FLR(M) Application - Final Questions

Hello! We’re gearing up to submit my husbands FLR(M) application in the next couple of weeks. I have completed most of the online application form and am now getting together the final bits of evidence before paying and submitting. Here is where I’m looking for a little bit of help.

Our situation:
Husband's initial Spouse visa granted: June 2018
Husband arrived: 12 July 2018
BRP Valid until: 2 April 2021
I (British citizen) am full-time, permanent employed so we are using my income to meet the financial requirement.

APPLICATION FORM
-   On the application form it asks “How long have you been in the UK?” – My husband was here for a year on a student visa, then away from the UK for two years before we then applied for the spouse visa. I assume this question is specifically asking about his current stay?

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT

Payslips
-   I wanted to check my dates with someone. If I do payslips from 6 Sept-14 March that will easily cover the whole period right? Below is the letter template I’m going to give my employer including a table which specifies the dates of pay and payslips. FYI I get paid weekly and therefore get payslips once a week too.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to confirm that [EMPLOYEE] has been employed with [COMPANY] on a full-time permanent contract as [JOB TITLE] since 30 October 2017. This position is salaried at [SALARY] per annum. [EMPLOYEE] is paid weekly in arrears at a rate of [£££]/week before deductions.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, [EMPLOYEE] has been placed on furlough through the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. She has been receiving 80% of her salary since 30 March 2020 while also working occasional part-time hours. This is reflected as varying amounts in her payslips.

Since 14 February 2021 [EMPLOYEE] has been receiving payslips weekly via email. Prior to this, she received paper payslips. I can confirm that the following listed payslips are genuine and are provided by [COMPANY].


PAY PERIOD   PAYSLIP DATE   GROSS PAYSLIP AMOUNT   NET PAYSLIP AMOUNT   DATE DEPOSITED INTO BANK ACCOUNT
31/08/2020-06/09/2020   06/09/2020         10/09/2020
07/09/2020-13/09/2020   13/09/2020         17/09/2020
14/09/2020-20/09/2020   20/09/2020         24/09/2020
21/09/2020-27/09/2020   27/09/2020         01/10/2020
28/09/2020-04/10/2020   04/10/2020         08/10/2020
05/10/2020-11/10/2020   11/10/2020         15/10/2020
12/10/2020-18/10/2020   18/10/2020         22/10/2020
19/10/2020-25/10/2020   25/10/2020         29/10/2020
26/10/2020-01/11/2020   01/11/2020         05/11/2020
02/11/2020-08/11/2020   08/11/2020         12/11/2020
09/11/2020-15/11/2020   15/11/2020         19/11/2020
16/11/2020-22/11/2020   22/11/2020         26/11/2020
23/11/2020-29/11/2020   29/11/2020         03/12/2020
30/11/2020-06/12/2020   06/12/2020         10/12/2020
07/12/2020-13/12/2020   13/12/2020         17/12/2020
14/12/2020-20/12/2020   20/12/2020         24/12/2020
21/12/2020-27/12/2020   27/12/2020         31/12/2020
28/12/2020-03/01/2021   03/01/2021         07/01/2021
04/01/2021-10/01/2021   10/01/2021         14/01/2021
11/01/2021-17/01/2021   17/01/2021         21/01/2021
18/01/2021-24/01/2021   24/01/2021         28/01/2021
25/01/2021-31/01/2021   31/01/2021         04/02/2021
01/02/2021-07/02/2021   07/02/2021         11/02/2021
08/02/2021-14/02/2021   14/02/2021         18/02/2021
15/02/2021-21/02/2021   21/02/2021         25/02/2021
22/02/2021-28/02/2021   28/02/2021         04/03/2021
01/03/2021-07/03/2021   07/03/2021         11/03/2021
08/03/2021-14/03/2021   14/03/2021           18/03/2021

If you need any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully,
[EMPLOYER]
[JOB TITLE]


Furlough
-        I’ve been on furlough since the start of the pandemic in March last year except for some part-time hours and having to take some annual leave. This means the amounts I was paid are very varied. I’ve put that in the employer letter template to explain. Do I need to put anything else?
-   Also, I understand they’ll take into consideration that you’ve been on furlough and use the 6 months prior to the pandemic. My Gross salary (which I believe they use) on furlough is still just over the minimum requirement (my net is just under the requirement). Just double-checking that is fine or if I need to submit anything from the 6 months before being furloughed?

