UK Fiance Visa - final questions

Hi All,

First I would like to say what a fantastic community this is, using many of the posts I have compiled all of my fiancé visa evidence. And, I am sincerely greatful.

Some background on my application. Me and my Fiancée met in Charleston SC in 2017 and felt completely in love, my fiancée US visa expired and she returned to the UK, after going back and forwards on if we should set our life in US or UK we both deiced the UK and with many trips to meet each others family and friends we are ready to move to the next steps.

This question is not about the content of my application, using this website we have complete appendix 2, gathered all supporting documentation and ready to apply on the website which leads to biometrics meeting. What I am interested in understanding is the presentation of our documents and what happens next.

Question 1
All of my supporting documents (appendix 2, chat logs, mortgage deeds, relationship pictures etc etc.) are printed double sided, should these be printed single sided?

Question 2
I am very interested in paying the premium service $750ish. But the VFS website has me confused. I live in Portsmouth NH. This means I can book my biometrics at Boston center (which is apparent premium center) or Manchester NH. Now the VFS website does not specify Boston as the requirement for this, in fact it says "USA – Application Support Centre" which from my understanding is the Manchester NH center and not the Boston center as the Boston center is operated by the VFS partner.

I guess what I need to know is if I select Manchester NH for my biometrics, what is the process to add premium service to this?

Question 3
Once I've done the biometrics and I have everything together, I want to understand if the following format is okay;

I have a expandable A4 file, all documents are A4 format. Again, these are printed double sided - please let me know if this is a problem. The file is very similar to this: .

I was going to use the first section for the application documents (appendix 2 etc.)
then the next section for my passport and supporting letter etc.
the next section for my fiancée non financial documents (passport, supporting letter etc.)
the next section for my fiancée financial documents (6 months payslips, 6 months bank statements, p60, supporting work letter etc.)
the next section for accommodation (deeds etc.)
then the final section all the relationship documents (chat logs, call logs, pictures, intent to marry stuff like venue booking etc.)

Sorry I say etc. a lot but that is because I am confident our material - in fact I believe I fall foul of providing too much which risks other documents being missed but I am hoping this way of organizing is fine.

So long story short, is this way of presenting the documents in an expandable A4 file okay, with each section labelled? then just shipping the whole thing to the Sheffield address in a large padded envelope.


Thank you for looking at these 3 questions, I look forward to replies

Hi Mark, welcome! 

I think it's safer to go with single sided, that way they are less likely to miss something vital.

You don't need a folder, just place everything in a pile and secure with rubber bands or string.

For the $750 Priority Service (this is not the Premium Service), you need to book biometrics at a USCIS Application Support Centre, NOT a Premium Centre. You select USA -Application Support Centre in order to purchase priority processing.

If you live in New Hampshire, your biometrics location options are here:
https://egov.uscis.gov/office-locator/#/ascresults/NH/New%20Hampshire

Basically it’s just the Manchester office.

Do not book biometrics at the Boston Premium Centre unless you are willing to pay $1900 extra for the Settlement Premium Service (which is a waste of money and does not get the application processed much faster than the $750 service.


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Hi Guys,

Great information from both of you thank you! I have reprinted the majority of application single sided but kept some of the bigger parts like 7 months bank statements and screenshots of chat logs to double sided just to keep the number of pages down. I have paper clipped the bigger sections like this together aswell and made note in the content letter explaining these parts are double sided.

Everything is now in an organized pile with postit notes separating the sections and then everything elastic banded... thank you

@ksand24 - thank you for confirming my thoughts on Manchester center and the $750 priority service. I will go with this option.

Do I have to book my biometrics first before buying the vfs priority or buy the priority first? I am unsure how they link the priority to my case or do I simply just have the receipt at the top of my pack so they see it when opening and put it in the priority pile in Sheffield

Thanks again
Mark

Do I have to book my biometrics first before buying the vfs priority or buy the priority first? I am unsure how they link the priority to my case or do I simply just have the receipt at the top of my pack so they see it when opening and put it in the priority pile in Sheffield

When you submit the online application, you will be prompted to book biometrics.

Once you have completed the online application process, it will generate a GWF application number. You can then go to the VFS website to register, using your GWF application number, and purchase any services you will be using, such as priority processing and return shipping labels. You can also upload all your supporting documents to VFS at this point if you wish to do so.



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Oh cool, thank you. I did not know there was an option to upload supporting documents rather than send in through post (I will still send via mail however)

I read elsewhere the barcode separators are not necessary when mailing your pack in from USA, is that still the case?

Sorry one more question: the 28day rule for payslips and bank statements, is that from the date you complete online application or the date Sheffield receive your documents?

I found elsewhere on the forum @larrabee commented saying within 28 days of online application, so everything should be good!

