Documents for spouse settlement visa

[thewanderercds]

Hi All,

I'm just finishing up my wife's settlement application and would like to check that we have all of the documents that we need to submit to be successful. We would like some input on whether we have enough or too many documents.

So far we have :

Mrs

cover letter

2 passports

ID card

House register

birth certificate

name change certificate

bank passbook

6 months bank statements

Diploma

marriage certificate

certificate of title change after marriage

certificate of name change after marriage

TB certificate

A1 certificate

letter from dad blessing relationship

copy of dads id card

Western union slips received when collecting the money I have sent since we met

(all docs not in English have been translated, translations attached)

Mr (sponsor)

cover letter

copy of passport

copy of visa stamps to see wife

2 years mortgage statements (joint with mother)

home insurance (joint with mother)

council tax bill (joint with mother)

virgin media bill

photos of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dinning room and front of house

letter from mother confirming wife can stay in home

Skype video call log (extract)

Pictures from Skype video calls

Facebook messenger (extract)

FaceTime video call log (extract)

Pictures from FaceTime video calls

100 photos of us together in date order

photos of the registry office where we married

photos of the birthday gifts my family sent with me to give to my wife

first page of mine and my wife's facebook pages

2x airline tickets for internal flights my wife and I took

copies of emails for the western union payments I have sent to my wife since we met with the confirmation emails that the funds had been collected

Category F financials

letter from accountant stating monthly income is from £671 PAYE and the rest via director's loan account

CT603

CT600

email confirming CT600 submitted

CT620

printout from online banking showing corporation tax being paid (not due until April 2016)

registration with the Registrar of Companies at Companies House

AAT certificate for accountant

abbreviated accounts

directors report and financial statements

company bank statements for same period as CT600

A current Appointment Report from Companies House

VAT certificate

VAT return for the last full financial year

payslips for same period as CT600

P60

personal bank statements for same period as CT600

Dividend vouchers for same period as CT600

Any help would be welcomed, I haven't started writing the cover letters yet so any suggestions there would also be welcomed.

Many Thanks

[krisb]

I think 100 photos isn't enough. I'd go at least 150.

[7by7]

Your list contains far too much. You do not want to swamp the ECO with unrequired documents as doing so means s/he could easily miss something important; they do not have a lot of time to go through each application.

Mrs

cover letter Not needed, the one from you is sufficient.

2 passports Why 2? Current one is enough unless you want to show visas etc. in an old one.

ID card Not needed; her passport confirms her identity; and Thai law says she has to keep her ID card on her person at all times.

House register Not needed

birth certificate

name change certificate

bank passbook Not needed; unless using any savings she may have toward the financial requirement.

6 months bank statements As above.

Diploma Not needed.

marriage certificate

certificate of title change after marriage Not needed, marriage certificate shows this.

certificate of name change after marriage As above

TB certificate

A1 certificate

letter from dad blessing relationship Not needed.

copy of dads id card Not needed; he's not applying.

Western union slips received when collecting the money I have sent since we met

(all docs not in English have been translated, translations attached)

Mr (sponsor)

cover letter Don't make it too long. A brief history of the relationship and clarification/expansion on any answers on the application form you feel are necessary; two pages maximum. Plus a list of the supporting documents.

copy of passport

copy of visa stamps to see wife Included in the copy of your passport; no need to copy them again.

2 years mortgage statements (joint with mother) See note 1) below.

home insurance (joint with mother) Not needed, but see note 1) below.

council tax bill (joint with mother) Not needed, but see note 1) below.

virgin media bill Not needed, unless you have your phone through them and this shows contact with your wife; see note 2) below.

photos of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, living room, dinning room and front of house Not needed, but see note 1) below.

letter from mother confirming wife can stay in home See note 1) below.

Skype video call log (extract) See note 2) below.

Pictures from Skype video calls See note 2) below.

Facebook messenger (extract) See note 2) below

FaceTime video call log (extract) See note 2) below

Pictures from FaceTime video calls See note 2) below.

100 photos of us together in date order See note 3) below.

photos of the registry office where we married Not needed.

photos of the birthday gifts my family sent with me to give to my wife Not needed.

first page of mine and my wife's facebook pages See note 2) below.

2x airline tickets for internal flights my wife and I took

copies of emails for the western union payments I have sent to my wife since we met with the confirmation emails that the funds had been collected Why? Surely duplication of the receipts your wife is submitting?

Category F financials See note 4) below.

letter from accountant stating monthly income is from £671 PAYE and the rest via director's loan account

CT603

CT600

email confirming CT600 submitted

CT620

printout from online banking showing corporation tax being paid (not due until April 2016)

registration with the Registrar of Companies at Companies House

AAT certificate for accountant

abbreviated accounts

directors report and financial statements

company bank statements for same period as CT600

A current Appointment Report from Companies House

VAT certificate

VAT return for the last full financial year

payslips for same period as CT600

P60

personal bank statements for same period as CT600

Dividend vouchers for same period as CT600

Notes.

1) I assume from what you have said that you live with your mother and have a joint mortgage on the property with her.

The latest mortgage statement is enough to show this; you don't need two years worth. This will also show that you and she own the property and her letter confirms you live there; the bills you list aren't needed.

In her letter, your mother should, of course, also confirm that she has no objections to your wife living there. She should describe the property and who else lives there to show that there is room for your wife. Though as you already live in the property and your wife will be sharing a bedroom with you this should not be an issue.

Some people recommend photos of the property, but I don't see the point. The ECO will believe the description of the property given by you and your mother; unless s/he has reason not to. In which case, why would s/he believe the photos are of that property?

2) You do need evidence of contact; but don't over do it. Just evidence that the contact has taken place, the contents is not required.

3) Some people recommend such photos, I don't see the point as you have plenty of evidence of contact and your visits to Thailand to see her. But if you do want to include some don't overdo it; 20 spread over time are fine.

4) I cannot comment specifically on this as I do not know exactly how you are meeting the financial requirement. Whilst you do need to submit all the required documents, do not swamp the ECO with unnecessary ones.

For what is required, depending on how you are meeting the requirement, see the relevant parts of the financial requirement appendix and Appendix FM-SE, specified evidence.

[bobrussell]

I would agree that you are providing too much for the ECO to deal with. They have precise requirements (much is a box ticking exercise) so make sure this information is easily accessible.

150 photos is overkill even if you are trying to show a genuine relationship! 100 is too much!

If you feel more comfortable the documents that are not officially required, can be placed in a file at the back of the application. Clearly note what is there so the ECO can find it quickly if for some bizarre reason they feel the urge! In the covering letter you can state that extra information beyond the official requirements can be found at the back of the application! Don't allow VFS to remove stuff you want presented.

Look at the sponsor's letter very critically. Does the information help the ECO or is it waffle? Better to spend a bit of time creating a good index and numbering pages.

The ECO does not need a life history and will greatly appreciate a clear, well set out application and should not miss anything. I feel great sympathy for ECO's (except Swiss ones - they don't deserve any!!) as they have limited time to spend on each application despite the large amount of money being charged!