P60
-   I won’t get this years P60 until mid-April so too late but was planning to submit the previous year and mentioning that in the letter – does that make sense?


COHABITATION EVIDENCE
I have posted about this before and have since sorted getting mail more regularly. However, we’re still not fully covered no matter which way we go with the evidence (we were too casual about it thinking we were fine!). These are what we have:

March 2019 – Utilities or Council Tax – Joint
July 2019 – University offer letter – Applicant (is that an acceptable source?)
November 2019 – TV Licensing letter – Partner
March 2020 – Council Tax – Joint
July 2020 – NOTHING! Could get a bank statement stamped for that date??
November 2020 – Council Tax, Bank Statement or Utilities Statement – Joint
March 2021 – Nothing…yet! We should get a Council Tax Statement in the next week and our bank statements and utility statements arrive towards the end of the month but that’s pushing it in terms of the deadline date. I could shift it but assume that would mean adding in an extra payslip.


Sorry for so many questions. Many thanks for the help in advance!

Our situation:
Husband's initial Spouse visa granted: June 2018
Husband arrived: 12 July 2018
BRP Valid until: 2 April 2021
I (British citizen) am full-time, permanent employed so we are using my income to meet the financial requirement.

You've actually been eligible to apply since 15th December 2020, but as long as you submit before 2nd April, you'll be fine .

APPLICATION FORM
-   On the application form it asks “How long have you been in the UK?” – My husband was here for a year on a student visa, then away from the UK for two years before we then applied for the spouse visa. I assume this question is specifically asking about his current stay?

Yes, you just count the time since he arrived in July 2018 on the spousal visa.

FINANCIAL REQUIREMENT

Payslips
-   I wanted to check my dates with someone. If I do payslips from 6 Sept-14 March that will easily cover the whole period right? Below is the letter template I’m going to give my employer including a table which specifies the dates of pay and payslips. FYI I get paid weekly and therefore get payslips once a week too.

Yes, that should be okay - you just need to make sure that every single day between 14th September and 14th March is covered by both the payslips and bank statements .

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to confirm that [EMPLOYEE] has been employed with [COMPANY] on a full-time permanent contract as [JOB TITLE] since 30 October 2017. This position is salaried at [SALARY] per annum. [EMPLOYEE] is paid weekly in arrears at a rate of [£££]/week before deductions.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, [EMPLOYEE] has been placed on furlough through the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. She has been receiving 80% of her salary since 30 March 2020 while also working occasional part-time hours. This is reflected as varying amounts in her payslips.

Since 14 February 2021 [EMPLOYEE] has been receiving payslips weekly via email. Prior to this, she received paper payslips. I can confirm that the following listed payslips are genuine and are provided by [COMPANY].


