For English version, please roll further down.
這篇網誌主要是要分享申請英國配偶簽過程
建議配合上篇網誌《達令是英國人》閱讀
///異國戀情的大小事
分享申請英國配偶簽證過程前
想跟大家分享異國情侶交往心得
異國情侶交往確實比一般情侶交往會遇到的難題多
如財務（機票）、遠距（時差）與煩人的結婚手續
我跟老公是遠距四年後才真正住在一起
很多人問過我們「要怎麼維持遠異國遠距離戀情」
每個人的思考點不同，我的三個答案給大家參考參考：
- 雙方對未來有共識
如果連最基本的共識與決心都沒有，下面兩點都不用看了，你應該思考是否繼續你們的關係。一直很感謝老公對我的尊重，讓我感受到「沒有誰的夢想是比較重要，只有兩個人的夢想是最重要的」，當初我們的協議就是「當老公完成學業時，看誰的工作比較有發展性，另一方就搬去較有發展性一方的國家」，最後我們決定我搬到英國生活，因為評估後老公在英國的發展比我在台灣好。不管是一起生活還是繼續遠距，如果兩人對未來無共識，常常會對感情產生質疑並且感到維繫關係很辛苦。 - 各自有想自我實現的事
遠距最常見問題除了無法面對面溝通帶來的誤會外，就是「生活不同調」，這不是指時差，而是「不要讓對方覺得你/妳的生活是依附在他/她身上」，這是一個比較健康的心態，妳的生活重心可以是你的達令，但你的自我實現不是透過他，如果你們彼此都有熱衷的事物，就算遠距時差下，還是有源源不絕的話題，加上相同的價值觀，就算你的達令住火星也可以時時維持熱戀（笑）。 - 雙方都能財務獨立
錢的話題很敏感，但它確實是異國情侶一大關卡（如果你跟達令有穩定財務後援那也可直接跳過此點）。維持異國戀情是一件很艱鉅的事，因為異國戀情確實比一般戀情花費要大多了，動輒上萬的機票與旅費都代表著無數個小朋友與英國女王，而這些都是最基本，日後結婚與申請英國配偶簽證還有更大的財務門檻，如果交往時這些基本費用你們都要傷腦筋，日後還有更多你們無法跨越的障礙，建議開始工作就要有儲蓄習慣，可以提早與達令商討未來定居的財務計畫。
///認識移民與定居
每個國家對外籍配偶的定居規定各自不同，但不乎為三個階段，每階段漸漸擴大外籍配偶的權利與義務，藉此管制移民數量並防堵投機份子:
- 配偶簽證
一般雙方決定定居地點後（第三國不在此討論內），皆從為「外籍」那方申請配偶簽證開始，每個國家申請的條件不同，原則上配偶簽證都會保證外籍配偶享有「工作權」與「基本的社會福利」。 - 永久居留
通常「持配偶簽證」並「在該地居住時間達到標準」（例如持有英國配偶簽證期間半數以上待在台灣者就不符合規定），可進一步申請「永久居留」，成功申請者可享有永久居留該地權利，但不一定包括「公民權」，如投票與服公職權利。 - 公民
配偶持「永久居留」於該地到達規定年限，可進一步申請該國「公民」，也就是持有第二本護照與國籍，至此階段，所有權利義務與該國公民相同。
///申請英國配偶簽證
我與老公目前的階段就在「配偶簽證」，我們是結婚兩年後才申請配偶簽證，以下申請過程供參：
檢視是否符合資格
除了婚姻事實外，申請英國配偶簽證有兩大門檻─「財務」與「外籍配偶英語能力」。
財務規定
英國保守黨上台後，英國內政部於2012年7月宣布只有年收入達18,600英鎊以上的英國公民才有資格為其非歐盟配偶申請配偶簽證，儘管英國高等法院質疑內政部此項規定的正當性，但2014年內政部仍獲得最終勝利，因此，英國公民要為非歐盟配偶申請配偶簽證，首要條件就是要有18,600英鎊年薪，並要持續在其崗位上任職超過6個月才能申請簽證。
除了年薪事實外，若英籍配偶有足夠存款或其他收入（如獎助學金、身心障礙補助），也可參考此文件換算你們的存款或收入是否符合條件。
英語能力
除了財務門檻，配偶必須通過英國內政部認可的英語測試（注意，ETS的托福與多益並不在清單上），並且聽力與會話須達A1以上，才能申請配偶簽證。若配偶來自英語為官方語言國家或本身具有以英文教學的學士及碩士學位，也可當作英語能力證明。
- 準備申請文件
確認符合資格後，請準備護照、過期護照、兩張護照規格大頭照及 證明你符合申請資格文件，我當初整理的文件整理如下，建議將每個區塊附上一個封面頁，給予小目錄，對你及對審閱者都方便閱讀；此外，每個文件都要是正本，並須附上一份影本（「只有唯一版本的文件」如結婚證書與畢業證書要附影本；電子郵件與預先申請好幾份的存款證明就不用附影本）：
我（外籍配偶）的基本資料
‧ 護照影本
‧ 線上填好的簽證申請表
‧ 香港發予的結婚證書
‧ 戶籍謄本英文版
‧ 在職／離職證書（當初離職就有申請中英版本）
‧ 英文薪水單（我自己翻譯，但有附上公務詞彙中英對照表）
‧ 英國碩士畢業證書
‧ 英國獎學金獎狀
‧ 英文存款證明
達令（英籍配偶）的相關資料
‧ 擔保人聲明 SU07/12
‧ 英籍配偶護照影本（有照片那頁）
‧ 達令寫的信與簽名（內容為表明知道我要搬去英國事實，願為我在英國的一切負責，其實跟SU07/12很像，只是SU07/12是表格， 這是我老公親筆的信）
‧ 結婚證書
‧ 婚禮請帖
‧ 交往各時期照片（我整理成一個文件印出來）
‧ 兩人間的通訊記錄（電子郵件與通訊軟體print screen都可）
‧ 我與老公家人的電子郵件記錄
‧ 老公與家人寄給我的實體卡片
達令（英籍配偶）的財務與在職狀態
‧ Appendix2財務說明表（我是印下來填）
‧ 丟出申請前八個月的存款明細
‧ 工作的錄取通知書
‧ 申請前七個月薪水單
‧ 人資部門寄給達令的信（工作條約與條約更動）
‧ 繳稅記錄
英國住所證明
‧ 老公寫的聲明信（內容為保證我們提供的住址就是我與老公一起住的地方）
‧ 老公與房東的電子郵件（主要證明房東知道我不久後將搬入）
‧ 租賃合約
‧ 繳稅證明（上有現住地址）
‧ 電費與水費通知單（證明老公現在住這）
- 線上申請與繳費
以上資料都準備齊全，便可填寫線上申請：
‧ 從台灣威孚網站前往線上申請系統。
‧ 準備好歷年護照（要填寫近十年出入境記錄）。
‧ 註冊後即可填寫簽證申請表，選擇簽證種類為「settlement」。
‧ 在正式提交前，可隨時編輯儲存表格，不用太過緊張
‧ 填完後預約交件時間。
‧ 線上直接繳費（共1,614美金，其中包括1,514簽證費與100簽證服務費，若要急件處理可加300英鎊，可在十天內拿到，若非急件，通常要四十至六十天）。
‧ 印出申請表與預約確認信。
‧ 將文件、申請表與確認信準備好於預定日期前往台灣威孚交件。
‧ 耐心等待取件通知囉!
我們是2014年10月9日提出申請，正式收到通知可以取件是11月25日（淚）。
希望以上對情況相似的朋友們會有幫助!祝大家順利跟達令一起生活!
我們下次見:)
This article is about the application of an UK spouse visa.
If you want to know how to get married for a mixed couple of British and Taiwanese, you can read my previous article “My Hubby is a British.”
