Update - 2 months away

Hey up!!

I`m back!!

In the video below, I`m telling you (in Portuguese) what happened during this period away of the blog. Why I took so long to write again here and what I`m doing from now...

I was writing here in Portuguese and in English the same post and it was taking so much time from me. I didn't have enough time anymore for both languages writing cause I was solving things in my life, so I decided to write here only in English from now and record these videos (talking about the same subject and saying the same things) on YouTube in Portuguese, it makes everything easier.

So, what happened during these 2 months away Luciana? Me and my husband decided that we should be together even before I get my spouse Visa, we were missing each other that much and our stress cause the visa documents and living far apart was making everything harder for us as well. So that's it! I came to England 2 months ago, I'm here with him passing these months until we can go together to Brazil to apply for my visa (remembering that Brazilians are allowed to stay in this country for 6 months with tourist visa).

Our life as couple is being so much better now that we are together, we are doing very well and we are very happy with our decision and still helping each other to sort out everything that is necessary for the visa application.

Hope you enjoy the changes and keep following the Journey of a Brazilian-English Couple blog and YouTube channel.

See ya soon x

IELTS Life skills A1 exam - result

Did I write "waiting for 2 weeks for the result"? on last post?
Well, normally it is what really happens yeah, but (thank you Murphy Law!) , It was different for me. Veeeery different!

My exam was on 6th May, 2016 and they have sent the result document to me on 11th May, 2016, exactly one week later. I didn't know yet by this time if I was approved or not. So I began waiting it for 2 weeks...

Somenhing went wrong. This sending-process fucked my life up (sorry for swearing!). My certificate only arrived after a whole month! Exactly on 6th June, 2016. It was sent to Northeast of Brazil (Piauí) because they haven't wrote the post code on the envelope and the post office couldn't delivery it to me like that. They didn't know where they should delivery it at all. Anyway, in the end, it arrived with good new in it for me: I was approved!!!

Phew! One more step done!

Resultado da prova Life skills Ielts A1

No post passado eu escrevi "aguardar o resultado por 2 semanas"?
Bom, normalmente é isso que acontece mesmo, mas (obrigada Lei de Murphy!), comigo foi diferente! Beeem diferente!

Fiz a prova no dia 6 de maio de 2016 e o documento de aprovação (ou não, até então eu não sabia a resposta) foi enviado ao meu endereço no dia 11 de maio de 2016, exatamente 1 semana depois, então beleza, iria chegar em 2 semanas conforme o cronograma deles. #SQN

Deu cagada! Meu certificado chegou exatamente no dia 6 de junho de 2016. Foi pra um estado nordestino no Brasil (Piauí) por conta da ausência de CEP no envelope e dificultou que os Correiso o entregassem a mim no endereço correto. Mas pelo menos chegou: fui aprovada!

 

Ufa, mais um passo concluído!

How my IELTS Life Skills A1 exam was

So I'm back here (after a long time) to tell you. I Survived!
I was pretty nervous, it wasn't really needed, but I was anyway.
Once there, I realised I did not have a colour copy of my passport and I had to work it all out, so here's a tip: take the COLOUR copy of your passport and the original with you to the exam, okay?
The test is carried out in pairs and follows some steps:

1- Introduction:
Say your full name and then spell it. Talk about where you are from and say a little about the place you live (how is your neighbourhood and how are your neighbours for example) and why you like to live there.

2- Listening
Two audios are played for you to hear and you answer a question (each) about one of the audios, then listen again and make up two more questions (for each) on the other audio which the other had not previously answered. They intersperse the audios that each participant will answer each time, but it is usually very basic day-to-day subject, mine was about going to the store to buy something and you can make notes for what you will say if you want. The good thing is that they ask the questions before we hear the audio for the second time, then when you hear again you are already thinking about what you want to answer and this helps you to pay more attention to the detail. For example, for me they asked what the person was buying (about the first audio), and what day of the week she would like the product delivered and the price of it (about the second audio). And that was it =)

3- Speaking
After this stage, we answered some personal questions based on the listening subject. In my case it was like, you like to buy? At where? What? You choose fast or slow? Because? This kind of thing.
And then,
The test supervisor gives a theme for each of the candidates to formulate some questions to the other candidate about the new topic that was given. You can write down the questions you will have decided on.
I had to ask the other candidate about "what do you like to do when you're among friends," and he made me questions about "what I like in relation to the learning the English language." Both subjects were told by the lady who was guiding us on the exam.

By the end we heard a "thank you very much! Your test is finished, bye-bye!" and entered the anxiety of waiting for the result for 2 weeks.

