Uk Settlement Visa

[mraitchison]

My wife and I are planning to move to the UK next year. I'm currently finishing off a contract in Korea, which will end in March.

First questions

I've been offered a place on at university in the UK, which has funding available for it, which I am eligible for. I won't be able to apply for funding until at least April when the funding opens for 2008-9.

Finance wise - we are good for a couple of years if we really need to. Obviously I would rather not hammer our savings. My contract in Korea finishes in early March. So for the next 5 months I have a regular income. However after that we will be living off savings that we have put aside for this.

Accommodation wise I have a formal letter from my folks offering us the use of one of their apartments until we are in a position to rent our own. This is backed up with copies of land registry documents from their solicitor.

I'm stuck on whether or not to mention the university course. I have an official place but no proof of funding for it as of now.

Some people are advising me not to put it on the application, but to instead include examples of positions which i would be applying for in the UK and a letter explaining that I need to be in the UK to apply for them, but I obviously want my family (wife) with me. Which is sounds OK to me. If there are any problems with the funding these are the sort of positions I would be applying for anyway.

Others are saying put in the university offer and say that I haven't decided 100% to go on the course or not and again show examples of positions I would apply for. - to me this sounds uncertain, also means that I am getting public funds.

Second

How do I show proof of funds? It says original bank statements. All my banks have been paperless for years now. I can print off the internet statements but that is about it. Some of the savings accounts are 100% online and have never offered me a paper statement. - thankfully none are Icelandic

I have bank books for Korea, but I can't really give them to my wife to take back to Thailand to show, because I will then be stuck here for an unknown length of time without proper access to my bank.

So will these sort of printouts do?

Third

In the application form it asks if she is going to seek work. I have no idea if she is or not. It's entirely up to her. Should she put down that she may well seek work but hasn't decided yet or should she put down that she isn't going to seek work?

Finally

Does she need to show a criminal check for the application, not that she's a criminal, but I understand that it can take 10 or more days to apply for.

Cheers

[storminnorman]

I am no expert, but I think the advice you have received not to mention the University course is good advice as it does not satisfy the requirement "the applicant should be able to produce reasonably firm plans for the foreseeable future".

Your employability is key. Spell out your qualifications and the type of job you would (hypothetically) be seeking so the entry clearance officer can assess the likelihood of obtaining employment. Your present and any previous employment could help persuade the ECO. Bear in mind that if there is no likelihood of employment in the area your parents have offered accommodation you will have to ensure your earnings are sufficient to pay for housing.

Provided your likely salary would maintain you both there will be no need for your wife to say she will seek work and unless she has qualifications and good English it would be pointless.

I can see no reason why a printout of internet bank account details would be unacceptable. From what you write they will show you have sufficient funds to maintain yourselves for a reasonable period whilst you seek employment. Probably best that the printouts show the savings have been in place for some time to avoid suspicion you have borrowed the money.

[DC1066]

I don't know the answer to most of the questions, but I've had the same problem about paper bank statements. I phoned up my bank and they sent me the hard copy ones - for a fee of £5 per statement. I didn't like paying it but I felt better about having what they'd asked for. The application form states, "we do not accept paper copies", and I figured for the sake of a few quid, our visa application is more important than that.

The other bits are just personal opinion, but I'd include the university course - if in doubt, tell the truth. The world doesn't stop turning just for a visa application, so tell them about the course. Once you start from here its then about framing it in the best possible light, talk about the funding etc.

I'd also tick the box to say she plans to work. If you don't know yet, put this down. Chances are she will want to and its going to help the application. Or you could just ask her what she wants to do.

[storminnorman]

I don't know the answer to most of the questions, but I've had the same problem about paper bank statements. I phoned up my bank and they sent me the hard copy ones - for a fee of £5 per statement. I didn't like paying it but I felt better about having what they'd asked for. The application form states, "we do not accept paper copies", and I figured for the sake of a few quid, our visa application is more important than that.

Guidance Notes for visa application simply says "full and current, independent and verifiable documentary evidence".

[the scouser]

I'd include details of the university course with evidence, if available, that you are eligible to apply for the funding in April. You don't say what these funds are, but if they are the "bonus" that is given to people who train as teachers, this does not count as public funds. Also include evidence of your savings, which if they amount to approximately £10500.00 could be enough by themselves to meet the maintenance requirement of the Immigration Rules, thereby making your employment/study intentions largely redundant.

Scouse.

[DC1066]

I don't know the answer to most of the questions, but I've had the same problem about paper bank statements. I phoned up my bank and they sent me the hard copy ones - for a fee of £5 per statement. I didn't like paying it but I felt better about having what they'd asked for. The application form states, "we do not accept paper copies", and I figured for the sake of a few quid, our visa application is more important than that.

Guidance Notes for visa application simply says "full and current, independent and verifiable documentary evidence".

This might be what the guidance notes say, but the actual application form I was checking last night states that they do not accept internet statements. I still stick by my original answer, for the sake of a few quid, why take a chance with your application?

[mraitchison]

I can get statements for some of the accounts, as I said I can't really send my wife off to Bangkok with my only bank books from Korea. So what exactly do I do there?

[storminnorman]

Also include evidence of your savings, which if they amount to approximately £10500.00 could be enough by themselves to meet the maintenance requirement of the Immigration Rules,

Scouse.

Had me puzzled for a moment. Two years at imcome support rate of £94.95 per week is less than £10000. But you have obviously included the 5% RPI rise,annnounced only yesterday, which will apply from next April. I am impressed.

[the scouser]

I can get statements for some of the accounts, as I said I can't really send my wife off to Bangkok with my only bank books from Korea. So what exactly do I do there?

If your wife is living in Korea with you, she may be able to apply for her settlement visa at the British embassy in Seoul. If you can only muster internet bank statements, then that it what you'll have to proceed with. There is no law that says internet statements are unacceptable: rather the visa officer will assess the integrity of the documentation in the round.

Scouse.

[mraitchison]

^

She needs to go back to Thailand to get some of her papers so she may as well see her folks and apply there.

Original statements are on the way. Korean bank books are about to be 'lost' and new ones ordered.