///A little bit about Mixed Couples
Before we get into the application of an UK spouse visa,
there is little bit more about “mixed couples” I want to share.
There are absolutely more difficulties for mixed couples than couples with the same nationality, such as finance (expensive flights), long distance (time difference) and the drive-people-crazy marriage registration processes.
My hubby and I actually live together after being apart for 4 years.
Lots of people asked us “how mixed couples maintain long-distance relationships?”
Well, everyone will give his or her answer based on different values. Below are the 3 answers in my opinion:
- You have the same vision for your future
As simple as the title, if you and your hubby don’t even have the most basic consensus and resolution, what you should do is to think about your relationship properly.
I always appreciate how much my hubby respect me, and I always feel “No one’s life is more important; only our life is important.”When we first dated, we had an agreement “after my hubby graduated, we will move the country where one of us had the better opportunity than the other.”Therefore, we decided that I moved to UK eventually because we thought his chance in UK is better than mine in Taiwan.
No matter your vision about future is to live together or just to keep long distance relationship, if you don’t have a same vision for your future, you will find it really hard and very often you will have doubts about your relationship. - Don’t live your life for others
Apart from misunderstanding through phone calls or texts; one of the most common problems for long-distance relationships is different life paces. I don’t mean time differences here. The key point is that “don’t live your life for others, even for your hubby.” Your hubby can be your best friend, but she or he is not your life goal. If you both engage in things you really love, and your share similar values, you will always have endless topics even your hubby lives in Mars. - You both can be responsible for your own finance
Money is a very sensitive topic, but it is definitely one big issue for mixed couples. To maintain a long distance relationship for mixed couples is really costly. From flight tickets to travel expense, everything costs money. If you find the finance really hard when you are just dating, you will find it much harder afterwards because the marriage registration and visa application will cost you even more. It is better to start saving once you start working and you should also have a finance plan about getting married if you intend to do so.
///Immigrants as Spouses
Evert country has different immigration regulations for its citizens’ dinizened spouses. In order to control immigration and to block opportunists, generally, there are 3 stages for spouse immigration, and spouses will get more rights and obligations when they go through each stage.
