Lilo

I see there are a few different ways we could go about getting my US fiancé to the UK (marry before, marry after, extend visa etc.).

But we'd like to know which is the quickest and cheapest way to get him here on an indefinite stay visa as a legal resident and able to work?

And how much should we budget for this process (excluding flights, moving costs, and proof of ability to financially support ourselves)?

Thanks!

inggris

What is your nationality?

mikelincs

All your other posts have been about you moving to the US, has this idea fallen through?

BritInParis

Cheapest and easiest way to do it would be to marry outside the UK, e.g. in the US, and then apply for your then-husband's spouse visa from the US. He would be allowed to work as soon as he arrived and it would take five years to permanent residence (Indefinite Leave to Remain). Bear in mind however that you as the British sponsor would need to meet the financial requirements which usually means having a job or a job offer in the UK that earns over £18,600 pa.

If your fiancé has any recent British, Irish or other European ancestry then that would be worth exploring to see if it entitles him to a passport that would bypass the need for a visa.

SanDiegogirl

Fee for spouse settlement visa is currently 1,195.00 GBP; National Health surcharge is 200 GBP per year of visa (so 600 GBP for initial visa), plus odds and bods for courier charges.

Budget around 2,000 GBP

You as Brit would need to sponsor him as said. So the financial requirements for this are in addition to the fees for the visa.

Read the document below carefully to see how you qualify

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

Lilo

Thanks guys. I'm a British citizen, and he's purely US, no previous heritage that he could claim.

We have been planning for me to move to the US, but now considering moving to the UK instead.

If we get the spouse settlement visa, I suppose that's 33 months . . . and then what happens after that 33 months expires? We keep renewing that same visa until 5 years has passed?

SanDiegogirl

After 33 months you apply for a further 2.5 years with same financial, accommodation, relationship criteria.

After the 5 years you can apply for ILR and then naturalisation.

Lilo

Thank you. If we did want to get married in the UK, and we got the 6 month visa version, would my fiancé be able to work after we got married without reapplying for a new visa?

SanDiegogirl

No..... following a fiance visa, then once married, he applies for a spouse visa (does not have to leave the UK to do so) and once he has that then he can work.

Fiance visa followed by spouse visa is the most expensive way to go as both visas have fees attached to them.

Lilo

Okay, great. And do we pay the NHS fees upfront or on a yearly basis? Just trying to budget for this. Thanks.

Perth

You pay for the 2.5 years upfront, and then an additional 2.5 when you apply for further leave to remain.

mikelincs

For the second stage you can count your husband's earnings, so that makes a big difference.