help with form VAF4A section 5

[brit72]

Hi. My partner and I are filling in the VAF4A form for him to join me and settle in the UK once we are married next month. He lives in West Africa. The section 5 of this form gives us problems as although he has been working- selling- he has now closed down the little shop he had and is doing door to door as too difficult to pay rent on property. He makes ends meet and he and his daughter live on what he earns with some help from me. He has however, no written documentation to prove income and he has no bank account. I often help him out, but informally and have no record of transactions ( put the money on to a prepaid credit card and leave the card with him to withdraw a little when he needs). I am on benefits so most of my money comes from informal gifts from my family..... Spend several months there a year and we share whatever money we have.

He has the receipts from letting agent of payment of rent for last 9 moths on the appartment he rents (£100 a month) but that is about it. We do not want to fabricate things so is it best just to explain that he has no formal proof of oncome /outgoings and no bank account? After all this is the norm for many people out there and opening a bank account costs money and also often requires a large initial deposit.

As long as I can sponsor him sufficiently here and he has some prospect of job in UK, is what he has been doing employment-wise in africa, got any bearing on whether his visa will be granted? Cant really work out what they are looking for in this section - ? proof not criminal activities? employability in UK? usual living costs?

Would appreciate any feedback on how to go about filling in this section given his situation.
Thanks

[batleykhan]

As part of the spouse application, the applicant is not normally required to produce evidence of his employment etc outside of the UK. He does not need to provide bank details or details of what rent etc he pays on the place where he lives .

Therefore if I was in your shoes, i would put he is a self employed person selling what ever he does and thats how he supports himself.

Remember the ECO is more interested in what you as the Sponsor supplies than what your husband is doing. So make sure you get enough proof and evidence of your employment, savings and accommodation, if you want your husbands application to be succesful

[brit72]

thanks so much- this is what I thought. Am making sure I as sponsor, have the savings, accomodation and also possibly a job lined up for him. So will just put down self employer etc.