sponsor's passport___ to be certified

[pumpkins]

sorry to ask this same question about sponsor's passport again,i know some other member asked this already but i kept trying to find where i read this but i could not find it and the connection here frustrate me, so slow.:Brick:

anyway, just want to ask..my husband photocopied his passport but it was just black and white,is that ok?
and asides from solicitor,who else can we certify his passport?and do we need to certify all the photocopy pages?
and how much the cost?


thanks guys.............:wiggle:

[darren-b]

Black and white will be fine and only provide the relevant pages which will be main page, any UK visas (not relevant for a British citizen), and any stamps/visas to prove relationship (Philippines entry/exit stamps, etc). The cost for a solictor to certify them will vary - I think I paid £5.

In the end I didn't bother providing certifed copies as I was in Manila anyway so my wife had my original passport. I do question though whether you actually need to provide certified copies nowadays as the checklist only says "A full copy of the sponsor’s passport, including the personal details page and stamped pages ONLY and do not include unstamped pages.", and doesn't mention it having to be certified. I'm sure the ECO can access the details of UK passports including UK entry/exit details on the BIA database anyway.

[pumpkins]

Black and white will be fine and only provide the relevant pages which will be main page, any UK visas (not relevant for a British citizen), and any stamps/visas to prove relationship (Philippines entry/exit stamps, etc). The cost for a solictor to certify them will vary - I think I paid £5.

In the end I didn't bother providing certifed copies as I was in Manila anyway so my wife had my original passport. I do question though whether you actually need to provide certified copies nowadays as the checklist only says "A full copy of the sponsor’s passport, including the personal details page and stamped pages ONLY and do not include unstamped pages.", and doesn't mention it having to be certified. I'm sure the ECO can access the details of UK passports including UK entry/exit details on the BIA database anyway.


my husband will be here with me when i submit my application this october,he told me to have his original passport but will they give it back the same day we will submit my application,coz he will only stay here 3 weeks he need his passport flight back to uk..how does it work?
thanks darrenB..God Bless

[darren-b]

my husband will be here with me when i submit my application this october,he told me to have his original passport but will they give it back the same day we will submit my application,coz he will only stay here 3 weeks he need his passport flight back to uk..how does it work?
thanks darrenB..God Bless

Sorry I can't help with how it works with VFS - when we applied it was directly with the Embassy.

[scottishbride]

my husband will be here with me when i submit my application this october,he told me to have his original passport but will they give it back the same day we will submit my application,coz he will only stay here 3 weeks he need his passport flight back to uk..how does it work?
thanks darrenB..God Bless

When I submitted my application they have just asked the scanned copies of my husband's passport there is no need to certify ( But some of the member of this forum had their certified by the solicitor ) and no need to show your husband's original passport. Hope this will help... Good luck!

[Tiggers0608]

Hi,

you only photocopies your husband passport with his detials on it and the pages with stamps (used pages when he travels) you dont need to photocopy unused pages.

:xxgrinning--00xx3: hope that helps, i think its better to photocopy it before u go to VFS, they dont need the original passport but i guess just bring it if u want. No need to go to solicitor as the VFS can check it if its a fake passport or real one lol., thats why we're paying them a lot of money coz they use it for checking our documents if its fake or not.

[IainBusby]

When I submitted my application they have just asked the scanned copies of my husband's passport

I think that scanned copies will be of a much higher quality than photocopies and will be more acceptable as far as the embassy is concerned. If you have any doubts about what they will or will not accept, it would be better to email them at ManilaVisaEnquiries.manila@fco.gov.uk and get them to clarifify what will and what won't be acceptable to them, than to have your application package rejected by VFS Global as incomplete.

Iain.

[LittleFingers]

sorry to ask this same question about sponsor's passport again,i know some other member asked this already but i kept trying to find where i read this but i could not find it and the connection here frustrate me, so slow.:Brick:

anyway, just want to ask..my husband photocopied his passport but it was just black and white,is that ok?
and asides from solicitor,who else can we certify his passport?and do we need to certify all the photocopy pages?
and how much the cost?


thanks guys.............:wiggle:

Hi - I believe it would be advisable to submit certified copies with your application as surely your partner can find time over the next 4 weeks to find a solicitor or a policeman to sign the copies? It would be one less thing to worry about.

