What are the savings supposed to be for?!

[DaveUK]

As everybody who's been through the process of a fiance/spouse visa knows, you have to have a certain level of savings.

I've always assumed (or maybe read on here) that it's to supplement your monthly disposable income in the event of any financial emergency, etc. Am I right?

Reason for asking is, after printing off my bank statements for the visa app, I then ended up using that savings to pay for the visa, the flights, a Nintendo Wii , etc to the point that by the time Yam landed at Heathrow airport with her visa, I had nothing left saved!

Always been curious about that one as for some reason I had this tiny nagging thought in the back of my head while I was stood in arrivals waiting for Yam that someone might suddenly come over to me and ask me to prove I still had savings in my account or they wouldn't let her in to the country! As we had no problems with getting the visa, I think I was convinced something had to come out of left field to spoil things

[joebloggs]

the savings are to reduce the risks of your partner needing 'recourse to public funds'

one time i used my credit card to transfer money to my current account, got the visa and paid it off, also another time i got a loan and did the same

[Arthur Little]

Understandably, savings will be depleted after flights and visas have been paid for ... so no worries!!!

[DaveUK]

Once Yam was through immigration, I didn't know whether to be happy it didn't matter anymore or be upset that all that money was gone! I'd never saved before I met her so it was a new experience!

[stevewool]

its right dave you do think something will happen after getting this far, the amount we all spend on flights, visas and spending money is a very lot off money and to save that it takes ages, trying to keep it stocked takes time , i put aside so much when we both knew that emma would be coming here , but after the flr, wedding and flights that has all but gone, but that is what it was for , just hope all goes through easy so then its money well spent

[laurel]

the savings are to reduce the risks of your partner needing 'recourse to public funds'

one time i used my credit card to transfer money to my current account, got the visa and paid it off, also another time i got a loan and did the same

This is a good topic for discussion , although i see its mentioned elsewhere.
Im in the same boat , I can get a loan from family , to boost my account for the next few months , with the intention of giving it back once all is sorted...is that ok ,it bugs me cos like everyone else my savings are going on the wedding flights visa etc etc

[joebloggs]

If there are disproportionate deposits and withdrawals in the bank statements, they should be explained in the sponsor's letter.

so i would advise not sending the statement with the large deposit going in your account, that means you'll have to wait for 6 months of statements after you've put the large deposit in.

or another option say you've got £1,000 in your bank but you can't save say £300 or £400 a month but you can save £100 or £200, so what you do is borrow say £200 a month from a friend use that to help you live off (food, petrol etc), so for the next 4,5 or 6 months your saving £400 of your wages in your current account, so you'll have £2,600 or what ever, dont over do it, and save loads of money, or they will get suspicious and wonder what your living off !!! use a bit of commen sense

remember they will be looking at your bank statements !, but a warning even if you've got savings, dont apply if your out goings are greater than your incomings , so you might have to do what i just said if they are

[DaveUK]

With my outgoings, I was concerned about the fact I had a credit card. Even though I knew that I could afford to support Yam and pay the card, I wanted my disposable income to look a bit healthier for each month. I felt if the ECO could see I had a credit card that I was throwing a couple hundred quid a month at, they also may query how much I owed on it.

To get round that issue, for over 6 months I drew out random amounts of cash from the cash machine 4 or 5 times in a month, then at the end of the month, dumped the cash into another account and paid my card that way.

[joebloggs]

i dont think they are that bothered if your paying a credit card off, you could be paying the minimum or you could be paying a set amount, but i know HMRC now have access to credit reference agencies, and now UKBA work closely with HMRC, whether they can access your credit history in the british embassy in the phils, possibly but i doubt they can be

[Piamed]

As everybody who's been through the process of a fiance/spouse visa knows, you have to have a certain level of savings.

I've always assumed (or maybe read on here) that it's to supplement your monthly disposable income in the event of any financial emergency, etc. Am I right?

Reason for asking is, after printing off my bank statements for the visa app, I then ended up using that savings to pay for the visa, the flights, a Nintendo Wii , etc to the point that by the time Yam landed at Heathrow airport with her visa, I had nothing left saved!

Always been curious about that one as for some reason I had this tiny nagging thought in the back of my head while I was stood in arrivals waiting for Yam that someone might suddenly come over to me and ask me to prove I still had savings in my account or they wouldn't let her in to the country! As we had no problems with getting the visa, I think I was convinced something had to come out of left field to spoil things

its been covered more than adequately above but i will add the following: I know several examples where the sponsor had zero balance in the bank and was grossly overdrawn - however they did have regulary salaried income for several years and stated so. additionally, i am aware of cases where bank account details were not submitted at all but details of a strong salaried history with the same employer was submitted.

All the best; it is certainly not as worrying an issue as you might think. Just submit what you can in the best form available to you, and my additional advice is if there are likely to be questions over anything you submit, address the potential query head on in a positive way.

[DaveUK]

Thanks for the info from all you guys.

Piamed, I've got nothing to submit mate as Yam has been here on her spouse visa since May! But I had to ask as it was always a thought that cropped up occassionally and I decided to get it out of my system I'd ask everyone!

[Piamed]

Thanks for the info from all you guys.

Piamed, I've got nothing to submit mate as Yam has been here on her spouse visa since May! But I had to ask as it was always a thought that cropped up occassionally and I decided to get it out of my system I'd ask everyone!

That sheds some light on it Dave, as I thought you were already sorted!!

[somebody]

THe savings should be 2k has been a figure since the Wife and I applied 5 years ago but there is no exact amount I think showing that you have a regular income with a postive bank account should be But as others say it would make sense to have a bout 2K for flights, maybe Hotels and other transport, plus to help the new arrival at home. New clothes, possibly mobile phone, transport season ticket, bathroom and personal hygiene items, cosmetics, cooking implements (due to their personal tastes) buying in new foods and of course to ensure the higher costs with heating, council tax, leccy can all be met as its rare the new arrival will in the first few months be working..