januaryprincess

Hi everyone,

Me and my husband have just moved to Hong Kong from Manila. He is British and I am Filipino. We are currently in Hong Kong for his job. We have to stay here a year for his job and then he can transfer countries (the same company he's working for now) to the UK. We have no kids and both have not been married previously.

I understand all the financial, accommodation and English requirements. That's fine. However, since we are living in Hong Kong at the moment, and are renting an apartment here, we don't have any "accommodation" in the UK for when we move there. So my questions are:

1. Will he have to go to the UK in advance and rent an apartment for the two of us? As part of the proof of accommodation that we'll have to submit to the UKVI?
2. Would the UKVI accept bank statements from Hong Kong? As we said we are both currently residing in Hong Kong and would only move once the visa is approved.
3. If he does go to the UK in advance to get the lease, it would only be in his name. Would this be a problem? Does the apartment lease have to be in both our names for the visa application?
4. Once the accommodation requirement is checked off the list. Would it be possible for me to go to the UK on a visitor visa and convert that to a family visa via the Visa Premium Service Center (Solihull/ Birmingham or Croydon) and get the visa decision on the same day? It says int he UK government website that you can use the visa premium service center if you're applying to settle in the UK.
5. Also, has anyone tried to convert their tourist visa to a spouse visa via a Visa Premium Service Center?

Please help! And thank you so much!

michali

I will try to address your questions!

1. Your husband can try and arrange a short term rental from abroad, which is not that easy. Alternatively, you could stay with friends or family on a short term basis. You do have to submit evidence of accommodation to UKVI. If staying with family or friends, you would need a letter from them giving permission for you to stay, their land registry document or mortgage statement.
2. Bank statements from abroad are quite acceptable as long as the bank is a recognised bank.
3. No, the lease does not have to be in both names but the landlord would have to write a letter to say he or she gives permission for you to live there once the visa has been granted.
4. No, you cannot convert a visit visa to a settlement visa from within the UK. PSC appointments are only available to those applying from within the UK, so your spouse visa application must be made from your home country or any country in which you have legal residence.

Hope this helps! Other members of this board may be able to advise better on how they arranged accommodation before they relocated to the UK.

HKG3

There are also a few suggestions on other matters which the OP may found helpful -

1) While she is in Hong Kong, learn how to drive and pass the driving test in Hong Kong. A Hong Kong driving licence gained by passing a driving test in Hong Kong can be converted to a GB driving licence without test.

2) She may wish to open an UK bank account in Hong Kong before moving over. HSBC offers this service -

https://www.hsbc.com.hk/personal/hsb...s-account.html

prospect

Not sure if you are being transferred or not, but we moved with a firm job offer in place and just used a serviced apartment booking, made by our future employer as evidence of accommodation. It was only for 28 days.