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

[Alcpone]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me if the house layout plan has to be done by a professional or can I do it and print it out myself? Also the letter from my boss, does anyone have a layout I could go off of what needs to be included. Also I don't get a energy bill monthly, but I can do a screen print of how much I have paid for my energy though, will this be enough detail? I don't have a TV licence as I refuse to fund them for you know what.

Many thanks

[rasg]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me if the house layout plan has to be done by a professional or can I do it and print it out myself? Also the letter from my boss, does anyone have a layout I could go off of what needs to be included. Also I don't get a energy bill monthly, but I can do a screen print of how much I have paid for my energy though, will this be enough detail? I don't have a TV licence as I refuse to fund them for you know what.

I never supplied a house layout plan. Just supplied a copy of my mortgage statement, a photo of the house and explained that it is a three bedroomed maisonette and how many people were living in the house. You definitely don't need a layout plan done by a pro.

If this is for a settlement visa your GF no longer needs a reason to return. Presumably why you are posting on the Settlement visa sticky? Better to start a new post or ask a mod to move this.

All my energy bills are online. I just printed one out but it wasn't to show energy usage. It was just to supply a household bill. AND you don't need a TV license. Your bank statements will show money going out for energy.

[Flip]

I didn't provide a layout plan....... just a statement and enclosure 'I live alone in a 3 bedroom house, copy of my council tax bill enclosed'

[Alcpone]

A settlement visa is for your spouse isnt it? as she is settling here with me. I thought they were the same? I am probably getting myself confused. I just read through the guide and assumed this was what I needed for my wife! Oh well atleast I dont have to get my artist skills on the go and I can take plenty photos and print out my energy bill from online, I just want to get everything right first time and this is all I can find to point me in the right direction. Thanks for the reply

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[rasg]

Also the letter from my boss,

I've just reread your post and you say a letter from your boss and not your wife's boss. Yes you do need your employment info.

A settlement visa is for your spouse isnt it

Yes it is.

Your wife will need a TB test and an English test. If the visa is just for your wife you need to prove an annual income if £18600 per year. As you are employed you will need your work contract, payslips, bank statements, proof of accommodation and proof of relationship.

You need to complete form VAF4A and Appendix 2.

[Franky74]

Great post. I have not read it all but will when I have time.

i am sure this has been answered.....

i have been with the wife 11 years and married 2 and a half. We have an 8 year old who has both her passports. I'm a Brit national. I have not worked in the uk since 1999 and not paid tax since then bar a few short contract jobs, the last being about 6 years ago.
I have lived in Thailand all this time working in the Middle East on rotation. Although we current,y live in Hong Kong.
The wife, daughter and myself want to return and live in the UK. They have both been before and love it.

i should be getting a job in the UK that covers the financial side of things for the wife's visa. How long would i need to work in the same job with the same company before we can start the application? Some have told me 6 months other say 12 because I have not been in the uk working for such a long time?

thanks

[johnnie]

6 months..

I have been away for 9 years but have been back for just over 6 months and just applied for a settlement visa for the wife..

[Franky74]

thanks mate

[Rsmith89]

Hi Everyone,

Ive read through as much as i possibly can and i have probably missed exactly what im asking for so joint point me in the right direction if need be

Me and my Thai other half got married last month and ive been looking at visa companies to help us with a settlement visa. That was until i came across this website and forums!

Theres so much dedicated and detailed info on here i couldnt believe it!

Anyway, so im self employed (im the director of my own company) i understand that my wife will need a TB test and an English test that ive gathered from this thread.

However as supporting docs for my income what would i need?

I was PAYE up until June of last year (2016) then i changed to being self employed (director of company) in July 2016 and have been since. Now i have found out i will need an SA302 from my self assessment in April but i just wanted to know does it matter ive not traded through my company for a whole year?

Plus just a quick one that i know you must get all the time but the opening thread (step by step on what to do for a settlement visa) is that still relevant for use today?

Appreciate the help in advance guys

Richie

[rasg]

Hi Everyone,

Ive read through as much as i possibly can and i have probably missed exactly what im asking for so joint point me in the right direction if need be

Me and my Thai other half got married last month and ive been looking at visa companies to help us with a settlement visa. That was until i came across this website and forums!

Theres so much dedicated and detailed info on here i couldnt believe it!

Anyway, so im self employed (im the director of my own company) i understand that my wife will need a TB test and an English test that ive gathered from this thread.

However as supporting docs for my income what would i need?

I was PAYE up until June of last year (2016) then i changed to being self employed (director of company) in July 2016 and have been since. Now i have found out i will need an SA302 from my self assessment in April but i just wanted to know does it matter ive not traded through my company for a whole year?

Plus just a quick one that i know you must get all the time but the opening thread (step by step on what to do for a settlement visa) is that still relevant for use today?

Appreciate the help in advance guys

Richie

You really don't need a visa company. There is a wealth of knowledge on here and people who have been through it who are happy to help.

