Fiancée visa granted....................best gift ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[smileyangel]

Hi Everyone! I’m here again and so happy to inform you guys that a week ago (June 11) I got my original docs and passport back right on my birthday!!!! Seeing my passport with sticker of Marriage Visa inside is indeed the best gift I could ever receive for my birthday this year. Thanks for all your help and support to make our application successful. To return the favor, please allow me to share with you my experience and all the docs that we have submitted, though I know many have shared theirs a lot of times already but I know each applicant supplied different proofs, docs and evidences.
I lodged my application on April 19, 2012, Thursday through walk-in. I was at the VFS a few minutes before 8am (I did not book any appointment since we are still not sure then when we can finish sorting our docs although we submitted the application online ahead of time which is on April 13 (it was Friday the 13th!, lol). It pays to be attentive and to ask question since in my experience I almost not able to submit it on that day since I have not heard the staff when she asked if there are still walk-in applicants (I think, the woman announced it the moment I arrived but I missed it) so all the while I thought their queue board is working not until I went to the counter and asked! The staff is quite considerate to still accept my docs after I explained to her what has happened and giving her the piece of paper that the security guard outside has given me which convinced her that I was there before 8am (walk-in applicants can only be accommodated from 7am-8am).
That same day, around 6pm I got a text message that my application has been dispatched to the British Embassy for processing. I got an e-mail too at around 9pm with the same message although it has its Reference # already. 5 days after (April 24) I got another text message that ref no AMAN/XXXXXX/XXXXXX/X is being processed at the Embassy. Since then, I have not heard from them anymore.At exactly 7 weeks (June 7) since I lodged my application I got an email, UNCLASSIFIED: UK VISA Application: UKBA-Manila Visa Hub saying: “Your visa will be despatched shortly. Passports can normally be collected from the Visa Application Centre after 3 days. Applicants in Australia and New Zealand should allow 3 days before tracking their documents via the local post. UKBA-Manila Visa Hub”. The next day, June 8 I got another email message again from the VFS saying:” A decision on your Visa application reference number: AMAN/XXXXXX/XXXXXX/X has been made by the British Embassy. Your application has been received at the UK Visa Application Centre and is ready for collection.”
We really made sure that we will try not to give ECO any reasons to refuse my application, so as much as we can we supplied them loads of proofs and evidences to more than they would want to see perhaps. Just a piece of advice guys don’t hesitate to submit any evidences on hand that is available to prove that wedding arrangements will take place as soon as you arrive in UK, no matter how big or small it is it may help, because I believe our application has to be more convincing since we need to prove 2 things: That wedding will take place in UK and that our partner can support us without us working or recourse to public funds.

