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Topic: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)  (Read 1908 times)

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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2021, 10:04:15 PM »
Thanks fir the advice! I can’t believe someone else also had this mistake! I am contacting a legal clinic tomorrow to see if they can offer any advice and I did submit my question to the website you recommended not sure I will hear back right away or if they would consider taking my case.

I am very busy with work at the moment so not sure how I am going to make the February deadline anyway, especially with COVID slowing everything down. I wonder if there is a short grace period or an extension that would be possible?

Thanks again for your help! So amazing how helpful this forum is for these visa applications!


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #16 on: January 05, 2021, 10:16:57 PM »
If it is not possible to change the dates of the previously issued visa, the extension isFLR(M).  So not cheap but will give you time to get the LIUK test done.


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #17 on: January 05, 2021, 10:28:09 PM »
Thanks fir the advice! I can’t believe someone else also had this mistake! I am contacting a legal clinic tomorrow to see if they can offer any advice and I did submit my question to the website you recommended not sure I will hear back right away or if they would consider taking my case.

I would call them directly. They may be able to offer you some advice without having to shell out a ton of money.

Medivisas specialise in spousal/FLR(M)/ILR visas (and often for US applicants) and they are only 1 of 2 immigration law firms we recommend.

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I am very busy with work at the moment so not sure how I am going to make the February deadline anyway, especially with COVID slowing everything down. I wonder if there is a short grace period or an extension that would be possible?

There is no grace period and the only way to get an extension is to apply for FLR(M) before February 3rd.

If you want to try to rectify this, you need to act NOW, because this is an urgent situation. Missing the February 3rd deadline is NOT an option, because if you do, you will become an illegal overstayer on February 4th.

So, this is not something you can sit on or have take a backseat; this should be your number 1 priority right now because you only have 30 days left to sort out your options and get a visa application in and that’s really not much time at all.

If you can’t get a correction sorted out, or they are unable to process a correction in time, you will have no choice but to apply for FLR(M), which means you need to be completely prepared for the application and have all your documents ready, so that you can get the application submitted before Feb 3rd.


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #18 on: January 05, 2021, 11:01:04 PM »
Thanks for the advice. Can you clarify what I need for the FLR ( M)form vs the ILR?

I have all the papers I submitted before for the FLR(M) but not sure if things have changed for requirements.I might have moved things around though by accident in my panic! I assume I need a letter verifying my and my husbands employment, bank statements that are certified, my lease agreement ( already have), mail over a certain period? Copies of passport of my husband and me. I do worry as my husbands UK passport expires in March hopefully that will not affect things?

Any advice on other documents needed or different for ILR that I might to need to have ready as well?

Many thanks for help!


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #19 on: January 05, 2021, 11:44:40 PM »
And also should I still do the paper application or can I do the online one For theFLR(M). Last time I was told to avoid online form. I will look at advice I received previously on this forum and do the same thing unless I should do online now or things have changed since June 2018.

Many thanks,


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #20 on: January 07, 2021, 12:24:16 AM »
Ok I am working on FLR(M) again, has much changed since I did it in 2018?

A few questions:
1. Is it only online now or should I print and do paper like last time.

I am sorting out bank statements now and my husbands pay slips as that will be the hardest to get an official document for.

2. How many pay slips do I need to get from him and does it have to be over whole 2 years?

3. How much Info do I need to get for the bank statements ( over how long of a period? Just so they match with pay slips? )

Also will share joint account to show mortgage payments.


Last time I printed bank statements and then brought to bank to get stamped so more official. I suspect this will be hard to do with lockdown and all. I will try to order official ones but assume that will be slow too.

4. Any advice on how to do this?

Thanks so much!


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #21 on: January 07, 2021, 08:23:15 AM »
Ok I am working on FLR(M) again, has much changed since I did it in 2018?

The documents you required haven't really changed, however the entire application process has changed.

- Everything is done online now.