When do you plan on submitting the visa? I can help you with the self employment side but not that you don't have a set of annual accounts yet and I have no clue about limited companies. If you are relying on your self employed status you need a set of accounts, bank statements for the year that have been validated by the bank unless they are original statements. If you print off online statements, either get a letter from your bank to say they are valid or staple each month together and get your local bank branch to stamp the front page of each month. Santander were fine about it for me. You also need your SA302 from the tax man.

Others will no doubt chime in if they know if you can use a part year of self employed accounts or if you use your figures from your previous role as a director of a company. I just emailed the financial requirements for the visa to my accountant and left to for him to do it.

You need an income of £18600 as a minimum.

Presumably you were married in Thailand? If so the visa lasts for 33 months and you have to pay £600 for the NHS surcharge first and then pay for the visa. The visa is priced in US dollars so you get zapped on the exchange rate.

The TB test is a bit of a faff. Your wife has to go to the IOM building after making the appointment. Get an early appointment if you can. You pay 3300 baht and they will send your wife to one of three hospitals for the XRay. The closest is the Christian hospital about 400 metres away. Your wife will then have to go back and pick up her certificate if the XRay is fine. It can take most of the day and they close quite early. The reason an early appointment is better.

The English test minimum needed is A1 but depending on your wife's English it's better to go better than A1 if possible. The Goverment changed the goalposts last year and my wife has to do A2 before her next FLR visa. If your wife's English is good enough for B1 it should carry her through to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). If the Goverment don't change the goalposts...

[Rsmith89]

This is what i mean about help from this site! Unbelievable!

ive spoke to that many friends and 'visa experts' and with one answer i get so much info thank you!

Well we are just looking to get it done as soon as possible but i dont mind taking my time to get it as perfect as i possibly can really wanna get it right first time if i can.

Ye we were married in thailand. How do you go about paying the NHS surcharge? and do you know roughly how much the Embassy Fee is for the visa?

Her english is good but i think A1 would be her level. She not confident enough for A2 looking at some of the questions she'd be asked. But do you think that will be enough?

To be honest i dont think i will need my business accounts because that is not my personal wage. My SA302 will show my income and tax so i would imagine that to be enough along with my personal bank statements showing my wage coming in each month.

My business account is only online its not a major bank so they dont have a branch everything is done online. Obviously i can print all my statements but im not sure if that will hold up? But what do you mean by relying on my self employed status? Sorry i really am a novice!

[rasg]

This is what i mean about help from this site! Unbelievable!

ive spoke to that many friends and 'visa experts' and with one answer i get so much info thank you!

Well we are just looking to get it done as soon as possible but i dont mind taking my time to get it as perfect as i possibly can really wanna get it right first time if i can.

Ye we were married in thailand. How do you go about paying the NHS surcharge? and do you know roughly how much the Embassy Fee is for the visa?

Her english is good but i think A1 would be her level. She not confident enough for A2 looking at some of the questions she'd be asked. But do you think that will be enough?

To be honest i dont think i will need my business accounts because that is not my personal wage. My SA302 will show my income and tax so i would imagine that to be enough along with my personal bank statements showing my wage coming in each month.

My business account is only online its not a major bank so they dont have a branch everything is done online. Obviously i can print all my statements but im not sure if that will hold up? But what do you mean by relying on my self employed status? Sorry i really am a novice!

It's not a problem. My wife sent through the same process last year so the memory is all very fresh although we were married in the UK.

NHS surcharge is here:

https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/pay

The cost of the visa is $1554 USD.

It's about £150 a pop for a language test. I wish my wife had done the A2 but it is a little more difficult than the A1. The categorisations of the tests etc are different if they are taken in Thailand. Someone else needs to chime in on that one.

You still need to validate your bank statements in the way I mentioned earlier. You will need your contract of employment, a P60 and wage slips.

You didn't say when you intend applying. Costs seem to go up every year in March/April time. Has your visited the UK before? If you have applied before a lot of the work is done, if you kept the info. You will still need to prove your relationship etc that you do for a VV. The only real difference is your wife no longer needs a reason to return but the financial info etc that you need to supply is far more in depth.

Go here and register an account, create a new application and take a look at what is required.

https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/home/welcome

Here is also a link to appendix 2 that you will have to complete manually as a fillable PDF. Almost all the same as the online form with more questions.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/270484/VAF4A-Appendix2.pdf

[Rsmith89]

Brilliant thank you!

Well we cant apply until i get my SA302 untill after April but we were hoping to get the vast majority of the tests/paper work done before then really and then apply around the end of april start of may all being well.

Thanks for that i will get an account set up and see what we need to do.

So can the application and appendix be done online and then just printed off?

Also does the visa4uk site state what the financial requirements are?

[rasg]

The application is done online. Appendix 2 needs downloading as a PDF. It is a fillable form on your computer so you can type into it but they occasionally go a bit odd. Print it out, sign it and staple it together. Or you can print it off and write on it, sign it and staple it.

For just your wife it is £18600 per annum.

[Gary & Nok]

Not having used the visa4uk website (but seen a lot about it on here) can anyone confirm that once signed up and starting to fill in a form do you have to make sure you sign in at least every 7 days to keep that form active?

Perhaps a confirmation/denial from someone.