Questions About How To Submit Supporting Documents For Uk Visa

[lookingeast]

Hi Everyone,

Two queries, A and B >>

A.

I have pretty much complete a 4-inch thick folder for a Visitor Visa to the UK, but i've just realised that i've probably beenbattling up the wrong path for a long time. I got confused about the whole ORIGINAL vs COPY issue i think. From the start, i've been making TWO identical folders, thinking that the UKBA would return the 'posh' one (photos on glossy paper etc), and keepthe plainer copies one. Now i imagine that was a mistake, and that we should only submit ONE big folder ?

Ok, so here's my worry : If we submit only one folder, what happens to the all the bits of evidence of our living together over the years, such as all the Rent Contracts, ToT bills, Electricity + Water bills etc - all originals ? Similarly, all the banking slips for me, such as hundreds of Thai ATM slips and Currency-Transfer forms ? Same with all the Flight docs such as BOARDING passes - originals ? Same with original Ownership docs for Land, Car, Bike, and Life Insurance Policy etc etc...

What have people submitted ? Is it necessary to have one big Folder with everything being a COPY, and then a separate Folder with everything that is Original material, and which is wanted back ?

B.

Finally, could people who've been through it (i haven't) check this list of items which i'm guessing must be included as ORIGINALS for a visitor visa ? >>>

1. Both PASSPORTS

2. Thai ID Card

3. Driving Licences

4. Educational qualifications (degrees only)

5. Birth Certificates

6. House deeds or mortgage statement (UK)

7. Bank statements for 6 months for Applicant and Sponsor

8. Utility bills for my place in the UK & here in Thailand

9. Insurance Policy (life - hers!)

10. Savings statements

(I'm retired so wage-slips don't come into it)

My worry is - if Originals of pretty ordinary items such as Utility-Bills and Boarding-Passes are submitted, and are NOT returned - that would really affect the quality of any applications to UKBA in the future - especially if they were for some kind of Settlement Visa, where solid proof of our long-term co-habitation would be required.

Thanks in advance - hope it doesn't sound too paranoid ! ;-) (but i am)

[theoldgit]

The UKBA guidance states that they want to see original documents plus copies of any documents you want returned.

What sort of visa are you talking about, you do mention a settlement visa but add if it was a settlement visa?

[7by7]

With respect, OG, he does say a visit in the first line of part A.

lookingeast, as it is a visit the evidence of your cohabitation does not have to be so comprehensive as it would be if applying for settlement using the unmarried partners route. You can, in my opinion, take most of those documents out.

Part B

1. Her original so they can stick the visa into it; self certified copy of yours to show your status as a British citizen and your status in Thailand. Thai law says you must have your original passport available at all times and the ECOs know this.
2. Copy; Thai law says she must carry this on her person at all times and the ECOs know this.
3. Not needed, unless you want to use them to show you are livi9ng together. Copies; you'll need the originals if stopped by the police whilst driving.
4. Not needed.
5. Originals and copies.
6. Originals or certified copies and copies.
7. Originals and copies.
8. Not needed.
9. Not needed.
10. Originals and copies.

See also Guide to supporting documents.

[theoldgit]

I stand corrected, shouldn't speed read.

[rawhod]

We list every thing we submit. One list for applicants supporting documents and one list for my (husbands) supporting documents.

Included in the applicants documents are passport + copy, House book + copy, Bank books + copies, Chanotes + copies. I clip these together and the person receiving the submission at VFS Regent house, checks the originals against the copies and returns the originals to my wife (except the passport of course). This has been the system for our last three, successful, applications (one Visitor and two Family visas)

In my supporting documents, I have included original bank statements + copies, UK House deeds + copy, original P60's + copies. These have always been returned with the passport.

They have never kept any originals or copies. The only thing they have kept is my supporting letter and the "additional information" letter for my wife.

Edited May 3, 2013 by rawhod

[lookingeast]

The UKBA guidance states that they want to see original documents plus copies of any documents you want returned.

What sort of visa are you talking about, you do mention a settlement visa but add if it was a settlement visa?

