Hi all,
My wife got the visa granted to UK.
I am now going to write a really detailed time line.
17th April 2017
My wife submitted the online application in Sylhet visa application centre. Had the biometrics done same day. Paid fee :
Visa application fee 161,040 taka approximately (£1610)
Sylhet User Pay £55
Immigration Health Surcharge fee £600. (This must be paid by card only)
Total spent approximately for visa application and associated fees £2,265. I did not use a solicitor.
This is the below cover letter and documents submitted alongside application :
Dear Sir/Madame,
Re : UK Visa application for xxxx xxxxx
I travelled to Bangladesh xxxxxx 2016 and married xxxxxxxxx on xxxxxxx 2016. I therefore would like to apply for a visa for her to live with me in the United Kingdom.
Please kindly find attached the following documents to help process her UK Visa Application.
Documents from me :
• xxxxxxx UK Passport
• 6 Most recent months bank statement
• Utility bill (Gas)
• Tenancy agreement
• Letter from employer confirming employment
• Copy of P60, from Inland Revenue re tax
• Proof of Travel, Flights airline booking for trip to Bangladesh
• 6 months most recent Work payslips
• Proof of financial support to xxxxxx
• Current Passport sized photos
• Wedding Photographs
• Wedding card
• Whatsapp call log and chat history
• Skype call log and chat history
• Rebtel call log
Documents from wife :
• xxxxxx Bangladesh Passport
• 4 Months recent bank statements
• Current Passport sized photos
• Wedding card
• Wedding Photographs
• Marriage Certificate
• Bengali to English Translation Copy of Original Marriage Deed
• Original Marriage Deed in Bengali
• Notarial Certificate
• Tuberculosis test certificate (xxxxxx)
IELTS Life Skills A1 Speaking & Listening pass certificate
24th April 2017
Received e-mail from Sheffield Visa Office stating they have received application form.
25th May 2017
I was really panicking about the 2 below forms :
Appendix 2 VAF4A financial requirement
VAF4A Family settlement application form
As I didn’t fill this in and submit. I contacted Home Office who said what’s done is done and I can no longer submit further documents. But my conscience just wouldn’t move and just had to get this sorted. Therefore I got my wife to courier the above forms to Sheffield Visa Office.
8th June 2017
Email received request for TB certificate (to be scanned and sent by e-mail only) and evidence of English language requirement to be sent by post. Therefore sent TB certificate by e-mail and English requirement copy of scan certificate by post despite all documents been scanned and sent from Sylhet VFS centre. I sent e-mail to IDP requesting for them to send a letter that my wife did actually sit the test in the centre.
28th June 2017
I received a email again request for English language requirement. But the Home Office sent the original certificate back to my house. So once again I sent the certificate back to Home Office with a covering letter. I also contacted IDP in Sylhet requesting for a verification letter. IDP Sylhet said all administration is based in IDP Dhaka and to contact them. I spoke to IDP Dhaka and they were not very helpful at first. But then after almost 3 hours spent on the phone to my luck there was this really nice guy who was actually from UK. I spoke to him in English and explained him the situation. I told him I sent a e-mail on 8th June 2017 to IDP yet no response. He said the e-mail was received but sorry nothing was done. So he apologised which isn’t really common. Then he said please send him a e-mail with what’s required and this will be forwarded to IDP head office in Australia.
9th July 2017
I received a e-mail from the nice man in IDP Dhaka to say that they could not provide me a letter. However they have contacted Sheffield Visa Office directly.
10th July 2017
E-mail from Home office stating the processing of visa application is not straight forward.
On the same day I received the below e-mail :
Thank you for your application for settlement in the United Kingdom.
To help me consider the matter, please send me the following documents. Please scan these documents and email them to
VisaSheffield@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk. Alternatively, send these documents by post to the address below.
Documents required:
1. You will need to send supporting evidence to show that you meet the financial criteria of Appendix FM based on the answers you give on the Appendix 2 form. More information can be found on our website here (click on Annex FM 1.7):
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... financial/
2. 5 months payslips belonging to your sponsor dated November 2016 to March 2017.
3. 5 months bank statements belonging to your sponsor which show his salary being paid into his account dated November 2016 to March 2017.
4. You should also take this opportunity to submit further evidence of your relationship with your sponsor to show that the relationship is ongoing. Please provided your marriage certificate, photographs of the different stages of your relationship and evidence of how you have maintained your relationship e.g. chat records, letters, card e.t.c
Please do not hesitate to email me at this address if you need assistance.
To enable me to decide your case promptly it is essential that you reply as soon as you can, within seven days. If you do not produce the information requested by 17 July 2017, the application will be considered on the basis of the documents and information you have already provided. This could result in the application being refused, as provided for in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.
It’s clear to say that Sylhet VFS did not bother to scan and send all documents to Sheffield. Please note new rule post my application is to send all documents to Sheffield directly and only biometrics as well as passport to be handed in local VFS office.
