silvertown

Firstly, I want to thanks all those that pointed me in the right direction two years ago, especially Sandiegogirl. We have been settled back in the UK for just over two years now. Kids are super happy at school, wife has made really close local friends and I have a job with a horrendous commute, but it is paying the bills and we are super happy we went to the bother of getting through the whole visa process.

However, now, two years on, we start to approach the last six months of my wife's initial visa and I am embarrassed to say that I never really looked into the next step, aside from knowing she has to pass the life in the UK exam, as it all seemed so far off.

I will proceed to refamiliarise myself with the details of this forum but, if there is a quick link anyone has to the next steps, I would appreciate it massively. I instinctively went to gov.uk and was back in the familiar loop of unhelpful pages.

It's late here now so will start looking again tomorrow...

Night all...

P.s. can visa charges be offset against tax liabilities?

SanDiegogirl

Gosh...... two years already !

Presuming your wife entered on a spouse visa, and she entered UK on 33-month visa, then the earliest she can apply for further Leave to remain on form FLR(M) is on the 30-month anniversary of her UK entry (not from 'valid from' date on your visa, unless you arrived here on the first day of validity), minus 28 days. So for example, if she arrived in UK on her settlement visa on 17th June 2015, you can apply on 17th December 2017 (30-month anniversary), minus 28 days which will be 19th November 2017. So that's the first day you can book your premium service centre appointment for (for same-day service) or send off your application by post.

Right now she is applying for a Further leave to remain visa for another 2.5 years. She does not have to do the Life in the UK test because that is when she applies for Indefinite leave to remain or naturalisation at the end of the 5 year period.

The form she needs to complete is

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...M__11-2016.pdf

You need to fulfill financial, relationship and accommodation criteria just the same as you did for the initial visa.

Happy reading.........

No the fees cannot be put against tax liabilities

michali

As SDG has advised, have a read of the form for which she has sent the link. The form itself is helpful, especially regarding the official correspondence you must include to prove you have been living together during the past two and a half years. When the time comes to apply, make sure you are using the latest version. UKVI tend to change it about twice a year. What we did was print out a form and use it for a practice run. Then a few days before our date of application, the form changed but it was not a problem as we had our draft version to work from.

There is also now an online version of the application if you prefer and I understand it is simpler but, of course, you cannot look at it until you register and it is too early to do that!
https://visas-immigration.service.go.../family-routes

I would strongly recommend the same day service which costs £500 more but is worth it as you usually are given a decision on the same day and it saves all the stress of waiting for a postal response.

mikelincs

Just remember that, this time, your wife's earnings can also be used to help fulfil the financial requirements and added to yours

silvertown

Ok, panic time. I misread/miscalculated this completely and suddenly we have reached 8 weeks until expiry. I have read the latest application form, which I believe is the April 2017 one. I have just found out about the health supplement (£500?) And the need for my wife to take another English test. We tried contacting Pearson to check if her original score was A1 or A2 but they just keep saying they have deleted the results as two years have passed. The only people who have her results now are the home office but they can't discuss individual cases when you call for help, so this now means another £200 and a rushed IELTS VI A2 test? Whatever the hell that is.

So, can't take the English test until June because of lead times, takes two weeks for the results of that and then need to get in the application. I'm fine to book the premium appointment but can I do that ahead of time, i.e. now?

I'm suddenly panicking about the 'what if' situation and trying not to get angry about even having to go through this again.

We bought a flat upon returning to the UK and a house last year to replace it. We have just sold the flat but the cash hasn't been in the accounts for six months so flush with cash but still have to jump through hoops to prove finances again.

And see we have another £2,800 bill waiting in another 30months to rubber stamp it all then, again?

Anyone got any calming words for me...?

SanDiegogirl

Under which financial category are you applying?

Income (Cat A or B), savings etc.......

Yes you need to pay the National Health surcharge

If this is the second 2.5 year visa period (and it sounds like it is) then at the end of it you won't have another 30 months period, as your wife will have reached her 5 years of residing in the UK. At that stage she applies for Indefinite Leave to remain (permanent residency)

Presume you are looking at the FLR (M) form?

Can't help with the English test I'm afraid.

If timing gets tight then go for Premium same day service.

silvertown

Thanks for all the help. Face to Face booked for end of this week. A few final questions...

1. Biometrics - as this isn't a postal application, I believe the biometrics are done in person on the day of the interview?

2. Children - they are British, so not part of the application per second, yet are referenced often in the application, so a little confusing when they need to be included. Main question is around passport photos - not required?
3. Financial requirement - my wife covers the requirement in her own right through our own limited company so, presumably, I don't need to include my info as well?
4. Offences - 10.3/10.4 - my wife was caught speeding but did the traffic awareness course and never got points on her license - from the wording, I am assuming this doesn't need to be detailed?
5. 10.13 - this is the kind of question that I hate because of the ambiguity. Does it require details of all ins and outs to the UK, ever, or only since the Entry Clearance was granted 30 months ago?
6. 10.14 - ties to home country...what are they really getting at here? Do they mean things like owning property in home country? Asking about culture and family in own country are a bit odd, given people clearly have cultural and family ties to where they grew up...?
7. 12.5 - related to question 2, above. Children are not part of the visa application but do we need to detail and provide their passports as part of this question?

All related to FLR(M).

Many thanks all...nearly there...

Also, a tip from me: the Trinity College test is fantastic. Not because of the cost and logistics, because those are obscene, but the fact that they assess you in person rather than via a paper test was a godsend for us and a much fairer way, in my opinion.

Silver x

silvertown

Oh, and is there any issue turning up at the interview with the kids? I am definitely going with my wife and we were going to get someone to mind the kids but, if they can come, I'd happily take them.