- Biometrics are given at UKVCAS centres, not the Post Office, and you have to book an appointment for one.

- You don't mail anything anywhere. Instead, all your documents, including your passport and BRP, are uploaded to the UKVCAS website before your biometrics appointment (or you can pay extra when you book biometrics and they will scan your documents for you at the appointment)

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A few questions:
1. Is it only online now or should I print and do paper like last time.

It's only online. The paper form does not exist anymore.

The online application form is here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-to-extend-stay-in-the-uk-as-a-partner-or-dependent-child-form-flrm/apply-online-form-flr-m

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I am sorting out bank statements now and my husbands pay slips as that will be the hardest to get an official document for.

2. How many pay slips do I need to get from him and does it have to be over whole 2 years?

It depends which financial requirement category you are applying under.

If it's Category A (he has been with his current employer, earning £18,600 or more for at least 6 months), you provide the most recent 6 months of his payslips and bank statements, though usually 7 months need to be supplied in order to cover every day of the 6 months

If it's Category B (he has not been with his current employer for 6 months yet and/or he has not been earning £18,600 for 6 months yet), you provide the last 12 months of payslips and bank statements,  though usually 13 months need to be supplied in order to cover every day of the 12 months

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3. How much Info do I need to get for the bank statements ( over how long of a period? Just so they match with pay slips? )

You need either 6 full months for Category A or 12 full months for Category B. You must provide every page of every statement, and every single day of the 6 or 12 months must be covered (as mentioned above, this may mean including either 7 months or 13 months of bank statements)

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Also will share joint account to show mortgage payments.

You don't need to include that.

You just need your most recent annual mortgage statement and latest council tax statement to show your monthly housing costs.

Quote
Last time I printed bank statements and then brought to bank to get stamped so more official. I suspect this will be hard to do with lockdown and all. I will try to order official ones but assume that will be slow too.

4. Any advice on how to do this?

Banks are allowed to remain open during lockdown, so you should be able to get them stamped in person.

Ideally, you should have switched everything to paper statements as soon as you arrived in the UK in 2016, so that you would not need to print statements and get them stamped this time around.


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #22 on: January 07, 2021, 08:27:32 AM »
A quick breakdown of the application process:

Applying Online
- Gather all your documents
- Fill out the online application, paying the £1,560 IHS surcharge as part of it
- Submit the online application and pay for the visa before February 3rd.. this is your official application date, so you need all the documents ready before this

Once you have applied online:
- you will receive an email with a registration code for the UKVCAS website (https://www.ukvcas.co.uk/home-internal)
- you register an account with UKVCAS
- you book a biometrics appointment via the UKVCAS website. You may need to wait a few weeks to attend an appointment as they get booked up fast. There are some free appointments, but they are hard to come by. Otherwise you may need to pay £110 for an appointment. You can add extra services as well, like the Document Scanning. Only certain UKVCAS centres offer certain types of appointments.

Once you have booked your biometrics appointment:
- upload and submit all your documents to your account section on the UKVCAS website before you attend the appointment
- attend the appointment, taking your documents with you, just in case something didn't upload properly
or
- if you have purchased the document scanning service, attend your appointment, taking all the documents with you

Once you have attended biometrics:
- wait for the visa to be processed (they should send you an email when it has been decided)
- wait for your new BRP to be mailed to you (can take up to 10 working days)


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #23 on: January 07, 2021, 08:38:59 AM »
And a general breakdown of the documents required (though you may need to adjust for your personal situation), organised into the different upload sections:

Proof of Application
- your current US passport (scan of every single page)
- any previous US passports held since you arrived in the UK on your spousal visa (scan of every single page)
- Sponsor Declaration and Consent to Checks forms (these are part of the online application)

Proof of Identity/Travel History
- your current BRP card (scan of both sides)
- Your sponsor's UK passport (scan of every single page)

