The British government has recently announced important changes with respect to the specific immigration forms that must be submitted as part of the settlement visa application process.
For many years, those applying for a settlement visa to immigrate to the UK, whether it was a marriage visa, partner visa, or fiancee visa, were required to submit a VAF 2 form to the UK immigration authorities. Effective November 9, 2007, those applying for UK family visas that fall under the settlement category must use a completely new VAF 4 form instead.
In certain countries, such as China for example, the new regulations become effective on November 2, 2007. Starting today, the British Consulates in Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing are instructed to stop accepting VAF 2 forms for processing.
The VAF 4 application form is quite different than the previously required VAF 2. Compared to the VAF 2, the VAF 4 is more complex. Numerous additional questions have been added, for instance, questions requiring the visa applicants to provide their sponsor’s national insurance number and information concerning the applicant’s trips outside their country of normal residence in the past 10 years.
Forms were made available to the public on October 29, 2007. They can be obtained at no cost from any UK visa application center, British Embassy, or High Commission.
