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I can offer a little help with Settlement Visas

Discussion in 'UK Visa and Immigration Help' started by Temma, May 29, 2020.

  1. Temma
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    Temma New Member

    I recruited an Immigration Solicitor who has been very helpful to me in preparing my settlement application for my wife who is still in the Philippines. I am very close to submitting the application. I can offer the benefit of my limited experience so long as it's understood I am by no means an expert. But maybe there are a few loose ends that I may be able to give some insight to. I remember a wise saying from a mentor I had many years ago - "If you want to learn about a subject, TEACH IT".
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  2. Mattecube
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    Mattecube face the sunshine so shadows fall behind you Trusted Member

    Again welcome to the forum.
    Historically not many members on here have used a solicitor on their visa journeys, it would be great to understand how you feel you benefited from the service they provided the pluses and minus points.
    It looks like from your other thread your close to being ready to apply.
    In the meantime it maybe worth you getting familiar with the document scanning process and decide if you will upload the documents yourself or let the biometric centre staff do them.

    Are you a rugby fan? Is it Wigan warriors the local team or are you a Wigan Athletic football fan?
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  3. Temma
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    Temma New Member

    I understand I might be one of only a few in this forum to use the services of a solicitor. The reason being is that I can make a relative comparison between today's immigration climate and what it was 12 years ago which was when I went down the same road to secure my first wife's settlement visa - she was from Mexico. And I have to say the landscape is fraught with many more obstacles and requirements than it was when I, and I alone, went down this same road the first time. I made the decision that even though I felt I could go it alone the extra money spent on professional assistance represented a safety blanket that made my wife and I a little more comfortable. On the plus side I feel I have a more up to date knowledge of visa requirements at least as they pertain to settlement visas due to the ever changing and dynamic nature of their complexity. I probably could have attained the knowledge through forums such as this one but knowing I had a crutch to lean on that was just a phone call away made life a little easier. The considerable amount of money I had already spent on travelling to the Philippines, wedding expenses, financial support, etc. etc made using the services of a professional an easy decision to make considering the relative minor expense. Regarding the document scanning process I am scanning and uploading the documents myself via Google Drive following the guidelines laid down by my solicitor. One aspect that I have learned from him is not to provide them with an avalanche of documents - give them what they need but no more. It would be easy to provide bucket loads of receipts, pictures, statements, support letters, etc etc and while all these are necessary to prove the relationship it would be so easy to use the mantra of "more is better". I think one thing I have learned from the whole process so far is that the Home Office seems to permeate this philosophy of looking for reasons to refuse an application especially if every 'T' is not crossed and every 'I' is not dotted. So give them no reason to refuse the application.
    In regards to rugby I am not a fan of rugby nor am I a Wigan Athletic fan. I am a football fan being originally from Manchester (the blue side!!).
    Many thanks for your reply
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