VAF4A Questions

**Saph88** · 20-05-09, 07:08 PM

Hi

My fiancé and I are stuck on how to answer the below questions, any help would be appreciated;

Travel dates: On which dates do you wish to travel?
If we do not have an appointment yet how do we know what dates to write?

9.1 Is there any other information you wish to be considered as part of your application?
How do we answer this question, please can anyone give suggestions on any relevant details?

Many thanks

Sapphira

**OneTime** · 21-05-09, 04:00 AM

Hi Sapphira,

Back when I applied, I had to book flights - I think that's changed now because it doens't seem to be a requirement on checklists anymore.

Most people I have spoken to say to just put an approximate date when you plan to travel.

In terms of the additional info section, you don't have to put anything there if you can't think of anything. All visa applications (for just about any country) have this section. It's basically for any information that you think that might help or be important to your application that hasn't already been asked or disclosed on the form. It's not a "must fill in" simply a "fill this in if you want to".

Hope this helps.

**belladonna** · 21-05-09, 12:59 PM

Hi Sapphira

For your application, you can post-date it for up to 3 months, ie: I applied 10 March and put in the date to travel as 30 May 2009. When I got my visa (

) they had dated it as valid from 30 May 2009. So I guess you need to think about the date you would like your visa valid from. We hadn't booked flights yet, but I just put in a quote I got from a travel agency with an estimated date for travel.We leave for the Uk on the 1st of June.

As for the other bit about any info you wish to be considered, I just asked them to please read my husband's (sponsor) personal statement he wrote explaining why he wanted me to come and live with him in the Uk as well as my own personal statement detailing our relationship etc.

Anyway, that worked for me, as I received my visa 2 days after applying.

**OneTime** · 21-05-09, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by belladonna

As for the other bit about any info you wish to be considered, I just asked them to please read my husband's (sponsor) personal statement he wrote explaining why he wanted me to come and live with him in the Uk as well as my own personal statement detailing our relationship etc.

Anyway, that worked for me, as I received my visa 2 days after applying.

Yep, I think that if you provide extra information and they find it usable or relevant, then they'll use it, if it's not, they'll ignore it and hopefully your application on it's own will be strong enough without the need for the extra info.

I reckon that if you're able to tick all the boxes on the checklist, then you should be ok.

**Saph88** · 21-05-09, 01:23 PM

Hi Both,

Thanks for your help! It's very helpful!

I do have two other questions, who do we get in contact with to make the appointment is it the VFS? Do you have their email address please?

Also, when should we make the appointment for? I thought we would have to wait for the unabridge marriage certificate which will take 9 weeks after we are married which means I will have to fly back to the UK and miss the appointment. Can we apply for the visa just using the abridged marriage certificate? This subject has really confused me??

Thanks again

S

**belladonna** · 25-05-09, 09:19 AM

Sorry for the late reply Sapphira, was away for the weekend.

The appointment thing at VFS is new, they didn't have this service when I went, it was still in the planning stages. Have a look at the VFS website as there is some info there. Looks like the online appointment thing is only available on Saturdays for now and you have to do the online application and then include a signed printout.

As for the marriage certificate, I think that you do need the unabridged one. If you get married at Home Affairs, then you need to make sure that they find the marriage registry paper they have filled in(otherwise your minister will have it if you get married in church) which is the A4 one as the Pretoria home affairs need this before issuing your unabridged. The PE home affairs branch had to fax it to Pretoria before they issued my certificate.

Think it will be better if you make the appointment once you have all your documents, especially if you are waiting for them to come from Home Affairs... just in case there is a long delay. The actual application and biometrics does not take long and like I said, if you have a solid application, it's really quick to get it approved.