FLR visa renewal + power prices!

Hi everyone, hope you are all well

Tre and I are pretty much at the 2-year mark, so FLR is looming. I've tried to find our previous posts in the forum but there doesn't seem to be a way to search for them? I guess that's my first question - am I missing something that makes it easy to find our previous posts?

At the moment, from my cursory calcs, I'm putting aside 3k for FLR, and hoping it's more like £2600. Is that reasonable? Have their been any price hikes eg health surcharge I should be aware of? It was 400pa when we applied before.

With regard to the application, my memory recalls that proof of living together is the main issue with FLR? Tre is now in a £21700 job, permanent contract, so is able to sponsor himself unless that threshold has been changed? (or will in the next 6 months or so)

We've been trying to stockpile mail, and we have a bank account in both our names that sends monthly statements. This will form the crux of our correspondence proof. We also have council tax (annual), water bill (annual) and electricity bills (quarterly) all in both our names.  What else qualifies? And can (for example) we use a GP letter for one of us and a credit card statement for the other as long as they're in the same calendar month?

I ask just to make sure we'll be ok, and also because our fixed rate tariff with the electricity company is about to expire and I can't find a reasonable rate with anyone that includes paper statements... so ideally we'd switch to a cheaper supplier and forfeit the paper statements so long as that doesn't risk jeopardising our application for FLR. Thoughts?

With one eye on ILR, should we continue to hoard all mail after he gets FLR? Is it a requirement for ILR too?

Many thanks all
G&T

Hi everyone, hope you are all well

Tre and I are pretty much at the 2-year mark, so FLR is looming. I've tried to find our previous posts in the forum but there doesn't seem to be a way to search for them? I guess that's my first question - am I missing something that makes it easy to find our previous posts?

Go to your profile (top left, icon in the middle)

Then down a bit, on the left still, hit “profile info”.

That will give you “show posts.”

Hi everyone, hope you are all well

Tre and I are pretty much at the 2-year mark, so FLR is looming. I've tried to find our previous posts in the forum but there doesn't seem to be a way to search for them? I guess that's my first question - am I missing something that makes it easy to find our previous posts?

At the moment, from my cursory calcs, I'm putting aside 3k for FLR, and hoping it's more like £2600. Is that reasonable? Have their been any price hikes eg health surcharge I should be aware of? It was 400pa when we applied before.

With regard to the application, my memory recalls that proof of living together is the main issue with FLR? Tre is now in a £21700 job, permanent contract, so is able to sponsor himself unless that threshold has been changed? (or will in the next 6 months or so)

We've been trying to stockpile mail, and we have a bank account in both our names that sends monthly statements. This will form the crux of our correspondence proof. We also have council tax (annual), water bill (annual) and electricity bills (quarterly) all in both our names.  What else qualifies? And can (for example) we use a GP letter for one of us and a credit card statement for the other as long as they're in the same calendar month?

I ask just to make sure we'll be ok, and also because our fixed rate tariff with the electricity company is about to expire and I can't find a reasonable rate with anyone that includes paper statements... so ideally we'd switch to a cheaper supplier and forfeit the paper statements so long as that doesn't risk jeopardising our application for FLR. Thoughts?

With one eye on ILR, should we continue to hoard all mail after he gets FLR? Is it a requirement for ILR too?

Many thanks all
G&T

Keep hoarding, mail is still a requirement for ILR!

You will have plenty of post without any more electricity bills coming in, you only need 3 sources for FLR and ILR, so feel free to switch. GP letter and credit card statement are both fine.

The threshold is still 18.6k GBP and it's not likely to change any time soon. You'll still be the sponsor but you can of course use his pay to meet the financial requirement.

Welcome back .

Tre and I are pretty much at the 2-year mark, so FLR is looming. I've tried to find our previous posts in the forum but there doesn't seem to be a way to search for them? I guess that's my first question - am I missing something that makes it easy to find our previous posts?

If you go to your profile, there’s a button you can click to ‘show posts’ and it lists all of your previous posts.