16th July 2017
In response to the e-mail I received on 10th July 2017. I sent the following cover letter and documents by e-mail :
Dear Sir/Madame,
Date : 16th July 2017
Reference: xxxxx & xxxxxx
xxxxxxx (D.O.B. xxxxxxx) - Bangladesh
Thank you for your e-mail of the 10th July 2017. Please kindly see below :
Financial Requirement
The applicant's spouse, Mr xxxxx, has been employed by xxxxxx Hospital NHS Foundation Trust on a full time permanent basis as a xxxxxxxx since xxxxxxx xxxxxx current gross salary from employment is £xxxxxx (please kindly find enclosed letter from the employer). As we understand, xxxxx income from employment covers the requirements set by the United Kingdom Visa and Immigration (UKVI) and the Appendix FM.
Taking this into consideration it is clear that there would be no difficulties in the applicant's ability to be maintained by the sponsor without resource to public funds.
You also kindly requested payslips between November 2016 to March 2017 as well as bank statements that match salary being paid into account. I have enclosed payslips from October 2016 until April 2017. I would kindly like to put to your attention that xxxxx gets paid on the 24th of every month. Therefore the pay will show on the following months statement. In addition statement for January 2017 was a online bank statement as the original could not be found and xxxxx has taken this statement alongside identification and previous bank statement to have the statement verified by bank stamp. Please also find enclosed p60 for 2015-2016 & 2016-2017.
Accommodation
The sponsor, Mr xxxxxxx, has been living with his mother at (home address) which is occupied by xxxxx and his mother, Mrs xxxx a Tenant of London Borough of xxxxx since xxxxx. There is ample accommodation and the presence of xxxxx will not result in any statutory overcrowding in any way. (Please kindly refer to the council letter and tenancy agreement).
We are therefore requesting the Entry Clearance Officer to weigh up the interests of xxxxx family and private life. In the circumstance we would be obliged if you could please acknowledge the same and give sympathetic consideration within Immigration Rules and under Human Rights Act 1998 (Art, 8 Family and Private Life) and grant and issue xxxxxx the required entry clearance to join her husband xxxxx in the United Kingdom.
Evidence of relationship
Mr xxxxx is a British Citizen who was born in the United Kingdom. xxxxx went to Bangladesh on xxxxx 2016 with his mother (please find enclosed airline tickets) for the occasion of the wedding and stayed until xxxxxx.
xxxxxx is xxxxxx relative who first introduced the proposal of xxxxx considering xxxxx as a future wife on xxxxxx. Xxxxx proposed the idea to xxxxx after talks with xxxx who is xxxxx relative. xxxxx went to xxxxx village on xxxxx and met with the family.
xxxx is xxxxx relative. Since xxxxxx 2016 xxxxx and xxxxx were able to communicate through xxxxx using IMO. Xxxxx and xxxxx both exchanged photo's with each other and had the opportunity to find out more about each other. In addition xxxxxx is xxxxx relative. xxxxx and xxxxx were also able to communicate with each other using xxxxx' phone as xxxxx at the time did not have a phone. During the period prior to xxxxxx arrival to Bangladesh with his mother, with the consent of xxxxx and her family it was agreed that they would be married. xxxxx and xxxxx met in person on
xxxxx 2016 alongside other family members from both sides. The wedding ceremony and Marriage Registration took place on xxxxxx 2016. This is a subsisting marriage the sponsor xxxx keeps in touch on a regular basis over the phone using Skype, Whatsapp, IMO, Rebtel and xxxxx when xxxxxx is in the United Kingdom. Please kindly find attached, Marriage certificate chat & call logs as well as photographs during various stages including wedding photographs.
Since returning to United Kingdom xxxxxx has financially supported xxxxxx. Please kindly see attached statements from xxxxxxxx.
I kindly would like to put to your attention that some attachments may require you to zoom. Also as there are many files there will be multiple e-mails sent.
Enclosures;
Evidence of supporting wife (money transfer)
Bengali Marriage Certificate
Bengali to English Translation Copy of Original Marriage Deed
Marriage Certificate (English)
Notarial Certificate
Payslip October 2016 - March 2017
Bank statement October 2016 - April 2017
p60 2015-2016 & 2016-2017
Employment letter from xxxxxx employer
Council Letter
Airline ticket
IMO Chat records from all the people including wife
Wife bank statement
Rebtel Call Log
Skype log
Tenancy agreement
xxxx App calls
Wedding Card from both sides
Whats App chat from all the people including wife
Copy of my passport (copy of all pages) in colour
Whatsapp Call Log (between me and wife only)
23rd July 2017
Wife gets text message. ‘The processed visa application for GWF ref no xxxx was received at the UK visa application centre on 7/23/2017. Documents can be collected during the designated passport collection times
My wife collects passport which has the wonderful UK visa.
The final outcome took 70 working days. In weeks that’s 14 weeks and total amount of 98 days.
For the record it is possible to check status of wife application on :
https://contact-ukvi.homeoffice.gov.uk/ ... visastatus
But please note ever since April 2017. I have checked regularly and it was always showing status application not recognised. However just today when my wife called to say about the text message. I can now check and has said it has been decided though does not state the outcome.
Good luck to everyone.
I would like to give special thanks to all forum members as well as the moderators for the kind help and support since April 2017 when I joined. I certainly would not of got so far without all the kind support received for which I am ever so grateful. Since I have had a wonderful experience on here I will continue so show and give support to others in my situation and in anyway I can on other topics.
Thank you all!!!!!!!!!!!