Lpowers

Good Day All

I hopefully have a quick question to ask.

We are in the process of going through all the documents, requirements, etc. to apply for a family visa to reside in the UK with my husband who is a British Citizen. I am not to concerned with what is required from a financial point of view, as well as employment and accommodation as this is all sorted.

What my query is concerning is the actual application.

Now I have been all over the internet where I could and have read many threads as well as the gov.uk site and seem to have conflicting answers.

We are South African (both my children and myself) and are currently residing/visiting in the UK with my husband while he works. We are aware that we will need to fly back to South Africa to do the application as we are here on visitors visas (unless someone knows of a way we can bypass this).

While doing research I read on the gov.uk site that my two children (aged 1 and 3) would be included on my application as we would apply as a "family". Is this correct? Or is it three separate applications? This to me is of mass confusion. Moreover if it is one application do we pay one fee, or is it three applications and three fees?

Thanking you in advance for any advice or answers!

BritInParis

Has your husband ever spent any period of time in the UK prior to your children's births?

Lpowers

He has, but a long time ago when he was a child. Not in his adult years.

BritInParis

How long did he live there for?

Lpowers

He can't recall at all, it was not for a long period of time, i.e. it was not for years, perhaps months.

BritInParis

Okay, if it was less than three years then that's no use to us. You mentioned his parents being British-born - whereabouts in the UK were they born?

Lpowers

His mother was born in Aldershot and his father was born in Barrow in Furness,

BritInParis

Thanks. One last set of questions; what year was your husband born? Was either of his parents in Crown service at the time of his birth in South Africa?

Lpowers

No problem. My husband was born in '86 and no, none of his parents were in the service.

BritInParis

Thanks for that, just wanted to clarify options. It appears that child settlement visas are the way to go for your children. You need to make a separate application for each child as well as yourself. Three applications, three sets of fees (don't forget the Immigration Health Surcharge). You will also need to make these applications from South Africa; you cannot apply from within the UK if you are here as a visitor.

Lpowers

No problem at all, thank you so much for the clarification.

I just have one more quick question, this whole process is a very confusing process. When I go online to apply on Visa4UK, they say that I need to fill out a VAF4A1 additional form and on this form they refer to three criteria of which you need to meet one of in order for this form to be necessary for you to complete.

I am struggling to make sense in my head (it's been a long day) of the third criteria : As the child of settled parents or with one parent who has limited leave as a partner or parent granted under the Rules in force before 9 July 2012.

It speaks of settled parents, my husband is settled and if I am successful with my application does that make me the one parent who has limited leave...?

BritInParis

Only if you were already residing in the UK on a spouse visa issued before 9 July 2012 or you were both settled in the UK. As you are not then you'll need to complete Appendix 2 for your children instead.

Lpowers

Thank you, that makes far more sense to me!