Fiancé visa to FLR(M) applying within the UK, visa application questions

Hello Guys

It’s been about 5 months since you guys have helped with our fiancé visa! We finally got married on Saturday after being delayed multiple times due to covid.
We have just been doing the online application with my fiancé and some questions I’m really not sure of the answer to, if someone would kindly check over these for us to give us some guidance:

(Details of other Nationality)
Country of other nationality asks date held from (rather than issue date, originally my fiancé if from Venezuela) are they referring to the passport date or how long they have been a national?


What type of visa, leave to enter or remain or other permission do you have to be in the UK? (Currently fiancé visa)
Family?
Settlement?
Other?

What family or friends do you have In The country where you were born and / or any other country whose nationality you hold?
Do they seriously want her to name every friend she has in these countries? What’s the relevance of this question?

Are there any factors which would make it difficult or impossible for you to integrate and establish a life in that country?
How would we answer this? Again it would be very difficult for my fiancé as she has left everything to be with me, we are now married and she would be leaving me

Is this the first time you have applied for a partner route, or an extension, with your current partner (including as a fiance(e) or proposed civil partner? (Currently on a fiancé visa here in the UK)


Please choose the reason you are applying for an extension?

First extention as a partner (following an initial period of entry as a partner, a fiancé or proposed civil partner of a settled person?

First application as a partner from within the UK ( for example, you are currently in the UK on another type of visa or permission to stay)?

Additional extension as a partner?


Do you and your partner currently live together?

If I put yes it Starts asking me to confirm at least 2 years of evidence, which we don’t have as my partner is here on her fiancé visa, If we put no it asks how we communicate? Again she’s here on her fiancé visa with me?

Have you lived with your partner continuously for 2 years?

No

Enter details for any periods of time you have not lived with your partner including where you were living for how long and the reason you lived apart?

We have never lived together, again she is on a fiancé visa?

How often do you usually see or meet your partner?

She is here with me

Have you and your partner ever lived together?

No?

Any relevant supporting evidence why you have not lived together?

Again she is here on a fiancé visa, we previously lived In Different countries

Could you and your partner live together outside the UK if Necessary?

Yes?

Evidence of monthly housing costs
For example, a tenancy or mortgage agreement (do they want to see utility bills etc)?

Mandatory documents
Any relevant supporting evidence why we haven’t lived together?

Why is this mandatory if we are on a fiancé visa?

Hello Guys

It’s been about 5 months since you guys have helped with our fiancé visa! We finally got married on Saturday after being delayed multiple times due to covid.
We have just been doing the online application with my fiancé and some questions I’m really not sure of the answer to, if someone would kindly check over these for us to give us some guidance:

(Details of other Nationality)
Country of other nationality asks date held from (rather than issue date, originally my fiancé if from Venezuela) are they referring to the passport date or how long they have been a national?

How long they have held the nationality.

What type of visa, leave to enter or remain or other permission do you have to be in the UK? (Currently fiancé visa)
Family? Family.
Settlement?
Other?

What family or friends do you have In The country where you were born and / or any other country whose nationality you hold?
Do they seriously want her to name every friend she has in these countries? What’s the relevance of this question?

Yup, start at the top. This is only relevant if the visa is refused.  You would have people to rely on in that country.

Are there any factors which would make it difficult or impossible for you to integrate and establish a life in that country?
How would we answer this? Again it would be very difficult for my fiancé as she has left everything to be with me, we are now married and she would be leaving me

Answer no, as it would not be impossible, although you can explain the difficulties if you like.

Is this the first time you have applied for a partner route, or an extension, with your current partner (including as a fiance(e) or proposed civil partner? (Currently on a fiancé visa here in the UK)

No

Please choose the reason you are applying for an extension?

First extention as a partner (following an initial period of entry as a partner, a fiancé or proposed civil partner of a settled person? This one.

First application as a partner from within the UK ( for example, you are currently in the UK on another type of visa or permission to stay)?

Additional extension as a partner?


Do you and your partner currently live together?

