Yorkshire and Yonder: Rural USA to Urban UK

When I get to England- I need to be able to carry around identification other than my passport since I'm going to be there awhile.

So what does this entail?

During the visa process I have to go and have my fingerprints and photo taken. This is for my Biometric Resident Card.

My mom, aunt and I had a fun little road trip to the nearest USCIS center which happened to be Cleveland. We arrived early just in case of crazy traffic and the appointment said to arrive at least 15 minutes early.

I got to witness some families coming in, a few of them to have their confirmation hearings as they become new citizens of the US. Made my heart bloom knowing that they were happy and excited to become citizens of this nation. I hope a decade from now I can also be smiling while being confirmed a citizen of the UK.

Being early to my appointment wasn't most important as I went straight in without much wait. Wednesdays at 11 must not be the primetime. I kid you not- I was in and out of there in 10 minutes. While there, I gave the worker my Appointment Confirmation which listed all my documents that I had uploaded to VFS. They stamped and wrote on it, had me go sit for a minute and then I got my picture taken. And I am happy to say that this time I did not look like a sad puppy as I had for my 2015 Student Visa.

Then the fun part! My fingerprints were scanned. It is absolutely an entertaining game. Getting all the digits individually correct. Had to place and roll it slowly across the scanner and hopefully get a not blurry panorama of my fingerprint. In all honesty I was mesmerized. The guy was the one rolling my fingers across but I could have done it all on my own. Probably had done it better- I am that confident. Maybe I should look into a job where I can take fingerprints and file forms for visas. That might be nice.

Photo ✅

Fingerprints ✅

Online Application ✅

Supporting Documents Online ✅

Passport ✅

It has all been done and mailed. And now I am without my passport for the entirety of the time it takes UKVI to go through and approve my application. They need my passport so they can put my temporary visa sticker in it granting me entry into the country. Then I must pick up my Biometric Residence Permit from the local post office within 30 days of my arrival to the UK. I am personally relieved that I can pick up my permit at a post office because when I was in Newcastle- I had to go to the police station to pick it up and I was not entertained sitting in the waiting room as some crazy people were walked in...

My BRP will be carried around on me at all times. It is my proof that I am allowed to be living in England and lists all the necessary information about me should I need it. It will have my National Insurance number if I need to visit health professionals, let’s employers know that I am allowed to work in the country, and if I choose to go back to school it will help me there.

The 3 main things you got to prove to the UK for a Spouse Visa.

1. You got money?

2. You got a place to reside?

3. You fake or the real deal?

While filling out the spouse visa application these three categories are what will give you headaches. Collecting the evidence is very time consuming.

For most couples- the Financial bit is the most difficult. Proving that you and your significant other, who is your sponsor, have enough funds or earn enough money annually to qualify. 

This will include at least a years worth of income pay slips and bank statements. Or providing your account to show that you have amassed a savings for this entire occasion. Or a combination of these and other things.

James and I are fortunate that his annual salary meets the minimum threshold of £18,500 which is about $22,000. If you were going off of savings you’d need a whopping amount of at least £62,500.

If this was the other way around and I was trying to bring James to the US- I would not be able to be his sponsor as I don’t meet the minimum annual threshold which is around the same price for a greencard.

James was on top of it all and collected all the evidence we needed, he even had to ask his HR for an official letter stating he was on salary for the amount he stated and how long he has been employed there. So we are both pretty confident that we will not be denied my visa on this front.

The next hurdle is showing that you have a place to stay within the UK.

This can be checked off if you own a house, have a place to rent, or you have family that you are able to stay with and there is ample room.

Now- I don’t know how you prove that you will be renting and all the documentation with that. No knowledge whatsoever. James purchased his own home back in 2021- So we are ready with the title and registration on that front.

I can’t wait to get in it and make it into our home. There is lots to be done to update it and I am sure there will be a future blog post on that!

So... How does one prove they are in a “genuine and substantial” relationship?

Surprisingly- this is the part of the visa that has caused me the most... irritation.

The UKVI doesn’t really give you much to go off of in their instructions. All they say they need is your marriage certificate and you are good to go. This is a BIG FAT LIE! If this is all that you provide- you will be denied. Why? Sure it proves you are legally married but it could all be a farce to get access to live in the UK. Anyone can get a marriage certificate even if the relationship is a sham.

