FLR(M) - First extension is around the corner

Hello Great Forum People
I'm trying to wrap my head around my wife's visa things again. It's been enough time for me to forget/block most of it by now but slowly getting back into it.

My first question is around timeline:

• First entry - 7 Jan 2018
• BRP issued - 17 May 2018
• BRP expires - 17 Nov 2020
• 5 year mark -  7 Jan 2023

We're planning to go for the normal service this time instead of in-person. If I understand this correctly after the 5 year mark we can apply for an ILR which means that we shouldn't apply for this extension too early (i.e. before July 7), correct?
Ideally, we'd like to do it end of July as I'll have most up-to-date statements, payslips, etc. unless that's not a good idea to do it this early.

Next, cost. Is the below how much you have to pay if you don't use the priority service and apply from the UK?

• Visa Application - £1033
• NHS surcharge - 2.5 years X £400 = £1000
• Biometrics + photo - £19.20

Almost there. I see that it's online now. Is this the right place to go?
https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/family-routes?_ga=2.211795095.383638092.1592647514-1581104216.1587969159

Lasly, what documents are required and do you still have to send them by post?

Application documents

• Her passport
• Her BRP card
• My UK Passport

Financial documents

• 6 months of payslips - i.e. July, June, May, April, March, Feb
• 6 months of bank statements reflecting the wages
• Letter of employment
• Job Contract - Do I need to do anything special here if my contract hasn't changed in years?
• P60 - 2019/2020

Accommodation documents

• Tenancy Agreement - Starting from 26 July 2020
• Letter from letting agent - Do I need a letter from the letting agent if the contract is signed online and it's a printout?
• Latest Council Tax Bill 2020/2021

Relationship documents

• Marriage certificate
• Evidence of cohabitation*

* Cohabitation

• (July 2020) - Is this needed?
• March 2020 - BT Utility Bill
• Nov 2019 - Bank statement (joint account)
• July 2019 - Bank statement (joint account)
• March 2019 - Bank statement (joint account)
• Nov 2018 - Bank statement (joint account)
• July 2018 - Tenancy Agreement (Signed in June 2018, covers 26 July 2018 - 25 July 2020)

Thank you so very much!!!

Hello Great Forum People
I'm trying to wrap my head around my wife's visa things again. It's been enough time for me to forget/block most of it by now but slowly getting back into it.

My first question is around timeline:

• First entry - 7 Jan 2018
• BRP issued - 17 May 2018
• BRP expires - 17 Nov 2020
• 5 year mark -  7 Jan 2023

We're planning to go for the normal service this time instead of in-person. If I understand this correctly after the 5 year mark we can apply for an ILR which means that we shouldn't apply for this extension too early (i.e. before July 7), correct?
Ideally, we'd like to do it end of July as I'll have most up-to-date statements, payslips, etc. unless that's not a good idea to do it this early.

If your wife entered the UK on a fiance visa, then you got married and switched to FLR(M), then her 5-year count to ILR did not start until the date her FLR(M) was issued, which was 17th May 2018.

Therefore, she will not qualify for ILR until 17th May 2023, and she will not be able to apply for her second FLR(M) until 28 days before her current FLR(M) expires.

Since her FLR(M) expires on 17th November 2020, the ABSOULTE EARLIEST date she can apply for FLR(M) is 20th October 2020.

Therefore you have another 4 months before you can apply, and before you need to have your documents ready.

This also means that for the correspondence documents, you will need documents in each name from the following months:
Oct 2018
Feb 2019
June 2019
Oct 2019
Feb 2020
June 2020
Optional extra: Oct 2020

Next, cost. Is the below how much you have to pay if you don't use the priority service and apply from the UK?

• Visa Application - £1033
• NHS surcharge - 2.5 years X £400 = £1000
• Biometrics + photo - £19.20

Yes, these are the costs. The £19.20 is added to the £1033, so she will pay £1052.20 for the visa.

There are also various charges for biometrics appointments depending on whether you want a specific date, or if you want to pay for document checking and/or document scanning services.

Almost there. I see that it's online now. Is this the right place to go?
https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/family-routes?_ga=2.211795095.383638092.1592647514-1581104216.1587969159

Lasly, what documents are required and do you still have to send them by post?

Everything is done online now and nothing is sent by post, not even your wife's passport or BRP

All the documents are scanned and uploaded to the UKVCAS website. You can either upload them yourself at home for free or add the document scanning service to your biometrics appointment so they scan them for you.

