FLR(M) Application Questions

Hello,

I am currently completing my first FLR(M) application following entry on a fiancé visa. I am completing the online application and have gotten stuck on a few questions and am hoping someone can help.

Here's a list of the questions I'm stuck on. If they're multiple choice, I've listed their choices. Any detail they gave me, including the multiple choices, is listed in italics.

What type of residence permit or visa do you have?
This is listed on the visa in your passport or biometric residence permit.

I'm a bit stuck on if I put Fiancé Visa or not, because my entry clearance sticker says "D - Marriage/CP Standard [Husband's initials and last name]." At the moment I have: Fiancé Visa: D - Marriage/CP Standard [Husband's initials and last name] as my answer. Is this correct or should I just put "Fiancé Visa"?

What type of visa, leave to enter or remain or other permission do you have to be in the UK?
ou can find out this information on the document which shows you are allowed to be in the UK.
Multiple Choice: Visit, Work, Study, Family, EEA Resident Permit or Card, Settlement, Other

I am stuck between Family and Settlement. Right now I have Settlement selected, but I honestly don't know which to select.

What family or friends do you have in the country where you were born and/or any other country whose nationality you hold?
Please provide details of these family and friends, for example, their names, relationship to you and where they live.

Right now, I have 12 family members listed with the format going: Name; Relationship; Address. Is that too many? Do I need to list their actual address?

If you were required to leave the UK, what country would you go to?
United States of America

Are there any factors which would make it difficult or impossible for you to integrate and establish a private life in that country?

I'm a bit stuck, as I do not have any humanitarian issue keeping me from living in the US such as persecution, so would I choose no? At the moment I've chosen Yes and answered: "Since moving to the UK under the Settlement - Fiancé Visa, it would be difficult to establish a life in the USA. I have established a private life in the UK since arriving in April 2019, including marrying my husband. We have established a home together and it would be difficult for me to leave my husband in the UK to return to the USA. My husband would not be able to join me in the USA as he has secure employment in the UK."

Is this okay,? Should I change my wording, or change my choice from yes to no?

Do you have any Home Office reference numbers?
If you have previously made an application to remain in the UK, you can find a reference number on letters from the Home Office, called 'Our Ref' or 'Case ID'. If not known, select 'No'.
Would I have a Reference Number from my Tier 4 Visa or my Fiancé Visa? Or is it only on applications made from inside the UK?

Is this the first time you have applied for a partner route, or an extension, with your current partner (including as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner)?
I would put "No" to this as I have a Fiancé visa, right?

Do you and your partner have any shared financial responsibilities?
For example, council tax, utility bills, mortgage or rent, childcare costs, loan payments
While our names are both on the Council Tax and utility bills, my husband is the one who pays them as I currently am not allowed to work. I would put 'No' to this, correct?

Items of correspondence addressed to [Applicant Name] and [Sponsor Name] at the same address as evidence you have been living together since your last grant of leave in this category, or from the date you first started living together, covering the last 2 years
I entered the country in April 2019, so do I only provide correspondence for just the time I've been here on this visa? I don't need to provide correspondence from the US to show I lived there before, right? It also states: If you and your partner lived with relatives or friends for some or all of the 2-year period, please provide a letter from the relative(s) and/or friend(s) confirming this.

Could you and your partner live together outside the UK if necessary?
While it would be inconvenient, we could, so would I select "Yes"?

Any help would be much appreciated! 

What type of residence permit or visa do you have?
This is listed on the visa in your passport or biometric residence permit.

I'm a bit stuck on if I put Fiancé Visa or not, because my entry clearance sticker says "D - Marriage/CP Standard [Husband's initials and last name]." At the moment I have: Fiancé Visa: D - Marriage/CP Standard [Husband's initials and last name] as my answer. Is this correct or should I just put "Fiancé Visa"?

You have a 'Marriage Settlement Visa' There's actually no such thing as a 'fiance visa'... we call it that here on the forum, but that is not what it is actually called. Officially it's called a "marriage visa'.

So, I would put:
Settlement Visa: D - Marriage/CP Standard.

What type of visa, leave to enter or remain or other permission do you have to be in the UK?
ou can find out this information on the document which shows you are allowed to be in the UK.
Multiple Choice: Visit, Work, Study, Family, EEA Resident Permit or Card, Settlement, Other


I am stuck between Family and Settlement. Right now I have Settlement selected, but I honestly don't know which to select.

Yea, it's a toss-up between Family and Settlement... it's confusing because a family visa IS a settlement visa, so they shouldn't have both choices on there.

I think most people have selected Family, but I don't think it really matters which one.