[joebloggs]

Hi - I believe it would be advisable to submit certified copies with your application as surely your partner can find time over the next 4 weeks to find a solicitor or a policeman to sign the copies? It would be one less thing to worry about.

:xxgrinning--00xx3:
Sponsor's Identification This usually takes the form of the sponsor's passport. If the passport itself cannot be presented, then a notarized copy of the portrait page should be made by a UK authorised notary or solicitor (i.e., member of the Law Society).

i would also get them to notarize the pages with entry stamps on.

the cost i would have thought would be £5 a page from many solicitors, so for £20+ its worth spending for peace of mind.:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[darren-b]

There seems to be mixed opinions whether certified copies are required or not - I did question this in in my first post.

Historically I guess it was important, but now passports and UK entry/exit is held electronically (even the DVLA can confirm your identity with the Identity and Passport Service) I'm not convinced it is required and can't find anything official to state you do need certified copies. Unless someone wants to post a link or contents of an email from the BIA to prove me wrong..

[joebloggs]

As a guide, you should include the following:

* Your original birth certificate.
* Your original marriage certificate (if you are married) or your original civil partnership certificate (if you have registered a civil partnership).
* Recent bank statements or savings books for your sponsor and evidence of your sponsor's employment in the UK, which could include payslips to show what financial support you have.
* Evidence of your accommodation, such as a mortgage agreement or rental agreement, and evidence that you and your dependants can stay in this accommodation if it is rented or provided by your local authority.
* Letters from you and your sponsor that are relevant to your application.
* If you have been married or in a civil partnership before, one of the following original documents:
o a divorce certificate
o a final dissolution order, or
o your or your sponsor's previous husband's, wife's or civil partner's death certificate
* Evidence that your sponsor is settled in the UK. (This can be a copy of their passport or registration certificate that has been confirmed as a true copy, in other words 'certified').


http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf4husbandswivespartners

[pumpkins]

thanks guys..you all are very helpful:Wave:
i will tell to my husband to make it certified
thanks again...

:cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12:

[joebloggs]

it's worth spending £20+ and getting pages certified, than risk a delay or refusal of your visa app, the cost and time you could lose, its not worth it.

thou i don't know anyone who has been refused for not sending cert copies, but one of the major reasons why visa apps are refused is for sending an uncompleted visa app, so maybe it could be classed as that if some case worker wanted to be a :censored:.

[IainBusby]

There seems to be mixed opinions whether certified copies are required or not - I did question this in in my first post.

Historically I guess it was important, but now passports and UK entry/exit is held electronically (even the DVLA can confirm your identity with the Identity and Passport Service) I'm not convinced it is required and can't find anything official to state you do need certified copies. Unless someone wants to post a link or contents of an email from the BIA to prove me wrong..

Well all I can say is that when my wife applied in July 2006, she submitted high resolution scans of the required pages of my passport which had been printed off on a colour laser printer and I didn't get the scans certified in anyway. This seemed to suffice at that time.

There was no way I was sending off or handing over my passport to any organisation in the Philippines and that includes VACS (as it was then) or the British Embassy.

Iain.

[darren-b]

it's worth spending £20+ and getting pages certified, than risk a delay or refusal of your visa app, the cost and time you could lose, its not worth it.

thou i don't know anyone who has been refused for not sending cert copies, but one of the major reasons why visa apps are refused is for sending an uncompleted visa app, so maybe it could be classed as that if some case worker wanted to be a :censored:.

I think they would need other reasons to reject you because as a British citizen providing the number of your current passport to the authority that issued it should be enough to prove settlement which is all that you are required to do (providing certified copies of passports is not mandatory).

