Renewing my FLR (M) visa

Oh this is fantastic news! Thank you so much, I will definitely post my list here before I submit.

I love this forum!


Taylor

Applying for FLR(M) is very similar to the initial spouse visa, except:

-  Instead of providing proof of communication while you were living apart, as you did for the spousal visa application, you will provide six jointly-addressed or twelve individually-addressed bits of post sent to you and your spouse in the last 2.5 years (about one item each every 5 months), that are from at least three unique official sources, to prove you live together.  The acceptable sources include things like government agencies, NHS, utilities, banks, etc.  Personal letters do not count.  This, along with your marriage certificate, constitutes your proof or relationship (no photo required this time, either).

Sorry for jumping on this thread but can you clarify where in UK Gov documents it says that 12 individually-addressed bits of post are required. Last time I was checking I thought I read for FLR(M) only 6 documents with my wife's name on it was required. Asides from a Council Tax statement with our joint names on it, we don't share any other documentation (I tried adding names to energy and water bills but only one name was allowed and besides, all our bills are online).

Martin

Sorry for jumping on this thread but can you clarify where in UK Gov documents it says that 12 individually-addressed bits of post are required. Last time I was checking I thought I read for FLR(M) only 6 documents with my wife's name on it was required. Asides from a Council Tax statement with our joint names on it, we don't share any other documentation (I tried adding names to energy and water bills but only one name was allowed and besides, all our bills are online).

Martin

It's 6 joint or up to 12 individual pieces, six for each of you. You need your correspondence to be sent to you by post.

Sorry for jumping on this thread but can you clarify where in UK Gov documents it says that 12 individually-addressed bits of post are required. Last time I was checking I thought I read for FLR(M) only 6 documents with my wife's name on it was required. Asides from a Council Tax statement with our joint names on it, we don't share any other documentation (I tried adding names to energy and water bills but only one name was allowed and besides, all our bills are online).

Martin

I believe it's all contained within the online application now, so we can't see it without filling out an application ourselves, but here is the guidance from the old paper FLR(M) form (the requirement is still the same):

If your application is as the partner of a settled person or person who is in the UK with refugee leave or humanitarian protection

Six items of correspondence addressed to you and your partner at the same address as evidence that you have been living together since your last grant of leave in this category, or from the date you first started living together up to a maximum of two years. See Note 11.

Note 11
The items of correspondence should be addressed to you jointly or in both your names.
Examples of acceptable items are listed below. The documents provided must be originals. Photocopies are not acceptable.

The dates of the items of correspondence should be spread evenly over the whole period you are relying on. They should be from at least 3 different sources. If you do not have enough items in your joint names, you may also provide items addressed to each of you individually if they show the same address for both of you.

For example - Four items of correspondence in joint names to the same address and two items addressed to each partner at the address. In total eight items would need to be submitted. If you and your partner have no bills or correspondence in joint names, you will need to submit twelve items (six each) of correspondence, evidencing that you reside together at the same address.

If you and your partner lived with relatives or friends for some or all of the period you are relying on, please provide a letter from the relative(s) and/or friend(s) confirming this.
If you did not live together for any part of the period you are relying on, tell us the reasons for this and whether you stayed in contact with each other during this time, and provide any relevant supporting evidence.
Please give an explanation on a separate sheet if you cannot provide six items; if the items are not addressed to both of you; or if they do not cover the period you are relying on.

Examples of acceptable items of correspondence
• Letters or other documents from government departments or agencies, for example HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, DVLA, TV Licensing.
• Letters or other documents from your GP, a hospital or other local health service about medical treatments, appointments, home visits or other medical matters
• Bank statements/letters
• Building society savings books/letters
• Council tax bills or statements
• Electricity and/or gas bills or statements
• Water rates bills or statements
• Mortgage statements/agreement
• Tenancy agreement(s)
• Telephone bills or statements

@larrabee  and @ksand24

Many thanks for that. My wife's 30 months is up in June (spouse visa, expiring in August) so just making sure I haven't misunderstood the details.

PS. It's really annoying that the latest information is only available when you apply. Makes no sense at all. Anyway!

PS. It's really annoying that the latest information is only available when you apply. Makes no sense at all. Anyway!

