If you are making an application, there is every chance that you will need to provide evidence or documents that back up your application. This is often the case when it comes to finance or obtaining loan or credit. You need to provide the authorities with enough information to show that you can be relied upon to meet their requirements and that they aren’t putting themselves at risk. When it comes to finance, you will often need to provide evidence of your income and of your expenditure, which means that a bank statement is often all you need to provide.
However, there are some applications which are obviously more detailed and which need to be considered in greater details. Anyone who is applying for a visa to stay in the United Kingdom will need to provide a considerable amount of documentation to back up their claim and this is the case for anyone applying for a UK marriage visa.
The Partner of the Applicant must have a Legal Right to Remain in the UK
A UK marriage visa is available to people who already have a spouse living in the United Kingdom with the spouse having a legal right to remain in the UK. There are a number of aspects that the couple has to provide evidence on and these include finance, evidence of the nature of their relationship, evidence of the legal classification of their relationship, evidence of the home that they will stay in and evidence that the applicant meets the English language requirements.
It can be difficult to ascertain all of these facts and this is why any application for a UK marriage visa needs to be completed with a range of documents. These documents should be original documents but certified or notarised copies of the original documents will often be accepted. The partner who has a legal right to remain in the United Kingdom is known as the sponsor and the person applying for the UK marriage visa is known as the applicant.
Evidence which confirms the sponsor has a legal right to remain in the United Kingdom includes:
- The marriage certificate of the sponsor and the applicant
- Photographs of the sponsor and applicant together and these photographs should be taken from different times, including their wedding day
- Evidence which proves that the applicant and sponsor have been in communication in the past three to six months – this evidence can come in the form of itemised phone bills, email records or even evidence of electronic messaging
- Bank statements and savings account details for the past 3 to 6 months of the sponsor
- Payslips for the past 3 to 6 months of the sponsor
- Any employment of contract that the sponsor holds
- A mortgage statement or tenancy agreement held by the sponsor
- Evidence of the accommodation where the sponsor and applicant will live in the United Kingdom
- Evidence that the accommodation where the sponsor and applicant will live is of a suitable standard – this is usually provided by an independent property report
- Evidence from friends and family members which confirm that the relationship is a genuine one
- If there are any children, birth certificates of these children
- If either the sponsor or applicant has been married in the past, evidence of their ability to be married now is required
Professional Help is on Offer
When it comes to applying for a UK marriage visa, it can be a difficult and trying process. This is why it is often best to receive support from professionals who have experience in dealing with these claims. Given the importance of obtaining this visa, many couples decide to hire the services of a solicitor who is experienced in this line of work. It makes sense to carry out an application for a UK marriage visa with the guidance and assistance of an immigration solicitor.
There is nothing to stop a couple or an applicant completing the process by themselves, but it may be that many people will feel a greater level of confidence and peace of mind in hiring a professional. Everyone is different and they will have their own thoughts on what is best to do but when it comes to sorting out your future and knowing you can spend your time with a loved one, it is often best to take the stress and pressure out of the situation. This is why calling on the services of a UK immigration specialist is a smart move.
Andrew Reilly is a freelance writer with a focus on news stories and consumer interest articles. He has been writing professionally for 9 years but has been writing for as long as he can care to remember. When Andrew isn’t sat behind a laptop or researching a story, he will be found watching a gig or a game of football.
