Item List for UK Settlement

[Cello]

Hi guys,

 

I found a very helpful thread with a list of items needed for spouse visa to the Uk but I can't find it now; so, I thought it would be good to list items I have in the hope of getting any pointers on things missing, and helping others through what I have found a confusing process.

 

We will be moving back as a family: myself, wife and child (with UK passport). I've lived in Thailand for the past 10 years and have been paid a salary over the legal UK requirement. I also have a job offer in the UK, starting january that is over the legal requirement.

 

Wife's documents:

• Old/new passport
• TB certificate (going for that tomorrow!)
• A1 Speaking and Listening IELTS test certificate
• Letter from me outlining relationship
• Her parent's details
• Marriage certificate, original/translation
• Son's birth certificate, original/translation
• Any other regular details needed for online application form

 

Financial requirements:

• 12 months of payslips from company in Thailand
• Letter from company in Thailand confirming employment, length of employment, salary/prev salary, payslips
• 12 months of bank statements
• Letter of employment from company in UK confirming salary, start date, official job offer (NOTE: This has to be starting within 3 months of return)

 

Residence in the UK

NOTE: Check with your local council as ours had a service for 90 pounds where they send a person out to check the residence to ensure all is well

• Council accommodation certificate (someone going to the house tomorrow)
• Letter of invite from the homeowner confirming relationship to us, sleeping arrangements, people living there and that it's OK for you to live there
• Passport copies of the people in UK (NOTE: I am adding these because I'm anal and they're famil)

 

And, of course, the bloody payment for the whole application!

 

I think I have all bases covered but please let me know if you think anything is missing. 

 

Next steps:

• Fill out online application
• Pay the fees
• Print out form
• Book appointment

 

I plan to have my wife apply next week and will update accordingly.

 

Question: Does anyone know what the fees are for "VFS Global to digitally scan the supporting documents" supplied during the  Bangkok application. I'm in Bangkok and would far rather do it this way than send to Sheffield. I also expect it will speed things up a lot.

 

Note to anyone starting this process: As long as you have the documents and meet the requirements, it is not as daunting as it initially seems

[rasg]

NHS surcharge?

[theoldgit]

I'm not sure that I'd be going to the expense of the "Council accommodation certificate", it's certainly not a requirement, but as you've already seemed to arranged it you might as well include, not sure that it will add anything to the application though.

Settlement supporting documents guide.pdf

[Cello]

9 hours ago, rasg said:

NHS surcharge?

Yep, that's included!

 

3 hours ago, theoldgit said:

I'm not sure that I'd be going to the expense of the "Council accommodation certificate", it's certainly not a requirement, but as you've already seemed to arranged it you might as well include, not sure that it will add anything to the application though.

Settlement supporting documents guide.pdf

Main reason for this is that is because we are using my parent's place. Including their 2 bedroom granny annexe it's a 5 bedroom property, but we discovered they never actually got it signed off by the council and frantically searched until we found this option.

 

To be honest, we're buying a house and have already had the offer accepted, but I didn't want to confuse the process at all. 

 

If anyone knows the cost for the VHS Global guys at Trendy Building to scan the documents to send to the UK with application I'd be most interested.

 

Thanks everyone.

[Mattd]

3 hours ago, Cello said:

If anyone knows the cost for the VHS Global guys at Trendy Building to scan the documents to send to the UK with application I'd be most interested.

 

Settlement Scanning Service

The Settlement scanning service provides an option for the applicant to purchase the scanning to Sheffield and send documents electronically.

While opting for this service, applicants will need to pay an optional service fee to VFS Global, thereby ensuring that the original supporting documents are returned within 2 – 3 business days by Thai Post courier, without sending documents outside Thailand.

The service fee is THB 2000 (inclusive of taxes) per application.

http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/thailand/user_pay_services.html#19

 

[Cello]

Thanks, Mattd! Legend!

I think we'll go for that as opposed to trying to send documents to Sheffield separately. I think it will help consolidate the process and speed things up. Does anyone have any experience/knowledge of this?

[Creweser]

Rather than start a new thread, I hope people don't mind me asking about when an application can be submitted - I have previously applied for (& received) many UK tourist visas for my Thai partner, where there was a 3 month limit prior to date of travel. Does the same limit apply to the submission of settlement visa applications - I was hoping to submit earlier given the longer processing times ?