Financial documents

• 6 months of payslips - i.e. July, June, May, April, March, Feb
• 6 months of bank statements reflecting the wages
• Letter of employment
• Job Contract - Do I need to do anything special here if my contract hasn't changed in years?
• P60 - 2019/2020

For the job contract, just include your original contract.

For the financial documents, the payslips and bank statements must cover a FULL 6 months, so this usually means sending 7 months of payslips and bank statements.

If you are applying in October, this would likely mean including the following payslips and bank statements:
March 2020
April 2020
May 2020
June 2020
July 2020
August 2020
September 2020

Accommodation documents

• Tenancy Agreement - Starting from 26 July 2020
• Letter from letting agent - Do I need a letter from the letting agent if the contract is signed online and it's a printout?
• Latest Council Tax Bill 2020/2021

If the tenancy agreement has both your names on it, you only include the tenancy agreement.

A letter is only required from the letting agent/landlord if only one of your names is on the tenancy, as they need to give permission for the other person to continue living there.[/list]

Thanks @ksand24. Saved my life! 

Few more questions:

• I heard that the NHS surcharge is due to be increased in October. Is that true and what’s the new amount?
• Do you apply first and then schedule the biometrics appointment?
• Where do you have to go for the biometrics? Does the post office work?

Cheers

Thanks @ksand24. Saved my life! 

Few more questions:

• I heard that the NHS surcharge is due to be increased in October. Is that true and what’s the new amount?
• Do you apply first and then schedule the biometrics appointment?
• Where do you have to go for the biometrics? Does the post office work?

1. Yes, the IHS surcharge is supposed to be increasing. I keep seeing different amounts though. Last I saw, it was £625/year (so that would be £1562.50 for FLR)

2.
- You apply online, then register an account with the UKVCAS website (you'll get emailed a link with a registration code)
- Once you have registered with UKVCAS, you can schedule your biometrics appointment at a UKVCAS centre, paying for extra services if you want them (only certain appointment types are available at certain centres)
- you then upload all your documents to the UKVCAS website before your appointment (or if you have paid for the document scanning service, you take your documents to your biometrics appointment and they will scan them for you)
- you attend your biometrics appointment at the UKVCAS centre
- you wait for your visa to be processed and your BRP to be mailed to you

3. Biometrics are not given at Post Offices anymore, they are given at UKVCAS centres

Thanks. So we are not sending any passports or BRPs this time which is great great news. Does that mean that you can travel while the application is being processed?

1. Yes, the IHS surcharge is supposed to be increasing. I keep seeing different amounts though. Last I saw, it was £625/year (so that would be £1562.50 for FLR)

It's going to rise to £624. The £625 is what is has been costing when hospitals claim back the cost of treatment they have given from the IHS pot, instead of using their own budget to fund that treatment.

It's going to rise to £624. The £625 is what is has been costing when hospitals claim back the cost of treatment they have given from the IHS pot, instead of using their own budget to fund that treatment.

Ah, okay - I've seen a number of different figured printed in articles... £595, £600, and £625, I think were the most recent ones I've seen.

Ah, okay - I've seen a number of different figured printed in articles... £595, £600, and £625, I think were the most recent ones I've seen.

Yeah, there has been a lot of different figures put around. The change needs a Statutory Instrument to amend the law and is on the government legistlation site. It's still in draft form atm, waiting to be signed at the appropiate time. 

The Immigration (Health Charge) (Amendment) Order 2020.
Coming into force on 1 October 2020.
£470 for Students; their dependants; those on a Tier 5 Youth Mobilty Scheme.
£624 for those 18 and over
£470 for those age under 18.

Ooops, I forgot to put the link.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2020/9780111194584

Hi
Unfortunately we had to travel back to the states due to some medical issues. So there wasn’t much time to plan and I’m not 100% sure when exactly will we be able to get back. So just wanted to check if there is any way for us to apply from the states?

Also, does anyone know if there’s a restriction of how long can you stay abroad? I vaguely remember something along these lines.

Cheers

Hi
Unfortunately we had to travel back to the states due to some medical issues. So there wasn’t much time to plan and I’m not 100% sure when exactly will we be able to get back. So just wanted to check if there is any way for us to apply from the states?

Also, does anyone know if there’s a restriction of how long can you stay abroad? I vaguely remember something along these lines.

