CIVIL PARTNERSHIP VISA
SHIVA SHADI EXPLAINS
Are you in a relationship with a foreign national? Shiva Shadi, immigration specialist at law firm Davis Blank Furniss, explains the ins and outs of the visa application process….
RELATIONSHIP WITH A FOREIGN NATIONAL
So, you’ve entered into a relationship with a foreign national who requires a visa to stay in the UK. Your partner’s visa is about to run out but you both wish to continue the relationship. What options are available to you?
RARELY STRAIGHTFORWARD
The bad news is that visa applications are rarely straightforward and they are time consuming.If, for example, your partner has come to the UK on a tourist visa, he or she cannot simply extend his or her stay in order to continue the relationship.
CIVIL PARTNERSHIP VISA
The most realistic option is for your partner to apply for a civil partnership visa. To apply for a civil partnership visa, the applicant must return to his or her own country. It cannot be done from the UK.
EVIDENCE REQUIREMENTS
You will also need to officially sponsor your partner. The sponsor is a key part of the application and must be prepared to act as a guarantor for the applicant. You must be able to provide evidence of your financial status including salary details and recent bank statements. Evidence of your accommodation in the UK will also be required.
PROVIDING PROOF
For a civil partnership application to be successful it is also absolutely vital to be able to provide proof of the relationship. To prove a relationship exists, you must be able to produce evidence of your time together – photographs, restaurant receipts, telephone bills, travel tickets. In fact, anything that can help establish that you are having the relationship that you claim you are having and that you have had it for at least six months. The onus is on the applicant to prove the relationship exists. And the more evidence you have, the better.
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS
Where possible, all documents should also be supplied in their original form. The visa officer sees large numbers of forged documents and it is easier for them to verify if an original document is genuine, rather than a photocopied one.
ACCURATE INFORMATION
Although the application is undoubtedly time consuming, it is not impossible. There are lengthy checklists and detailed forms to fill out but as long as you provide accurate information throughout there is every chance of success. Preparation is the key to success.
A summary of information required for a civil partnership visa:
- Completed application form
- Passport and passport sizes photographs
- Certified copy of civil partner’s passport to prove he or she is British or is settled in the UK
- Sponsorship letter from civil partner detailing the relationship
- Evidence of civil partner’s current financial position in the UK
- Evidence of civil partner’s accommodation in the UK
- Evidence of relationship
- Visa fee
CALL 0161 832 3304 FOR A CONSULTATION WITH A SOLICITOR AT DAVIS BLANK FURNISS