You would think then that the government would make a list of all that they think could prove that your relationship is true? They do not. And so I have had to look at immigrations lawyers advice, forums and Facebook groups of couples who have gone through the visa process.

The government says proof is in the marriage certificate, that you share bank accounts, you have children together, and have lived with each other for at least 2 years. I should also preface that the official Government website also states it does not find that cards sent to each other, pictures together, Facebook posts, etc as substantial proof of a real relationship.

I get that all of this can be easily manufactured in society today... but there aren’t really any alternatives for my situation. James and I’s relationship has been long distance for all of 5 years. We have visited each other as frequently as time and money allowed. And the majority of our proof lies in those photos of our visits.

So what did I compile to try and convince who ever gets our case number? 

I went to Facebook and took screenshots of our Facebook memories together for the last 5 years. This has times stamps, locations, us together and with family and friends, posts not just from me but from others as well. I felt this was the most concise way to prove that we are real and genuine. (I was warned from a visa support group on Facebook that this doesn’t qualify)

I managed to screenshot a years worth of WhatsApp call logs between us and turned that into a PDF.

I trawled through Skype messages and took a screenshot for each month back to three years and hopefully the dialogue isn’t too embarrassing. James says they will read it and find him absolutely daft.

I found our tickets to Bermuda and made a PDF file with snapshots of us there, added the tickets and a confirmation from AirBnB.

James wrote a cover letter explaining the history of our relationship.

I included a page of a couple of our wedding ceremony pictures.

I have not written a blog since my MFA days- check out Once Upon a Tyne: An American in Newcastle if you want to go down that rabbit hole.

But I am stressed, and supposedly when you are stressed- writing can help.

I am currently in the process of obtaining my UK Spouse visa.

Aww the fairytale romance!

Yes...

But also the nitty gritty!

James and I have been in a long term long distance relationship for 5 years and just got married last January. It has been a difficult but beautiful journey. I have been in rural Ohio ever since I graduated with my MFA from Newcastle while he has remained in Yorkshire.

It has been a long time coming and very arduous but we have collected all the data, saved up the money, waited all this time!... and we have submitted the visa application.

Tomorrow I have my biometrics appointment. Which means once they get the fingerprints of my stubby little fingers and a photo of my gorgeous and hopefully not too stressed face- It is all out of my hands and onto the waitlist of UKVI. 

And unfortunately it will be another wait. Which is irritating but manageable since James and I’s relationship has been built upon the distance and the time apart. You might say once we live together- that might become a much tougher experience! But thankfully we live in an era that has all this technology which can keep us visually close and communicating at lightning speed.

As most people may not realize- getting a visa takes a lot of time. It is not an easy APPLY and CONGRATS enter the country! Start living life! Some people who I have talked to about the process were surprised at the length of time it takes. Its the same for every country to enter and live legally. It is even more strenuous being able to have the means. 

I come from a place of privilege.

My husband makes enough money to be a sponsor for me. I am a caucasian American who speaks English from a middle class family, so I don’t have to worry about a language barrier or any documents needing translating. I have just enough money to pay for my immigration health surcharge and the application fee. And hopefully enough to cover my airfare and possibly some shipping of belongings.

I am so thankful that I am able to go through this. But I always keep in mind that there are others who want/need to leave their country and home for a new life and never have the chance to do so.

But I digress- I could go on and on about the woes of immigration in the world. Back to what I do know concretely- my visa situation.

Currently, with the Ukraine/Russia War- the UK government is prioritizing Ukrainian Refugee visas.

So spousal visas have been backlogged. Starting from when my biometric is done tomorrow it becomes Day 1 of the official wait. And according to the Facebook support group I joined- it is looking at average to be 125 working days from Day 1.

I will more than likely be here for 4 months as I await my visa. And hopefully all the documentation I provided shows that James and I’s relationship is “genuine and substantial”

Not exactly what I was hoping, but will have to do!

I still have to get some determination to pack my keepsakes... Can continue earning some money since I won’t be able to get a job over there for the first 6 months. Need to spend time with my friends and loved ones.