manchester2016

My wife is a US citizen, I am UK... I believe she can stay in the UK without a Visa for up to 6 months. Would she then have to leave for at least 6 months?

In other words, is there a yearly maximum in addition to the maximum per stay?

SanDiegogirl

The rule of thumb is 6 months in 12 in the UK.

Any further visits within that time will look as though one is trying to live in the UK under a visit status.

Vadio

Posts on other forums suggest that after multiple 6 in/6 out visits, there may be additional scrutiny upon entry.

The 'visitor stamp' that she gets upon arrival is a visa; it's just 'issued' at the border.

mikelincs

The immi people scrutinise the wife/fiance of someone living in the UK very carefully, and at least one member on here's wife was turned away at the border purely because her husband was living here, and they thought she might try to disappear' off their radar while here to live here. and no, she wasn't coming from a high risk country.

robin1234

My wife is in this position too. She's a U.S. citizen, I'm dual US - British. We are retired. We have a little flat in England, it's my intention to spend most of my time here, maybe eight months of the year with two stays in the U.S. each year of two months each.

She doesn't want to commit to migrating to the UK at this point, and would like to visit the UK maybe two or at most three times a year, each visit just four or six weeks, or less....

Big problem with this plan is that at any time, she could be denied entry, whether she's entering on her own, or we are travelling together. Do they typically deny entry to white, middle class American 65 year old ladies? Probably not, but unfortunately the worry will always be there.

manchester2016

We are looking into the spouse visa route, and one of the options of financial requirements is self-employment income.

I am opening a UK company, we will then both travel to the UK from the US shortly after. We intend to spend 3 months in the UK, then 3 months in another EU country, then 3 months in the UK and then finally, 3 months in another EU country... after that, we will have tax records to show we exceed the income requirements, and she will return to the US to apply for the spouse Visa.

Will she have to deal with immigration at the border of each EU country she visits every time?

mikelincs

She may well need some sort of visa for each country, you would need to check, or BiP will be along to tell you.

manchester2016

We would do visa free countries for US citizens:.. U.K., Germany, Belgium etc

formula

The UK is not "visa free" for US citizens. The US is just one of the countires where their citizens don't have to apply for a visa before they travel to the UK. Although....

"You may want to apply for a visa if you have a criminal record or you’ve previously been refused entry into the UK."

The citizens of these countries can ask for entry to the UK at the border instead of applying for a visa before they travel but......

"However, you should bring the same documents you’d need to apply for a visa, to show to officers at the UK border. "

https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/usa/tourism



As a visitor, your wife will need to show the entry officer that she has things to do that she must return to in her own country for (will not overstay in the UK). i.e show proof she has a job in the US that she must return to.
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ting-documents

This will be a problem then as it appears she has nothing to show she has to go back to the US for, no job and her husband has moved to the UK. From what you have said, she is leaving the US and wanting to reside in the UK and other EEA countries for a year as a visitor- something a UK visitor is not allowed to do. She will need to declare her relationship with you if asked, otherwise this will get picked up when she asks for a spouse visa a year later.

Yes.

Also be aware that as a visitor she is not allowed to use the NHS for free and will need to pay at point of service. If she doesn't have insurance to pay then 50% is added to her bill.

formula

As long as she always has the documents to show she has something to go back to the US for, doesn't stay for long or visit that often, doesn't owe the NHS money, then that seems to be ok from what other forums are saying. It's those trying to reside in the UK while claiming to be a visitor, that seem to be denied entry.

BritInParis

A few points:

- A US citizen can spend up to a maximum of six months in the UK as a visitor. Leave to enter for a period up to six months is at the discretion of the Immigration Officer. You may only be given permission to stay until your scheduled departure or refused entry altogether. Anyone seeking to spend more than six out of twelve months in the UK as visitor is likely to be refused leave to enter as they are unlikely to be considered a genuine visitor.

- US citizens do not require a visa to enter the UK as a visitor. A entry stamp given at the border is not a visa.

- Whether anyone will be given leave to enter as a visitor will be at the discretion of the Immigration Officer. You don't get a free pass by being a white, middle class, middle aged woman if you are not assessed as being a genuine visitor.

- Once you've entered the Schengen Area then there are no border controls between each of the member states. This has changed at some land borders thanks to the current migration crisis.

SanDiegogirl

During this "travel" time I presume you are going to be working remotely for your US company as your plan is to invoice the company for work undertaken for them, hence building up your proof of self employment in the UK?

Personally, I think what you are intending (in the UK for three months, another EU country for 3 months, back in UK for three months, another country for three months) is both exhausting and expensive. Are you intending to rent property during this time?

Have you considered your wife stays in the US and you both visit over the year? Less hassle and easier for you to work surely?

robin1234

Yes, but what are those documents for a retired person? No job related obligations to have to return to...

formula

I put that link in post 9. Here it is again.
https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ting-documents

holly_1948

The most obvious thing is that she has a house (or better a condo in a gated community) owned in her own name with utility bills in her own name. Or at least the first listed name on the title papers.

"I'm a snowbird - I do seven Winter months in Florida, and five months each summer in Europe (doing painting, music, ballet, theatre, museums, racing, golfing or whatever floats your boat)".

You, of course, do the reverse.