₦airaland Forum

jangolo:
Hey sorry I am also meant to have my court wedding in January I wanted to enquire if you had to book the date of the wedding several weeks in advance or after the marriage counselling you booked for the next day? I have been there several times and they told me I can book for the day after the marriage counselling in January but I don't know with them people, they can say one thing today and another thing the next day.

We paid the fast track fee(N55000) that way we were the ones that chose the counselling date(17th) and wedding date(18th)...so yes booked those days about a week in advance. Greasing palms tend to get results faster!! we were quite lucky cos everything went smoothly, in and out straight away with zero delay and everyone was quite polite and nice(especially to oyinbo wife). Arrived back on friday 18th(exactly a month after our wedding), Immigration officer at Gatwick did not even ask for my TB certificate, he was more interested in my accent! Grilled me thoroughly but became very friendly once he was satisfied lol.

jangolo:
Congrats! I am def using the priority service. Please share your document list. Thanks!

Evidence Items

TAB A
1. Online application form (+ housemate IDs)
2. Appendix 2 VAF Financial requirements form
3. Applicant Nigerian passport
4. Spouse British passport
5. Applicant birth certificate (court affadavit)
6. Spouse birth certificate (certified copy)
7. Marriage certificate
8. English Language Exam Certificate (from Trinity College, London)
9. TB Screening results
10. Applicant statement
11. Spouse statement

TAB B(went down the savings route)
12. Signed declaration by Spouse about source of savings
13. – 33. Financial evidence including
a. Letters from bank relating to each account and minimum amount held in each account for last 6 months.
b. Certificate of Investment for ISAs (covering last 2 years)
c. Customer statement for last 6 months- printed out and stamped by bank
d. Letters to confirm opening of accounts
e. Passbooks for saving accounts (updated by bank on day before we flew)
f. Annual Promise Statements showing amount in all savings account in last 2 years

TAB C
34. Text messages screen shots from 2012
35. Text messages screen shots from 2013
36. Text messages screen shots from 2014
37. Text messages screen shots from 2015
38. Wedding invitations addressed to Applicant and Spouse
39. Cards
a. Spouse to applicant – 6 month anniversary
b. Spouse to applicant – Christmas
c. Spouse to applicant – Valentine’s day
d. Spouse to applicant – Valentine’s day
e. Spouse to applicant – moving in together
f. Applicant to spouse – birthday
g. Applicant to spouse – 6 month anniversary
h. Applicant to spouse – Valentine’s day
i. Applicant to spouse – Valentine’s day
j. Wedding invite and thank you card from friends addressed to applicant and spouse
k. Christmas card from housemate addressed to applicant and spouse
l. Engagement congratulations from friend addressed to applicant and spouse
m. Engagement congratulations from friend addressed to applicant and spouse
40. Applicant’s cinema and festival tickets
41. Spouse’s cinema and festival tickets (matching)
42. Spouse’s family Christmas letter 2013

TAB D
43. Tenancy Agreement
44. Letter from landlady
45. Energy statement with spouse and applicant’s names (Oct 2015)
46. Council tax bill in spouse and applicant’s names (2015-16)
47. Council tax bill in spouse and applicant’s names (2015-16)
48. Internet statements in spouse’s name (Sept 2014; Sept 2015)
49. Bank statement in spouse’s name
50. Water bills in spouse’s name (2014; 2015)

TAB E
51. Support statement from spouse’s parents
52. Support statement from current housemate
53. Support statement from friend
54. Support statement from previous housemate
55. Support statement from friend
56. Support statement from friend
57. Support statement from spouse’s sister
58. Support statement from applicant’s cousin

TAB F
59. Photographs (80)
60. Wedding photos (5)

We gathered as much evidence as we could within a month, struggled a bit with address related evidence but its about trying to tick all or as many boxes as one can and not leaving room for a refusal. Also I should mention that I had overstayed my visa for years but I explained everything in my statement(absolute honesty is paramount). Good luck to you mate and all other applicants out there.

Oreskid:
Congratulations, got mine today too at Ikeja TLS today @ noirAlex

Congrats mate, flying soon? Oh btw are you by chance the guy who asked me if i was in a queue at the collection centre and I said "nah I think it's random"?

Portsmouth86:
Wow congratulations to you both in time for Christmas too

Anytime I like to help all I can and where possible, starting to wish we did priority now

I'm sure my husband will get a decision soon, I've been pretty good with the constant checking the tls for updates as I've pretty much been working all through and on nights I rarely think about the application ...I just research a lot while waiting for time to pass so now I'd say I'm clued up on the Surinder Singh route incase we need to go that route

Best of luck to you both and may all your dreams come true and here's to a prosperous New year 2016

Karen

Spending Christmas together is priceless!
Going priority is definitely worth it, all digits crossed for your husband! well be glad you've got the distraction of work, i have been indoors since i got to lagos and all i've been doing in that time is refreshing my inbox and the tls page religiously, read up every info i could find online(maybe i should start my own immigration advice firm haha)!
We did not have a back up plan as she was quite confident, but i read up on the SS route as well and it seems a very viable alternative, tbh though i've seen your evidence list and i believe you will definitely get a positive outcome. Stay strong and bury yourself in work(i did nights too for years so i know all'bout that lol).

Good luck to you both too, have a most wonderful christmas and a joy filled 2016.

Hello everyone, I've been following this thread silently for a few months now and I can't even start listing all the facts and bits of info I've picked up on here...@Justwise, @Portsmouth86, @Lexusgs430 and @Oreskid your posts have been very very helpful please keep up the brilliant job!!! Now to share my timeline with you guys. Note I started evidence collection and application in the UK before traveling to lagos with my sponsor/fiancée(now wifey). We paid a most brilliant lawyer(nasty and expensive but bloody good) who did a fantastic job. Anyway here's our timeline


Monday 16th November had TB test at the Migration Health Assessment Centre (MHAC)
Lagos

Tuesday 17th November had pre marriage Counselling and meeting at the Ministry of Interior Marriage Registry
Ikoyi Lagos.

Wednesday the 18th of November
Got married at Ikoyi Marriage Registry.

Thursday 19 November 2015, 10:00am Appointment at
Teleperformance Ikeja Lagos (Got there half an hour late so paid for premium lounge)
Also Paid for PRIORITY SERVICE!

Monday 23rd November sent supporting documents from London to Sheffield via Royal Mail next day recorded delivery with tracking number
Supporting documents arrive at Sheffield on Tuesday 24th November at 7:23am.

Thursday 3rd December sponsor received email stating that decision has been made and that we will be notified sometime in the next 48 hours.

Tuesday 8th December received another email stating that decision has been made and Passport despatched.

Monday 14th December received email from Tlscontact that passport is ready for pick-up.

Picked up passport on Tuesday 15th December, lo and behold inside it was my shiny Spouse Visa!!!!

The decision making took just 8 days from when application was received which I believe is down to paying for priority service and also having a well prepared and indexed application. The wait and not knowing is ridiculously stressful but can look forward to honeymooning and planning the church wedding in quaint Cranleigh. Good luck to @Portsmouth86 and all others awaiting a decision, I will still be active on here so can answer questions. Cheers