₦airaland Forum

abubarakat:
Yes, there is.

Here is the link: https://www.nairaland.com/3253552/applying-flr-after-initial-uk

Thank you

Hello people,

Please is there a separate thread for those who are applying for extension of their spouse visa?

Thanks

Fifi123:
Hi everyone
I have a little question or we can say problem
I'm now in uk with a spouse visa, my husband is getting benefits from government cause of his disability.
I found a job here which I'll start working soon
But the point is the government will cut off all or part of his benefits.
Plus I'm still looking forward the next visa, if they stop his benefits, how can he support and sponsor me in my next stage of visa!
How and what can you advise me please.

Hello,

They look at household income so as long as the income from your own job meets the income threshold, then you guys are fine as it doesn't matter who earns the income once you're here in the UK. What matters is there's an income that meets the threshold.

I hope this helps!

Portsmouth86:
1. Please see the post I added you in.
2. You will need a valid passport so yes, you will need to replace it.
3. yes, and from October 2016 the FLR English exam is changing to A2.

Thank you so much @Portsmouth86!

Hello Portsmouth86 and all,

Please I have a few questions as I'm due for FLR in 2017:

1. Must my spouse and I have utility bills in both our names as all utility bills are in my spouses name?

2. My passport will expire about 5 months after the current spouse visa expires, do I need to get a new passport before applying for FLR?

3. Do I need to sit for an English Test again for the FLR application?

Thank you very much and I look forward to your response(s).

Portsmouth86:
I have an update on our baby that's due in December ITS A BOY !!!!!!...here's his pose im soooo in love

Congratulations!!!

Hello everyone,

Please do I need to take another English Language test for the 2nd spouse visa?

Lexusgs430:
Apply for a new passport. It takes only 7 days after application to receive it.
But the issue is getting an interview date (it could take almost a month for an interview date), not unless you know someone that knows someone in the passport office.

Thank you Lexusgs430

Hello Justwise and everyone,

My 1st 33 months spouse visa is expiring in May 2017 which means I need to apply for FLR(M) which is for 30 months latest by April 2017 but my passport will be expiring in October 2017. So here's my question:

Do i need to get a new passport before applying for my FLR in April or the current passport which is expiring in October 2017 will suffice?

Thank you very much for your response(s)

justwise:
Will you be sponsoring the trip in total?

Thank you ever so much justwise. Yes I am sponsoring in total.

Hello Justwise,

Please could you advise me on the list of supporting documents I need to send to my sister to visit me in the UK?

Looking forward to your response and many thanks!

justwise:
Use the name in her official documents

Thank you

Hello justwise, please I need an advise on the below.

I want to invite my sister to the UK but the issue is, when you applied in the past the name she stated for our mum is different from the name I use normally though the surname is the same just the 1st and middle names. Please how do we address this on the application?

Thank you and I look forward to your prompt response.

Lasmab:
Thank you dammy...
I had a supporting statement submitted also, but it was drafted by lawyer. But I am going to write the statement on my own as you advice this time.
Well, we're looking to do another application in summer, but money has been a problem though.
Thank you so much, your response has made my day..

Yes please write the statements yourself and make it as detailed as you can remember and I pray God's favour for you. Xx

Lasmab:
Hey dammylizzy.
I need to ask this question since you had the similar case in the past.

What kind of supporting doc you put with your first and second application before got refused?
*** Did you write any statement to explain the whole story along with those applications? ***
How long did you waited before putting second application in, while your first application was refused?

Although, I remembered you said you had to wait for like 2yrs after all those are came unsuccessful, before submitted the third application and was granted at the end.

Thank you. God bless you, you have been so kind with your responses and helps...

Dear Lasmab,

I'm sorry for the late response. I've been offline for a bit. Now to your questions....

I submitted the same supporting documents I had always sent with my application like marriage certificate, pictures taken before and during courtship, wedding pictures, birthday cards given to each other, utility bills, educational certificates, employment documentations for both of us, bb, Whatsapp and email chat history and the list goes on...

With each of the application, we had supporting statements submitted but they were drafted by the solicitors. The last application had supporting statement as well but I wrote that myself giving a storytelling like report. I explained everything that happened in my own words.

The intervals between the applications were due to the number of months each application and appeals took and availability of funds. The 2year wait was our own personal decision, it had nothing to do with the embassy. We could have applied during those 2years but we didn't due to the amount of money spent already.

I hope this helps.

Lasmab:
Apart from explaining the whole issues raised on Paragraph 320(11) as a statement. What is the other compassionate circumstance that made your case successful e.g. Did you get the child involved with your genuine and subsisting relationship?
Thank you.

