How to Obtain a Settlement Visa for the UK (Revised July 2012)

[Boydio]

I would agree with you, Pasak. The primary requirement is evidence of where you will be staying, which it seems will be at your mother’s. If you can evidence savings comfortably over the £62,500 minimum and evidence of where you will be staying, I would not worry too much about small details around the edges, as these are the two main areas which need covering. Virtually all of the rejections we see here are around the income/savings requirement and in most cases, it’s fair to say it’s because people fall short.

[pasak]

Timbo,

Do you think that a letter from my mother (presumably as a co-sponsor) outlining her willingness to allow my wife and I to live with her in her house (plus floor plan, photos etc) would suffice or would I need to draw up a tenancy agreement with my mother, as suggested below ? If the below is necessary, how would she go about getting copies of the deeds to her house?

She did provide a letter in 2013 which was an informal invitation for my - then g/f, now wife - to stay under a Visitor Visa. It was soaked up by UKVI and presumably therefore valid but would they possibly be more strict when it comes to a Settlement Visa. Thoughts?

• "Accommodation owned by the sponsor (co-sponsor) If the sponsor (co-sponsor) owns the premises, the property deeds should be submitted. If the premises is mortgaged, a letter from the mortgage provider which confirms ownership can be used."
• Update 10 May 2012: Accommodation offered by a co-sponsor
• "We have observed a new strategy for applicants whose accommodation is being provided by a co-sponsor, in many cases the sponsor's parents. Simply put, this strategy is for the sponsor and co-sponsor to execute a proper tenancy agreement. Pro-forma tenancy agreements can be downloaded from the net and they can put shape on to a co-sponsoring arrangement. Monthly rent payments can be as low as 1 pound per month or any other appropriate amount. Sponsors who are using their parents for accommodation should consider executing a tenancy agreement if doing so will help support their application."

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Sorry Boydio, I didn't see your post until after I replied to Timbo. Thanks for your input and what do you think I should do regarding the two options I outline in my latest post?

[Timbo]

I don't think there a right and wrong answer to this one. Personally, I can't see what extra the tenancy agreement adds to the application. I'd be tempted to go with the tried and tested method from 2013. Opinions may differ.

[pasak]

... As long as UKVI's opinion doesn't differ! Seems a bit ugly and over-litigious to be drawing a contract up with my own mum! But the powers that be are increasingly pushing us in that direction.

[Irishfella]

Hello Pasak. Myself and my wife live with my father. My wife obtained her residency visa last month. We included an invitation letter from my father, one photograph of the exterior of the house, a simple floor plan drawn using microsoft word and proof of my fathers ownership. As my father only bought the house last year we already had this. But what you can get is what's called a Proof or Certificate of Title. This is where a solicitor will look at the deeds of the house and write out a simple letter stating he has seen the deeds and that your mother is the sole title holder. This can cost from nothing to £50 depending on the solicitor.

I can forward you a copy of my fathers invitation letter if you wish. Although my father was able to detail his relationship with my wife with photo's as she visited three times previously.

Proving its a bona fide relationship and the minimum income are the main aspects. If you can show evidence that your mother owns the house and you include an invitation letter from her then you should be ok with that end of things.

[Tony G]

I joined this forum to give my whole hearted thanks to Frogster, you are a legend.
I followed your advice step by step and married my Thai fiance in Chonburi during the Military Coup and curfew. We submitted her Settlement Visa application for the UK on 3 June 2014 and received the visa today (6 weeks later). No questions asked and no interview. The best advice Frogster gives (and I back up 100%), you must be prepared to put in the work for your wife and make the documentation tidy and presentable with full indexing. I submitted 3 folders (Personal Documents - House and Finance - Relationship Proof), the relationship folder was the thickest. My wife submitted 2 folders which I did most of the work on (Personal Documents - Relationship Proof).
The best advice I can give you is: Always check (on the Internet) what a Thai person tells you. I think they like to generate work for their fellow countrymen OR they don't know and give you the answer they think is the correct one. The woman that did our translation work, told us that my wife needed a criminal records check. We wasted a whole day only to find out that it was not needed for the UK. We were given lots of advice, often incorrect advice. Be careful, please.
I wish you the best of luck with your visa.

Frogster - you gave us so much advice and I am sure that you have helped many people. Thank you so much for all you have done on here.

[Gary & Nok]

I joined this forum to give my whole hearted thanks to Frogster, you are a legend.
I followed your advice step by step and married my Thai fiance in Chonburi during the Military Coup and curfew.

