Original Documents

[Dont Panic]

When handing in the visa application at the UK VAC is it necessary to show all original documents? We do not have the original deeds to the house or my dad’s passport (who is helping out financially) for obvious reasons, but can we just send copies of birth certificates, passports, degree etc instead of the originals? I don’t like the idea of handing over so many precious and hard to come by documents…

cheers

[Dont Panic]

When handing in the visa application at the UK VAC is it necessary to show all original documents? We do not have the original deeds to the house or my dad’s passport (who is helping out financially) for obvious reasons, but can we just send copies of birth certificates, passports, degree etc instead of the originals? I don’t like the idea of handing over so many precious and hard to come by documents…

cheers

My passport is one document I am not going to hand over with the application as I may very well need it during the wait for the visa. Do I need to get a certified copy or will they just check that at the VAC? How about my daughters passports??

cheers

[7by7]

Originals or attested copies are required for birth, marriage, death etc. certificates and passports. For other documents copies should be ok, but personally I'd go for originals or attested copies of everything.

As you, presumably, are the sponsor then only your passport is required. If providing a copy then copy all the pages, including the blank ones.

[Dont Panic]

So I should include my daughters Thai and British passports as well as my own?

[kennkate]

Hi D P House Deeds In paper form have been disgarded in the UK

All Property Deeds in the UK Now held on Computer and allocated A Ref No

This Came in to Effect 2005.

The Old Paper Deeds are only of Historical interest

you can throw them away if you hold them Up To You

Only the Passport holder that requires A visa will need to leave the passport.

Sponser will be required to submit copy of His/Hers

[Dont Panic]

Hi D P House Deeds In paper form have been disgarded in the UK

All Property Deeds in the UK Now held on Computer and allocated A Ref No

This Came in to Effect 2005.

The Old Paper Deeds are only of Historical interest

you can throw them away if you hold them Up To You

Only the Passport holder that requires A visa will need to leave the passport.

Sponser will be required to submit copy of His/Hers

So at the VAC they check the original passport against just an ordinary photocopy, or a certified copy??

cheers

[Dont Panic]

For each document, how many copies should be provided?

Should each copy be signed by the relevant person?

Do I need a certified copy of my passport, or should I just give them my original?

As well as the 30 odd grand for the visa, does the VAC charge a fee?

cheers

[ubonjoe]

I have merged your two topics. Your new topic now appears as a reply.

[kennkate]

You Do Not Leave Your Passport.

Only A Copy of Main Page and any pages with Visa Stamps..

I do not think that you need to have this Certified. I did not

The Embassy can check the Passport No. To make sure it is you and not another person

If Your Daughter has A UK Passport she will not require A visa

You DO have to submit Original Docs for Your Wife Birth Cert Marraige Cert Ect

No further Fee Is Payable to VFS

You DO need TB Clearance Cert to Submit with the Application.

I Know you think This is Expenseive But your wife is entitled To NHS Services.

Take Passports and Register with the Doctor as soon as you get to the UK.

Good Luck

[Merangue]

On the House Deeds question, i took an official copy of the deed issued by the land registry. The UKBA had already confirmed this was acceptable. Cost £5 from the land registry.

[mariner29]

At UK/VAC they don't know half the time what they are doing anyway. I actually now inform them via email of the rules before we arrive to submit an application such as the applicant being under 21 yet married to a UK Citizen. They can actually apply 2 months before they reach 21 subject to the ECO discretion however unless you advise them they may refuse to submit the application.

We have had no end of problems with the staff removing evidence and have made several complaints.

[Merangue]

At UK/VAC they don't know half the time what they are doing anyway. I actually now inform them via email of the rules before we arrive to submit an application such as the applicant being under 21 yet married to a UK Citizen. They can actually apply 2 months before they reach 21 subject to the ECO discretion however unless you advise them they may refuse to submit the application.

We have had no end of problems with the staff removing evidence and have made several complaints.

When you say UK/VAC do you mean the embassy or VFS?

[Dont Panic]

to make their job at the embassy as easy as possible, is there a specific order they would prefer the documents to be compiled? e.g page 1 of the file - applicants ID 2. marriage certificate etc

I will be writing a cover letter - is there a prefered format for this, to make everything as clear as possible?

cheers

[7by7]

I usually try to order the documents as per the parts of the application form they refer to. However, as long as they are neatly filed it should be fine. An index helps as well.

For the cover/sponsor's letter I suggest:-

Para 1. Intoduce yourselves.

Para 2. Brief history of relationship.

Para 3. Details of your circumstances in the UK (acommodation, finances, work etc.)

Para 4. Index/list of supporting documents, with brief explanation of each if you think necessary.

Para 5. Anything else which you think relevent or helpful.

The above assumes you are applying for settlement.

Merangue,

UKVAC means the United Kingdom Visa Application Centre, i.e.VFS. UKVAC is, for me, the preferred abbreviation as VFS runs visa application centres for many other countries as well as the UK.

[mariner29]

We work via the check list however each company has a system in place.

We use a neat folder system but the UK/Vac staff pull lots of it out for some reason, the ECO will get used to how certain consultants present their clients cases.

I would recommend you put together a well laid out application with easy to find information.

[Merangue]

Merangue,

UKVAC means the United Kingdom Visa Application Centre, i.e.VFS. UKVAC is, for me, the preferred abbreviation as VFS runs visa application centres for many other countries as well as the UK.

Thankd for that mate. Just wasn't sure exactly what UKvac meant.

We work via the check list however each company has a system in place.

We use a neat folder system but the UK/Vac staff pull lots of it out for some reason, the ECO will get used to how certain consultants present their clients cases.

I would recommend you put together a well laid out application with easy to find information.

Have to admit i had all my papers indexed and filed across 2 folders. One with the main application, smaller papers such as Wedding certs and photo's etc, indexed with plastic sleeves 1-20 using both sides of each sleeve, the second one was more of a concertina type pouch with the likes of a years phone bills, bank statements etc indexed a-f.

The Master index was in the first folder.

Wife took it all in and returned after with one empty concertina folder in hand.

Effectively the VFS staff had removed all the phone bills, bank statements etc and bundled them all together and given my wife the folder that was used to contain them. No doubt this will mess up my index somewhat.

Was not impressed but nothing i could do about it. Must admit i am a bit worried that all my hard work indexing the stuff will now only confuse the ECO as they will be looking for the Concertina folder and its contents a-f but will instead be presented with a pile of paper.