[joebloggs]

(providing certified copies of passports is not mandatory).

but where does it state that ?

i've just posted a link that states, Evidence that your sponsor is settled in the UK. (This can be a copy of their passport or registration certificate that has been confirmed as a true copy, in other words 'certified').


whether case workers enforce that or not, it's written in the guidance notes on the HO website. whether you ignore it or not, that's up to you, just as you could ignore any other guidance on there, but if you get a refusal or a letter asking for further evidence/info then that's your own fault for not following the guidance notes:doh

but i agree, its not enough reason on its own for refusal, but if there are other reasons, then maybe sending an uncompleted app will also be mentioned, as i've said its one of the major reasons for refusal. but say you sent only 3 bank statement, no certified copy of your passport then you're chance of refusal for sending a uncompleted app must increase.

just do what they ask, and like 90% of people on here, you will get your visa :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[darren-b]

but where does it state that ?

Err... It doesn't state that you must provide a certified copy of the sponsor's passport... It just states that you should provide evidence that your sponsor is settled in the UK which can be a certified copy of the sponsor's passport (note the words should and can..). And for a British citizen born and bred there are better ways for the ECO to confirm your status in the UK than looking at a photocopy of a document which potentially could have been forged.

[pumpkins]

ok ok ok ..boys settle down

i have read from the other members here that they have not submitted a certified true copy of sponsor's passport but still granted a visa..
but in my case, i want to be very careful for my spouse application so we will do what is the best and dont want to take a risk..and also as long as possible we will give additional relevant information to avoid the interview..
we still have 1 month and 1 week to gather all documents so we still have lot of time to prepare, my husband will start to compose letter of support tomorrow ...
so wish me luck guys:Jump::Jump::Jump:

:cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12::cwm12:

[joebloggs]

And for a British citizen born and bred there are better ways for the ECO to confirm your status in the UK than looking at a photocopy of a document which potentially could have been forged.

you mean a uncertified forged copy of a passport :Erm:

that's why they ask for a certified copy :D, and what better evidence of nationality or id do you have than a passport ?

pumpkins we are not like some filipino women who would want blood by now :cwm3:, darren his his opinion , i have mine :Hellooo:

:ARsurrender:

[joebloggs]

(note the words should and can..)

yes i did.. (This can be a copy of their passport or registration certificate that has been confirmed as a true copy, in other words 'certified').

but did you notice the word 'or' :D

anyway the best immigration web sites, will tell you to send a certified copy.

so peace to all :icon_lol:

take it easy, i'm not going to argue over 'can be' or 'or' :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Ji&Ma]

No need for a solicitor - your husband can go to his bank and ask for the "true copy" of his passport and other documents. They will be stamped and signed as "true" by his bank manager.
That's what we did - no problems at all and it was for free :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Arthur Little]

my husband will be here with me when i submit my application this october,he told me to have his original passport but will they give it back the same day we will submit my application,coz he will only stay here 3 weeks he need his passport flight back to uk..how does it work?
thanks darrenB..God Bless

In OUR case, my wife merely presented [uncertified] black & white *Xerox copies of the relevant pages in my passport. *These were retained by VFS, and the passport returned to her there and then ... or, I SHOULD say, after the counter clerkess had had a cursory glance :cwm25: through it (and at ME!).

[Arthur Little]

No need for a solicitor ...

:iagree: ... why bother giving yourselves any needless extra expense :NoNo: on top of all you've ALREADY incurred ... ???

And Good Luck with your application. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[darren-b]

you mean a uncertified forged copy of a passport :Erm:

that's why they ask for a certified copy :D, and what better evidence of nationality or id do you have than a passport ?

pumpkins we are not like some filipino women who would want blood by now :cwm3:, darren his his opinion , i have mine :Hellooo:

:ARsurrender:

I could quite quickly produce you a 'certified' copy of a passport. The ECO would have two options to check if it's a forgery - either phone up the certifier or just access a copy of the passport from their system using the passport number. It's 100% certain that they are going to check the sponsor's passport/immigration records anyway so the certification of the photocopy is actually meaningless.

And the fact that people on here haven't bothered to certify their copies proves it isn't mandatory.

It's slightly different if you have a non-UK passport...

[thejarvs]

Pumkins as your husband will be there when you make your application all you need to do is photocopy the pages and present the original for imidiate return as Arthur did.

If the original passport wasn't going to be there at application then certified copys would be the only option.