Cheers

If the BRP expires when you are in the US, you would have to start again with a spouse visa if you wished to continue on the partner visa path.
While there is no set limit to the number of days out of the country, (you are expected to be together)  this means nothing if you're not back in time to apply for FLR(M).

Hi
Unfortunately we had to travel back to the states due to some medical issues. So there wasn’t much time to plan and I’m not 100% sure when exactly will we be able to get back. So just wanted to check if there is any way for us to apply from the states?

You can't apply for FLR(M) from the US because it's an in-country extension visa to remain in the UK... which means there's no such visa to apply for from the US.

If it is the case that you absolutely cannot fly back to the UK to apply for FLR(M) before her current visa expires, you would have to apply for a brand new spousal visa from the US... which would cost £1,523 and would either have an IHS surcharge of £1,200, or £1,872 if the surcharge has increased by then (it's not clear what date exactly the surcharge will increase).

In comparison, the FLR(M) is £1,033 plus either £1,000 IHS or £1,560 with the increase.

Also, does anyone know if there’s a restriction of how long can you stay abroad? I vaguely remember something along these lines.

There's no restriction, but you have to:

- be in the UK to apply for the next visa
- have your primary residence in the UK
- have lived with your spouse/partner for the entire length of the visa (either in the UK or abroad)

Thanks everyone. That clears it out

If your wife entered the UK on a fiance visa, then you got married and switched to FLR(M), then her 5-year count to ILR did not start until the date her FLR(M) was issued, which was 17th May 2018.

Therefore, she will not qualify for ILR until 17th May 2023, and she will not be able to apply for her second FLR(M) until 28 days before her current FLR(M) expires.

Since her FLR(M) expires on 17th November 2020, the ABSOLUTE EARLIEST date she can apply for FLR(M) is 20th October 2020.

We kicked off my wife's application today just to see what does the form entail. Few questions:

• Do we need to complete and submit the application before we can book an appointment as I'm a little worried about timing and available slots due to COVID?
• What should I put down on the question about how long has she lived in the UK? Is this when she first entered (Jan 2018) or when we got the FLR(M) issued (May 2018)?
• I see we have to list all "absences from the UK". Is there a restriction of how many days can she spend outside of the UK?
• Are there any factors which would make it difficult or impossible for you to integrate and establish a private life in that country? - Presumably, the fact that I don't have US citizenship makes it difficult? Does that count and do I need to provide evidence of that?
• 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)? - This is our first extension yes but overall she has obtained the FRL(M) with me previously. So what is the answer here?

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Thank you so much for the help!

• 1. Do we need to complete and submit the application before we can book an appointment as I'm a little worried about timing and available slots due to COVID?

Yes. You cannot book an appointment until after you have submitted the online application, paid for the visa and registered an account with UKVCAS. It may take several weeks to get an appointment once you have applied online as they are still dealing with the backlog of applications from the last 6 months.

However, the only thing you have to do before your current visa expires is submit the online application, as this is your official application date. You do NOT need to have to attended biometrics or received the new visa by that time.

If your current visa expires before you get the new one, your current immigration status will simply be automatically extended under Section 3C Leave while the application is processing.

So, your timeline will be:

- Submit the online application and pay the visa fees between Oct 20th and Nov 17th
- Book a biometrics appointment for whatever date you can get
- Attend biometrics
- Wait for the visa to be processed and the new BRP to be mailed to you.

• What should I put down on the question about how long has she lived in the UK? Is this when she first entered (Jan 2018) or when we got the FLR(M) issued (May 2018)?

You put from when she first entered on the fiance visa, as that is the date she started living in the UK.

• I see we have to list all "absences from the UK". Is there a restriction of how many days can she spend outside of the UK?

No, there's no restriction.

• Are there any factors which would make it difficult or impossible for you to integrate and establish a private life in that country? - Presumably, the fact that I don't have US citizenship makes it difficult? Does that count and do I need to provide evidence of that?

They are looking for reasons why it might be physically impossible for you to live together in the US, which means that in order for you both to live your lives together safely, you MUST live in the UK (i.e. because your lives will be in danger if you have to live in the US).

For example, reasons might include:
- war
- famine
- terrorism
- natural disasters
- the UK sponsor has been permanently banned from entering the US and will never qualify for a visa to live there

• 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)? - This is our first extension yes but overall she has obtained the FRL(M) with me previously. So what is the answer here?

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This is your third time applying as a partner and your second extension.

First application: fiance visa
Second application and first extension: current FLR(M)
Third application and second extension: second FLR(M) application[/list]