Como foi a minha prova Life Skills IELTS A1

Então, estou aqui de volta (depois de muito tempo) pra contar pra vocês. Eu sobrevivi!
Estava bastante nervosa, nem precisava na verdade, mas estava.
Chegando lá, percebi que não tinha cópia colorida do meu passaporte e tive que resolver isso, então fica a dica: levem a cópia COLORIDA do passaporte de vocês e o original ok?

A prova é realizada em dupla e segue-se de algumas etapas:

1- Apresentação:
Diga seu nome completo e depois soletre. Fale de onde você é e conte um pouco sobre o lugar que você mora (seu bairro, seus vizinhos) e porque você gosta de morar lá

2- Listening
Dois áudios são colocados pra ouvirmos e respondemos uma pergunta (cada) sobre um dos áudios, depois ouvimos de novo e faz-se mais duas perguntas (para cada um) sobre o outro áudio o qual não havíamos respondido anteriormente. Eles intercalam os áudios que cada um dos participantes vai responder por vez, mas o assunto geralmente é bem básico do dia-a-dia, o meu foi sobre ir a loja comprar alguma coisa e pode fazer anotações sobre detalhes do áudio se quiser. A boa é que eles dizem as perguntas quais serão antes de ouvirmos a segunda vez, então você já escuta mentalizando sobre o que quer responder e isso auxilia a prestar mais atenção no detalhe. Por exemplo, pra mim perguntaram o que a pessoa estava comprando (sobre o primeiro áudio), quanto era e em qual dia da semana ela gostaria que fosse entregue o produto (sobre o segundo áudio).

3- Speaking
Após essa etapa, respondemos a algumas perguntas pessoais baseadas no assunto do listening. No meu caso foi tipo, você gosta de comprar? Onde? O que? Você escolhe rápido ou demora a escolher? Por que? O que você leva em consideração na hora de escolher? Esse tipo de coisa.
E então,
O orientador da prova dá um tema para cada um dos candidatos formularem algumas perguntas para o outro sobre o tema que foi dado. Pode anotar as perguntas que vai fazer.
Eu tive que perguntar ao outro candidato sobre "o que ele gosta de fazer quando está entre amigos" e ele me fez perguntas sobre "o que eu gosto em relação ao aprendizado da língua inglesa". Ambos temas nos foram ditos pela orientadora da prova.

Por final ouvimos um "thank you very much! Your test is finished, bye-bye!" e entramos na ansiedade de aguardar o resultado por 2 semanas.

English exam for the Visa!

I hardly can't believe that my IELTS life skills A1 English exam is already tomorrow! My God guys! What a nervous person I am right now! People already told me that it is easy, okay and will be that way too, but I simply can't deny my anxious about it... HEEELP!
We all want it to succeed, but it's in God's hands!

Will be here again tomorrow to tell everything how it has happened...
Wish me luck!!

T'ra!! See ya soon xx

Prova de proficiência na língua inglesa

Não estou nem conseguindo acreditar que a minha prova já é amanhã! Gente que nervoso! Já me disseram que é e vai ser tranquila mas não consigo evitar a ansiedade... Socorro!
Seja o que Deus quiser!

Amanhã conto pra vocês como foi
Desejem-me sorte!!

See ya soon!

Documents checklist for Visa Application

After much searching, asking questions and receiving help (thank you girls Married with British guys!) I could make a list of documents required for the visa interview.
People, not all documents are required as not all can be removed from the list, so it is always best to consult the official website and confirm if there are any questions I can't help you with here, okay? Moreover, it's better to include more than might be required than miss something important, and still ensure your visa!!!

Important Note: All documents must be originals, not copies or printed ones ok? But it is ALSO important to include a copy of the original that you'll need back, because they don't return originals if copy is not given.

I - Sponsor Information (my husband)
1.1 General Documents according to the Sponsorship form and Appendix 2 (financial form)
1.2 Simple copy of passport (bio-data pages)
1.3 National Insurance number (the same as Brazilian CPF)
1.4 Registered on electoral roll (to confirm where he lives and that he is firmly established - settled - as British citizen)
1.5 Mobile phone account (to verify your address, like described in the explanation of 1.4)
1.6 Personal statement letter - essentially introduzing himself as a British citizen and my husband, summarizing our relationship (where, when and how we met), confirming our plans to live together after marriage and building a family and also confirming that he is financially responsible for me in England and confirming the information presented in Appendix 2 form about his work and wage and saying that he meets all the financial requirements, moreover, he says that he wants me to join him in England and saying that he is at their disposal if they have any doubt.
 
II- Financial


Important Note: All the following documents require proof for the last 6 months, I stress that the last proven month can not exceed 28 days from the date of the visa application.
Note: All bank documents must be signed and stamped by the bank manager.