PAY PERIOD   PAYSLIP DATE   GROSS PAYSLIP AMOUNT   NET PAYSLIP AMOUNT   DATE DEPOSITED INTO BANK ACCOUNT
31/08/2020-06/09/2020   06/09/2020         10/09/2020
07/09/2020-13/09/2020   13/09/2020         17/09/2020
14/09/2020-20/09/2020   20/09/2020         24/09/2020
21/09/2020-27/09/2020   27/09/2020         01/10/2020
28/09/2020-04/10/2020   04/10/2020         08/10/2020
05/10/2020-11/10/2020   11/10/2020         15/10/2020
12/10/2020-18/10/2020   18/10/2020         22/10/2020
19/10/2020-25/10/2020   25/10/2020         29/10/2020
26/10/2020-01/11/2020   01/11/2020         05/11/2020
02/11/2020-08/11/2020   08/11/2020         12/11/2020
09/11/2020-15/11/2020   15/11/2020         19/11/2020
16/11/2020-22/11/2020   22/11/2020         26/11/2020
23/11/2020-29/11/2020   29/11/2020         03/12/2020
30/11/2020-06/12/2020   06/12/2020         10/12/2020
07/12/2020-13/12/2020   13/12/2020         17/12/2020
14/12/2020-20/12/2020   20/12/2020         24/12/2020
21/12/2020-27/12/2020   27/12/2020         31/12/2020
28/12/2020-03/01/2021   03/01/2021         07/01/2021
04/01/2021-10/01/2021   10/01/2021         14/01/2021
11/01/2021-17/01/2021   17/01/2021         21/01/2021
18/01/2021-24/01/2021   24/01/2021         28/01/2021
25/01/2021-31/01/2021   31/01/2021         04/02/2021
01/02/2021-07/02/2021   07/02/2021         11/02/2021
08/02/2021-14/02/2021   14/02/2021         18/02/2021
15/02/2021-21/02/2021   21/02/2021         25/02/2021
22/02/2021-28/02/2021   28/02/2021         04/03/2021
01/03/2021-07/03/2021   07/03/2021         11/03/2021
08/03/2021-14/03/2021   14/03/2021           18/03/2021

If you need any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours faithfully,
[EMPLOYER]
[JOB TITLE]

Only the payslips issued by email need to be verified in the employer letter, as the mailed payslips are considered official and genuine. So if they were only issued by email starting on 14th February, then the payslip verification table only needs to include the following payslips:
PAY PERIOD   PAYSLIP DATE   GROSS PAYSLIP AMOUNT   NET PAYSLIP AMOUNT   DATE DEPOSITED INTO BANK ACCOUNT
08/02/2021-14/02/2021   14/02/2021         18/02/2021
15/02/2021-21/02/2021   21/02/2021         25/02/2021
22/02/2021-28/02/2021   28/02/2021         04/03/2021
01/03/2021-07/03/2021   07/03/2021         11/03/2021
08/03/2021-14/03/2021   14/03/2021           18/03/2021

Furlough
-        I’ve been on furlough since the start of the pandemic in March last year except for some part-time hours and having to take some annual leave. This means the amounts I was paid are very varied. I’ve put that in the employer letter template to explain. Do I need to put anything else?

Nope, I think that explains it well.

-   Also, I understand they’ll take into consideration that you’ve been on furlough and use the 6 months prior to the pandemic. My Gross salary (which I believe they use) on furlough is still just over the minimum requirement (my net is just under the requirement). Just double-checking that is fine or if I need to submit anything from the 6 months before being furloughed?

No, actually, if you are furloughed, they will calculate your full 100% salary for every payslip issued between Sept 2020 and March 2021 and use that figure instead. The previous 6 months before furlough are not relevant to your application.

I believe the part about using the 6 months prior is for people who have not been furloughed, but have lost income due to Covid, for example, their hours were reduced without receiving any furlough pay. If that was the case, then you would include payslips and bank statements from the 6 months prior to when you lost income (i.e. Sept 2019 to March 2020).

P60
-   I won’t get this years P60 until mid-April so too late but was planning to submit the previous year and mentioning that in the letter – does that make sense?

Yes, that's exactly what you are supposed to do . They will be expecting to see your April 2020 P60 as it is the most recent one issued.

However, it only needs to be mentioned in the letter if it was issued electronically and therefore must to be authenticated by the employer. If you received it in the post, the letter does not need to mention it.

COHABITATION EVIDENCE
I have posted about this before and have since sorted getting mail more regularly. However, we’re still not fully covered no matter which way we go with the evidence (we were too casual about it thinking we were fine!). These are what we have:

Okay, let's see what you have:

March 2019
1. Joint: Utilities or Council Tax ... (Source 1)

July 2019
2. Applicant: University offer letter (should be fine) (Source 2)
2. Sponsor: ?

