Preferred Visa Application Center/Centre and general advice!

Hello good people of the world,

I am applying this week for the Spouse Visa.  My primary question is this: do you know of any reason that it would be preferred to go to one VAC over another? I understand there are some very premium services that are only available at certain centers.

Would it be faster or better somehow if I flew to NYC to apply?

The plan as I understand is to pay for the faster application service to the tune of &570GBP, and for a courier to return my passport.

Otherwise I don't know of any premium services that we will use.  If I can get this service I will go to the Birmingham Alabama center, if not I will plan to use the Atlanta Georgia center, unless it would help to fly up to NYC? 

Cheers Y'all,
Jon

Hello good people of the world,

I am applying this week for the Spouse Visa.  My primary question is this: do you know of any reason that it would be preferred to go to one VAC over another? I understand there are some very premium services that are only available at certain centers.

Would it be faster or better somehow if I flew to NYC to apply?

You cannot apply in person in NYC, as they only accept postal applications. So, if you did fly there, you would be turned away and told to go back home and mail your application to them instead.

You also cannot use a VAC unless you are willing to pay an extra $1900 on top of all the visa fees for the Settlement Premium Service... which is basically just a waste of money and isn't even any faster than applying without using the premium service.

If you want to use the Settlement Priority Service for about £570 (around $800), you need to book your biometrics appointment at one of the 129 USCIS Application Support Centers across the US. Then, you have to mail your passport and supporting documents to NYC for processing within 5 days.

These are run by US immigration on behalf of UKVI and are a simple 5-minute appointment to scan your fingerprints and take your photo. Then you have 5 days to mail your passport, stamped biometrics confirmation sheet, application form and any supporting documents you are mailing (you can also upload the supporting documents instead) to NYC.

Given that you have mentioned Birmingham, Alabama and Altanta, Georgia, I assume you live either in Alabama or Georgia?

If so, the USCIS centres that you can book biometrics at are:

Atlanta, GA
3358B Chamblee Tucker Road, Atlanta, GA 30341

Birmingham, AL
529 Beacon Parkway, Suite 106, Birmingham, AL 35209

Jackson, MS
100 West Capitol Street, Suite 727, Jackson, MS 39269-1602

New Orleans, LA
1250 Poydras Street, 18th Floor, Suite 1800, New Orleans, LA 70113-1804

Charleston, SC
1650 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard, Suites 5 - 7, Charleston, SC 29407

Jacksonville, FL
4121 Southpoint Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32216-0930

See here for other locations: https://egov.uscis.gov/office-locator/#/asc

Hello good people of the world,

I am applying this week for the Spouse Visa.  My primary question is this: do you know of any reason that it would be preferred to go to one VAC over another? I understand there are some very premium services that are only available at certain centers.

Would it be faster or better somehow if I flew to NYC to apply?

The plan as I understand is to pay for the faster application service to the tune of &570GBP, and for a courier to return my passport.

Otherwise I don't know of any premium services that we will use.  If I can get this service I will go to the Birmingham Alabama center, if not I will plan to use the Atlanta Georgia center, unless it would help to fly up to NYC? 

Cheers Y'all,
Jon

Unless you want to pay $2,000 for the settlement premium package, then just choose your nearest USCIS centre and buy the settlement priority service for $772. Almost everyone goes with the latter option as the settlement premium (or whatever name it went by at the time, they change it frequently) has proven in almost all cases not to produce a quicker result.

Thank you both for the quick responses. Yes I am in Alabama.  I will plan to do use USCIS centre and buy the settlement priority service.   

Any other tips or tricks that may result in speedier responses?  Right now my plan is to pace back and forth drinking tea and check my email every 3-5 minutes.

Are you confident with the evidence you plan to provide? You should have it all in hand before submitting the application.

Any other tips or tricks that may result in speedier responses?  Right now my plan is to pace back and forth drinking tea and check my email every 3-5 minutes.

Unfortunately, not.

All you can do is purchase the settlement priority service and wait. While you are waiting, I would try your best to step away from your emails and distract yourself with other things, otherwise you'll just drive yourself crazy .

