Tentpeg

Hi All
I am a UK citizen, born and raised, and have worked abroad for the last 9 years which continuously requires me to relocate between countries. Several likely locations in the future are places that my wife (burmese) will unlikely be able to follow for security reasons etc. This is becoming a problem for us.
I want to sponsor her for a spouse visa so that she can live in the UK, but my work will likely mean that i will not be able to spend much time in the UK.
Are there any guidelines, fixed periods, time limits etc for how much time i would also have to be in the UK for to maintain her spouse visa?#

T&BR
TP

christmasoompa

This previous thread may be useful reading - Job abroad. How many days must I return to UK in a year to renew my wife's visa?

HTH and welcome to BE.

Tentpeg

Thank you for the re-direction, really appreciated.

okonumiyaki

What friends of mine in the same situation did is ask your company for a job in the UK for the time required for her to get status (two years I think) After that, she keeps declared residency in the UK (even if living abroad, just means she needs to pay tax, have a residence etc.) even if you declare non resident. And she needs to be careful answering immigration questions (i.e. always tell immigration that she is UK resident)

spouse of scouse

It takes 5 years and three successful spouse visa applications to be granted indefinite leave to remain.

People don't get to choose to 'declare residency' in the UK. Even if they own a property in the UK and submit a UK tax return, if they live abroad they would fail the habitual residency test and the ordinarily resident test - ie they would NOT be deemed as resident in the UK. This is true for British citizens as well as people with indefinite leave to remain.

Nobody needs to 'be careful answering immigration questions', they must simply tell the truth.