THESE ARE THE THINGS I DID TO SORT OUR DOCUMENTS:
I was told by the VFS staff not to put our docs in any plastic inserts since they will take everything out of it. Instead, we can just use paper clips or binders. So, I just clip each order of docs together using a bull clip as how my fiancé called it or I suppose also known as clip binder that you can buy in different sizes. I numbered it according to the order of docs to the checklist for Fiancé (e) which I got at the VFS when I inquire to them before we apply online, to be sure that we have their updated checklist. So, true to what they say the VFS just put it directly to their black leather envelope just the way I presented it to them. She also put them in two separate files. So less hassles for both of us and I was able to do my biometrics right away after submitting my docs.
Although I noticed she put all our original docs like birth certificates, diploma etc. into separate plastic. She based it on the list of the Document Receipt (this is to confirm the receipt of documents that you have submitted with your visa application. In this form you can indicate which documents you have supplied both original and photocopies. The guard on duty outside has it form and you can ask them for a copy. Bear in mind though, It is not a list of required documents nor the Checklist for Settlement Fiancé(e) Visa Application.
Here is the following order of the documents I submitted:
1. Union Bank receipt amounting to P59,622 (this include the bank charge of P150). You don’t need to supply photocopy of it.
There are 2 modes in paying your visa:
• Manager’s Cheque – from any Philippine Registered Bank and is made payable to “British Embassy”
• Bank Receipt – from any branch of UNION BANK. This can be paid in cash and an additional bank charge of Php150 except from Vito Cruz which is a surcharge free branch. Bank Receipt though is ONLY valid for 10 working days from the date of payment. Remember to carry not just a photocopy of your passport date page per applicant but also bring with you a copy of your printed visa application online, to be sure you are paying the right amount. The teller shared with me that once it happened to their branch that the applicant paid a wrong kind of visa so she has to go back again to sort this.
2. Official score of English Language test for Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing taken at Hopkins. You also need to fill up the form that they will hand to you on how you meet the English requirement, even though the details are already in your visa application form. I guess, just a quick reference to the one who will review our visa application.
3. 1 copy of my recent coloured and unframed passport size photograph taken with a light grey background. I did not stick it yet with my visa application.
4. A completed visa application form. Here is the link: www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk
5. My passport (old and new).
6. A scanned copy of my fiancé’s passport, including the personal details page and stamped pages only, no need to include the unstamped pages. We did not even bother to have it notarized or authenticated by any solicitor. ( I labelled this as #1 by inserting a small piece of neon pad on top of it)
7. Labelled as #2 - Evidence that my fiancé has adequate accommodation. These are the docs we supplied:
• Scanned copy of his Land Registry
• Picture of each part of his house (lounge, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, bathroom, patio/garden). I just pasted it neatly to A4 size bond paper (2 pics for each sheet) with caption.Good thing too my fiancé has kept a 1 sheet copy of sort of floor plan of his house with description and its sizes too, so I also included that.
• Home Insurance Statements from year 2006 – 2011 (original copies)
• Council Tax from 2006 - 2012 (original copies)
• Mortgage Statements from year 2007 – 2011 (original copies)
• TV License Statements from year 2008 – 2011 (original copies)
• Landline Phone Statements from June 2011 - February 2012 (original copies)
• Gas & Electricity Statements from June 2011 - February 2012 (original copies)
• Water Statements from January 2007 - February 2012 (original copies)
8. Labelled as #3 – Evidence that my fiancé can support me even without me working or needing public funds.
• My fiancé’s Certificate of employment (which states his full name, address, starting date of his employment and the end date on which they put Permanent, his Job title and that he is working as Full Time)
• His recent Salary Increase Letter for Year 2012
• Scanned copy only of my Fiancé’s recent promotion letter (which we are lucky to be able to submit even it was just a scanned copy before submitting our docs)
• Payslip from January 2011 – April 2012 (15 months) – we decided to submit more than 6 months to show that his salary varies depending on his shift at work plus overtime.
• P60 from April 2003 – April 2011
• Bank Statement from January 2011 – February 2012 (original copies) with savings around £2,000 - £3000
9. Labelled as #5 4 pages letter of support from my fiancé which states our story, how we started, our 1st meeting, our 2nd meeting, our plans, and our plans for the future.(I skipped #4 since it is evidence that your fiancé has permanent resident to the UK and not applicable if your fiancé has a British Nationality).
10. Labelled as #6 – Evidences that we both remained in contact during the absences of my fiancé from the Philippines. I must say this is the bloody part of our docs, since we are constantly communicating twice everyday before he goes to work and when he came back from work, we chatted for longer hours and we started chatting since March 2009. Not to say the emails, FB messages etc. we had!!!! . These are the order of docs we supplied:
• Our exchange conversations on the site where we first met.
• Facebook messages
• Mobile SMS logs and few samples. Just so lucky that my phone has a feature to be able to connect it with my pc, so that makes it simpler for me to sort out. I printed out SMS logs monthly since we started sending texts and just selected few samples of it that shows our longings to be together soon perhaps.
• Monthly YM Chat logs from year 2009 - April 2012 and a few samples of the chats (It took me ages to check on the samples to print since I chose dates that I think may help to strengthen our evidences. I think I chose about 3-4 chats each year. I printed the whole chats although I deleted some parts of it. But mind you guys still it was about more or less an inch thick! . So I don’t think even the biggest binder clip can fit to it so instead I bind it together using a padding glue . I also highlighted some important parts of our chats at YM that shows how much we wish to be together andour mutual decision to just get married in the UK.
• Both our emails for each other.
• Cards – I just clip together the cards we sent for each other by years and labelled it like 2009 Cards, Cards 2010 etc.
11. Labelled as # 7 – A copy of my original birth certificate and NSO copy at security paper, although you are only required to submit original copy of your birth certificate if you were born outside of the Philippines. I just include my original copy since I believe an NSO copy is valid only for 6 months and mine was more than a year already.
12. Labelled as #10 - Any other supporting documents. We skipped label # 8 & 9 since for #8 its about annulment or divorce papers relating to any previous marriage or civil partnership of neither of us, if applicable. We are both single and never been married, and both no kids at all which is for # 9 that if you have children from any previous or present relationship, they will require you to submit also the birth certificate of each child on the NSO Security Paper. We did not also provide them my CENOMAR or his CNI. When we emailed the VFS about it they say it is not a mandatory requirement for my UK visa application although we may submit them as additional supporting documents. So it’s all up to you guys if you wish to submit yours.