I didn't get a child involved as we don't have any yet but I made reference to starting a family explaining that it hasn't been possible because of the separation. As i said earlier, give them the whole truth and explain the strain the separation is putting on your marriage.

Also, remember God will do it in His own time so just keep praying!

Lasmab:
@ Dammylizzy, juswise, girlfio and others
We have taken from your advice to take a break from going Upper Tribunal, the first Tier didn't permit to UT.
Please dammylizzy I want your guidance, regarding to what else we could do to make our case stronger, although we're going to have a child together. But due to your own experiences on Paragraph 320(11). We are looking to make afresh application now. Please i need your thorough advice.
I know you finally granted at the end.
Thank you all, for your support.

On paragraph 320(11), the decision is at the discretion of the ECO. My advise is to address every single issue raised under this paragraph by explaining what happened, how, when and where if possible. You see, they have a good knowledge of people's acts in the past so saying it all is giving yourself a good chance of being granted the visa.

I hope this helps.

ineedhimbadly:
@Dammylizzy - really trying to understand your case but it's quite difficult and complex. You waited six years, it was not home office who told you to wait six years, no one told you to take a break for two in a half years and you had dodgy lawyers aswell, we had the same lawyer for the past year. If we do not win at upper tribunal we will try and apply again and will write a hand written statement from myself and my husband apologising for his offences if we get to the upper tribunal. This whole thing is about patience, can I ask why you did not go through the whole process, such as the main application, 19 week deadline, first tier tribunal and upper tier tribunal? I know it is really expensive process especially if you are in London. So what was you doing for those two in half years in Nigeria?

Why take a break? Is that not giving up? If it's because of money I understand but if not please say why. People have accused is of not being honest but the funny thing is we have been very honest from day 1 which was over a year ago. He admitted everything to the home office in the main application.

I understand exactly how you are feeling at the moment as I've been there before and trust me, it wasn't easy but God's grace kept both myself and my spouse. Now back to your questions; I was not asked to take a break from applying and Infact every solicitor we met wanted us to keep applying and look forward to winning an appeal but after the 3 refusals, we decided it was time for me to settle in Nigeria and start working to show that I'm not desperate to leave Nigeria.

Each application took between 8 to 9 months and that's with all the 3 appeal processes. So the 3 applications were over 3years. Infact in one of the applications we got the MP to write a letter which we submitted with the application but still got refused.

I want you to understand just as others have said that the home office is aware of all the wrong doings but they wouldn't just give the visa to someone who had misused their previous visa so they make you go through hell and they also make use of the delay to see the genuineness of your relationship. I took up a job in Nigeria and just focused on that while my spouse visits as often as possible.

Taking a break does not mean giving up, it just means you can also survive in another country and shows you're not too desperate to move out of Nigeria. The last application I did was with ease as I showed them I'm not coming to be a burden to the economy but coming to add to the growth as a professional in a certain field. I showed how comfortable I am in Nigeria but only need to go back because of my spouse and family life as my spouse is not ready to come and stay in Nigeria because of his strong ties to the UK.

I pray for grace for both of you and trust God to direct you in the direction to go.

Lasmab:
Did you try to appeal those 3 applications? The 19weeks period. And did you try to let your case go to First-tier tribunal, before you decided to take a break?

Yes I appealed the 3 times which took over 19 weeks each and yes I did go to First-tier tribunal before taking a break.

Lasmab:
@dammylizzy.
Did you refused on any other paragraph apart from 320(11)? Because I am confused why it took you 6 years?
Were you refused on conviction charge, which is worst in the case of 320(11)?
Concerning the 3 applications you said that was refused: I'm sure you meant your initial application, 19weeks appeal, First-Tier Tribunal, how long did all these take?
Did your case went to Upper Tribunal and what was the out-come?

And you mentioned that, you have to make another application and then declared your immigration history before your visa was granted. Please I need a thorough explanation, because I have already declared my offenses on my initial application, and home office knew everything about my immigration history. Even before I left voluntarily I sent a letter to home office that, we are going to Nigeria to get married and the letter was acknowledge by office home. They knew this before I left the country.

Did you meet the relationship requirement, financial requirement, accommodation, English requirement.

The reasons why I'm asking is that, I met all these requirements.

Thanks.

