Rob & Anne
27th November 2008, 04:41
Hello everyone !
I got my visa!!!!! I’m so happy:Hellooo:. Finally the terrible waiting is over.
To refresh everyone, I applied last September 10th, 2008 and I got my visa November 22nd, 2008 so it was 10 weeks and 3 days. Before I received my visa we called the Embassy once for a follow up and emailed them twice explaining that my husband and I have an urgent need to travel as my hubby only had one week holiday for this year remaining.
I could say that I went through a lot with this application, as I was refused once with my visit visa and that was terrible. But right when I got my visa this time I seem to have forgotten all the pressure and stress I went to. I was busy with sorting my flight to the UK so this post is a bit late.
Thank you to all who are sharing advice and for your support.
Here’s what I did with my application:
Firstly, my hubby and I got married March 15th, 2008. I then updated my passport to show my new family name, this helps prove that you intend to stay together for life or intend to make your marriage subsisting.
After my passport was amended I then gathered all my docs and lodged my application at vfs. Take note that you have to attend the cfo counselling before the DFA will allow you to amend your passport.
Here’s what I submitted to vfs:
ORDER OF DOCS
1. Application form with the required pic – (after the last page of the application form I attached a cover letter which I wrote personally stating that I qualify for a spouse visa as a married partner of someone who is present and settled in the UK.)
Here’s my letter, maybe it would be of help as a source of idea or pattern if you want to write a cover letter too. (All of which are photocopied, I prepared two set of docs and labelled them each as “originals” and other one “photocopies” both in the same order.
This is the cover letter i wrote:
8th September 2008
(my address here)
The UK Border Agency
London, United Kingdom
Thru: The British Embassy
120 Upper Mckinley Road
Mckinley Town Center
Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City, 1634
Metro Manila
Dear Sir/Madam:
I believe that I have met the qualifications to join my husband in the UK by means of this factual documentary evidences attached in this application which show that:
1.you are legally married to each other
I am legally married to my husband.
Documentary evidences: Original Marriage license, Original Marriag Contract from Local Civil Registrar and Marriage Contract in Security Paper from National Statistics Office (NSO), wedding pictures, wedding details are attached hereto.
2.your husband/wife is present and settled in the UK
My husband was born and is present and settled in the UK.
Documentary evidences: Sponsor’s Certified True Copy of Birth Certificate and Certified True Copy of Passport, and also his utility bills as proof of his current residency in the UK are attached hereto.
3.you both intend to live together permanently as husband and wife.
We both intend to live together permanently as husband and wife; we have enduringly sustained our relationship and our marriage despite the distance. We both aim to live as husband and wife and planned to have our own family at time in the future. Our marriage is subsisting and we’ve attached all documentary evidences of our way of communication and contact to each other.
4.we have met each other before
My husband and I have met before. We have lived together as a couple every time he visits me here in my country Philippines.
Documentary evidences: Hotel & flight confirmations, boarding passes and hotels bills of my husband’s stay with me here in the Philippines, photos of us together as proof that we have met are also attached hereto.
5.you can support yourselves and any dependants without any help from public funds.
We do not have any dependants or children to support. So, basically it will be my husband and I that will need supporting. My husband/sponsor has a full time permanent job and has been supporting me by sending money via Western Union Money Transfer every month without fail for the past year and eight months; hence my sponsor can support me and we will not be dependant on any public funds.
Documentary evidences: Most recent bank statements of my husband/sponsor, wage slips, employment contract, western union receipts as proof that he has been supporting me for the past year and eight months are attached hereto.
6.you have suitable accommodation, which is owned or lived in only by you and your household, and where you and your dependants can live without any help from public funds.
My husband/sponsor was formerly living with his father’s house as you may notice in his previous letters for me he had a different address. Recently, he moved in to our new house which he rents solely and exclusively. He is currently living in a two (2) bedroom Maisonette with spacious living room, kitchen, and bathroom/toilet with 12 months extendible term. In addition, his landlord is aware and has approved that I will be living in the said property once granted with a visa. Therefore, we have comfortable accommodation and can live without any help from public funds.
Documentary evidences: Tenancy Agreement, a letter from the landlord stating that I am permitted to live in the house with my husband; utility bills that indicate the address of the rented property as proof of residency of my husband/sponsor in the said property are attached hereto.
7.your husband, wife or civil partner is not under 18, and
8.you are not under 18.
My husband is not under 18 and I am not under 18 years of age. My husband is 26 years old, born on February 10, 1982, and I myself am 26 years old, born on March 13, 1982.
Documentary evidences: Both of our Birth Certificates authenticated and certified are attached hereto.
Furthermore, I have respectfully submitted the following documents needed in this application:
• My passport.
• My Visa application form.
• My recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm), colour photograph.
• My visa fee in the form of manager’s check.
• Letters from me and my husband/sponsor, photos, and other documents that is relevant to my application.
It is my sincere hope that you will grant my application for leave to enter in the UK. My husband is living alone in our new house and he needs me as he is lonely and vice versa. After all, I firmly believe it is our right to live together as a legally married man and wife and our right to found a family, which is why this application is made.
Thank you very much for your time.
Very respectfully yours,
(my full name and signature above it)
2. Label : Sponsor’s Birth Cert./Certified Photocopy of passport/sponsorship letter.
3. Label: Bank Statements/WU receipts
4. Label: Employment Contract/Employment confirmation letter/wage slips
5. Label: Tenancy agreement/landlords letter
6. Label: Utility Bills
7. Label: Marriage Cert/Marriage License/Wedding Photos
8. Label: Emails/Letters/
9. Label: Hotel flight bookings and bills
10. Applicant’s Birth Certificate/Baptismal Certificate/NBI clearance.
I hope this helps.:BouncyHappy: thanks everyone...
