How To Apply For A UK Fiance(e) Visa

Yeah I've check. Do you have the contact number that your wife rang. That k you for your help brother

sorry, no, as they rang her

Can you maybe get an update from VfS yourself by ringing their help
line

Hi guys, my fiance is now in the UK and our wedding is soon. Can you guys please tell me the application process for the spouse visa internally within the UK. Do I have to upload all the same documents that we did for the fiance visa plus the wedding certificate. And when do I apply for the IHS surcharge is that before it after the application or part of.

Kindest regards
Richard

This link walks you through, step-by-step -

https://visas-immigration.service.gov.uk/product/family-routes

You will be redirected to pay the IHS fee during the process.

Best to start the process, then ask questions you may have as they arise. You can Save and return to the application as often as you need.

Thank you ukdj. I greatly appreciate it. I would think since they already approved the fiancée visa why on earth would they not convert to spouse visa once married. I feel like it's more a formality but don't want to make any mistake.

Can I ask. When doing the spouse visa withing the UK, I'm assuming vfs global isn't involved so how are documents uploaded?

Upload yourself or pay extra for appointment that will do the uploading
https://www.gov.uk/ukvcas

Sopra Steria handle everything for UKVI in the UK - biometrics etc - but as @Br28016 says, you can DIY if you have access to a scanner or SS will do it (for a fee) as part of the biometrics appointment.

Getting your partner here (into the UK) is, by far, the hardest part! After that - as long as you/they follow the rules and don't do anything silly - it's just a(n) (expensive!) formality...

For the fiance visa I uploaded everything myself on the vfs website which was fairly straightforward. I wasn't even asked to send off any original documents other than they took my partners passport at the biometrics appointment

Bear in mind that whilst uploading documents to Sopra Steria can be free, you still have to pay for the biometric appointment which will set you back about £130. It's a scam you would think exists in the Philippines, not in our supposedly fair and non-corrupt nation.

But as others have said, so long as you have a wedding certificate and payslips, it should be straightforward. Over the next couple of years, just make sure you keep all postal correspondence that comes in her name. Sign her up for everything and anything that might have a letter delivered in her name (Nectar, Tesco etc) staggered over the next few years just so you can tick the box when you have FLR in a further 2½ years.

Also remember to register for GP. Will get letter with NHS number. Same for NI number and add to council tax and get council tax and and house bills in joint names were possible. Joint correspondence cuts down on number of letters required.

Our wedding is April and our baby us due in August so we will apply to fast track the spouse visa. Does anyone know if we will be able to apply for child tax credits or working tax credits?

She will have the no recourse to public funds condition on her visa.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-funds/public-funds-accessible

You will have to put in any claims and I believe she is effectively ignored when calculating benefit entitlement.

Income and savings requirements for visa are normally set at a level where you are not eligible for benefits.

She can't claim child benefit but you can. So when baby is born you have to put in the child benefit claim. Get same money just she doesn't get National Insurance credits.

Greatly appreciated the advice. I'll make sure everything is applied for in my name. On another note because I'm from Northern Ireland I believe I can apply for her to have EU settlement in 2 years rather than wait 5 years for ILR. It's also free to apply for unlike the UK visas. Northern Ireland seems to be given special circumstances to this rule.

To use EU settlement scheme route then needed to have been married before the cut off date for brexit which was I believe end of Dec 2020. If have proof if living together before then may be an option. Unfortunately I think you are to late to go down that route. We used if but married back in 2018 - apply as relevant person of Northern Ireland which requires you to be born in Northern Ireland but not necessarily living there.

If qualify for EU settlement scheme can use that to enter UK and then get pre settled status and ultimately settled status.

If living in Northern Ireland then can go down the Irish citizenship route assuming that you were born there. That from memory is available from the married plus three years living o. The island of ireland and married to an irish citizen. Think takes about a year so will end up having to do fiance, Flr then second Flr but can skip on ILR and british citizenship unless want that as well.

Hi guys can anyone help me with these 3 questions
1. Can anyone tell me what documents need to be uploaded for spouse visa when applying from inside the UK on a fiance visa.

2. Also the brp card, is this received once a application is successful?

3. How do I become eligible to apply for priority 5 day service?

Many thanks

Usual stuff. Evidence of living together. Think you can get her on council tax bill - definitely contact them with details that living here on fiance visa and ask if needs to be registered as part of council tax (northern ireland will be rates and if I remember no single discount so may as well get her on the bill as no benefits not to). Same with energy bills.

Not sure what you are doing on the NHS reference maternity care as liabilities until IHS paid/FLR granted. Check and if there are agree a payment plan as they cant report unpaid debts if a payment plan is in place. If registered then will be NHS letters. Try and get bank account set up as that will get more evidence off address and living together. Letters from registar or church regarding marriage and bills are another. They wont expect a lot as limited opportunities.

Need marriage certificate. Suspect wont need any wedding pictures as think that is more an outside the UK application issue.

Will need all the financial stuff updated to application date again.

Pretty much the same stuff as fiance application but with up to date financial data, marriage certificate and evidence of living together in UK..

2. BRP is issued once successful - will be sent out as opposed to collecting it from post office. Expiry date on the BRP will be 31st Dec 2024 as they plan on moving to an electronic system by then. This is BRP expiry not visa expiry.

3. Hopefully @bigmac will respond on this as he is the only one I remember using priority although probably more. Seem to remember that have to go online early each day as limited number of slots and they select. If not available do the next day. Not sure on time when they release priority slots.

That ka for the reply, with regards to proof of living together in the UK, she's only just landed. However as part of our fiancée we provided proof of suitable accommodation already. But she hasn't been here long enough to provide any evidence of living together yet. I can only hope we can rr upload all I did for the fiancée application plus updated financial evidence and wedding cert. I really hope that's enough as it's all we can do right now.