SET (M) 5 Year Spouse Experience. Proof of cohabitation!

[Edibe]

I am the spouse of a British Citizen. My questions are:

1. The form asked how long I have been in the UK. At the time of application this will be 4 yrs 11 mths because I am applying 28 days in advance. Do I say 4 yrs 11 mths or 5 yrs?

2. It is mandatory to provide my husbands British passport but I am also asked to provide Evidence of his settled status. Is his passport not evidence of his settled status?

3. Is it a problem if I answer YES to the question Can you live together outside the UK?

I look forward to any help with this

[CR001]

1. Either, HO do know the rules!!

2. You need to submit copies of the passport. This is proof of settled status.

3. Not sure but doubt it.

[Edibe]

Thank you for your response which was very helpful.

2. I was asking about settlement status because in the document list it says to provide his passport as being mandatory but then lower down it lists the need for evidence of his settlement status. I suppose its a computer generated list so doesn't recognise the duplication.

3. I suppose I am being a little paranoid in thinking that having the ability to live elsewhere makes it easier for HO to refuse an application. I guess I was looking for same comfort from others that they had still got their ILR.

[Edibe]

Applied 14/08/2019
Attended UKVCAS appointment 09:00 23/08/2019 at Salford
Confirmation email application granted 16:00 27/08/2019

27/08/2019 was next working day as there was a bank holiday weekend in between.

Arrived early for UKVCAS appointment but staff were late getting to work and there was an "IT problem". Staff not very professional. Some discussion between staff about how to forward my info to HO. Nevertheless I was out by 09:45

Contacted by HO caseworker on 27/08/2019 by email. Problem with my proof of cohabitation. I had provided:

Council Tax statements with both names x 2
Water bill with both names
Letter from Nationwide with both names
Letter from Lloyds with both names
Lloyds bank statement with both names (stamped by branch)

Caseworker said correspondence needs to be from 6 different sources ( I understood it was from at least 3 sources and this was my experience when applying for Leave to Remain in Jan 2017).

Caseworker did not accept correspondence/statements from banks.

After multiple emails attaching more scanned documents I was able to satisfy the caseworker.

Throughout the process the caseworker was polite and even helpful other than not accepting my documents.

Caseworker also emphasised that the documents had to have been POSTED to our address. It was my understanding that this was no longer the case.

[Konzo1]

The caseworker did not accept correspondence/statements from banks. This is new to my ears.

[Konzo1]

Applied 14/08/2019
Attended UKVCAS appointment 09:00 23/08/2019 at Salford
Confirmation email application granted 16:00 27/08/2019

27/08/2019 was next working day as there was a bank holiday weekend in between.

Arrived early for UKVCAS appointment but staff were late getting to work and there was an "IT problem". Staff not very professional. Some discussion between staff about how to forward my info to HO. Nevertheless I was out by 09:45

Contacted by HO caseworker on 27/08/2019 by email. Problem with my proof of cohabitation. I had provided:

Council Tax statements with both names x 2
Water bill with both names
Letter from Nationwide with both names
Letter from Lloyds with both names
Lloyds bank statement with both names (stamped by branch)

Caseworker said correspondence needs to be from 6 different sources ( I understood it was from at least 3 sources and this was my experience when applying for Leave to Remain in Jan 2017).

Caseworker did not accept correspondence/statements from banks.

After multiple emails attaching more scanned documents I was able to satisfy the caseworker.

Throughout the process the caseworker was polite and even helpful other than not accepting my documents.

Caseworker also emphasised that the documents had to have been POSTED to our address. It was my understanding that this was no longer the case.

Please can you list the additional documents which you used as a substitute

[seagul]

Council Tax statements with both names x 2
Water bill with both names
Letter from Nationwide with both names
Letter from Lloyds with both names
Lloyds bank statement with both names (stamped by branch)

If these were the only ones you provided without adding more documents then yes they are not 6 rather 5. You must have included another one joint named document or two (1+1) documents individually addressed.

[Konzo1]

I thought the cohabitation is 6 documents spread across 2 years on joint name. Hence c.tax ×2 bank x2 and water bill x 2 making them 6

[Edibe]

WE used individual letters from HMRC, DVLA and NHS.

[seagul]

WE used individual letters from HMRC, DVLA and NHS.

Then should be fine.