Missblissbear

Hi all I'm new to the forum but hoping someone has seen a similar situation and may be able to give experience or advice. In a nut shell...
Hubby UK born... We have been together 10 years and lived in Australia 90% the time.... 2 x 6 month UK stays. (Those were over 4 years ago now). We married in the UK in Feb 2010 and have 2 children born in Australia 8 yr old and 6 yr old. We have already got the kids british passports so them and hubby all good just me! I know I need a visa to stay and work... I'm getting very confused with the application...calculations...expectations and don't want to stuff anything up. We were really hoping to head back to the UK next year in possibly February, March or April. Does anyone have a good visa agent they could recommend to me? Have any idea of possible (approx) fees? Experience themselves.... I went onto UTube last night and freaked myself out watching a couple of people who were applying for the same visa as I want to... Why is it so hard to just stay with my hubby and kids. We have a home all ready in the UK for us....will be employed in the family business so not a burden to the country.... I'm having serious heart palpitations trying to work this visa/spouse sponser stuff out! Any help or advice hugely appreciated. Kel

michali

Firstly, take some deep breaths and relax! I know it is hard to do so but be assured that I have never heard of anyone who did not get stressed trying to get a visa for the UK, especially a spousal visa! So you are quite normal!

Secondly, this is the page you should go to to apply for the visa https://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk

You should check https://www.gov.uk/government/public...ent-form-vaf4a for appendix 2 and supporting documents guidance.

You would register and then select the correct category to proceed. However, before you start you must familiarize yourself with the requirements, financial, relationship and accommodation. The financial is very important and details can be found here https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...equirement.pdf
It is important to read that document carefully to make sure you can apply and meet the financial requirements.

The fact that you have a home in the UK will satisfy the accommodation requirement. Proof of genuine relationship can be provided with photos, Official letters, joint bank statements and bills in both names.

If you are to be employed in the family business, I would think you will need to provide contracts and letters to prove your sponsor will be earning the required amount of £18,600 a year and that he has been earning that amount in the US for the past six months.

Alternatively, if you have £62,500 in savings, you can apply under the savings category which is a lot simpler.

It is a nerve wracking process but doable and most of us survive! It is wise to make sure you have all your supporting documents ready before you complete the application form as some, like original bank statements can be no older than 28 days at the time of application.

We will help here with more information if you need it.

Missblissbear

Thank you so much.... We both have worked in Australia but hubby earnt slightly less than me... But his gross income just covers the £18600 annual income. I'm hoping that will be ok as he has been a apprentice and a low income worker. Even though we have some savings, and will return to the UK with a lot more after we sell everything in Australia. At the moment I can't use our savings as the money in our save accounts has been touched...added to and withdrawn from in the last 6 months so I guess void?? We have letters describing hubby's job role, annual income etc and start date and our property's address, rental amount and garenteed (my FIL owns numerous properties and we will live in one) that is the business we are returning to the UK to be part of. I will get a portfolio together of photos, rent receipts documents etc about our lives over the last 10 years. It's just so daughnting....you hear of people that think they have it worked out and got denied.... What happens then? Does anyone know? Do you have to wait x amount of time before applying again?

BritInParis

Always worth mentioning before you go down the spousal visa route: do you have any recent European ancestry, i.e. British, Irish or other European-born parents or grandparents? If so you may be eligible for a passport which would negate the need for a visa.

Missblissbear

No unfortunately.... Parents and grandparents are all Australian born.

michali

Once you have everything in place (and it is good to post your list here when you are ready) the chances are good you will get the visa. There is no time limit on when you could reapply if you are refused. You would be told on which grounds you were refused so that you can make sure you submit the right paperwork. But read the links carefully and compile your documents and you should be OK.

spouse of scouse

Hi from a fellow Aussie who'll be going the spouse visa route in a year or two. The forms and documentation required look really daunting at first, but if you just take it a step at a time, making sure that you have each requirement covered, you'll be fine. Michali's advice, in particular, is great.

As Michali said, tons of help available on BE so don't be afraid to ask. Best of luck!

spouse of scouse

Just to add to Michali's advice to read the financial requirements very carefully.

