To Rent Before Or After Making The Uk Settlement Visa Application...

[ironryon]

Hello everyone

I'm intending to make a uk settlement visa application at the end of July....but I am a little unsure as to the best approach with regards to the accommodation.

I am currently sharing a house with a friend....which would I beleive would meet the accommodation criteria set by the UKBA, however, for some time I have been looking for a house to rent for my wife and I to live in.

I have now found a perfect place and have a signed tenancy and approval from the landlord for my wife to live there too.

I dont live there yet, the tenancy is set to begin mid August, 2-3 weeks after I intend to make the application.

I'm wondering now if this Is this satisfactory to the UKBA or would it be better if I could arrange for the tenancy to begin this month....before I make the application.

Could anyone advise please as Im almost ready with everything else and this is now my main concern.

Thanks in advance

[Guest jonzboy]

I can't see a problem with this as you will have proof by way of a rental agreement and presumably receipts for rent and security deposit. When i went through this process I was in the process of buying the house we were to live in. At the time of application for my wife's settlement visa I had only made an offer on the house, so proof of me actually buying the house consisted only of the estate agent letter confirming my offer and its acceptance. No money had exchanged hands and I could easily have withdrawn the offer if I wanted to.

To be honest, I found this aspect the most challenging. A bit of a chicken and egg situation. Like you, I wanted a nice place to set up home in UK! But shelling out large amounts of cash without a guarantee that the settlement visa will be approved?

[7by7]

You, or rather she, will need to show that adequate accommodation will be available when she arrives in the UK.

So a signed tenancy agreement with the tenancy starting before her arrival, or even on the day she arrives, plus written approval from the landlord for her to live there should be fine.

[ironryon]

Jonzboy

I also was unsure whether to shell out the cash for our nice place to stay.....or use the cash to go and make a life in Thailand....however, I have chosen to take this house on and go through with the settlement visa application. It's just getting every bit of detail right to get the visa on the first attempt.

Were you successfuly with your settlement visa application?

7b7

I have all what you suggested I or she has for the application - signed tenancy, letter of approval from the landlord and a months rent/deposit showing on my bank statement.....just at the moment the tenancy starts after she makes the application....but with waiting times currently at 2-3 months well before she would arrive here....

[Guest jonzboy]

Ironryon

The application was successful. My background made for a simple case for the ECO with, as I mentioned, the only drawback being accommodation. It seems that most applicants have somewhere already arranged with proof of its existence, like you, whereas I did not. Being overseas, signing a lease on a house in UK is not easy, with some agents requiring 12 months rent paid in advance.

UKBA guidance is totally lacking when it comes to ppl like us who have been based overseas and are returning to UK with our spouses. I just hoped that my plan would work, and it did, but I put this down to my solid finacial situation. Others, with limited cash in the bank, may find it more difficult to arrange accommodation to the satisfaction of the ECO.