What family or friends do you have in the country where you were born and/or any other country whose nationality you hold?
Please provide details of these family and friends, for example, their names, relationship to you and where they live.

Right now, I have 12 family members listed with the format going: Name; Relationship; Address. Is that too many? Do I need to list their actual address?

I would put their name, relationship to you and city and state.

If you were required to leave the UK, what country would you go to?
United States of America

Are there any factors which would make it difficult or impossible for you to integrate and establish a private life in that country?

I'm a bit stuck, as I do not have any humanitarian issue keeping me from living in the US such as persecution, so would I choose no? At the moment I've chosen Yes and answered: "Since moving to the UK under the Settlement - Fiancé Visa, it would be difficult to establish a life in the USA. I have established a private life in the UK since arriving in April 2019, including marrying my husband. We have established a home together and it would be difficult for me to leave my husband in the UK to return to the USA. My husband would not be able to join me in the USA as he has secure employment in the UK."


Is this okay,? Should I change my wording, or change my choice from yes to no?

I would put No.

What they are asking is, if your visa was to be refused and if you were to be forced to return to the US, whether either your life would be in danger (due to war, terrorism or natural disasters), or you would be permanently separated from your spouse and would never see him again (i.e. he is ineligible for a visa for the US and is banned from entering).

If neither of these is true, then put No.

The reason they ask is because if you don't qualify for the visa, before they refuse it, they will look to see if your case can be considered under Article 8: Right to Family Life in the UK.

Do you have any Home Office reference numbers?
If you have previously made an application to remain in the UK, you can find a reference number on letters from the Home Office, called 'Our Ref' or 'Case ID'. If not known, select 'No'.
Would I have a Reference Number from my Tier 4 Visa or my Fiancé Visa? Or is it only on applications made from inside the UK?

No, you won't have a Home Office reference number.

Is this the first time you have applied for a partner route, or an extension, with your current partner (including as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner)?
I would put "No" to this as I have a Fiancé visa, right?

Correct... this is the second time you have applied.

Do you and your partner have any shared financial responsibilities?
For example, council tax, utility bills, mortgage or rent, childcare costs, loan payments
While our names are both on the Council Tax and utility bills, my husband is the one who pays them as I currently am not allowed to work. I would put 'No' to this, correct?

There's no right or wrong answer to this... just put whatever is true for your personal situation. If you contribute to bills etc., then put yes. If you don't, put no.

Items of correspondence addressed to [Applicant Name] and [Sponsor Name] at the same address as evidence you have been living together since your last grant of leave in this category, or from the date you first started living together, covering the last 2 years
I entered the country in April 2019, so do I only provide correspondence for just the time I've been here on this visa? I don't need to provide correspondence from the US to show I lived there before, right? It also states: If you and your partner lived with relatives or friends for some or all of the 2-year period, please provide a letter from the relative(s) and/or friend(s) confirming this.

This is your relationship evidence, so you ONLY provide correspondence to show that you and your sponsor have been living TOGETHER since you arrived in the UK on your fiance visa. So, if he was not living with you in the US, then your mail from the US is irrelevant.

You need to send as much of the following as possible:
- 6 documents in each name (either 6 jointly-addressed documents or 12 separately addressed documents (6 each), or a mixture of both)
- they must be from at least 3 official sources
- they must be evenly spaced over the time you have lived together.

So if you arrived in April, you ideally want one document in each name from each of the following months:
1. April
2. May
3, June
4. July
5. August
6. September

However, as you haven't been here that long, you may not be able to provide all of these, so just send what you do have, if you can't meet the requirements exactly.. and then you just need to write an explanation for why you don't have 6 documents in each name.

Could you and your partner live together outside the UK if necessary?
While it would be inconvenient, we could, so would I select "Yes"?

Yes, that's right - for the same reason as above, where it asks if you could return to the US.

You have a 'Marriage Settlement Visa' There's actually no such thing as a 'fiance visa'... we call it that here on the forum, but that is not what it is actually called. Officially it's called a "marriage visa'.

So, I would put:
Settlement Visa: D - Marriage/CP Standard.

Thank you so much! I knew Fiancé Visa wasn't right, but was struggling to find the correct name.

Yea, it's a toss-up between Family and Settlement... it's confusing because a family visa IS a settlement visa, so they shouldn't have both choices on there.

I think most people have selected Family, but I don't think it really matters which one.

Okay, I'm glad that I'm not the only one stumped by that question. I'll stick with Family just to be safe.

I would put their name, relationship to you and city and state.

That makes more sense and I'll do city and state rather than full address.

I would put No.