I was not on any conviction charges but my case was more of an overstayer who encountered immigration officer at the airport travelling with a travel document. It took over 6 years because after the 1st 3 attempts, I decided to take a break and didn't apply for almost 2 and half years. I was served with IS15a at the airport on that day but I didn't know the implication of that then and the 3 different solicitors I used seemed not to have a clue either so instead of addressing the reasons for refusal, they just write about 3 pages of additional statement quoting laws and rights which I realised does not go down well with the ECOs especially if they've got something on you.

I never went to upper tribunal because of the length of time the whole appeal process takes as the least I had was 7 months. So when I was ready to re-apply, I just addressed the issues one after the other, submitted an apology letter and the visa was granted.

Mind you, I have always submitted an apology letter but for some reasons I don't know, they still refused the applications then. I believe these guys know when you've told the whole truth but sometimes play the delay games on you just to frustrate you or something.

Yes I met all requirements and had always met all the requirements even before the English test came into force. Let me assure you that each case is decided on its merits as the only thing that was different in the last application was the fact that I addressed each reasons.

ineedhimbadly:
@ Justwise - Using someone else passport to gain entry into the country, however this all comes under paragraph 320. Please give us some advice.

Is there anyone out there whose been to the upper tribunal and won and if not where does it go after the upper tribunal?

With refusal under paragraph 320(11), I would advise you not to waste your time and resources on upper tribunal. All you need to do is re-apply and address each reasons for refusal one after the other by telling the whole truth no matter how bad it is. Believe me when I say you don't need a solicitor to do this for you as no one can tell your story better than you, so please save your money!

I was refused 3 times under the same paragraph and they kept saying I didn't address the reasons for refusal and just kept refusing. I made use of 3 different solicitors who didn't have the time to write my history but on the 4th attempt, myself and my spouse decided to address the reasons one after the other without the use of a solicitor and the visa was approved straight from application and not through an appeal. It took us over 6 years to take this approach and God made it happen. So if there's anything I can say more is that, address the issues, tell the whole truth without holding back, pray and trust God for His mercy and favour!

shelair1: I will like to thank everyone in this forum who contributed one way or the other to my success, Girlflo, ikato, Dunique, Hoperallone etc. I pray that God Almight will grant all of us our visas @ Hopeforallone it take up to a month, but you can call the tribunal to find out what is going on.
I have finally collected my passport on the 29th and travelled the same day. I am sooo thankful to God. You can imagine that all the while sheffield didnt email until yesterday. @ Dammylizzy I was not asked to present any tb certificate.

Okay, thank you.

bassy10113: Cux they sent my original tb test to my husband...hope that doesn't mean my visaa wasn't granted....plz wat document did dey send back to u...

They sent back all documents in my name. Just hold on till you get your package, I'm sure they're returning every other documents to you with your passport. I was at exactly where you are about a week ago worrying about what could be and not but in the end, I got my visa. So just wait till you hear from them and don't assume your visa is not granted. You shall hear good news by God's grace.

bassy10113: Sup dammy...did they send the tb certificate to u or sent it with the supporting document.

They actually sent all my husband's documents and just my driver's licence to him but sent every other documents to me in Nigeria including the TB cert.

Hello all, my TB certificate expired on 12th of April and I'm set to travel in few weeks time. Do I need to take the TB test again or the expired certificate will suffice as I know it would be requested for at the POE? Thanks!

Bolssos: Congratulations wish you a happy trip back to your family..you can change the Received package date...Thanks

Oh thank you, package received on 26/09/14.

bassy10113: Congrats dammylizzy...did ur status changed or u just went to Vac to check?....how many weeks in total.

Sorry, I forgot to give the timeline.

Application submitted on 14/04/14
Documents received in Sheffield on 16/04/14
Received package on 26/11/14
Visa issued on 27/08/14.

bassy10113: Congrats dammylizzy...did ur status changed or u just went to Vac to check?....how many weeks in total.

@bassy10113 thank you! I actually didn't check but got a text and email from VFS that the application was ready for collection.

dammylizzy: Thank you @griflo! The status hasn't changed online and I'm not sure if it's worth to visit the VAC for update.

Praise God! I picked up my packet today and got my spouse visa! Thank you everyone for information shared on this forum. The waiting is over for me and shall be over for every other person waiting soon by God's grace. Amen.

@Willwin, please what's your own experience? Also @Damyoyepitan, was your application refused or what? Thank you all!

Thank you @griflo! The status hasn't changed online and I'm not sure if it's worth to visit the VAC for update.

Good afternoon all, my spouse has received our documents from Sheffield and noticed that some of our documents were not returned even though photocopies were provided. Although I haven't received my passport here in Nigeria. Please could you advise on how to request for these documents? Thank you!