Further Leave To Remain - the next steps

[ivor&mel]

OK, it's time to start sorting out the FLR, and I want to be clear about what I'm doing! Mel's Fiancee visa expires in September, so no great rush, but I don't yet have a clear picture of the whole process in my head.

From what I have gathered so far, the recommended way is to (1) get her passport changed to her married name (2) apply for FLR. Pretty straightforward

Of course, not living in/near London means we have to think of the best way of doing these regarding convenience, speed and cost! Would it make any sense to try and do both during one stay in London? I'm thinking that we could get the passport changed on day 1, apply for FLR on day 2; then hang around for a few days as touroids.... Is that feasible? Or stupidly optimistic? Presumably we would have to book appointments for one or both embassy visits? How much notice are they likely to want? Failing that, I guess we should do one or more applications through the post, but Mel does want to have a look at London, and it'd be nice if we could combine these applications with the visit.

Can we rely on the list of documents that both require according to the websites, or are there any "hidden" requirements like when applying for a Settlement visa?

So... passport amendment... According to the embassy website they need rather a lot of photos and photocopies, but no problem. What's new to me is paragraph 7:

"Three (3) completed Report of Marriage Form (see Forms) which are available at the Embassy and at the Embassy website. If the marriage had been solemnized for more than a year, there is an additional fee of £18 for late registration"

What's confusing me about this is that at the bottom of the form it says "This marriage was today registered at the Embassy under No. _____________________ of the Civil Entry Record Book." and is to be signed by an embassy officer: do we fill in 3 separate copies of the form by hand, and then the embassy sign them when we apply? And does this cost £18 in all cases, with an additional £18 for later registrations?

And FLR... I can't seem to find the list of legal and documentary requirements now on the Home Office site! Or is all that contained in the FLR(M) application form? Marriage certificate, passports, bank/savings statements... Is anything else required, like proof that Mel lives with me (medical card, Council Tax bill, utility bills perhaps)?

All useful input welcomed! And is there anyone here who has recently been through the process of converting a Fiancee visa to FLR?

Ivor and Mel

[Hunter3513]

Hello Ivor and Mel

I gotten my FLR visa last week. Im an American living here with my filipina wife. What I did is sent my application by post. It was £355. I had 2 pics of me and 1 of her, Birth cert, prove that I was living here like my council tax bill and gas bill, our passports, her bank statments, her payslips. I sent it out on May 9th and got it on June 2nd. You can go to the home office and get it that day. It will cost more though. Im sure you know all that [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif[/img] All the documents required is on the FLR (M) form and what to do and where to send it. Hope this helped alittle bit. Take care and good luck

Bryan

[Admin]

Re the passport, do it by post. The wife had hers back within 3 days.

[ivor&mel]

Re the passport, do it by post. The wife had hers back within 3 days.

Were the requirements then the same as now? The embassy site says they need original plus 3 photocopies of marriage certificate, but all they mention returning is the passport! Did you send the original and get it back?

Ivor and Mel

[Admin]

First of all, call the embassy, as with most of these sites they are useless to a point. They are very helpful....when they eventually answer the phone [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Haven&#39;t any idea why they want 3 copies, we only sent the original, that was about 18 months ago.

Use those nice silver packets from the PO to send any documents in.

I&#39;m going quiet now in case the &#39;Humour&#39; Police are around [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cwm24.gif[/img]

[ivor&mel]

First of all, call the embassy, as with most of these sites they are useless to a point. They are very helpful....when they eventually answer the phone

Haven't any idea why they want 3 copies, we only sent the original, that was about 18 months ago.

Use those nice silver packets from the PO to send any documents in.

I'm going quiet now in case the 'Humour' Police are around

Thanks Keith. I'll give them a ring tomorrow. So that means special delivery, both ways?

