Uk Settlement Visa Evidence

[Heyal]

Hello all. I'm currently compiling my fiancé's UK settlement visa application. I would like to run through and get some useful advice/suggestions from the knowledgeable people in this forum about the evidence I intend to submit as the sponsor. Some background: My fiancé and I have been together for 3 and a half years. I lived and worked in Thailand for 3 years and met my fiancé after the first year there. I have now been living and working in the UK for less than 18 months and my fiancé has been to visit me two times on tourist visas. We plan to get married in Thailand soon and submit the visa application shortly afterwards. As the sponsor I intend to show:

About Me

Certified copies of my passport data page and visa, entry and exit stamps

Birth certificate

Accommodation

Tenancy agreement

Letter of permission from landlady

Council tax bills

A utility bill

Photos of apartment

Employment

Contract

Letter of remuneration

My degree certificate

P60

Income and Expenditure

6 months of bank statements

6 months of wage slips

Recent credit card statements

A breakdown of essential expenditure

Loan agreement

Relationship history

2-page letter detailing some of our history

Plenty of photos

Copies of my Thai work permit

My contracts for working in Thailand and a letter of reference

Cards, letters, emails, phone statements

Receipt for engagement and wedding rings

Marriage certificate

Letter from my parents confirming relationship

Copy of my eticket for flights to Thailand

Can anyone think of something I've missed? Do I need a certified copy of my whole passport or only the relevant pages? Do I need any more evidence to prove the size of the apartment that I rent?

Thanks for your help in advance!

Edited July 20, 2009 by Heyal

[Thongkorn]

I think you have most things coverd, maybe a few recipts from , Any thing that you have got from staying in hotels , laundry things like that, most of the Questions you will answer on your application form .are usualy The important things. Dont forget to put your ladys chest x ray in the Visa file and the marrage certificate. and her passport, also bankers draft, best of luck mate i am waiting for mine to be accepted hopefully.I did the same as you , every thing went through my head ,the visa is now in the process stage so there is nothing i can do but wait,

[Heyal]

Thanks for that and good luck with your application. One thing I was wondering is whether I should get every page of my passport certified, or if just the data page and stamps will be enough?

[Thongkorn]

I got all mine done , I just put 1 in that was empty with nothing on it , i wrote that pages say 6 to 20 all empty. they only cost a few pence to get anyway, The more you put in your file the better

[ExoticMatter]

I take it for certifying you are just photocopying all the pages (colour for first page) of the passport and signing them (thats all i did and it was ok).

Dont forget to give her previous passport if have (and certified just in case).

Give more bank statements (I gave 6 years) it cant hurt can it.

put names(with relationship)and locations and dates on all photographs.

letters (we translated them as well) of previous employment for fiance.

and letters from family supporting rellationship etc.

bombard them with lots of stuff put it in a neat folder,index it/separate the chapters and put everything in them slim plastic A4 bag things.

check out Rob's guide (pinned) on this site for an excellent layout template

hope you're good with word processing cuz it helps!!

good luck.

[Heyal]

Cheers. I will do what you suggested. I've been using Rob's guide as the basis for my application - it's been really helpful!

[rolypie]

I dont see you having a problem but submit the application asap as there is a 3 month waiting list.

[pingit]

I used Rob's guide also for my essential expenditure page. Actually was wondering who rob was cause I wanted to thank him for that help !!

[bigchang]

for the time you been apart some phone records,to show you've been in contact also any letters you wrote each other

bc

[gypsymoth]

I sent only certified copy of info page of passport, but included scans of previous THAI entry stamps in the personal section along with photos and travel tickets.

I also got my boss to write a letter saying how I'd bent eveyone's ear for so long and my colleagues were wishing us all the best. It's always a gamble if you're over-including (like 6 years of paperwork) cos you dont want the examining officer to groan at the size of your file, and you want them to be able to see the wood from the trees.

Do do do incude a personal letter that expresses sincere feeling, as I reckon that makes a big difference poking out from all those phone bills and bank statements.

[Heyal]

I agree, a personal letter is a good idea. I can only include phone records for the time we have been apart anyway. The only other evidence of our relationship before is through photos, and the fact that I lived nearby. And also that we had stated our intentions on my fiance's 2 previous tourist visas.

[TickTock]

Heyal, looks pretty comprehensive to me, I did not include 1/2 the stuff you are including. Danger of raising the 'information bar' for future applications. On a serious note, along a similar line to gypsymoth, you don't want your file to be labelled as "HEAVY" and pass the parcel around the ECOs!.

As far as certifying the passport is concerned I went to the solicitors and they photocopied the cover, the stamps and obviously the bio page and stamped the front page only as "true and certified". No problems with Embassy.

[ExoticMatter]

I used Rob's guide also for my essential expenditure page. Actually was wondering who rob was cause I wanted to thank him for that help !!

Yer I wonder if he still follows TV. I managed an excessive 8 fat chapters as opposed to his 7