This is what it looks like on mobile:

At the moment, from my cursory calcs, I'm putting aside 3k for FLR, and hoping it's more like £2600. Is that reasonable? Have their been any price hikes eg health surcharge I should be aware of? It was 400pa when we applied before.

The FLR(M) visa fee is £1,033, plus you have to pay £19.20 for biometrics.
The IHS surcharge has gone up to £624 per year, so that will come to £1,560.

So total fee is £2,612.20

If you wish to use the 24-hour Super Priority service, it’s an extra £800.

With regard to the application, my memory recalls that proof of living together is the main issue with FLR? Tre is now in a £21700 job, permanent contract, so is able to sponsor himself unless that threshold has been changed? (or will in the next 6 months or so)

The threshold is still £18,600 so as long as Tre’s income meets all the requirements, you can use it.

Note that, as a UK citizen, you are still his sponsor, it’s just that you are using Tre’s income to meet the financial requirement.

We've been trying to stockpile mail, and we have a bank account in both our names that sends monthly statements. This will form the crux of our correspondence proof. We also have council tax (annual), water bill (annual) and electricity bills (quarterly) all in both our names.  What else qualifies? And can (for example) we use a GP letter for one of us and a credit card statement for the other as long as they're in the same calendar month?

Yep, you can use those for the same month.

You need 1 item of mail in each name dated every 4 months covering the last 2 years before applying, from at least 3 different sources.

Example of acceptable sources are:
• Letters or other documents from government departments or agencies, for example HM Revenue and Customs, Department for Work and Pensions, DVLA, TV Licensing.
• Letters or other documents from your GP, a hospital or other local health service about medical treatments, appointments, home visits or other medical matters
• Bank statements/letters
• Building society savings books/letters
• Council tax bills or statements
• Electricity and/or gas bills or statements
• Water rates bills or statements
• Mortgage statements/agreement
• Tenancy agreement(s)
• Telephone bills or statements

I ask just to make sure we'll be ok, and also because our fixed rate tariff with the electricity company is about to expire and I can't find a reasonable rate with anyone that includes paper statements... so ideally we'd switch to a cheaper supplier and forfeit the paper statements so long as that doesn't risk jeopardising our application for FLR. Thoughts?

You need paper statements.

Online statements are not acceptable so they MUST have been received in the mail in the months they were issued… in order to prove you were both physically living in the house on those dates in order to be in possession of the mail now.

With one eye on ILR, should we continue to hoard all mail after he gets FLR? Is it a requirement for ILR too?

Yes, it is a requirement for ILR too… you have to cover a full 2.5 years for ILR, so you will need mail dated every 5 months for that visa.


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I continue to be astounded by the promptness and informativeness of responses on this thread

Tre arrived 4 October 2019, so I think we can apply something like 7 March 2022 - 4 July 2022...my plan would be to do it mid-march using bankslips from:
partial march (if possible)
feb2022
jan2022
dec2021
nov 2021
oct2021
sept2021
august 2021

and correspondence proof:
feb 2022
oct 2021
june 2021
feb2021
oct 2020
june2020

but this will depend a little on when some of our documents are dated as for example i think water and council tax are march or april... so how much leeway is there on the spacing?
another option would be to apply early april and shift all the above months by one month if that fits better with the docs we have.

and correspondence proof:
feb 2022
oct 2021
june 2021
feb2021
oct 2020
june2020

For the correspondence, you have to cover a full 2 years, so you will need correspondence from each of the following months:
Feb 2020
June 2020
Oct 2020
Feb 2021
June 2021
Oct 2021
Feb 2022

Or if it’s more convenient, you can apply a little later and use the following months instead:
Mar 2020
July 2020
Nov 2020
Mar 2021
July 2021
Nov 2021
Mar 2022

but this will depend a little on when some of our documents are dated as for example i think water and council tax are march or april... so how much leeway is there on the spacing?

If you cannot provide documents from the correct months, you must include a letter of explanation for why not.