Don't be quiet for too long - illegitimi non carborundum

[Admin]

Well we put in a pre-payed security bag, and they used that to send it back......but when our niece done the same a few months backs, it all came in a brown envelope, no recorded, and the pre=paid inside [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Erm.gif[/img] So take yer pick.....do you enjoy gambling? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yikes.gif[/img]

[ivor&mel]

Just to update in case the info proves useful to those that have to follow later...

The story so far: we got married 10th June... And finally got round to getting the name changed on Mel's passport! We sent off all the bumph on 5th July, and got the amended passport back on 12th July.

What you have to send is:

• Completed passport amendment form
• THREE completed Report Of Marriage forms
• Original of Marriage Certificate plus 3 photocopies
• Applicant's passport, of course! Plus 3 photocopies of the data page
• 3 photocopies of the data page of the husband's passport
• 6 recent passport-sized pics of the applicant
• 3 recent passport-sized pics of the husband
• Postal Order to cover fees for the Amendment (£15) and ROM (£18) i.e. £33 in total
• Stamped addressed envelope for the return of the passport and Marriage Certificate

We sent using Special Delivery, and pre-paid for the same for the return envelope.

Next step... FLR...

[rands]

Thanks Ivor and Mel,

This is brilliant. Makes it easier for others trekking the same path.

Rands

[ivor&mel]

I should have added that you need to stick a photo of the applicant and a photo of the husband on each of the 3 ROM forms. So that means there will just be 3 "loose" pics of the applicant that you need to enclose. No idea what they need them for! And they will return one copy of the ROM form to you.

[equaliser]

Hi Ivor

I was just wondering , does Mel's new passport still contain the page with the visa , and the page with the CFO stamp? Do they just change the details page and keep all the rest?

[ivor&mel]

Yes, Brian, nothing was taken away or altered: they just added the marriage details on a blank page within the passport.

[equaliser]

Thanks ivor

[ajwafa]

Just to update in case the info proves useful to those that have to follow later...

The story so far: we got married 10th June... And finally got round to getting the name changed on Mel's passport! We sent off all the bumph on 5th July, and got the amended passport back on 12th July.

What you have to send is:

• Completed passport amendment form
• THREE completed Report Of Marriage forms
• Original of Marriage Certificate plus 3 photocopies
• Applicant's passport, of course! Plus 3 photocopies of the data page
• 3 photocopies of the data page of the husband's passport
• 6 recent passport-sized pics of the applicant
• 3 recent passport-sized pics of the husband
• Postal Order to cover fees for the Amendment (£15) and ROM (£18) i.e. £33 in total
• Stamped addressed envelope for the return of the passport and Marriage Certificate

We sent using Special Delivery, and pre-paid for the same for the return envelope.

Next step... FLR...

Hi Ivor & Mel,

Thanks a lot for this info, this would really help for I will be doing same thing by next month....

Have you already got your FLR now?

How long was it 'till you got it in your hands?

Regards

[ivor&mel]

Hi Ivor & Mel,

Thanks a lot for this info, this would really help for I will be doing same thing by next month....

Have you already got your FLR now?

How long was it 'till you got it in your hands?

Regards

Hi,

Sorry for the delay in replying, but we've been out of action for a couple of weeks... We were ready to apply for FLR before the interruption, and we'll be picking it up again this week.

[Mrs Daddy]

Hi Ivor,
I got same problem also with my passport since i have my maiden name of my passport i want or my husband would rather change my maiden name to his name before applying for visa.But dnt know if same documents needed in amending my passport in philippines.need info pls.