 

2.1 Last 6 months bank statements (or bank books) of the sponsor - proving that his salary was deposited into this account - this part isn't written in official website, but I think it's important doesn't show a bank account with a negative balance (in maximun a zero balance is acceptable I guess lol) 
2.2 Payslips of the sponsor for the last 6 months - can not be printed from internet, but if this is the only way to obtain this document as original, must be signed and stamped by head of the company.
2.3 Bank reference letter (or balance certificate) - evidence my husband is a customer/client (and for how long), saying the account number and the balance of it
2.4 Payment schedule - A company paper showing when payments of wage will be made in the next few months (if any)
2.5 P60 tax and National Insurance doc (for employed) or Income tax returns (for self-employed) - recent document from the Government tax office confirming your income and the amount of tax that you have paid.
 
III - Current Employment (sponsor)
3.1 Original employment contract (evidence of sponsor's employment) - If there's more than one (in case of the contract job keep being renewed as temporary), than it's better you give them all of the contracts that were signed in this company until present day.
3.2 Confirmation of the end of probationary period
3.3 Pension plan (if any)
3.4 Letter from the head of company - in a company letterhead paper, confirming the employment of the sponsor and stating how long he has worked in the company, position and salary also confirmed.


IV - Accommodation
4.1 Certified copy of deeds of sponsor's house - Property Deed (property title) or property lease (if it's the case) - to prove that it is an adequate place to live (and It is not a place for immigrants to live for example! hehehe)  
4.2 Property inspection report: Description of the property for a property inspection document - for the same reason described above in 4.2 (this is required if you're sharing the house with someone else that is not just your husband/wife, if you're going to live in a place just you and him, a letter of you just describing it is ok, and it's not necessary to give them this document if the description is already in the property deed)
P.S: The inspection can't be realised in more than 3months of the date of the application for the VISA.
4.3 Photos of each room in the house
4.4 Bills from utility companies (Water bills, electricity, gas and telephone - at least three different types of utility bills)
4.5 Invitation supporting letter of the house owners (if you're going to share the place with anyone else other than your spouse) - saying they know your plans to live there until you get your own house, which has enough space for you (us, in this case) to live, accommodation details, and they agree and authorize the plan and confirming that we are welcome/able to stay.
4.6 Local authority letter (council tax) and council tax bill/statements

V - Relationship and marriage
5.1 Marriage Certificate - certified translation
5.2 Wedding Photos
5.3 Other photos of us together, with friends and families and places we were together - I think I'll have around 150 photos - write in each picture the name of each person who is in the photo, where was it, when and, if it's the case, the name of the event - everything in English
5.4 E-mails' history exchanged by us throughout the period of the relationship
5.5 Screenshots and historical conversations on Skype, Whatsapp, SMS, iMessage and posts made on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. You can also include here the comments of relatives and friends in these photos and posts as well as posts made by friends and relatives you were tagged in too.
5.6 Boarding passes and tickets when we went to see each other
5.7 Booking and payments of the hotels when we were together
5.8 Exchanged cards and letters
5.9 Letters from family and friends recognizing that our relationship and marriage is genuine, and always has been genuine, how they knew us, what they think of our relationship and if they support it.

VI - Information of the applicant
6.1 Visa Application Form VAF 4A - Appendix 2 (financial form) - don't forget to write with pen in the first page the number of the NHS payment that you do in the moment you create a login on visa application's website
6.2 Current and previous passport and Another document with picture (in addition to the passport)
6.3 Graduation certificate - certified translation
6.4 English language skills Proof (in my case, the test certificate IELTS Life Skills A1)
6.5 Two photos 3,5x4,5 (passport size according to the criteria they ask)
6.6 My personal statement in English - more emotional, about wanting to be with him, etc
6.7 Negative certificate of criminal records (If applicable) - certified translation
6.8 Confirmation of the interview scheduled (visa application appointment) - they send by e-mail after the online application
6.9 Visa application confirmation (they send by e-mail after the online application) and visa application payment
 

People, that is. I tried to be as clear and detailed as possible in this post. Exemplifying and explaining with as much detail about each item. I hope it all works out!

It hasn't been easy to raise the money, I confess. Especially now that there was an increase (from 956 pounds to 1195 plus health insurance NHS 600 pounds)

Still, I can't wait to have this British Consulate VISA pasted on my passport. Can't wait to see the start date and its expiration. After all, I still feel confident.

If you have any more ideas or have sent any other document that you consider as important and which is not listed here, you can comment below, all help is welcome! And if there's any doubt, you can always ask me and I will try to help, kisses!