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Tier 1 General Dependant Visa

April 30, 2015

We applied for my visa right after we got married. R and I had all the documents ready a month before we got married so we could fly together. The month leading to the wedding was stressful and chaotic as we were running from pillar to post to get the documents in place. Since the information online is very ambiguous, we thought we’ll pen down our experience. I applied for the Tier 1 General Dependant Visa and here’s how to go about itour experience. I applied for the Tier 1 General Dependant Visa and here’s how to go about it:

1. You need to fill the online application form and schedule an appointment. Apply here –https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/.  The visa fees were approximately £944 (87,000 INR) Print out the application and submit them with supporting documents.

2.  To prove the legitimacy of our relationship we submitted:

  •      Email transcripts and call records over a period of time. We submitted skype and viber call records
  •      Original marriage certificate
  •      Wedding photos
  •      Wedding invitation

3. The main applicant needs to submit the following documents:

  • Council Tax/Utility bills
  • 3 month’s payslips with signature from the HR or bearing the company stamp (stamp should appear on every page of the document)
  • 3 month’s bank statements printed on the official stationary or if you are producing an electronic copy, bank logo must appear on the statement with official signature or stamp.  (stamp should appear on every page of the document)
  • Reference letter from the employer
  • Evidence of maintenance fund (If you’ve lived in the UK for less than 12 months, you must show that you have at least £2,835 funds or if you’ve lived longer than that you need to show proof of £1,575 in your account)
  • Copy of the pages of passport
  • Copy of Biometric Residence Permit (commonly referred to as BRP)

4. Rental agreement is not mandatory. There’s a lot of confusion over this but we didn’t submit the document as R lived in a shared accommodation and didn’t have a rental agreement on his name.

5. Air tickets are not mandatory. We booked the tickets only after we got the visa.

6. The dependant needs to submit the following documents:

  • Chest x-ray certificate (Important note: If you’re applying from Bangalore, India VFS accepts the X-ray certificate only from Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road or Elbit Medical Diagnostic Ltd, Queens Road)
  • Two passport sized photographs complying with the UK guidelines
  • Original copy of degree certificate
  • Passport
  • Certificate of proficiency in English is not mandatory unless your spouse is on an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) visa. We didn’t produce this document.

When we went apply for the visa we had two hindrances – we hadn’t done the chest X-ray from the approved clinic and I had mehendi on my hands. They don’t take your fingerprints even if there’s little mehendi on your hands.

We had two options – one was to reschedule the appointment or apply for a fast track visa application. We could have rescheduled the appointment but we were running short of time and I wanted to fly with R, so we opted for fast track application. We had to shell out extra 12,500 INR for the process. If you’re applying for fast track you can walk in any time without having to take an appointment online. However, since I had mehendi on my hands we waited for two to three days before applying again.

From bleach to chocolate to hydrogen peroxide, we tried every possible remedy under the sun, but none of it worked. In the fear of burning my hands, I started to wash my hands every few hours. In spite of all the effort, the mehendi faded very lightly. We took a chance and applied the following week and thankfully it was smooth sailing.

Once you enter the VFS office, you’ll be given a checklist to tick all the documents you’re producing. After submitting the documents, your biometrics and photograph are taken. Once you are done paying the amount (they accept only cash), you are given a receipt which you’ll need to show along with a copy of your passport when receiving the courier.

I received my visa in just four days when we were having lunch at Primrose Villas. It was such a perfect start to our honeymoon!

Please leave your comments below if you have any doubts or queries. We’ll be more than happy to answer them for you.

General Life Lately Travel

Glorious memories of 2014

January 4, 2015
Deadmau5 in India, Bangalore

2014 was a glorious year and here are a few of my favourite memories from the year gone by.

Our room opened up to the most breathtaking view

Our room opened up to the most breathtaking view

My friend and I travelled to Sri Lanka last year and we stayed at a beautiful homestay in Kandy. Located on top of a hill, Hanthana Homestay is truly a paradise. Large spacious room, delicious Sri Lankan food and friendly hosts made our stay there extra special. The owner whose name I have forgotten gifted us a bracelet on our last day there and I thought it was a very sweet gesture. Every time I look at the bracelet, it reminds of how great the trip was!

Deadmau5 at Sunburn Supernova Arena, Yelahanka, Bangalore

A girl in the washroom asked me how old I was, when I said 27, she said ‘oh’!

My cousin M, who is a big fan of Deadmau5, very generously offered to take me to the concert and it was an absolute blast! The crowd, the music…was all so perfect. That evening was so magical that we could barely sleep that night. Seeing M let go and sway to the music made me all the more happy!

Above & Beyond

I highly recommend giving this album a listen

When I met R for the first time, I didn’t know we would ever come this far. One of the very first gifts he gave me was an Above & Beyond cd and a box of chocolates which remind me of our initial courtship period. It was all so exciting and fresh and I loved the whole discovering-each-other phase.