[7by7]

The earliest one can submit a UK visa application is three months before the date of travel; regardless of the category of visa applied for. The visa will start on the requested date or the date of issue, whichever is the later.

 

It takes 5 years residence for a family member to obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK. This is broken down into two 30 month periods.

 

Settlement visas for a fiance are valid for 6 months, during which the holder travels to the UK, marries their sponsor and applies for further leave to remain, valid for 30 months. At the end of that they apply for another FLR, also valid for 30 months.

 

Settlement visas for spouses and partners are valid for 33 months. When that expires the holder applies for FLR which is valid for 30 months.  So the holder effectively has 3 months from the commencement date to settle their affairs in Thailand and travel to the UK and still meet the 5 years residence required for ILR without having to make, and pay for, a second FLR application.

 

 

But be warned; although the initial leave is valid for 33 months, the vignette stuck into the passport is only valid for 30 days! If the holder has not used it to enter the UK by the end of this period they will have to pay for an expensive replacement!

[Creweser]

Thanks for the reply 7by7, but I got a second opinion from an agent who advised that I could submit any time. In view of this I pressed on & submitted the application with a planned travel date of 27/3/18 without any problems - my partner attended her interview today & again had no problem.

[bobrussell]

The 30 days should start from the date you put on the application as the entry date. Make sure this is right when it arrives!

[theoldgit]

14 hours ago, Creweser said:

my partner attended her interview today & again had no problem.

Just to clarify, your partner wouldn't have attended an interview she just dropped off her application and supporting documents at the Visa Application Centre, rather like a glorified post office. The staff there play no part in the decision making process and they certainly don't interview.

Whilst 7by7 is correct about the applications being submitted no more than three months before travel this really applied to visit visas, and whilst it does apply to settlement visas I suspect it isn't enforced due to the length of time applications seem to be taking since the processing was moved to Sheffield.  

[changnaam]

Good list, thanks for posting, seems like you have covered everything we have come across.

We are looking to submit the application ASAP but with my wife being in UK on holiday we have been unable to do language test and TB test. She has been getting conflicting information on when the test results need to be provided but I think this could be from people using agents who are submitting information gradually to the agent.

 

My understanding is that when you have the appointment for submission of docs at VFS ALL documentation relevant to the application must be submitted at the same time as it has to be scanned (optional) and sent to the UK.

if you turned up 3 days later with English / TB test results they would not be added  to the application.

 

My wife has been lead to believe she can submit the application and then follow it up with test results while the application is being processed and they will be required before the visa is released.

This info has come from people who have used agents, and Thai forums in UK.

 

Any experience on this would be appreciated 

[changnaam]

P.S.

Didnt mean to hijack the thread but thought question was relevant  to this thread. 

[rasg]

3 hours ago, changnaam said:

We are looking to submit the application ASAP but with my wife being in UK on holiday we have been unable to do language test and TB test. She has been getting conflicting information on when the test results need to be provided but I think this could be from people using agents who are submitting information gradually to the agent.

 

My understanding is that when you have the appointment for submission of docs at VFS ALL documentation relevant to the application must be submitted at the same time as it has to be scanned (optional) and sent to the UK.

if you turned up 3 days later with English / TB test results they would not be added  to the application.

 

My wife has been lead to believe she can submit the application and then follow it up with test results while the application is being processed and they will be required before the visa is released.

This info has come from people who have used agents, and Thai forums in UK.

 

My wife did her A1 test here in the UK while on a visit visa. We booked at Trinity College in Hammersmith. You don't need the certificate to go with the application, as far as I know. All you need is the Unique Electronic Reference Number they email to you.

 

A tip if your wife's English is good. Go for A2 as you will need that for FLR. It's not much different than A1. Even better if she is good enough for B1 which currently would take her through to ILR.

 

Go onto YouTube and type in Trinity tests. There are plenty of examples to show you what is required of real tests.

 

My wife went back to Thailand last February carrying all the info and paperwork for her Settlement visa, had the TB test the next day and went to VFS the following day to submit the application. A tip with the TB test. Try and get an early appointment. The XRay sometimes needs to be done again and there is a bit of schlepping from the IOM building to the hospital and back again.

 

I wouldn’t chance not supplying everything at the same time myself and wouldn’t trust the advice from a visa agent without knowing that they know what they are talking about. Things have changed over the last two years and the decision making move to Sheffield, imho, has been a huge backward step. My wife had her visa back in two weeks early last year. Now they are taking months.