Rather than making assumptions; it is better to check the relevant regulations.

Premium bonds, like any investment, come under Annex FM Section FM 1.7: Financial Requirement; Section 7, cash savings.

You will see from para 7.4.3 that to be counted the savings must, among other requirements, be held in a bank or building society current or savings account.

This is not negotiable; the ECO has no flexibility on this point.

However, paras 7.4.8 and 7.4.9 say that cash previously held in, among other investments, bonds which have been liquidated and the cash placed into an appropriate account during the pervious 6 months can be used but

Evidence must be provided showing that:
 The investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds were in the ownership and under the control of the applicant, their partner or both jointly for that part of the 6 month period prior to the date of application before they were liquidated into cash savings;
 The value of the investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds at or before the beginning of that 6 month period was at least equivalent to the amount of the cash savings relied upon in the application; and
 The cash savings meet the requirements of Appendix FM-SE.
If this evidence is not provided, the cash savings previously held as investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds cannot be counted towards the financial requirement.

So, Pagan 1, you can only use your premium bonds if you cash them in and provide the required evidence that all the other requirements in the annex are met.

Great news to hear that you have got the visa sorted !!!

Can anyone confirm if UK Premium bonds are accepted as savings in support of a visa application ??

I have held Premium bonds for a number of years. These are issued by the UK Government (not FSA regulated) and available to cash in immediately at any time (takes about 3 days).

I would assume so.

It is a government savings scheme.

Yet again, your advice is wrong. Your "assumption" would have cost, and lost, the pagan1 around 1,000 GBP, and a visa refusal. Your advice remains dangerous.

It's about time you stopped giving your own opinions as advice in this forum, and time that you accepted that your knowledge of immigration rules, legislation and requirements amounts to just about nil. if you have any conscience, and decency, you will, for the first time ever, apologise for giving wrong advice.

Thanks for the feedback Gents

My reading of the requirements suggested that I will need to convert and transfer the PBs into my bank account. I guess the haste in which the requirements were drawn up led to some poor thinking. Just another hoop to jump through but fortunately one that can now be done online

Another question i have. Does my wife need to carry any documentation in her had luggage when we fly into the uk? Other than passport with visa of course. Thanks

Strictly speaking; no.

However, in the unlikely event of her being questioned by immigration on her arrival in the UK it will help if her application supporting documents are in her hand baggage and so easily accessible.

Thanks 7by7. How about her T.B certificate specifically? It runs out in January but she won't be here until may. Does she need to have another T.B test?

Gettjng anxious now, thinking about whether my wife and kids will be happy here or not, and if I'll have everything reay for them,lol.

As long as her TB certificate is still valid when she applies for the visa, it does not matter if it expires before she actually enters the UK.

However, from what you have posted I am not sure if she has submitted her application yet.

If she hasn't, and doesn't do so before the certificate expires, then she will need to get a new one or her application will be automatically refused.

She has the visa in her passport already. Issued on 12th December, becomes active on 13th of march.

Apols, I was getting you confused with pagan1!

No worries 7 by 7. Thanks for answering.