ILR Supporting Documents Questions

[TCA]

I'm starting the ILR application for my wife and stepdaughter and relatively happy with the form on first run through. Where it gets a bit ambiguous (yes I know, what's new) is with some of the supporting documents requested for the child application, so I'd appreciate any guidance or feedback from anyone who's been through this bit.

 

Apologies for the lengthy post and if this seems like nit picking. It is, but I want to cover all bases. OK, here's the form below:

 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/696462/set_m_-form-04-18.pdf

 

It's Section 12 Documents I'm looking at, page 49, half way down, Children Section and 4 parts in particular (my numbering). Where I'm at is written in red type below each section:

 

1) Evidence of where your child/children normally lives and that you and/or your partner play an active role in their upbringing. This evidence should be dated within the last three months and can include: -
• Official correspondence addressed to the child/children;
• Doctor’s/hospital letters on official headed paper stating the child’s/children’s registered address;
• School/nursery letter(s) on headed paper stating the child’s/children’s registered address.

 

I've managed to get 3 recent headed letters from my stepdaughter's school, dentist and orthodontist which I think are sufficient to meet the requirements. I may or may not request an additional letter from the doctors, which could cost me up to £40 for the privilege. I do have an immunisation paper (addressed to parent/carer) which came from the school with my stepdaughter's name and our address on it (less than 3 months old) but nothing to say where or whom it came from.

 

2) Evidence of your and/or any partner’s parental responsibility for the child/children.

 

I have school reports (to parent/carer not with my name), endless school emails (general to parent/carer and to me directly) and dentist reminder emails - none of these contain our address. Plus school placement correspondence with the council (addressed to me at our address) and a gymnastics club membership (which is addressed to my stepdaughter and does contain our address).

 

The only other stuff I have of an official nature mentioning my stepdaughter is child tax credits correspondence and although that could be included, I'm loathe to do so on the off-chance that I get an immigration official who isn't great with the rules on recourse to public funds.

 

3) Evidence of where you and/or any partner lives, as the parent of the child/children.

 

Presumably this is covered by the documents required for cohabitation section on page 51?

 

4) Evidence of anything else you would like us to consider regarding your child’s life, both in the UK and outside the UK

 

Can't think of anything for this.

 

So given the above, fast forward to the documents checklist on the last page, p.59, and we get these categories below, again my numbering and my thinking in red type:

 

5) Correspondence to you and your partner - the cohabitation joint letters, no problem

6) Evidence of where you and your child normally live - covered by 1, some of 2 and 5?

7) Documents showing that you have sole responsibility or the child normally lives with you - covered by 2?

8) Evidence of continuous residence in the UK - this probably applies to both mother and daughter but I have no idea what I'm expected to include here given anything we have falls into other categories.

  

 

Any comments on the above as to whether I'm misinterpreting stuff or lacking any documents? Any further suggestions for documents to include, particularly for 4 and 8 above? 

 

Any and all contributions much appreciated.

[7by7]

I think you are overthinking this.

 

From what you have said, you have sufficient documents to cover everything required.

 

1) & 2) for sure, and don't worry about including g tax credit documents; you are allowed to claim this for her even though she does not have ILR yet and as such claims must be made jointly by husband and wife then it is ok for your wife's name to be on it. In the extremely unlikely event of ILR being refused because of this, you have instant grounds for a successful appeal. 

 

3) Yes, but I'd refer to it just to be sure it's not missed.

 

4) That's ok, if there's nothing then there's nothing.

 

5), 6) & 7) Yes.

 

8) See note 8 on the form for suggestions. Remember evidence for this must cover the whole period since her FLR was granted.

Quote

Note 8: The items of correspondence should be addressed to you jointly or in both your names. Examples of acceptable items are listed below. The documents provided must be originals. Photocopies are not acceptable. The dates of the items of correspondence should be spread evenly over the whole period you are relying on. They should be from at least 3 different sources. If you do not have enough items in your joint names, you may also provide items addressed to each of you individually if they show the same address for both of you. For example - Four items of correspondence in joint names to the same address and two items addressed to each partner at the address. In total eight items would need to be submitted.

Obviously, some of these may very well also be used as evidence in other parts; in which case you should cross reference.

[TCA]

1 hour ago, 7by7 said:

I think you are overthinking this.

 

Obviously, some of these may very well also be used as evidence in other parts; in which case you should cross reference.

 

Thanks 7by7. I'm definitely overthinking it but it helps to hear I've covered all bases nonetheless.

 

The "overlapping" of their categorisation causes some confusion, especially at the checklist where you have to list the number of documents included for each section.  

 

The note 8 examples you mentioned (re my point 8 - Evidence of continuous residence in the UK) I would have included everything in this respect against 5) Correspondence to you and your partner. I think what I'll do is include the minimum number of documents to meet the requirement for 5) and put the remainder against 8). Just so I've got something in both boxes. 

[TCA]

A few more points I'd welcome some clarification on from anybody in the know:

 

1) Supporting letter from spouse - is it worth including something at this ILR stage? There's very little needs explaining or expanded upon compared to previous applications, so it would only be waffle largely in respect of how well the stepdaughter has settled. Worth sticking a page in or superfluous to the application?

 

2) Spouse passport - plenty is mentioned about sending copies of every page, including blank ones. Can I presume that's unnecessary if I choose to send my actual passport and just include copies of the important pages (as requested for the applicants themselves)?

 

3) Application form - I seem to recall I included a copy of the form at FLR stage for some reason. Any reason to do so or not required?  

 

Everything else I think is fine. There doesn't appear to be any requirement to include marriage certificates and translations, unless the applicant married after their last visa was granted in this category. Not the case for us. Plus no supporting documents are required regarding the property (e.g. title deeds, tenancy agreement etc..), just the proof of address/cohabiting evidence. So the files will be pretty light this time round. 

 

Thanks in advance for any tips on the above.

          

Edited June 12, 2018 by TCA