I am assuming barcode separators are not needed

Thanks,
Mark

I found elsewhere on the forum @larrabee commented saying within 28 days of online application, so everything should be good!

I am assuming barcode separators are not needed

Thanks,
Mark

Yes, the financial evidence, so bank statements, pay slips and your employers letter should be dated within 28 days of the online application.

Barcode separators didn't used to be necessary for US applicants as their applications were mailed directly from the applicant to Sheffield. Now the process is different. The applicant mails, (or scans) their documents to New York  then NY scans the application to Sheffield from there. So I would probably say it's best to use the barcode separators as they are designed to assist with the scanning process.

Oh really, so I won't be mailing my pack to Sheffield

Can you confirm this process is correct (sorry I like to understand)

Complete online application and book biometrics (receive GWF number) - print this application
Pay for priority service using GWF number - print this receipt
attend biometrics - receive biometrics sheet from Application support center
Put these extra sheets at the front of my evidence pack with Appendix 2
Submit full pack to New York (I assume online application gives all the address details)
Additionally in this pack is my current passport, old passport and a passport photo.
They scan everything to Sheffield
Await decision
Hopefully receive passport back with visa

Oh really, so I won't be mailing my pack to Sheffield

Can you confirm this process is correct (sorry I like to understand)

Complete online application and book biometrics (receive GWF number) - print this application
Pay for priority service using GWF number - print this receipt
attend biometrics - receive biometrics sheet from Application support center
Put these extra sheets at the front of my evidence pack with Appendix 2
Submit full pack to New York (I assume online application gives all the address details)
Additionally in this pack is my current passport, old passport and a passport photo.
They scan everything to Sheffield
Await decision
Hopefully receive passport back with visa

That's pretty much correct.

Step 1 is always to gather your evidence and have it all in hand before submitting but I know that you're confident there.

For biometrics, you must take the biomtetrics page with the barcode with you. It is either emailed to you or available in your account. They will stamp it at your appointment and you include it with your other documents.

Most people find it better (cheaper and easier) to pay for their shipping directly from UPS.

This might be helpful. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/usa-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-the-usa

Well, looks like i'm ready thank you!
Great link, I was not able to find that myself

I have seen others ship documents to New York without barcodes and had visa approved. When looking at the barcodes they are a little misleading as they have all these extra sections (I assume its because these are used for all visa types). Plus there guidance is also unclear, for example in the sponsor barcode section it says sponsor accommodation, but then there is a whole barcode section dedicated to accommodation...!!

Well, looks like i'm ready thank you!
Great link, I was not able to find that myself

For some reason it’s really hard to find it on the UKVI website - I have to Google that page specifically to get to it.

I have seen others ship documents to New York without barcodes and had visa approved. When looking at the barcodes they are a little misleading as they have all these extra sections (I assume its because these are used for all visa types). Plus there guidance is also unclear, for example in the sponsor barcode section it says sponsor accommodation, but then there is a whole barcode section dedicated to accommodation...!!

It’s a bit unclear as to whether they are definitely needed or not.



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I have seen others ship documents to New York without barcodes and had visa approved. When looking at the barcodes they are a little misleading as they have all these extra sections (I assume its because these are used for all visa types). Plus there guidance is also unclear, for example in the sponsor barcode section it says sponsor accommodation, but then there is a whole barcode section dedicated to accommodation...!!

Yup, it's all a bit of a mess!  The presence or absence of barcode separators will not make or break an application.

Haha well I look forward to my few month gap before digging into FLR(M)...

Does anyone know if the Spousal fiancé visa is multiple entry?
I am hoping after using the priority service to have visa and be in the UK for sometime in August (looks doable based on everyone elses dates)
We plan on getting married November 7th, so no real issue here assuming application is good.

However, it is my UK fiancée best friends wedding in Cyprus October 22nd. My fiancée has already bought my plane ticket from UK to Cyprus and back. I have read online it is a big NO to leave the country on the fiancé visa after getting married as technically it is a voided but not much regarding the period before marriage. I planned on travelling with proof of wedding intent (venue confirmations, photographer invoices etc.)

However, it is my UK fiancée best friends wedding in Cyprus October 22nd. My fiancée has already bought my plane ticket from UK to Cyprus and back. I have read online it is a big NO to leave the country on the fiancé visa after getting married as technically it is a voided but not much regarding the period before marriage. I planned on travelling with proof of wedding intent (venue confirmations, photographer invoices etc.)

Travel in and out before your wedding is fine and you won’t need any evidence of wedding plans. The issue with travelling after the wedding but before applying for FLR(M) is that you are not a fiancé anymore so technically you don’t meet the requirements to enter on a fiancé visa.

However, they changed the wording a couple of years ago and now they say it’s fine to leave for a honeymoon after the wedding as long as you can show intent to apply for FLR(M) when you return.



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