Welcome to the Forum (as a first time poster if not viewer) Tony.
Congratulations on your success. Hopefully you will stick around to give others a few bits of advice on your experience and of course to pick up on all you need to do for your wife ready for her next visa (never too early to start).
When will she arrive?

[Sweetflute]

Dear Frogster. Thanks you so much for your invaluable advice in this forum. I was married to a Thai national at the beginning of this month and have submitted all the evidence as per your advice. Just waiting to hear now so will keep you all posted.

[Gary & Nok]

Welcome to the Forum Sweetflute.
Congratulations on your marriage and please do come back and let us all know how things go.

[Tom & Nok]

Hello all,

Let me first of all reiterate my very grateful appreciation to that absolute star Frogster who produced such a terrific road map for the spouse settlement visa journey.

I married my lovely wife Nok back in March in Bangkok at the Lak Si Amphur and then we had our traditional Buddhist blessing and wedding celebrations with the in-laws at my wife's aunt's home in delightful Korat.

I've downloaded the many documents from the UKVI web site and we're now putting together the evidence folder for the application for a settlement visa so that my wife can join me in London on a permanent basis. I've already got the rice cooker and mortar & pestle set up back in London, along with a small Buddha (which was blessed by the Abbot from the Wat in Korat during our wedding blessing) in a corner of the living room. Now I just need my wife here!

In some respects I guess that I'm lucky as I can fly out from London to spend every other month with my wife at her condo in Bangkok so this should hopefully help with the evidence to show as part of a "genuine and subsisting relationship". It's certainly quite a paper chase, especially the financial stuff as my banking and savings are done completely online account with Nationwide in the UK. Other hiccups have been the mis-spelling of my first name by the translator of the Thai wedding Khor Ror 2 document but thankfully I spotted this and got it corrected.

I understand that we need to provide proof that I am properly resident and settled in the UK. Our pack already includes the originals of my up to date council tax bill, water rates bill and TV licence, and a copy of my "title of register" for my flat from the Land Registry as proof that I am settled and live in the UK. Thanks to the experiences and insights of Frogster and others on this forum, we've clearly been including a lot of other documentation too.

Now here's the question which I've not been able to find the answer to. I intend to include a photocopy of the personal details page of my UK passport as evidence that I'm a UK citizen etc. Does this need to be certified as a true copy? If so, can I self-certify or does this need to be done by a "responsible person" such as a teacher or do I need to get it done by a lawyer/notary? Also, do I need to photocopy the whole passport or would just the personal info. page be enough?

Many thanks for your help on this.

[Irishfella]

Hello Tom & Nok , I signed my passport myself. I also used online bank statements and got them stamped at my local branch. Hope everything goes well, Michael.

[toddmeister]

Does this need to be certified as a true copy? If so, can I self-certify or does this need to be done by a "responsible person" such as a teacher or do I need to get it done by a lawyer/notary?

I called a solicitors office and asked how much to certify my copies. They quoted £5 but when I went to the office they said don't worry about it and did it for free

[Scot]

I didn't get my passport copy certified, or self-certify it, for my wifes settlement visa, no problems and it was granted. I only copied the data page and and pages with Thai visa stamps.

[stevie57]

post offices can now certify copies of originals for fee up to 3 documents so example 1 passport and all pages 1 rental agreement and all pages 1 council tax letter, etc etc etc . fee £7.15. check post office web site post code search for those that can do it. http://www.postoffice.co.uk/document...cation-service

[pasak]

Hello All and thanks for sharing your experiences.

My wife and I have slowly but surely assembled what we believe to be all the necessary supporting documents for the application (English A1 certificate, TB test, bank statements, evidence of relationship, supporting letters, UK accommodation etc etc) so this morning we completed and saved the UKBA Settlement Visa application online.

Before we submit our application I would like to ask members a few questions.

1. Do I, as sponsor and spouse, need to complete an SU07 form and how is this done?

2. What happens once I (click) 'submit' the application?

3. When do I pay the money and how? I'm guessing that a window will pop up after I click 'submit' asking me for a handsome sum of money. I have a UK Visa Debit Card. Will that be acceptable?

4. I believe the Bangkok address for the UK Visa application centre has changed from Regent House, Rajdamri Road to Trendy Office Building, Sukhumvit 13. Is this correct?

5. I have not been asked anything about my financial status. Is there some other form that should be completed in addition to my wife's online application and if so, where is that form?

6. What is the process and timescale after I submit my application? We are planning on flying together to the UK on 5th November 2014.