These are the order of documents we have submitted:
• Support letter for myself. Here I explained as briefly as I can everything I wish to say and explain like how we really started, how we love each other, our plans for the future and how we really wanted to live together. It is also a good and only chance for you to explain whatever things you may have forgotten to say at the last part of your application which says “Is there any other information you wish to be considered as part of your application?” I believe it is important not to leave this blank and unanswered, it’s your opportunity to say whatever you wish for them to consider as it may help them too to understand things that may come up with their minds when they review your documents.
In my case, I said: I wish to add that my fiancé has just been promoted during the application and will have an increased salary. I include a copy of the received promotion letter and his latest payslip for April (both just scanned copies) for your consideration.
On my support letter I also explained to them the reason why I highlighted some parts of our chats at YM since I am thinking that it may be an easy reference for the one who will review our application instead of them having a hard time reading it one by one just to be able to find what they are looking for or would want to check or see perhaps to satisfy them (like our plans for the wedding, that our relationship is genuine etc).
• An e-mail support letter from my sister abroad. She spent Christmas with us but also to meet my fiancé in person. I also printed out my sister’s passport, stamped pages when she arrived/depart here in the Philippines and also her working permit, to show that she have also met my fiancé and witnessed our love for each other.
• A simple note from my fiancé’s mother that she is welcoming me into their family.
• Support letter from my fiancé’s older sister that she is supporting our love from each other and that she is also welcoming me into their family.
• Support letter from my fiancé’s best friend whom he trusted so much to share everything about what’s happening about us from the day we met and till our relationship blossom into a deeper relationship.
• E-mail of our Enquiry at Gloucestershire Registration Office and their reply to that e-mail.
• First Provisional ceremony booking we did with payment receipt attached amounting to £25.
• 2nd Provisional ceremony booking, since our first provisional booking was out dated already so we need to change the date again of the booking, free of charge.
• My fiancé flight details, boarding pass, airport user’s charge etc. (arrival and departure). I just pasted it neatly on A4 size bond paper. He has visited me twice so I separated the tickets/receipts for each year. Receipts like farewell dinner with family, trip to Tagaytay, engagement party and ring etc. I also included here the copy of my fiancé’s email confirmation of his E-ticket.
• Screen shot of our first picture together on his first visit, pic of us during our engagement party, our engagement ring photo, and the thumbnail pic of our Love Story Video that I all posted on my FB account with our friend’s comments and likes too to show the ECO that our love is genuine and to prove that we are officially engaged already.
• Few samples of FB exchange messages between me and my fiancé’s sister and also my fiancé’s best friend.
• A scanned copy of my fiancé’s birth certificate (not authenticated by any solicitor)
• My school credentials like College Diploma, Official Transcript of Records, Recognition Certificate when I joined a competition for my school, my trainings at different Hotels to prove that I have skills to find a job if my visa already allowed me to work to further increase our income and support our married life together so that I will not be a burden in UK.
• I also included all the stamped bubble wrapped and card envelopes (just cut out) of all our parcels with its stamps, metered stamps that we sent for each other, even the cards from my fiancé’s family and friends.
• Photographs of us both, with family and friends (around 60 copies). Instead of just putting them all together or pasting it into a bond paper. I decided to just do a scrapbook of it with captions and dates from his first visit, second visit and during our engagement party. I think it is more presentable to see doing that .
I photocopied all the documents in the list except for #1, #3 and #4. With online application, you have to be concise and precise with your answers since they only gave us very limited characters.