November 2019
3. Applicant: ?
3. Sponsor: TV Licensing letter (Source 3)

March 2020
4. Joint: Council Tax (Source 4? Depends what you're using for March 2019)

July 2020
5. Applicant: ?
5. Sponsor: ?
NOTHING! Could get a bank statement stamped for that date??... won't work unfortunately - the document you use MUST have been received in the post in July 2020

November 2020
6. Joint: Council Tax, Bank Statement or Utilities Statement

March 2021
7. Applicant: ?
7. Sponsor: ?
I'd wait for the council tax bill... unless you have both received another piece of mail this month?

So, assuming you will have something for March 2021, currently you're missing:
- 2 documents for the sponsor (July 2019 and July 2020)
- 2 documents for the applicant (November 2019 and July 2020)

If you absolutely cannot find anything for those months, you can either:
- use a document dated as close to those months as possible (i.e. late June or early Aug for the July docs, and late Oct or early Dec for the Nov doc), and explain in a letter the reason why they are from different months
or
- explain in a letter why you don't have any documents for those months.

As long as any missing cohabitation documents are explained, it should not affect your application.

Thanks so much ksand24! Sorry I’m just getting back to this, been using all the info in your post to sort out our paperwork.

I think we’re pretty much ready with everything now. Just a couple more questions and I’ll list our documents if you wouldn’t mind giving them check through?

Application Documents
•   Applicant Passport
•   Sponsor Declaration
•   Consent forms part 1 & 2 (do we need to include Part 3? We’re confused as to whether we need to submit it. I (sponsor) have signed part two as I’m on joint bank statements and utility bills. Do we need to submit Part 3 as well?)

Proof of Identity
•   Applicant's BRP
•   Sponsor UK passport

Finances
•   Payslips – covering period 31/08/2020-14/03/2021 (paid on 18/03/2021 for last period)
•   Bank statements – covering period 05/08/2020-23/03/2021, online versions stamped by the bank
•   Letter from employer
•   Sponsor employment contract
•   P60 for 2019/2020 tax year

Residence in the UK
Accommodation:
•   Tenancy agreements – resident 16 October 2019-present & resident 21 December 2018-15 October 2019
•   Council Tax Statement – March 2021

Cohabitation
Correspondence to both of us or individually for the following dates (just want to check the we have the right amount of sources and the alternatives we have provided will be sufficient?):

•   March 2019
1. Joint: 11 March 2019 - Council Tax (Source 1)

•   July 2019
2. Applicant: 1 July 2019 University offer letter (Source 2)
2. Sponsor: Nothing
+ Sponsor: 14 May 2019 – HMRC

•   November 2019
3. Applicant: Nothing
3. Sponsor: 7 Nov 2019 - Electoral Registration letter (Source 3)
+ Joint: 3 Dec 2019 - Contents Insurance Letter

•   March 2020
4. Joint: 13 March 2020 - Council Tax

•   July 2020
5. Applicant: Nothing
5. Sponsor: Nothing
+ Applicant: 28 August 2020 – HMRC
+ Sponsor: 18 September 2020 – Companies House

•   November 2020
6. Joint: 17 November 2020 - Utilities Statement

•   March 2021
7. Joint: 12 March 2021 – Council Tax Statement

•   Letter explaining correspondence

To Whom It May Concern,

RE: Evidence of cohabitation

We are writing in support of [APPLICANT] application to extend his stay in the UK as the spouse of [SPONSOR](form FLR (M)).

As part of our application, we have included proof of cohabitation through paper copies of original mail we received to the addresses at which we have jointly lived over the past two years - covering the period March 2019-March 2021.

We had kept records of postal mail received throughout the periods we have lived together, with the exceptions of the following periods. The reasons for this include a misplacing some during a home move and not receiving expected mail during the earlier stages of the COVID lockdown.