Hi OG - a lot of my worry is due to planning to get a Visit Visa this year, and if all goes well, a Settlement Visa a year or two later - which has caused some confusion...it is the thought that i might not get back some original docs from a Visit Visa application which i'd later rely on for the Settlement Visa, that led to me posting. If one is trying to prove co-habitation, then pretty boring scraps of paper, like paid Utility Bills, become quite important.

[lookingeast]

We list every thing we submit. One list for applicants supporting documents and one list for my (husbands) supporting documents.

Included in the applicants documents are passport + copy, House book + copy, Bank books + copies, Chanotes + copies. I clip these together and the person receiving the submission at VFS Regent house, checks the originals against the copies and returns the originals to my wife (except the passport of course). This has been the system for our last three, successful, applications (one Visitor and two Family visas)

In my supporting documents, I have included original bank statements + copies, UK House deeds + copy, original P60's + copies. These have always been returned with the passport.

They have never kept any originals or copies. The only thing they have kept is my supporting letter and the "additional information" letter for my wife.

That's brilliant - thanks Rawhod - i didn't realise that so much of the material would be returned at the time the Applicant's passport is returned - that makes a big difference to my anxiety-level! So as i read it, at the time of the appointment at VFS, original docs are checked through, and all but the passport are returned there and then ? But the big folder full of copies, contact-proofs, photos etc, is kept , forwarded to the Embassy, and then returned at the time we are told to collect the girlfriend's passport ? Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[lookingeast]

With respect, OG, he does say a visit in the first line of part A.

lookingeast, as it is a visit the evidence of your cohabitation does not have to be so comprehensive as it would be if applying for settlement using the unmarried partners route. You can, in my opinion, take most of those documents out.

Part B

• Her original so they can stick the visa into it; self certified copy of yours to show your status as a British citizen and your status in Thailand. Thai law says you must have your original passport available at all times and the ECOs know this.
• Copy; Thai law says she must carry this on her person at all times and the ECOs know this.
• Not needed, unless you want to use them to show you are livi9ng together. Copies; you'll need the originals if stopped by the police whilst driving.
• Not needed.
• Originals and copies.
• Originals or certified copies and copies.
• Originals and copies.
• Not needed.
• Not needed.
• Originals and copies.

See also Guide to supporting documents.

Hi 7x7 - i'm sure you are right as usual - i could take most of the documents out, but as it's our first-ever application, i thought we'd go the over-kill route, but at the same time making the first part of the folder really clear and simple, with the foundation-blocks of : solid Sponsor's Statement; Applicant's 'reasons to return to Thailand'; Money for the trip ; and Accommodation in the UK - all right up front. Thanks so much for the detailed list - good point about Thai law requiring us to have passport & licence with us all the time - obvious but i hadn't thought of it. My final arrangement is now a 3-inch ring-binder with probably about as much as would be needed for a settlement visa; but with EVERYTHING ORIGINAL that i'd be choked to lose, put in a separate 1-inch folder clearly marked 'Originals, Please Return'. I'm hoping that, as Rawhod says, the whole lot of originals will be returned at the time of the VFS appointment, apart from the girlfriend's Passport. It would be great if the whole pile is returned, as putting it all together again for a later application would push me to the outer limits of boredom ! Thanks as ever.

[rawhod]

To clarify...

Only the originals submitted by the applicant (ie. bank books, chanotes, House book, etc.) are returned at VFS at the time of submission, the sponsors originals (bank statements, p60's, house deeds,etc) are returned with the passport.

Extra edit...my wife tells me that the lady accepting the documents asked her if she wanted the originals back, in which case she checked them against the copies and returned them...but only the Thai applicants originals.

Edited May 5, 2013 by rawhod

[lookingeast]

To clarify...

Only the originals submitted by the applicant (ie. bank books, chanotes, House book, etc.) are returned at VFS at the time of submission, the sponsors originals (bank statements, p60's, house deeds,etc) are returned with the passport.

Extra edit...my wife tells me that the lady accepting the documents asked her if she wanted the originals back, in which case she checked them against the copies and returned them...but only the Thai applicants originals.

AH - thanks - that's a very important detail - knowing that prevents a possible argument at VFS! I think a lot of people would benefit from knowing the different ways the Applicant's and the Sponsor's originals are handled - could it be 'sticky' somewhere 7x7 ? Onwards and upwards ! :-)