If I put yes it Starts asking me to confirm at least 2 years of evidence, which we don’t have as my partner is here on her fiancé visa, If we put no it asks how we communicate? Again she’s here on her fiancé visa with me?  Put yes. You are still required to provide the 6 joint equivalent pieces of mail but if you don't have them yet, a letter explaining that you are newly married and this is why not is required.

Have you lived with your partner continuously for 2 years?

No

Enter details for any periods of time you have not lived with your partner including where you were living for how long and the reason you lived apart?

We have never lived together, again she is on a fiancé visa? Explain that you have just moved in together. This is a one size fits all application so don't be surprised when not all the questions are tailor made for your situation

How often do you usually see or meet your partner? Daily

She is here with me

Have you and your partner ever lived together?  Should be yes as you are living together now.

No?

Any relevant supporting evidence why you have not lived together?

Again she is here on a fiancé visa, we previously lived In Different countries That is correct. State that.

Could you and your partner live together outside the UK if Necessary?

Yes? Yes.

Evidence of monthly housing costs
For example, a tenancy or mortgage agreement (do they want to see utility bills etc)?  They want your recent mortgage statement or tenancy agreement and a recent council tax bill.

Mandatory documents
Any relevant supporting evidence why we haven’t lived together? 

Why is this mandatory if we are on a fiancé visa? One size fits all and badly designed! You could upload your marriage certificate here if you want which shows the date you married.

Congratulations! Please see answers in red.

And don't worry that it doesn't make perfect sense for your situation. They do this all day long and they will expect to see answers like yours.

Thank you very much!

We are obviously very happy now we are married, but has added to our stress with the visa due to the fact my now wife’s fiancé visa runs out August 13th, so frantically running about trying to get the Spouse visa sorted and has resulted in us now having to pay the extra £800 for next day decision just in case we do get it wrong!!! 😡

Just a quick one. With regards to the joint pieces of mail, I was told and also under the impression that is only for the extension Of FLR(M)  after the 2.5 years and is not considered when doing your first FLR(M)?

I thought that it might be a generic application for a number of visas, I think it’s really bad of them as it wouldn’t take too much time and effort to tailor them!!!!

Many Thanks

Market

Also is fiancé visa definitely a family visa rather than a settlement visa?

Many Thanks

Welcome to the forum .

Also is fiancé visa definitely a family visa rather than a settlement visa?

Many Thanks

Settlement visas ARE family visas. I don't know why the form has both Settlement and Family visas as options, because they are exactly the same thing.

'Settlement Visa' is a type of visa that leads to settlement based on joining family members in the UK.

The visas that are classed as settlement/family visas are:
- fiance/ proposed civil partner
- spouse/civil partner
- unmarried partner
- dependant child of a UK citizen
- adult or elderly dependant of a UK citizen
- FLR(M)

Just a quick one. With regards to the joint pieces of mail, I was told and also under the impression that is only for the extension Of FLR(M)  after the 2.5 years and is not considered when doing your first FLR(M)?

You do need the mail and a letter of explanation if you don't have enough.

Ok many Thanks

So based on what you have just said you would still put Family as the current fiancé visa rather than settlement?

Also with regards to joint names, I have already started that process so my wife is currently on my energy and water bills, so I’m guessing will go some way in proving our relationship, but I will do as you mentioned in our invitation letter and explain we have only just got married and that is why not all bills etc are in joint names?

Many Thanks

Mark

Ok many Thanks

So based on what you have just said you would still put Family as the current fiancé visa rather than settlement?

You can put either, because both are correct.

However, I believe most people here on the forum have chosen to put Family and no one has had any issues.

Also with regards to joint names, I have already started that process so my wife is currently on my energy and water bills, so I’m guessing will go some way in proving our relationship, but I will do as you mentioned in our invitation letter and explain we have only just got married and that is why not all bills etc are in joint names?

Yes.

You don’t need everything to be in joint names... if you don’t have documents in joint names, you can just use separate documents for the same month, one in each name.

If you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to:
- get her name on as many bills as you can, either jointly or individually
- turn OFF paperless statements for EVERYTHING (as only paper statements received in the mail can be used for the cohabitation documents)
- save ALL your mail for the next 5 years

Ideally you want to get some form of official mail in each name sent to you every single month so that you have plenty of documents to choose from for your future FLR and ILR applications. Monthly mailed bank statements are good for his.