Ideally, they should not be more than 1 month out, so for Feb documents you might be able to get with using something from Jan or Mar, but not from April.


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I love when a plan comes together!

Saved to pay?  TICK.  And mighty accurately to boot. 
Saved all the mail?  TICK.  I suspect you can apply any day and have the mail to prove dates just fine.

Glad to see you two are well.  And YES take that lower cost energy plan, just keep everything else on paper.

Just FYI - biometrics appointment with enhanced service (they scan the docs for you) is £138

Not sure if it’s the same cost in all areas but that’s in Surrey


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Thanks everyone

Just collated some docs in advance. Our bank statements don't actually have a specific date on them!  They state eg 'account summary for 27Feb 2021 to 26Mar 2021' along with 'statement number: 03/2021' and 'your balance at close of business 26th March 2021' but not an actual date of posting. Is this potentially an issue? Maybe I should upload a pic? We each have such a statement for almost every month except for the odd ones I can't find, but basically these are the cornerstone of our documents so need to be acceptable.

Thanks peeps!
G&T

Thanks everyone

Just collated some docs in advance. Our bank statements don't actually have a specific date on them!  They state eg 'account summary for 27Feb 2021 to 26Mar 2021' along with 'statement number: 03/2021' and 'your balance at close of business 26th March 2021' but not an actual date of posting. Is this potentially an issue? Maybe I should upload a pic? We each have such a statement for almost every month except for the odd ones I can't find, but basically these are the cornerstone of our documents so need to be acceptable.

Thanks peeps!
G&T

Not a problem. For the correspondence requirement, they will count for the later of the two dates.

So we have:

Mar 2020 - council tax letter addressed to both of us
July 2020 - zebra power electricity statement addressed to both of us
Nov 2020 - santander bank statements one for each of us (same account)
Mar 2021 - council tax letter addressed to both of us
July 2021 - zebra power electricity statement addressed to both of us
*Nov 2021 - expected santander bank statements one for each of us (same account)
*Mar 2022 - expected council tax letter addressed to both of us

Should this be fine?

PS can someone advise how to include an image in a post?

So we have:

Mar 2020 - council tax letter addressed to both of us
July 2020 - zebra power electricity statement addressed to both of us
Nov 2020 - santander bank statements one for each of us (same account)
Mar 2021 - council tax letter addressed to both of us
July 2021 - zebra power electricity statement addressed to both of us
*Nov 2021 - expected santander bank statements one for each of us (same account)
*Mar 2022 - expected council tax letter addressed to both of us

Should this be fine?

PS can someone advise how to include an image in a post?

It looks good.

It's been an age since I tried posting an image but I know it's easier if you use Tapatalk on your phone.

Hi again, thanks Larrabee

Is there an issue with Tre's bank statements possibly being used for both proof of earnings and cohabitation?

What else do we need? From looking at other threads, I think something like:

Both our current passports (Tre's current passport includes the vignette)
BRP??

Tre will provide his own proof of earnings, so a letter from his employer
plus 7 whole months of bank statements - does he also need the part month up until we send of the application? I assume these need stamping in branch?
Same 7 months payslips
2021 P60
Job contract - does this need to be signed etc?

Most recent mortgage statement - note only I am on the mortgage but I'm guessing this is just to prove where we live?
Most recent council tax statement will be sent as part of proof of cohabitation - is this ok?
could get land reg doc but would just be me on it, so should I bother?

Application/declaration forms and an unreasonable amount of money c.£2600 :/

Marriage certificate - is a copy ok?

Tre's divorce certificate - is a copy ok?

Tips and pointers much appreciate - hoping this pretty much covers it but obvs keen to know 6 months in advance if not!

Also, a refresher re uploading pics would be great if anyone can do that, just so I can double-check any docs if need be
Hope everyone had a good weekend
G&T

Hi again, thanks Larrabee

Is there an issue with Tre's bank statements possibly being used for both proof of earnings and cohabitation? That's fine, just upload them again where necessary.

