Bank Statements are messed up.

[buttercup88]

I'm getting ready to apply for a spouse visa to the UK (husband is a UK citizen).

Right now, my husband and I live and work in another EU country.

He works and gets paid through a UK company BUT the local company here gives him cash in euros (as it's easier).
This has made his bank statements look strange.

There are NO monthly comings and goings.
Only the total amount in savings (18,000 pounds) and about a thousand in his current account.

We did do one cash deposit of about 700 pounds over Christmas with the extra cash we had saved up from his job.
We won't have any more deposits as we are using the money we've saved up for the spouse application (725 euros!).


Will this give us problems when we apply?
Or, will explaining the situation be sufficient? (perhaps with a letter from our employer explaining that he's paid in cash?)


Honestly, I dont even see why it matters!We're both going to get new jobs in the UK anyways, so our current income/savings per month wont be the same.
Also, we're not in debt so.....
blah!

[buttercup88]

I know these questions are quite specific and involved....

but I have absolutely zero experience with immigration.


Does anyone with any experience with UK immigration know if this is a problem?

Or even thinks it's a problem....

Please.

[catmando]

Hi
I've been recently searching for advice myself, so am not an expert in any way... Still, I haven't been working (except for the odd contract) recently, and have been living off my savings when needed and my girlfriend's salary. I don't have a job lined up in the UK, and so asked on the forum if savings of £15,000+ as well as willingness to take any job would be enough to satisfy the maintenance requirements, as I have no payslips or serious ingoings/outgoings evidened in my account. I was told that there is no requirement to have a job in the regulations, just that you must prove you won't need to use public funds to support yourselves. I think with this much money available, you should both be ok, as it will support you until you find work.

This is at least the way I understand it, and it is what I am hoping will be acceptable to immigration when my girlfriend and I make our spouse application after we are married.

Hopfully if anyone disagrees on the forum they can let us both know...

[buttercup88]

"I think with this much money available, you should both be ok, as it will support you until you find work"

i hope so....

As you said, I think as long as you have enough money to survive on for a bit and the ability to work (meaning the right education, job opportunities, and hopefully a job offer)... it wont be that big of a deal.

I guess we'll see in a couple of months!

[batleykhan]

Where did the £18000 come from in your saving accounts?. Is this both your salary's that you have been depositing over time, or is this some kind of a lump sum that you have deposited in your saving accounst.

The reasons why 6 months bank statements are required is that it gives an ECO a good picture of the amount of money that you have coming in ( eg salary) and going out ( mortgage/other expenses).

From these figures he can determine whether you would be in a position to maintain,support and accommodate yourself without state benefits.

If he thinks you cant and will struggle and you might resort to welfare benefits, he will refuse application.

Looking at your personal circumstances, if you can justify where you got savings from, then in my opinion it should be enough for you to support yourself till you find employment. As both you presently work in an EU country, there is a good possibility that you willdo the same when you settle in UK.

If on the other hand, you've just put a lump sum and can not show where you have got this money, then I think you will be struggling, as a number of applicants suddenly before an applcation put a large sum of money into bank account which unfortunately most of the time ends in the visa being refused.

Hope this helps

[buttercup88]

-the money is mostly from inheritance when my husband's grandmother died (this was about 10 years ago).

-it's also his work savings.



-he's got about 7,500 in an ISA in his name and the rest in a saving account.


It was originally in two accounts but he transfered all of it to his HSBC account.

So, there is a lump some transfer but all in his name.



I think everything will be ok, we'll just need to do A LOT of explaining to the visa people.

Thanks.

[batleykhan]

I think everything will be ok, we'll just need to do A LOT of explaining to the visa people.

Yes my advice would be to fully explain your finacial circumstances at the time you hand your application, so teh ECO is fully aware of the sittuation and hopefully it should be enough for your visa to be granted

[BLK235]

Do you have payslips for cash in hand? Add employment letter to it.

I think what ECO is concerned with is that you have regular income and bank statements is one way of proving it.

You can also possibly get a letter from your employer clarifying that they pay cash in hand.

Normally cash in hand looks dodgy and as a way of dodging taxes, especially in the UK. If your employer can also confirm that they pay salary related taxes IMHO it should strengthen your application big time.

Also would suggest to explain why you are paid cash in hand.