It's extremely annoying. Every time they update the website/change the forms the guidance gets more vague and confusing. There used to be an entire PDF document detailing all the guidance for how to apply for FLR(M) and that's all gone now.

I can only assume the guidance is now included in the online form, but I don't know - given that the document list they give you as part of the online form seems incomplete, and in some cases, wrong!

Ah, I've just found a copy of the old FLR(M) form (from Nov 2018), so you can take a look if you like:
http://bingham.butterworths.co.uk/PDF/level1/hoflrm.pdf

Every time they change something, the process becomes more opaque!

Not even the passports you need to send?


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Hi Everyone,

I am a little confused. I have gotten through my application to the point of payment and have nowhere seen a place to submit my supporting documents online. Is there a point where they ask me to upload supporting documents?

Thanks for the help!

Hi Everyone,

I am a little confused. I have gotten through my application to the point of payment and have nowhere seen a place to submit my supporting documents online. Is there a point where they ask me to upload supporting documents?

Thanks for the help!

I think you upload your documents later on, via the UKVCAS website.

You can either upload them yourself, or when you book your biometrics appointment, there's also an option to purchase the document scanning service, where they upload the documents for you at the appointment (I think that option costs £100).

See here: https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/help-support/ourinfo/prepareDocuments

Also see: https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/additional-services

Great, thank you!

Examples of acceptable items of correspondence
• Letters or other documents from government departments or agencies, for example HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, DVLA, TV Licensing.
• Letters or other documents from your GP, a hospital or other local health service about medical treatments, appointments, home visits or other medical matters
• Bank statements/letters
• Building society savings books/letters
• Council tax bills or statements
• Electricity and/or gas bills or statements
• Water rates bills or statements
• Mortgage statements/agreement
• Tenancy agreement(s)
• Telephone bills or statements

I hope it's ok replying to this oldish thread.

Does Car or Home Insurance count as a valid form of proof for FLR(M) cohabitation? I dont have my wife on utility bills as the utilty companies only allow one name and all bills are online. Also, can she use her contract from her employer as a form of proof? It's from a major aviation company.

Regards,
Martin

I hope it's ok replying to this oldish thread.

Does Car or Home Insurance count as a valid form of proof for FLR(M) cohabitation? I dont have my wife on utility bills as the utilty companies only allow one name and all bills are online. Also, can she use her contract from her employer as a form of proof? It's from a major aviation company.

Regards,
Martin

Yes, those documents should be okay, as long as they're dated for the right months and show her name and address on all of them.

I'm surprised about the utility companies only allowing one name on the accounts as most people on the forum have been able to add their spouse's name to their utility bills.

If you can, it's a good idea to turn off paperless billing for as many different accounts/bills as possible (even if you have to pay a bit for paper statements).

What about monthly mailed bank statements? Again, we advise that they are set to paper statements and not paperless... because they are usually sent monthly, which means you will have something available in your name(s) for any month you need it.

Yes, those documents should be okay, as long as they're dated for the right months and show her name and address on all of them.

Thanks ksand24. Regarding the 'right months', we will be applying for the extension at the end of July, so I had laid out documentation dates as:

July, November 2018,
March July November 2019
March 2020 (with optional info on July 2020)

If we don't find a document for e.g. March 2018, then would February 2018 suffice? It's a bit unclear to me how exact these document timelines have to be. If it has to be at least every 4 months, then perhaps we could supply another document in eg May 2018 to not have the gap betwen February and July being over 4 months.

Regards,
Martin

If we don't find a document for e.g. March 2018, then would February 2018 suffice? It's a bit unclear to me how exact these document timelines have to be. If it has to be at least every 4 months, then perhaps we could supply another document in eg May 2018 to not have the gap betwen February and July being over 4 months.

The documents should be spaced evenly, every 4 months. The gap between each document should be 4 months. If you have individually addressed documents, you need 1 each from the same month, preferably dated within a few days of each other.

So, you really need 1 document in each name from each of the following months only:
July 2018
November 2018
March 2018
July 2019
November 2019
March 2020
(July 2020)

If you are unable to provide documents dated every 4 months, or you can't provide the right number or sources of document, you need to write a letter explaining the reason(s) for this.

If you can list all the documents you have, with the exact dates they were issued, and which name(s) they are in, we can help you work out which ones you can use for the requirement .