UK fiance visa

[MPH80]

Well - touch wood - ours has gone relatively smoothly.

My wife is from Peru and we got our Fiancee visa while they still dealt with the applications at the local consulate.

It was a very smooth process - I went out there to be with her for the application (we found the tourist visas much easier when I was there) and, aside from an initial muck up (our fault) where we had to rebook our appointment, we got the visa in 24 hours. You can't do that now as they send all applications from there to New York and simply check them at the consulate - so I'm not sure how much difference the other half being present makes now.

FLR(M) was very smooth too - sent the docs a couple of weeks after we got married (waited for the in-laws to head home again to give us space to compile it) - got it back within 4 weeks (which was a nice surprise!).

We're coming up to SET(M) in March, and then thanks to her being here 3 years previously on a tourist visa, we'll go straight to BC in April (n.b. I think that little loophole might be closing in the new rules ... I'm trying to find that out)

KOL was relatively easy too - bit of studying - bit of practise and she breezed it.

Something else to think about is their credit file. When they arrives they won't have one, and depending where they are coming from they won't be eligible to go onto the Electoral Roll. We dealt with this by requesting an overdraft for my current account (forcing it to be reported), and then adding her as a joint account holder. That gave her a file without hassle. We gave that a year and then applied for a credit card in her name at the same bank. She's been using it a bit (it's not a good CC - but it's all credit) and paying it back in full.

We've just been to the same bank and got a good size mortgage approval - although we think we can find a better deal elsewhere - but I'm not sure how successful that'll be. We'll try though.

As a bonus - the current account joint account also gives you one of your sources to prove you're living together for SET(M). Don't forget to be collecting these docs from day 1, everything official is useful - NHS registrations, National Insurance info etc.

M.

[Tidus]

Excellent, yes that sounds quite smooth. Fingers crossed our shall go somewhat smoothly. Yes, you have some great advise in there, the Bank Account suggestion is very good. Im hoping our application shall be processed as fast as this case.

Thanks for sharing that, it makes a very interesting read

[MPH80]

One more thing I forgot to add - marriage certificates - get at least 3 copies.

We found that we needed one for the Peruvians in order to register our marriage over there (useful for any future visa applications there) and to change her name - they wanted to keep it.

You'll want one as a backup ... and then you've got a further one you can send off for visas if you need to.

M.

[Casa]

Without wanting to appear pessimistic....postal applications for FLR(M) are taking anything up to 3 months to process at present, so it may be better to pay for the premium appointment and apply in person.

[Tidus]

Good thinking, yes ill certainly do that. Also, yes they are taking around 3 months which isnt an issue luckily. Thanks