Finances
Category A
Mandatory
- 7 months of payslips showing at least £1,550 before tax on each one (the latest must be dated no more than 28 days before the date you submit the online application)
- 7 months of bank statements showing the deposit of every payslip (the latest must be dated no more than 28 days before the date you submit the online application)
- Letter from employer (dated no more than 28 days before the date you submit the online application) stating ALL of the following:
i) current employment and salary
ii) length of employment
iii) length of time earning current salary
iv) type of employment
v) if the payslips are electronic, they must be verified in the letter
Optional but recommended
- latest P60
- original job contract

Category B
- same as Category A, but you provide 13 months of payslips and bank statements

Residence in the UK
Accommodation
- Land Registry document
- Latest mortgage statement
- Latest council tax bill
Cohabitation
- 6 items of official mail received in the post, addressed to both of you at the same address (either joint or separately addressed), covering the last 2 years.
- they must be from at least 3 different official sources
- they must be evenly-spaced, so 1 document in each name, every 4 months
If you are applying in late January 2021, then you will need 1 document in each name from each of the following months:
January 2019
May 2019
September 2019
January 2020
May 2020
September 2020
January 2021

Other
- marriage certificate
- divorce decrees if either of you have been married before
- if either of you have any children living in the UK, you also need to provide:
   - childrens' passports
   - childrens' birth certificates
   - letter(s) dated in the last 3 months confirming each child's address (i.e. from their GP or school


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #24 on: January 08, 2021, 11:13:31 AM »
Thanks everyone!!

This is helpful!

However I finally gave in and contacted someone at medivisas for help and think I will aim for the ILR. However, I just came across a thread where someone said they were not helpful. It appears only one person at company. I hope this is legitimate as I just paid them!

If anyone has any comments about this company please let me know ASAP.

Many thanks!



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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #25 on: January 08, 2021, 11:37:54 AM »
You may be able to apply for FLR then apply to vary your application once the conditions for ILR are met.


Have a read.

Guidance
Applications for leave to remain: validation, variation and withdrawal

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/specified-application-forms-and-procedures

Adding  the 3c guidance too, mentioned in the link above on varying an application made in the UK.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/3c-and-3d-leave



imho, www.immigrationboards.com would be the forum to ask.
« Last Edit: January 08, 2021, 11:52:40 AM by Sirius »


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #26 on: January 08, 2021, 06:08:57 PM »
Thanks everyone!!

This is helpful!

However I finally gave in and contacted someone at medivisas for help and think I will aim for the ILR. However, I just came across a thread where someone said they were not helpful. It appears only one person at company. I hope this is legitimate as I just paid them!

If anyone has any comments about this company please let me know ASAP.

Many thanks!



They are reputable and won’t lead you astray. At least not in our experience.


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #27 on: January 09, 2021, 11:01:52 AM »
They are reputable and won’t lead you astray. At least not in our experience.

Im not sure if the other woman has left the firm, but when I was in contact with them for my visa, I was dealing with Chris who is the owner I believe.
He was nice and seemed competent and in the end, my visa was approved. Dont have anything bad to say about medivisas. I did contact Laura Devine but they wanted astronomical sums of money to help with my FLR(M).


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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #28 on: January 09, 2021, 11:27:44 AM »
Hi everyone thanks for your feedback!

This is such a helpful forum! I definitely could not have finished my FLR(M) without all of you!

I am moving forward with my ILR with medivisas!

The only question I have at this point is what is the best way to prepare for Life in UK test?

Many thanks for all your help and I hope everyone is staying healthy and well!!



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Re: Visa status (after about 5 years in UK)
« Reply #29 on: January 09, 2021, 12:07:52 PM »
Hi everyone thanks for your feedback!

This is such a helpful forum! I definitely could not have finished my FLR(M) without all of you!

I am moving forward with my ILR with medivisas!

The only question I have at this point is what is the best way to prepare for Life in UK test?

Many thanks for all your help and I hope everyone is staying healthy and well!!



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