I got my visa!!!!! I’m so happy:Hellooo:. Finally the terrible waiting is over.
To refresh everyone, I applied last September 10th, 2008 and I got my visa November 22nd, 2008 so it was 10 weeks and 3 days. Before I received my visa we called the Embassy once for a follow up and emailed them twice explaining that my husband and I have an urgent need to travel as my hubby only had one week holiday for this year remaining.
I could say that I went through a lot with this application, as I was refused once with my visit visa and that was terrible. But right when I got my visa this time I seem to have forgotten all the pressure and stress I went to. I was busy with sorting my flight to the UK so this post is a bit late.
Thank you to all who are sharing advice and for your support.
Here’s what I did with my application:
Firstly, my hubby and I got married March 15th, 2008. I then updated my passport to show my new family name, this helps prove that you intend to stay together for life or intend to make your marriage subsisting.
After my passport was amended I then gathered all my docs and lodged my application at vfs. Take note that you have to attend the cfo counselling before the DFA will allow you to amend your passport.
Here’s what I submitted to vfs:
ORDER OF DOCS
1. Application form with the required pic – (after the last page of the application form I attached a cover letter which I wrote personally stating that I qualify for a spouse visa as a married partner of someone who is present and settled in the UK.)
Here’s my letter, maybe it would be of help as a source of idea or pattern if you want to write a cover letter too. (All of which are photocopied, I prepared two set of docs and labelled them each as “originals” and other one “photocopies” both in the same order.
This is the cover letter i wrote:
8th September 2008
(my address here)
The UK Border Agency
London, United Kingdom
Thru: The British Embassy
120 Upper Mckinley Road
Mckinley Town Center
Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City, 1634
Metro Manila
Dear Sir/Madam:
I believe that I have met the qualifications to join my husband in the UK by means of this factual documentary evidences attached in this application which show that:
1.you are legally married to each other
I am legally married to my husband.
Documentary evidences: Original Marriage license, Original Marriag Contract from Local Civil Registrar and Marriage Contract in Security Paper from National Statistics Office (NSO), wedding pictures, wedding details are attached hereto.
2.your husband/wife is present and settled in the UK
My husband was born and is present and settled in the UK.
Documentary evidences: Sponsor’s Certified True Copy of Birth Certificate and Certified True Copy of Passport, and also his utility bills as proof of his current residency in the UK are attached hereto.
3.you both intend to live together permanently as husband and wife.
We both intend to live together permanently as husband and wife; we have enduringly sustained our relationship and our marriage despite the distance. We both aim to live as husband and wife and planned to have our own family at time in the future. Our marriage is subsisting and we’ve attached all documentary evidences of our way of communication and contact to each other.
4.we have met each other before
My husband and I have met before. We have lived together as a couple every time he visits me here in my country Philippines.
Documentary evidences: Hotel & flight confirmations, boarding passes and hotels bills of my husband’s stay with me here in the Philippines, photos of us together as proof that we have met are also attached hereto.
5.you can support yourselves and any dependants without any help from public funds.
We do not have any dependants or children to support. So, basically it will be my husband and I that will need supporting. My husband/sponsor has a full time permanent job and has been supporting me by sending money via Western Union Money Transfer every month without fail for the past year and eight months; hence my sponsor can support me and we will not be dependant on any public funds.
Documentary evidences: Most recent bank statements of my husband/sponsor, wage slips, employment contract, western union receipts as proof that he has been supporting me for the past year and eight months are attached hereto.
6.you have suitable accommodation, which is owned or lived in only by you and your household, and where you and your dependants can live without any help from public funds.
My husband/sponsor was formerly living with his father’s house as you may notice in his previous letters for me he had a different address. Recently, he moved in to our new house which he rents solely and exclusively. He is currently living in a two (2) bedroom Maisonette with spacious living room, kitchen, and bathroom/toilet with 12 months extendible term. In addition, his landlord is aware and has approved that I will be living in the said property once granted with a visa. Therefore, we have comfortable accommodation and can live without any help from public funds.
Documentary evidences: Tenancy Agreement, a letter from the landlord stating that I am permitted to live in the house with my husband; utility bills that indicate the address of the rented property as proof of residency of my husband/sponsor in the said property are attached hereto.
7.your husband, wife or civil partner is not under 18, and
8.you are not under 18.
My husband is not under 18 and I am not under 18 years of age. My husband is 26 years old, born on February 10, 1982, and I myself am 26 years old, born on March 13, 1982.
Documentary evidences: Both of our Birth Certificates authenticated and certified are attached hereto.
Furthermore, I have respectfully submitted the following documents needed in this application:
• My passport.
• My Visa application form.
• My recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm), colour photograph.
• My visa fee in the form of manager’s check.
• Letters from me and my husband/sponsor, photos, and other documents that is relevant to my application.
It is my sincere hope that you will grant my application for leave to enter in the UK. My husband is living alone in our new house and he needs me as he is lonely and vice versa. After all, I firmly believe it is our right to live together as a legally married man and wife and our right to found a family, which is why this application is made.
Thank you very much for your time.
Very respectfully yours,
(my full name and signature above it)
2. Label : Sponsor’s Birth Cert./Certified Photocopy of passport/sponsorship letter.
3. Label: Bank Statements/WU receipts
4. Label: Employment Contract/Employment confirmation letter/wage slips
5. Label: Tenancy agreement/landlords letter
6. Label: Utility Bills
7. Label: Marriage Cert/Marriage License/Wedding Photos
8. Label: Emails/Letters/
9. Label: Hotel flight bookings and bills
10. Applicant’s Birth Certificate/Baptismal Certificate/NBI clearance.
I hope this helps.:BouncyHappy: thanks everyone...