Paperworks for Spouse Visa

Hello Everyone,

Needed some help for clarification..we will be putting in our application by October but we need help with regards to the documents to be presented.

We would like to know if all documents such as wage slips, bank statements, passport entry details of my husband, IDs and tenancy agreeement should be all be original copies?

Photocopies of documents not allowed?

Hope to hear from all soon.

Much love ,
Dennelle

all documents must be originals--PLUS a copy of each in a separate file.

only your husband's passport is to be a copy--not the original . the copy has to be certified by a solicitor.

All documents should be originals but are permitted to be certified copies. A certified copy should be certified by a solicitor with every page bearing the legend "certified as a true copy as seen by me" and bearing the name, address, date and signature of the solicitor. Bank statements must be originals but are allowed to be online statement print outs (not transaction records) that must show a full running balance and each page must be certified and stamped by the issuing bank.

As bigmac pointed out you will need a complete original (or certified copy where appropriate) documentation set for the embassy and another photocopied duplicate that is handed in to VFS for their records.

Are they going to return the original copies?

Yes. If you elect for premium lounge service (which I recommend) then your original documents will be returned to you by courier. Otherwise it will be via collection I believe. would recommend that as many of your documents be original as possible. The only exception to that will be the sponsor's passport details, which of course should be a certified copy of the biodata and entry stamps pages.

Thank you @ChoiAndJohn for the quick reply!
I've applied for visit visa thrice already but I didn't submit an original copy of our marriage certificate. This time we are going to apply for a settlement visa so I was wondering if I continue doing it or should it make any difference? Really concerned of the marriage certificate because it's the only copy left lol. Got married in Bangkok and I don't like to go on a long process of going to get another original copy.

You are able to submit a certified copy if you do not wish to surrender the original.
See my above notes on the wording of certified copies.

You may not submit plain photocopies to the embassy.

They return the originals even on a standard route. Just make sure to submit a copy with the original.

yes that's true. I edited my response because I realised it could be misleading.

thanks bigmac.

this mean my husband should request all these documents to be certified true copy from a solicitor.
if he does this certification of documents would it cost a lot?

You can also opt for your documents to be delivered to you on standard route for around Php500. I've tried the premium service for my previous visit visa and the only positive thing I liked about it was that I didn't have to queue. Standard route I only wait like 10 or 15 minutes- no big deal. Only my opinion though

I would suggest that you try and include as many originals as possible to cut down on the number of certified copies you will need. Then shop around local solicitors. A typical charge is about £5 per document (regardless of number of pages within reason). Some 'immigration solicitors' charge per page and charge a lot more. Don't be taken in by that. And don't be tempted to use the post office to certify documents. They do not comply with the guidelines and there have been problems with UKVI refusing to accept documents that were certified by the post office.

thank you dav3&Ai5a. right after the application documents are returned to the applicant?

thank you choiandjohn! so it means i should asked my husbnd to send the whole tenancy agreemen form between him and the agency. his afraid him get lost.

do you have any recos to what is the most reliable courier for sendinh documents? or parcels in general? LBC is that ok to use for documents?

Your husband should just keep a photocopy of the tenancy agreement for his records and send the original one to you. A photocopy will be enough for his purposes should he need it.

Use DHL to send documents. Very reliable. Takes about 4 days to metro manila. Other people have used those too.

Your original documents will be returned to you after decision is made on your application.

thanks again Choiandjohn my husband is planning to include the documentation to a box with other stuff using LBC but im not sure how would this work.

thank you dav3&Ai5a for the inputs. i appreciate it.

Bad bad bad idea. If the papers are in a box with some other stuff then they will get delayed at customs.
And you may need to pay customs charges.
Strongly suggest that you use DHL to send just the paperwork and only the paperwork.
Don't say you weren't warned otherwise.