You've said that your husband only just makes the equivalent of the 18,600 pounds per annum salary requirement. If his salary is really on the edge, ie literally only just makes it, bear in mind that the foreign exchange conversion calculation is done as specified below (ie the rate on the day you apply). The link is the same as already provided by Michali, but I don't like to post text without also posting the source.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...equirement.pdf

3.5. Conversion of foreign currency

3.5.1. Income or cash savings in a foreign currency will be converted to pounds sterling (£) using
the closing spot exchange rate which appears on Forex Trading | Trade Currency Online | Forex Broker | OANDA on the date of
application. Where there is income or cash savings in different foreign currencies, each will
be converted into pounds sterling (£) before being added together, and then added to any
UK income or savings, to give a total amount.

Missblissbear

Thank you so much all for replying.... Very grateful. I will get as much evidence together and repost in here first. Just thought of something with income. I don't have individual payslips for the last financial year 1.7.2013 to 30.6.2014 but I have the overall tax return.... I do have individual payslips from beginning of May 2014 till now...so a complete 6 months worth. So in essence I have 17 months worth of income figures. In the financials it says something about salaried and non salaried (does this mean in Aussie talk Wage/ permanent full time? And casual?) hubby is permanent has been for over the last 3 years, but as he is a apprentice he gets a pay rise every July... The date he originally started. So in the last 6 months his pay for the first 2 weeks was about $20 lower than the remaining time.... It says something about in the 6 months prior and lower wage will be the wage they would calculate the total six months over.... So the last financial year his taxable gross income was $32925 from 1.7.13 to 30.6.14.... Then I have itemised payslips from 25/4/14 till now showing individual pays....so 28 weeks of payslips.... 8 of those payslips are included in the amount shown above for the total financial year tax assessment as they started in the previous financial year.... But from 25/4/14 till 30/10/14 he earned total gross amount ...$18,353.15. Which for today's currency converter on forex equated to Am I right in thinking they want gross and not net? Broken down....

$15504 first 24 weeks of the last 12 months
$5168 (first pay tier)
$13,185.15 (second pay tier) both these added equate to the last 28 weeks.
= $33390.15 so £18390.10 .... £209.90 short.... Arggggghhh hubby's weekly income since the 7th July is now $684.76 we need to add at least another £220 or $405.31 to boost our yearly income taking into account the currency rate changes! Omg we are never going to get there... This is stupid...as I'm the higher money earner we would have romped this requirement in just on my wage alone! � ����

michali

I hope someone can help you with this as I can never understand the categories that deal with income!

Missblissbear

Just had a thought... I only calculated the base annual wage amount....because hubby is permanent he attracts leave loading for sick days and also holiday pay. He is entitled to 4 weeks a year with 25% loading I think it is.... I've requested individual payslips as it is to hard to work out with last years total tax assessment! Fingers crossed the loading will bump us just over....as from what I've read....we would have a minimum amount of £16000 in the bank for 6 months for them to consider our savings.... We have $3000 Aussie so no where near!

Missblissbear

Thank you Michali.... This is what's really confusing me also....hence above! ^^^^

Missblissbear

Just got home and individually added every payslip since 15th November last year....total gross income is $34279.70 which equates to £18618.60 if I leave it till next week to lodge.... Seeing as I need to get all the other documents in order...photos, rent recipt etc it would be $34318.46 or £18639.60 slightly more leeway with the chance in currency conversion. I need to contact BHC tho as seeing as Mark was an apprentice he also last year got an extra $800 odd dollars being an adult apprentice.... So maybe that is classed as income also as that would add another £400 odd to the income. Fingers crossed.

spouse of scouse

Is your job as an accountant?! If not, I reckon you'll just about qualify as one, after having to do all those calculations! I got a headache just skimming those figures, and I'm also not up on the intricacies of the financial requirements, sorry.

Just bear in mind that the currency conversion rate is based on the website linked in the financial requirement docs, it's this one Currency Converter | Foreign Exchange Rates | OANDA

Missblissbear

I'm in banking... Lol... My sister is the accountant! That is the site I'm using for conversion... I know im an over thinker.... Just need this to happen sooooo much! :-)