Are you confident with the evidence you plan to provide? You should have it all in hand before submitting the application.

We are using a solicitor to help us with this, but yes I think we are going to ok.  We are fortunate to have a gift that has enabled us to skip the very large additional pain in the ass of proving income requirement.  For the relationship we plan to submit pictures of our wedding in the UK, emails, and some pictures of our relationship (and with our daughter) .   Feeling* pretty* good that all our ducks are in a row.

We are using a solicitor to help us with this, but yes I think we are going to ok.  We are fortunate to have a gift that has enabled us to skip the very large additional pain in the ass of proving income requirement.  For the relationship we plan to submit pictures of our wedding in the UK, emails, and some pictures of our relationship (and with our daughter) .   Feeling* pretty* good that all our ducks are in a row.

You should probably run what you have by us here in that case.  You would be surprised but very often solicitors have lots of experience with complicated applications outside of the rules but are pretty hopeless with what should be a straightforward application!

If you post a list of everything you intend to include then we can let you know if anything is missing. A little more background would be helpful too. Do you live together in the US? What will the living situation be in the UK? Is your daughter a UKC?

Meeting with the solicitor on Thursday to have a final go over, but here is what we believe we are supposed to have and do have:

*6 months of bank statements in my wifes checking account (she is a UK citizen) with approximately 63,000 GBP.
This includes one mini statement at the end to add a few days rather than have to wait a month for another statement.
Each page is stamped and signed by the bank.

*Marriage certificate from our lovely wedding in the UK.  This is original.

*A letter from the parents stating that the money is a gift.

*A letter from my wife saying how we met and how met and all that.

*"Birth registered at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office" because our daughter was born in Taiwan. Hopefully this is ok without the Birth certificate from Taiwan because I didn't get that in the mail....

*Passport copies of her parents who are hosting/ will be hosting
*Passport copy of my wife

*registration about her parents house ownership

*pictures of our wedding
*4-5 pictures of us previously

*emails from details about preparation for our wedding

*my passport

*a large pile of cash to fork over for the visa application

I think that is it!  How close are we?
 

*6 months of bank statements in my wifes checking account (she is a UK citizen) with approximately 63,000 GBP.
This includes one mini statement at the end to add a few days rather than have to wait a month for another statement.
Each page is stamped and signed by the bank.

Just to confirm: there is AT LEAST £62,500 in the account on every single day of the 6 months, correct? The balance cannot have fallen below £62,500 for even 1 day of the 6-month period.

*A letter from my wife saying how we met and how met and all that.

The letter should state:
- how she qualifies to sponsor your visa (her UK citizenship)
- how she is meeting the financial requirement and which Category
- where you will live in the UK, including the full address and property details, including who owns it, total number of people who will be living there and number of bedrooms + living rooms
- a short paragraph about your relationship and why you are choosing to settle in the UK

*"Birth registered at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office" because our daughter was born in Taiwan. Hopefully this is ok without the Birth certificate from Taiwan because I didn't get that in the mail....

Is your daughter a UK citizen? If so, you should not need to include ANY documents for her at all, because she is not applying for a visa. She should be mentioned on the application form, but you should not have to send any documents in relation to her.

If you were to include documents for her though, you would also need her original birth certificate (you will need it for the next 2 visas anyway).

*Passport copies of her parents who are hosting/ will be hosting

You do not need these.

*registration about her parents house ownership

You also need:
-  a signed letter from her parents confirming that they are giving you, your wife and your daughter permission to live in the house and stating it will not be overcrowded.
- Optional but recommended: their latest original mortgage statement, if they have a mortgage.

*pictures of our wedding
*4-5 pictures of us previously

You do not need most of these. You just need to include 1 photo to show you have met 1 time in person. We normally suggest sending 2 photos: one from the wedding and one from the beginning of the relationship.

You are also missing all of your relationship documentation covering the entire length of your relationship, including evidence of living together (if you have lived together), boarding passes from trips to see each other, letters/cards sent to each other, emails/messages/call logs for the duration of your relationship.