What else do we need? From looking at other threads, I think something like:


Both our current passports (Tre's current passport includes the vignette) Yes
BRP??  Yes

Tre will provide his own proof of earnings, so a letter from his employer
plus 7 whole months of bank statements - does he also need the part month up until we send of the application? I assume these need stamping in branch?
Same 7 months payslips
2021 P60
Job contract - does this need to be signed etc? Job contract is optional as is P60. All the rest of the financial evidence must be dated within 28 days of the online application. If not original, it needs to be accompanied by a letter or stamped on every page (bank statements) Verified in a letter (payslips)

Most recent mortgage statement - note only I am on the mortgage but I'm guessing this is just to prove where we live? You need it, it's to prove you have a place to live
Most recent council tax statement will be sent as part of proof of cohabitation - is this ok? Yes but upload it again for accommodation.
could get land reg doc but would just be me on it, so should I bother? You do need this, it's important.

Application/declaration forms and an unreasonable amount of money c.£2600 :/

Marriage certificate - is a copy ok? Provide what you sent last time.
Tre's divorce certificate - is a copy ok? Provide what you sent last time.

Correspondence evidence.

Tips and pointers much appreciate - hoping this pretty much covers it but obvs keen to know 6 months in advance if not!

Also, a refresher re uploading pics would be great if anyone can do that, just so I can double-check any docs if need be
Hope everyone had a good weekend
G&T

Hi again, thanks Larrabee

Is there an issue with Tre's bank statements possibly being used for both proof of earnings and cohabitation?

No issue - you would just upload the bank statement(s) in question to both sections: Finances, and Residence in the UK

In terms of documents required, you need (organised into the various upload sections):

Application Documents
- Tre's current US passport
- Signed Sponsor's Declaration (part of online application)
- Part 1 Consent to Checks form signed by the applicant (part of online application)
- Part 1 Consent to Checks form signed by the sponsor (part of online application)

Proof of Identity/Travel History
- your current UK passport
- Tre's BRP

Finances
Mandatory
- Letter from employer dated no more than 28 days before submitting online application
- 7 whole months of bank statements - does he also need the part month up until we send of the application? I assume these need stamping in branch? - the most recent bank statement must be dated no more than 28 days before the date of submitting the online application and needs to show the most recent payslip deposit on it. If the bank statements have been issued in the mail, or printed by the bank in-branch they do not need to be stamped. If they have been printed by you at home, they must be stamped by the bank on every page
- Same 7 months payslips - if the payslips are issued electronically, each one must be verified in the employer letter
Optional
- 2021 P60
- Job contract - does this need to be signed etc? - just whatever format it was issued in when he started the job

Residence in the UK
Accommodation
Proof of homeownership
- Land Registry document... this is the most important document for the accommodation requirement as it proves you own the house you live in. They will only expect your name to be on it, as it's unlikely Tre would be able to buy a house on a temporary visa
Proof of monthly housing costs
- Most recent mortgage statement  - note only I am on the mortgage but I'm guessing this is just to prove where we live? No, it's to prove how much you pay for housing each month
- Most recent council tax statement will be sent as part of proof of cohabitation - is this ok?you should upload it twice in this section (you can name one file 'accommodation' and one 'cohabitation)
Cohabitation
- your 6 (or 7) items of mail in each name showing you have lived together for the last 2 years

Other
- Marriage certificate - is a copy ok? You need the official document you were given when you got married
- Tre's divorce certificate - is a copy ok?  You need the official document you he was issued when he got divorced

Also, a refresher re uploading pics would be great if anyone can do that, just so I can double-check any docs if need be
Hope everyone had a good weekend

To upload a document when accessing the forum on a PC or laptop, you would need to upload the pictures to an online photo-hosting site like Flickr or Photobucket, then use the Insert Image button above the text box when you're composing the message and insert the URL of each picture.

But if you access the forum using the Tapatalk app on a phone or tablet, it's much easier to upload photos to a message... you just save the pictures to your camera roll on your phone/tablet, then click the 'upload image' button on Tapatalk and select a photo to load it into the message.