- Spouse Visa
Once a mixed couple decides a place to settle (a country doesn’t belong to a mixed couple is not in this discussion), the party who is a citizen of the place need to apply for a spouse visa for the “foreign party.”Each country has its own conditions and requirements for applying for a spouse visa. In principle, spouses who get spouse visas can work and have some basic social welfare in the countries issuing visas. - Permanent Residence
Normally, a foreign spouse “stay long enough” with “a spouse visa in the country issuing the spouse visa (for example, a foreign spouse spend most time in his or her motherland during the granted period of the spouse visa doesn’t meet the first condition) can apply for “permanent residence (PR)” People who get PR have rights to stay in the country issuing PR for good, but it doesn’t guarantee citizenship, such as rights to vote and work as a civil servant. - Citizenship
A person holding PR for statutory time and meet other legal requirements can apply for a citizenship. A foreign spouse who successfully applies a citizenship will have the second nationality (the second passport), equal rights and obligations as citizens of the country.
///Application for UK Spouse Visa
As mentioned in the previous section, we are now at stage of “spouse visa.” We applied for the visa 2 years after we got married, and the following are processes of getting an UK spouse visa.
- Conditions of getting an UK spouse visa
Apart from the fact you two are married, there are 2 conditions of getting an UK spouse visa: finance and knowledge of English.
Financial Requirements
After the Conservative came to power, the government announced in July, 2012 that only British citizens whose annual incomes are over 18,600 pounds are qualified to apply settlement visa for their non-EU spouses. Though this policy had been challenged on the basis that the rules were discriminatory and interfered with the right to a private and family life, it still got upheld by the Court of Appeal. Therefore, the first condition for a British citizen to apply for a settlement visa for his or her non-EU spouse is to earn 18,600 annually. In addition, one can only start the application once he or she has been in the place with 18,600 annual pay for over 6 months.
You can also use savings or other income (stipend or pension etc.)to meet the requirements. To check if you meet the requirements, this document might help.
Knowledge of English
The second condition to apply for a British spouse visa is the knowledge of English. Spouses need to take an English test approved by the British government (TOEFL & TOEIC by ETS are NOT on the list) and pass the speaking and listening components at level A1 or above. You are exempted from taking tests if you are from English-speaking countries or holding academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognised byUK NARICas being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree.
- Preparation of supporting documents
After you confirm that you are qualified to apply for a British spouse visa, you can start preparing your supporting documents. Along with your documents, you also need to provide a current passport, previous passports and 2 passport size photographs. Below listed the documents I provided. It is suggested that you should give each section a cover letter to make the piles of documents easier to read. You must provide the originals of each document along with a duplicate (You only need to copy the documents which are not duplicable. For example, you should copy your marriage certificate, but you don’t need to copy your emails or duplicates of your bank account balance.).
Basic information about the applicant (foreign spouse)
‧Copy of my passport
‧Application form you finished online
‧Our marriage certificate issued by HongKongese government
‧English Household Registration Transcript
‧Termination Certificate of my latest job
‧English Pay slips
‧Certificate of my master’s degree I took in UK
‧Certificate of the scholarship I received for my master’s degree
‧English Certificate of bank account balance
Information about my hubby (British citizen)
‧Sponsorship Undertaking-Form SU07/12
‧Copy of Hubby’s passport
‧A letter from my sponsor (a letter written by my hubby to confirm that he will be responsible for my moving to UK)
‧Our Marriage Certificate (I attach again in this section)
‧Our wedding invitation
‧Photos taken during our relationship (I made them a pdf doc and print it out)
‧Emails between my hubby and me (I provided emails)
‧Emails between my hubby’s family and me
Evidence of my hubby’s current employment and financial status
‧Appendix 2-Financial Requirement Form
‧Bank statements for the past 8 months before we apply
‧Formal Offer of Appointment for work
‧Pay slips for the past 7 months before we apply
‧Letters from hubby’s employer to inform changes of his offer
‧The latest council tax bill
Accommodation Details in UK
‧A letter from my hubby to assure the address we provide is the place we are going to live together
‧Emails between my hubby and our landlord to show that the landlord knows my moving to the house
‧The tenancy agreement
‧Council tax bill with my hubby’s name and the address we provide
‧Utility bills sent to the address we provide and also with my hubby’s name
- Online application and payment
If you have got all the documents above ready, you can start applying online:
‧ Go to the VFS Taiwan website to register and log into the online application system.
‧ Get your current passport and old passports at hand because you will need to fill out all your travel records of the recent 10 years.
‧ Select your visa type as “settlement”.
‧ Don’t worry if you cannot finish it in one go, you can save and edit your form anytime before you submit.
‧ Book a time you want to submit those paper documents.
‧ Pay your visa and service fee online (I paid USD1,614, including 1,514 visa fee and 100 service fee. If you really need your visa urgently, you can pay GBP300 to get it in 10 days. Normally it takes 40 to 60 days to get your visa.).
‧ Print out your application form and confirmation letter.
‧ Bring the supporting documents, application form and confirmation letter to VFS Taiwan on the date you selected.
‧ Wait for the good news!
We applied for my visa on the 9th of October, 2014, and I received the notice to collect my visa on the 25th of November. We truly hope our experience will be helpful for people with the similar situation. Wish everyone can live with his or her darling happily! See you next time. :)