*emails from details about preparation for our wedding

You do not need these, because you are already married. You only provide wedding details if you are applying for a fiance visa to marry in the UK.

Okay, so in summary, you do not need the following:
*"Birth registered at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office" because our daughter was born in Taiwan. Hopefully this is ok without the Birth certificate from Taiwan because I didn't get that in the mail....
*Passport copies of her parents who are hosting/ will be hostinh
*pictures of our wedding
*4-5 pictures of us previously
*emails from details about preparation for our wedding

And you do need:

Applicant
- priority processing receipt
- return shipping label
- printed application form
- stamped biometrics confirmation sheet
- your passport
(- passport photo of you - not sure if this is still needed)

Sponsor
- copy of photo page of her UK passport
- sponsor letter of support

Finances - Category D: Cash Savings
- 6 full months of bank statements
- letter from parents confirming money was a gift and will not be repaid

Accommodation
- parents' Land Registry document
- signed letter from parents giving permission to live there
- latest original mortgage statement

Relationship Evidence
- marriage certificate
- 2 photos of you together
Evidence of living together, if you have ever lived together:
- tenancy agreements/mortgage statements
- utility bills
- tax returns etc
Evidence of regular communication, during periods of living apart, for the entire duration of your relationship
- boarding passes
- letters/cards sent to each other
- screenshots of call logs, emails, messages etc. sent to each other over the years

Meeting with the solicitor on Thursday to have a final go over, but here is what we believe we are supposed to have and do have:

*6 months of bank statements in my wifes checking account (she is a UK citizen) with approximately 63,000 GBP.
This includes one mini statement at the end to add a few days rather than have to wait a month for another statement.
Each page is stamped and signed by the bank.



*Marriage certificate from our lovely wedding in the UK.  This is original.

*A letter from the parents stating that the money is a gift.

*A letter from my wife saying how we met and how met and all that.

*"Birth registered at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office" because our daughter was born in Taiwan. Hopefully this is ok without the Birth certificate from Taiwan because I didn't get that in the mail....

*Passport copies of her parents who are hosting/ will be hosting
*Passport copy of my wife

*registration about her parents house ownership

*pictures of our wedding
*4-5 pictures of us previously

*emails from details about preparation for our wedding

*my passport

*a large pile of cash to fork over for the visa application

I think that is it!  How close are we?

When you say mini statement, be careful. A cashpoint statement is not ok but a partial statement bringing you up to date is fine.

You will need ether the title deeds or land registry document and a recent mortgage statement (if applicable) for the parents house. You will also need a letter from them granting you all permission to live there.

Your child is a UKC?

You are very light on relationship evidence. You don't need wedding planning emails any more because you are married but you do need to show how you have kept in touch for the duration of your relationship for the times you have been apart. You also need proof of living together for any times this has been the case. So joint documents or individual ones to each of you at the same address. Leases, insurance, bank accounts etc. Letters or cards you have sent each other.

Yes our daughter is UK/US citizenship.  Will plan to put in some pics from earlier on for sure.

Yes our daughter is UK/US citizenship.  Will plan to put in some pics from earlier on for sure.

No, you already have too many pics. You need documented evidence of your relationship.
The mistake many couples make is thinking that having a child together is sufficient evidence, it is not.

Instead of us guessing, can you please let us know whether you have lived together or if your relationship has been long distance?

Will plan to put in some pics from earlier on for sure.

No, only include 1 photo from earlier, and 1 photo from the wedding, and take ALL the other photos out. As mentioned above, you already have too many photos.

The ECO just has to tick a box to say they have seen 1 photo of you and your wife together in the same place. That's it. You don't get a bigger or better tick for more photos.

However, at the moment, you have no relationship evidence except your marriage certificate and a photo, so you MUST include evidence of regular communication and/or living together for the entire length of your relationship.

After about 3 months into our relationship we moved in together in Taiwan, lived together there for about 3 years, then moved to the UK where we both stayed with her parents for 6 months until I had to leave to wait for the spouse Visa, which was about 2 months ago.