deal with the return shipping label that's needed? Do I purchase all of that stuff at my biometrics appointment or beforehand?
Should I highlight the dates in the iMessages I printed to make it more apparent?  Do I need to write anything else below the screen captures (i.e. the date)?
The man at Rite Aid didn't know what millimeters were and the passport photos came out a bit... wonky. They are rectangles as per the measurement requirements, but his cutting skills were sub-par. Will this be a problem? Do they need to be absolutely perfect?

Cheers to you all for your help!! I absolutely cannot wait to get over to the UK with my husband and maybe meet some of you great people there as well!

You will purchase the shipping label (and priority, if you're using it) after you submit your application, but before biometrics.  When you submit your application, you'll be directed to book your biometrics appointment and there will be a link to the VFS website where you can purchase the shipping labels and priority processing.

I probably wouldn't write anything or highlight anything on the message logs.  I don't know what yours look like, but I think the least messed-with they look, the better.  Your screen captures do have dates on them, right?

We're not even sure the passport photos are used anymore, but the rules say to include them, so we advise people to include them.  Within reason, a little wonkiness is probably okay.  Is your chin-to-top-of-head measurement correct in the photo?  That's the most important thing.
9/1/2013 - "fiancée" (marriage) visa issued
4/6/2013 - married (certificate issued same-day)
5/6/2013 - FLR(M)#1 in person -- approved!
8/1/2016 - FLR(M)#2 by post -- approved!
8/5/2018 - ILR in person -- approved!
22/11/2018 - Citizenship (online, with NDRS+JCAP) -- approved!
14/12/2018 - I became a British citizen.  :)


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Re: It's the Final Checklist!
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2019, 05:32:20 PM »
You will purchase the shipping label (and priority, if you're using it) after you submit your application, but before biometrics.  When you submit your application, you'll be directed to book your biometrics appointment and there will be a link to the VFS website where you can purchase the shipping labels and priority processing.

I probably wouldn't write anything or highlight anything on the message logs.  I don't know what yours look like, but I think the least messed-with they look, the better.  Your screen captures do have dates on them, right?

We're not even sure the passport photos are used anymore, but the rules say to include them, so we advise people to include them.  Within reason, a little wonkiness is probably okay.  Is your chin-to-top-of-head measurement correct in the photo?  That's the most important thing.

Thank you for the information and response!!! Our screen captures have dates, so that should be good. The chin-head ratio is correct, so hopefully they will float! Thanks again :)
~ Visa application: Feb. 21, 2019
~ Biometrics: Feb. 27, 2019
~ Documents received in NY: Feb 28, 2019
~ Assigned to ECO: Apr 16, 2019
~ Decision email: May 16, 2019
~ Outcome: It's a yes - May 20, 2019!!

What a long, strange trip it's been!


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Re: It's the Final Checklist!
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2019, 08:12:26 PM »
Does my spouse's (aka sponsor) need to have his passport page be a certified copy or can it just be a regular copy?
Married: 2/16/19
Online Application Paid/Sent: 4/9/19
Biometrics Appointment: 5/1/19
Documents Mailed to NY: 5/1/19 (Standard Non-Priority)
Documents Received via UPS Tracking: 5/3/19
Documents Received Email: none
Application Received/Consideration Email: 6/12/19
Decision Made Email: 7/12/19
Visa Returned: 7/16/19


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Re: It's the Final Checklist!
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2019, 07:46:55 PM »
Does my spouse's (aka sponsor) need to have his passport page be a certified copy or can it just be a regular copy?
I believe a regular copy is accepted but a certified copy of the photo page is recommended. It’s cheap and easy to do at the post office so I would get it certified just to be on the safe side.
Spouse visa received: 30 November 2018
Arrived in the UK: 27 December 2018

FLR(M)
Application submitted: 4 August 2021 (super priority)
Biometrics: 15 August 2021
Decision: 16 August 2021 - approved!

ILR
Application submitted: 14 December 2023 (super priority)
Biometrics: 17 December 2023
Decision: 18 December 2023 - approved!


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