What they are asking is, if your visa was to be refused and if you were to be forced to return to the US, whether either your life would be in danger (due to war, terrorism or natural disasters), or you would be permanently separated from your spouse and would never see him again (i.e. he is ineligible for a visa for the US and is banned from entering).

If neither of these is true, then put No.

The reason they ask is because if you don't qualify for the visa, before they refuse it, they will look to see if your case can be considered under Article 8: Right to Family Life in the UK.

Thank you. I felt like No was the correct answer, but didn't want to make the wrong decision.

No, you won't have a Home Office reference number.

Thank you! Was having conflicting information on it.

This is your relationship evidence, so you ONLY provide correspondence to show that you and your sponsor have been living TOGETHER since you arrived in the UK on your fiance visa. So, if he was not living with you in the US, then your mail from the US is irrelevant.

You need to send as much of the following as possible:
- 6 documents in each name (either 6 jointly-addressed documents or 12 separately addressed documents (6 each), or a mixture of both)
- they must be from at least 3 official sources
- they must be evenly spaced over the time you have lived together.

So if you arrived in April, you ideally want one document in each name from each of the following months:
1. April
2. May
3, June
4. July
5. August
6. September

However, as you haven't been here that long, you may not be able to provide all of these, so just send what you do have, if you can't meet the requirements exactly.. and then you just need to write an explanation for why you don't have 6 documents in each name.

Okay, great, that's what I thought. I made sure to get on everything that I could do I believe we have more than 6 letters. I'm going to provide a cover letter explaining that almost all of it is in my maiden name and I have since changed my name to the one I am applying under.

Thank you so much for your help! Honestly, I don't know where so many of us would be if it wasn't for the help of this forum.

Hello!

I have another question regarding the FLR(M), though this time about supporting documents. With the proof of communication, such as emails, Whatsapp, etc. should this be covering the whole of our relationship, or just the time between our last application and now. For me, would this be from the start of my relationship (July 2017) or just from my arrival to the UK (April 2019) to now?

Thank you for any help!

Hello!

I have another question regarding the FLR(M), though this time about supporting documents. With the proof of communication, such as emails, Whatsapp, etc. should this be covering the whole of our relationship, or just the time between our last application and now. For me, would this be from the start of my relationship (July 2017) or just from my arrival to the UK (April 2019) to now?

Thank you for any help!

You don't do proof of communication when you're living together.  You do proof of cohabitation, through six items of jointly-addressed (or 12 items of individually-addressed) official correspondence to the same address, spread out evenly over the time since your last visa.  These items must have actually come through the post to prove that you received your mail at the same place.  And they must be "official" sources, such as government agencies, banks, utilities, or NHS.  These items showing you lived together, along with your marriage certificate, are all you need for Relationship evidence.

Then you would also have the financial evidence, and the rental agreement/land registry document for proof of accommodation.

EDIT:  I just noticed that you're Fiancee to FLR(M), so you likely won't have six/twelve items.  Get as many items as you can and explain in the application.  For fiancee-to-FLR(M) there really isn't time to get all 6/12, so just do the best you can and explain.  It'll be fine.  Meanwhile, still no chat logs, etc. 

You don't do proof of communication when you're living together.  You do proof of cohabitation, through six items of jointly-addressed (or 12 items of individually-addressed) official correspondence to the same address, spread out evenly over the time since your last visa.  These items must have actually come through the post to prove that you received your mail at the same place.  And they must be "official" sources, such as government agencies, banks, utilities, or NHS.  These items showing you lived together, along with your marriage certificate, are all you need for Relationship evidence.

Then you would also have the financial evidence, and the rental agreement/land registry document for proof of accommodation.

EDIT:  I just noticed that you're Fiancee to FLR(M), so you likely won't have six/twelve items.  Get as many items as you can and explain in the application.  For fiancee-to-FLR(M) there really isn't time to get all 6/12, so just do the best you can and explain.  It'll be fine.  Meanwhile, still no chat logs, etc. 

I do have the items of correspondence required from the necessary sources, so I'm sorted there. I was just under the impression that you had to supply communication as well. I suppose that makes things easier. Thank you!

I do have the items of correspondence required from the necessary sources, so I'm sorted there. I was just under the impression that you had to supply communication as well. I suppose that makes things easier. Thank you!

Yeah, now that you're over here and living together, they assume you guys communicate.  From now on, you'll be doing the correspondence and a copy of your marriage certificate for your relationship evidence going forward... so, for this FLR(M) application, the next FLR(M) application, and your ILR application.  So make sure you get very organized and hold on to all of your official post.  And put everything on paper statements.  No paperless for the next five years. 