My lovely parent-in-laws

My lovely parent-in-laws

I spent an entire afternoon with my parent-in-laws looking at R’s baby pictures. He is so cute that I wanted to gobble him up. I still can’t get over his cuteness. Most importantly, it was an afternoon of scrumptious food and bonding with my new parents – a day I will cherish forever.

R’s baby picture

How cute is naked baby R?

R and I dove into each other’s arms after spending three months apart. That feeling is inexplicable. It was such a perfect day that even the rains couldn’t spoil our mood.

So these are my memories of 2014, what are yours?

PS: We have been extremely slow in updating the blog because we’ve been very busy. With the wedding only 26 days away, there is a lot of last minute plans that need perfecting. Expect regular updates 24th onwards.

Happy New Year, everyone!

General Life Lately Our Story

As Seen By Us

November 14, 2014
Bangalore street photography

Art has the power to move you and make you see a world beyond the realm. A world we often don’t think about. A friend recently shot a thought-provoking picture of an old man. It looked like he was cowering under the weight of the world and his fingers interlocked as if to represent the praying hands. Dressed to the nines and sitting at the footsteps of a closed shop; he painted a very sad picture. This is just my interpretation of the picture, but it could have been anything. He could have been lost in a metaphorical world of his own or truly lost in this cruel, cruel world. My first instinct was to give the man a hug and to reassure him that there’s hope in this place. However, there’s no way of knowing if he was lost or disillusioned with life, but it beautifully depicts the sad reality of life. The busy get busier and the lonely get lonelier and in a bid to live a life of excess we forget to stop and care. We are so self-absorbed that we fail to see the suffering around us. What stood out the most about this brilliantly shot picture is how poignantly it lays bare this harsh truth – there’s a world out there that we refuse to see.

Photo Credits: http://www.shivakumar.net/

PS: Here’s a different perspective of the same picture

http://www.journeythroughnature.com/home/2014/11/beyond-closed-doors/

General Life Lately

Happy Birthday, Mum!

November 8, 2014
Moms are the best

Mum and I fight a lot but we are still the best of friends. I don’t know when we transitioned from the mother-daughter relationship to my-mother-is-my-best-friend phase but I am so glad we did. I have shared with her every little detail of my life…the good, bad and the ugly and she has only looked at me with kind reassuring eyes without ever being judgmental. My mother has taught me what unconditional love is and how important it is to give without any expectations. She has seen me through sickness, bad phases and every little ups and downs by standing by me like a rock. She has taught me to pick my battles. You win some, you lose some; let it go is an important lesson I have learnt from her. She has taught me to be patient and kind even when the other person is not. She has taught me to see only the good in people. She has taught me that sometimes it is important to put others’ happiness before yours. She has taught me how a few kind words can touch someone’s life. She has taught me what it takes to nurture and grow a loving relationship. She has taught me the value of money and how to save for a rainy day. She has taught me to be respectful of others’ feelings. She has taught me the importance of a prayer.

Above all, she has taught me how to love…

Happy Birthday, Mum!

PS: Her birthday was on November 7 and it should have gone up yesterday but then sometimes life happens.

 

Life Lately

A Letter to My 16-Year-Old Self

November 4, 2014
A decade apart

Dear younger self,

I know you are feeling rebellious but that is no reason to give mum and dad the grief. I understand that anger might seem like an easy outlet, but trust me, kindness is always the answer. Go give them a hug this moment, you won’t regret it. Don’t rubbish parental advice by rolling your eyes; these gems of wisdom are what will see you through in tougher times. Hold onto it, and believe in it, for it will guide you through your life. Know that you are very special – loved and blessed to have parents who will shower you with unconditional love. All the hardships and difficulties you will face might make you question the unfairness of it all, but there is a silver lining! And I want you to find it (always). Don’t let negativity get you down; it is better to be stupidly optimistic than a cynical realist. Don’t be afraid of speaking your mind; say it out loud. Don’t bottle up things. Make decisions out of love and not fear. You will make a lot of mistakes all through your 20s. In fact you will repeatedly make the same mistakes; the good news is, there is a hidden lesson in all of them. These difficult life lessons will help you bloom into a strong and confident person. Love freely but trust only those who mean well to you.  You might be fooled into believing that the entire world is your friend; you will learn this lesson the hard way that you can’t please everyone. Those who love you will truly, truly love you for who you are no matter how much you fight with them or push them away. Laugh at every given opportunity, for life is measured by the happy moments. You will fall, get hurt badly and even bleed but never lose hope. Always be resilient. For all the love and companionship you crave, know that you will eventually meet someone who will sweep you off your feet. Run to him the moment your heart spots him. Until then stay firmly put.

Finally, no matter how challenging things get, always remember that kindness is the only answer.

Lovingly,
Your not-so-wise 27-year-old self

This picture was taken  when I was 17, on a family vacation at Agra, Delhi. Embarrassing but what the hell!

This picture was taken when I was 17, on a family vacation at Agra, Delhi. Embarrassing but what the hell!

PS: What would you say to your younger self? Leave your comments below!