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Ok great thank you for your advise.

It’s caught me slightly off guard as we were told from others who have done there first spouse visa that cohabitation documents are not required until the extension of FLR(M) but I would prefer to add what I have just in case, so I have the following so far

Title deeds - my name
Mortgage - my name
Energy - joint names
Water - joint names
Tv - my name
Bank statements - my name
I can open a bank account I my wife’s name hopefully in time.

Will that be enough or will a covering explanation be required?

Also is there a date limit for these documents I.e within the last 3 months?

Many Thanks

It’s caught me slightly off guard as we were told from others who have done there first spouse visa that cohabitation documents are not required until the extension of FLR(M) but I would prefer to add what I have just in case, so I have the following so far

Cohabitation documents were not required a few years ago, but they are now.

All FLR(M) applications require co-habitation documents, it’s just that not everyone applying for FLR(M) will have lived together before so they may not be able to provide all of the required cohabitation documents (I.e. if switching from a fiancé, work or student visa).

Title deeds - my name
Mortgage - my name
Energy - joint names
Water - joint names
Tv - my name
Bank statements - my name
I can open a bank account I my wife’s name hopefully in time.

Will that be enough or will a covering explanation be required?

Also is there a date limit for these documents I.e within the last 3 months?

The requirements for the documents are:
- 6 documents in each name
And
- from at least 3 different official sources
And
- spread evenly over the entire time you have lived together, up to a maximum of 2 years

So, say you had lived together for 2 years, you would  need 1 document in each name spaced every4 months.

If you have lived together for 6 months, you need 1 document in each name from every single month, giving 6 documents each.

And so on...

So, you take the number of months you have lived together, divide by 6 and that’s what the spacing of your documents needs to be.

If you don’t have evenly-spaced documents, or you don’t have 6 in each name, or you don’t have 3 different sources, you need to include an explanation.

From the documents you’ve listed, you have 6 in your name and only 2 in your wife’s name, so that will require an explanation. You may also need to explain the spacing if they are not evenly-spaced.


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Thank you

Wow I am honestly shocked they ask this on the first spouse visa, I am assuming, considering our circumstance and a lot of others in this situation a covering letter along with what documents we have will be sufficient and won’t result in a refusal?

Many thanks

Mark

Thank you

Wow I am honestly shocked they ask this on the first spouse visa, I am assuming, considering our circumstance and a lot of others in this situation a covering letter along with what documents we have will be sufficient and won’t result in a refusal?

Many thanks

Mark

It won’t result in a refusal at all. Your situation is normal and they see it every day.

They won’t expect you to have 6 evenly-spaced documents in each name yet, so all you need to do is provide whatever documents you do have, and then include a short explanation saying that your wife has only recently arrived on a fiancé visa and you have not had time to gather enough mail yet.

FLR(M) visas have approximately a 95% approval rate, so as long as you provide the same financial and accommodation documents as you did for the fiancé visa (just updated), plus your marriage certificate and however many cohabitation documents you have, you shouldn’t have any issues .


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Ok great thank you for that

That gives me a lot of peace of mind, I have all my documents updated, so should be good, when I don’t the fiancé visa at the time I didn't include my mortgage statements as they come once a year, I just included my title deeds and was accepted. Would I be right to assume that this would also be acceptable again if I were to leave them out?

Many Thanks

Mark

Ok great thank you for that

That gives me a lot of peace of mind, I have all my documents updated, so should be good, when I don’t the fiancé visa at the time I didn't include my mortgage statements as they come once a year, I just included my title deeds and was accepted. Would I be right to assume that this would also be acceptable again if I were to leave them out?

Many Thanks

Mark

For FLR(M) you have to show evidence of monthly housing costs as well as proof that you own the property, so you will need to include:
- Land Registry document
- latest Annual Mortgage statement
- latest Council Tax bill


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Hello Guys

I hope you are doing well

I have just found out that none of the UK biometrics centres are open for new applications.

I just wanted to clarify that the 28 day financial documents are from the date you submit you application rather than the date you have the biometrics appointment?

Many thanks