[scotsfiancee]

You have same case to Jeida, this is her thread as shes asking bout how to ammend passport to husband's name. http://filipinaroses.com/showthread....ighlight=jeida

[gretandy]

I should have added that you need to stick a photo of the applicant and a photo of the husband on each of the 3 ROM forms. So that means there will just be 3 "loose" pics of the applicant that you need to enclose. No idea what they need them for! And they will return one copy of the ROM form to you.

hi there...

im happy to get my amended passport yesterday , but i was wondering if the 3 "loose" pics were supposed to be sent back together with my marriage cert, ROM and passport???
also...for those who have applied for the FLR is it ok to give them just the recent month copy of the bank statement? i know they needed at least 3 months of wage slip but im sending them the bank statement instead and they never mention about how many months they needed ..... im confuseeeeee anybody who got ideas about this please help me

tnks and more power to everybody........



cheers
gretandy

[KeithD]

Best to give them EXACTLY what they ask for if you ask me

[Irelandken]

hi there...

im happy to get my amended passport yesterday , but i was wondering if the 3 "loose" pics were supposed to be sent back together with my marriage cert, ROM and passport???
also...for those who have applied for the FLR is it ok to give them just the recent month copy of the bank statement? i know they needed at least 3 months of wage slip but im sending them the bank statement instead and they never mention about how many months they needed ..... im confuseeeeee anybody who got ideas about this please help me

Hi ..Josephine got her passport amended 2 weeks ago and yes they also sent back the 3 passport pics that we supplied.
On the Bank statement issue the form does say bank statements .or payslips, and but when i spoke to the home office before i sent her FLR they said both would be preferable and they must cover a min of 3 months, also if the officer looking at the application has any doubts and requests more information it may add another 6 weeks to your processing time. As it can take upto 14 weeks normally it's not worth taking the chance....as said before, the more the better..I even sent my last years P60

[Yossarian]

I started, so I'll finish...Here are the details about completing FLR for husband and wife with no dependent children.

• Download and print form FLR(M) from here (currently Version 06/2006)
• Read the notes on the form and make sure that you understand it! It is quite straightforward really.
• Make sure you have current and savings account statements that are as up-to-date as possible. If not, then order them - it should take only a few days.
• Fill in the form! Don't forget that both must sign and date it.
• You will need 2 current pics of the wife and one of the husband: make sure they conform to the standards specified on the form, and have the name written on the back. It says these should be attached to the form in the spaces provided; unfortunately, there are spaces provided for only one of the wife and one of the husband... What we did was to attach one of each into the spaces by pasting the top half of each pic, such that the name on the back could be seen by lifting the bottom of the pic should they desire to do so. The second pic of the wife was attached to the top of page 8 using a paper-clip.
• Documentation that we provided was: 2 passports, Marriage Certificate, current account statement for April-August 2006, savings account statements covering the last 6 months, salary slips for April-July 2006 plus P60 for 2005-2006. We placed all of these into a plastic wallet. Note that these should all be original documents!
• Place form (with cheque attached if that is how you are paying), and docs into a suitable envelope, addressed to the Durham address indicated on the form. For peace of mind, we sent the package via Special Delivery. (We also included a pre-paid Special Delivery return envelope, but that was a waste of money: they returned the passports and docs in their own plastic Recorded Delivery envelope...)

Timescale
08Aug application posted
10Aug payment taken from account
15Aug received letter saying application was being processed
23Aug received FLR

So... all in all, quite quick and painless.. apart from a dent in the bank account

[Irelandken]

hey folks,
Josephine recieved her FlR today and it seems things still move quite quickly at the home office.

Posted application Belfast 22 Aug.(special delivery)
Arrived at home office 23 Aug.
Confirmation letter recieved 25 Aug.
Cheque cleared 31 Aug.
FLR Recieved by special delivery 12 Sept.

Hope it's as painless as this for everyone else.

[Gavanddal]

We didn't get Daryl Lynn's passport amended before getting the FLR as we needed to get her residency on her passport before we went on honeymoon.
We spent 10 hours queuing at Croydon alongside some dodgy Eastern Europeans who kept queue jumping and pretending not to understand any English.
When we went (last June) we were horrified to find that the fee had doubled to £500 and then found that the form we'd downloaded from the immigration office website 2 days prior was now out of date!!!