We have been unable to provide paper copies from the following months:
•   July 2019 – [SPONSOR] (misplaced during home move)
•   November 2019 – [APPLICANT] (just moved and had not yet set up paper mailing)
•   July 2020 – [SPONSOR & APPLICANT] (during covid lockdown mail was misplaced and or not received)

In lieu of these, and to support our application, we have included the following pieces of original paper copy mail:
•   For July 2019, we have included May 2019 – [SPONSOR]
•   For Nov 2019, we have included Dec 2019 – [JOINT]
•   For July 2020, we have included Aug 2020 – [APPLICANT] and Sept 2020 – [SPONSOR]

We have also included digital copies of official correspondence from the months we are unable to provide paper copies for.

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any queries.

Yours faithfully,





 
[APPLICANT] and [SPONSOR]


Other
•   Marriage Certificate


Thanks so much for any help in advance!

Application Documents
•   Applicant Passport
•   Sponsor Declaration
•   Consent forms part 1 & 2 (do we need to include Part 3? We’re confused as to whether we need to submit it. I (sponsor) have signed part two as I’m on joint bank statements and utility bills. Do we need to submit Part 3 as well?)

No, you don't submit Part 3, because that's for a third party financial sponsor... but you are not allowed to use a third party sponsor for your visa.

Residence in the UK
Accommodation:
•   Tenancy agreements – Brunswick Street (resident 16 October 2019-present) & Rosevale Terrace (resident 21 December 2018-15 October 2019)
•   Council Tax Statement – March 2021

You only need your CURRENT tenancy agreement, because this part of the application is showing you CURRENTLY have somewhere to live, and that you will continue to live there after the visa has been granted.

•   July 2019
2. Applicant: 1 July 2019 University offer letter (Source 2)
2. Sponsor: Nothing
+ Sponsor: 14 May 2019 – HMRC

Don't provide this alternative - it's dated too far apart from the 1st July document and so won't meet the requirement for July.

•   November 2019
3. Applicant: Nothing
3. Sponsor: 7 Nov 2019 - Electoral Registration letter (Source 3)
+ Joint: 3 Dec 2019 - Contents Insurance Letter

The joint alternative dated 3rd Dec should be okay.

•   July 2020
5. Applicant: Nothing
5. Sponsor: Nothing
+ Applicant: 28 August 2020 – HMRC
+ Sponsor: 18 September 2020 – Companies House

Don't include these alternatives. They are not dated close enough to July to meet the requirement and are dated too close to November. Just explain in the letter that you don't have anything for July.

Your letter explaining correspondence is way too long. It should only be a couple of sentences, maybe 1 paragraph at most.

I would condense it down to:

To Whom It May Concern,

RE: Evidence of cohabitation

For our cohabitation evidence, we are missing a document from the sponsor for July 2019 and a document from both the sponsor and applicant for July 2020. We are unable to provide these documents due to moving house and misplacing some of our documentation during the move. Also, we no longer have any mail from November 2019, so we are providing a joint contents insurance document from December 2019 instead. We have also included digital copies of official correspondence from the following months, as we are unable to provide paper copies for them, [state the months].

Yours faithfully,

[APPLICANT] and [SPONSOR]

Apologies I didn't reply to this post. I was swamped in paperwork but wanted to post an update for others doing their applications.

We submitted my husbands FLR(M) application on 24th March, he had his Biometrics appointment on 27th April and we received his new BRP in the post today! Much faster than expected but we are of course delighted.

Thank you so much for your help ksand24! So so appreciated.

 

Apologies I didn't reply to this post. I was swamped in paperwork but wanted to post an update for others doing their applications.

We submitted my husbands FLR(M) application on 24th March, he had his Biometrics appointment on 27th April and we received his new BRP in the post today! Much faster than expected but we are of course delighted.

Thank you so much for your help ksand24! So so appreciated.

 

Congratulations!