Yeah, now that you're over here and living together, they assume you guys communicate.  From now on, you'll be doing the correspondence and a copy of your marriage certificate for your relationship evidence going forward... so, for this FLR(M) application, the next FLR(M) application, and your ILR application.  So make sure you get very organized and hold on to all of your official post.  And put everything on paper statements.  No paperless for the next five years. 

Haha I assumed but was just following my binder from my Fiance application. And I know I've been looking for a plastic tub to use for all the paperwork as I've finally outgrown my cardboard box of documents. Plus a lot of places, like our electric company, fight us on sending paper statements. Oh well, will be worth it in the end!

Haha I assumed but was just following my binder from my Fiance application. And I know I've been looking for a plastic tub to use for all the paperwork as I've finally outgrown my cardboard box of documents. Plus a lot of places, like our electric company, fight us on sending paper statements. Oh well, will be worth it in the end!

It's totally worth it!  You get to be with the partner you love, and you can ultimately become British!  Win-win!  It's tedious along the way, but you and your partner are in this together... it brings you closer, like brothers in arms (except, not brothers... obviously! ).

Keep fighting with your electric company.  You need as many options as you can.  If you're both named on all the utilities, it does make it easier to find documents when the time comes, by the way.

You can always change your electric company. 

Hello,

I'm just about ready to submit and ran into two questions that stumped me.

Is the account with a bank or utility company for which you have supplied information and supporting documentation held jointly by you and other people?

The bank account is my husband's alone. I am not on it at all, so would I select 'No'?

Does the account with the bank or utility company for which you have supplied information and supporting documentation relate to another person who is to provide you financial support?

As it's my husband's and I am not on it at all, would I then select 'yes'?

It then goes on to give a document titled 'Consent for the Home Office to verify application information' with three parts. One for the applicant. One for "If any information or documentation provided n is in the joint names of the applicant and another person (or persons), the joint owner should sign the following declaration." And one for "If the information or documentation relates to another person or persons who is to provide the applicant with financial support, that person or persons* should sign the following declaration."

Would I sign the first one, and my husband the two others?

Hello,

I'm just about ready to submit and ran into two questions that stumped me.

Is the account with a bank or utility company for which you have supplied information and supporting documentation held jointly by you and other people?

The bank account is my husband's alone. I am not on it at all, so would I select 'No'?

Does the account with the bank or utility company for which you have supplied information and supporting documentation relate to another person who is to provide you financial support?

As it's my husband's and I am not on it at all, would I then select 'yes'?

It then goes on to give a document titled 'Consent for the Home Office to verify application information' with three parts. One for the applicant. One for "If any information or documentation provided n is in the joint names of the applicant and another person (or persons), the joint owner should sign the following declaration." And one for "If the information or documentation relates to another person or persons who is to provide the applicant with financial support, that person or persons* should sign the following declaration."

Would I sign the first one, and my husband the two others?

I think you've got that right and that's how I would do it, but hopefully someone with more experience will be able to confirm!

What's the forum etiquette on asking questions on a topic that is the same topic, but started by someone else? I wouldn't want @HJack 's questions to get burried before getting answered, so am of course happy to start something different!

I answered “yes” to that question due to the “or utility company” part since the utilities are in both of our names. I’m not sure if that is the correct way to do it, though, and am now second guessing myself!

I'm also stumped by this one - what "bank or utility company" do they mean? Do they mean the financial proof, or do they also include the correspondence things??

Hello again!

We have our biometric appointment this Friday and I'm going over the final bits even though I've submitted the application. My husband has always earned above the threshold, but received a raise in July, so when completing the application it said we would need to submit a years worth of payslips and bank statements, not 6 months. I'm now worried I've got a gap from the bank statements. Our documents aren't above the 28 day limit, so that's not an issue. Our application was submitted on the 17th, and bank statements are from the 21st.

Our payslips are as follows:
-27/09/2018
-26/10/2018
-27/11/2018
-17/12/2018
-25/01/2019
-27/02/2019
-27/03/2019
-26/04/2019
-24/05/2019
-27/06/2019
-26/07/2019
-27/08/2019

Our bank statements cover from 03/09/2018 until 18/09/2019. Am I okay, or do I need to get another months worth of bank statements and another payslip. My husband was just paid on the Friday, so I can get September 2019's payslip, or his August 2018 payslip, but I would need to get an interim bank statement to cover that period. The reason I'm a bit worried is that my husband's bank is in Scotland (Bank of Scotland) and we live about 2 hours from the nearest bank in Cumbria, and our biometric appointment on Friday is in Manchester.