We were told if we subsequently got her another passport in her married name it would cost another £500 to transfer the limited leave to remain.
Since then we have had her original passport amended. Incidentally, many of the duplicate items we sent to the RP embassy were returned.

Hopefully when we apply for the indefinate leave to remian it will be more straightforward.

Gavin

[gretandy]

i applied for FLR Aug.28 and got it back Sept.15 it never took so long so im happy its quicker than i thought it could be...

[Marcel]

Hi everybody.....this is cecille...I haved just read your topic about further leave to remain...it would be very helpful if you can answer these few questions that i have....Marc and i were married in the philippines and my spouse visa will be valid until september next year. We are planning to apply for the Indefinite leave to remain early next year...What are the requirements? and how long will it take to process this application? We need to know early so we could prepare also because i need to renew my philippine passport before i should apply for ILR next year. Do I need to ammend my passport so there will be no problem on my application?
any information is very much appreciated....
salamat....
cecille

[scotsfiancee]

Hi everybody.....this is cecille...I haved just read your topic about further leave to remain...it would be very helpful if you can answer these few questions that i have....Marc and i were married in the philippines and my spouse visa will be valid until september next year. We are planning to apply for the Indefinite leave to remain early next year...What are the requirements? and how long will it take to process this application? We need to know early so we could prepare also because i need to renew my philippine passport before i should apply for ILR next year. Do I need to ammend my passport so there will be no problem on my application?
any information is very much appreciated....
salamat....
cecille

Hi Cecille you can use the SEARCH FUNCTION for that question then it wil apppear about the ILR

[Ann07]

I started, so I'll finish...Here are the details about completing FLR for husband and wife with no dependent children.

• Download and print form FLR(M) from here (currently Version 06/2006)
• Read the notes on the form and make sure that you understand it! It is quite straightforward really.
• Make sure you have current and savings account statements that are as up-to-date as possible. If not, then order them - it should take only a few days.
• Fill in the form! Don't forget that both must sign and date it.
• You will need 2 current pics of the wife and one of the husband: make sure they conform to the standards specified on the form, and have the name written on the back. It says these should be attached to the form in the spaces provided; unfortunately, there are spaces provided for only one of the wife and one of the husband... What we did was to attach one of each into the spaces by pasting the top half of each pic, such that the name on the back could be seen by lifting the bottom of the pic should they desire to do so. The second pic of the wife was attached to the top of page 8 using a paper-clip.
• Documentation that we provided was: 2 passports, Marriage Certificate, current account statement for April-August 2006, savings account statements covering the last 6 months, salary slips for April-July 2006 plus P60 for 2005-2006. We placed all of these into a plastic wallet. Note that these should all be original documents!
• Place form (with cheque attached if that is how you are paying), and docs into a suitable envelope, addressed to the Durham address indicated on the form. For peace of mind, we sent the package via Special Delivery. (We also included a pre-paid Special Delivery return envelope, but that was a waste of money: they returned the passports and docs in their own plastic Recorded Delivery envelope...)

Timescale
08Aug application posted
10Aug payment taken from account
15Aug received letter saying application was being processed
23Aug received FLR

So... all in all, quite quick and painless.. apart from a dent in the bank account

Hello Im Ann I just move in here with my fiance we plan to get married next month so im am preparing the papers needed for the FLR. I just bif confused of the documents needed. Do i need also to produce my bank statements and payslips or only my partner? thank you so much...Goodluck and Godbless!

[KeithD]

Your husbands.....but no harm in bunging in your own if you wish....every little helps

[juttyali2921]

Hi Ivor & Mel,

Thanks a lot for this info, this would really help for I will be doing same thing by next month....

Have you already got your FLR now?

How long was it 'till you got it in your hands?

Regards

the info for the rom was very helpful thanxs

[Ann07]

Yes, it is... Thanks for this nfo. I just got my FLR too last wednesday...so happy...

thank you guys