At the moment, me and my fiancé are starting to sort our flights but we are having a hard time finding a good rate at the moment. Any suggestions will be very much appreciated!

I know it’s quite too long to read but I hope sharing this may help future applicants to satisfy the ECO for the success too of their visa application. Just send me a message if you have other questions and I would be glad to help you out guys! Goodluck for all the future Fiancé (e) Visa applicants! Just be positive always and keep on praying! God bless everyone

[Trefor]

Congratulations, we just got our Fiancée Visa too. Life is good! (well it was until I saw that wedding rings cost more than engagement rings ... only joking).

[grahamw48]

Many congratulations to you both, and thanks for taking the time to post all the interesting and extremely useful information for board members who may be about to embark on the same journey.

That must be one of the longest posts ever on Fil/UK.

Anyway, have a great trip over and to the UK...in advance.

[raynaputi]

Congrats and well done!!!

[smileyangel]

Life is good! (well it was until I saw that wedding rings cost more than engagement rings ... only joking).

Thanks Trefor! and Congratulations too!

[smileyangel]

That must be one of the longest posts ever on Fil/UK.

Really???? Hahaha!!!
Thanks Graham!

[smileyangel]

Congrats and well done!!!

Thanks!

[malchard888]

Nice to read about a successful outcome, I hope u enjoy yr new life in the UK and acclimatise very quickly

[lastlid]

WOW. A comprehensive and well organised application. And with a happy ending.

[Marie]

Congratulations to you both and good luck...

[Terpe]

Many congratulations to you both
Well done

Sincere best wishes for your future together. Good timing too

[bigmarco]

Congratulations to you both

[smileyangel]

Nice to read about a successful outcome, I hope u enjoy yr new life in the UK and acclimatise very quickly

Thanks malchard

[smileyangel]

WOW. A comprehensive and well organised application. And with a happy ending.

Thanks lastlid! I appreciate everything you said

[smileyangel]

Congratulations to you both and good luck...

Thanks Marie! Goodluck with your visa application too

[smileyangel]

Many congratulations to you both
Well done

Sincere best wishes for your future together. Good timing too

Thanks Sir Terpe, I owe the success of my visa to this helpful forum

[smileyangel]

Congratulations to you both

Thanks bigmarco

[maya12]

you did a good job....thank you so much for sharing your papers very helpful....goodluck

[sars_notd_virus]

Congrats

[Arthur Little]

You've every reason to smile, Angel ... and I would like to for your assistance to others.

Congratulations again! Bon Voyage ... have a safe and pleasant journey.

[smileyangel]

you did a good job....thank you so much for sharing your papers very helpful....goodluck

Thanks maya! Goodluck with your visa application too. Don't hesitate to send me a message if you have other questions, I am willing to help you out

[smileyangel]

Congrats

Thanks sir!

[smileyangel]

You've every reason to smile, Angel ... and I would like to for your assistance to others.

Congratulations again! Bon Voyage ... have a safe and pleasant journey.

Thank you so much Sir Arthur! You are right in fact up to now I still have that BIG SMILE on my face