Phillipians

Hi Everyone

I have done research, but still cant quite work out the answer to these questions, apologies if they are perpetual questions

1) Financial requrements - I am thinking ahead, I plan to work in the US for a short amount of time before moving back the UK with my Wife. I understand that we can us income from the US in combination with a job offer in the UK. Does the abroad work have to cover exactly 6 months or just reach a certain threshold, e.g., what if I make enough money in 4 months?

2) Timing - When I apply for the visa, can I use earnings from April - September in the US, apply for the visa, then travel for about a month and a half before coming to the UK
in November/December?

Kind regards,

Joseph

BritInParis

From your previous posts I assume you are the British citizen? Are you in the UK or the US at the moment? Your last couple of posts suggested you were still in the UK.

Phillipians

Hi britinparis

Thanks for replying,

I am a british citizen, i am in the UK at the moment, but i am getting married in the US on a k1 visa in december, and we hope to move back after a short time

BritInParis

Define a 'short time'? You don't need a K1 visa to marry in the US. If you're employed in the UK now then why not take some leave, marry in the US, return to the UK and then have your wife apply for her spouse visa?

Phillipians

thankyou again

by a short time i mean about a year, we wanted to spend dome time there with her family before settling here, i already have the k1 visa

BritInParis

You will need six months employment with the same employer in the US before you can apply for Category A. For Category B you can have less than six months employment but you would've need to hit the £18,600 threshold by the time you apply during the previous twelve months. Therefore to apply after four months you would need an annual salary of ~US$75,000 and a job offer in the UK having only just started work for your US employer. Not sure how likely that is going to be and if you plan to be in the US for a year anyway I don't see what the hurry is?

As for timing, your wife will be applying for the visa, not you. Providing you meet the financial requirements to sponsor her at the time of application then you can do what you wish afterwards. Bear in mind that your wife won't have her passport so your joint travel will likely be restricted to the US. She will also only have a 30 day window to enter the UK and she can only enter with you or after you.

Phillipians

Thank you for your help, yes we plan to travel in the us,

Its a slight hurry because it can take up 4 months to get the work permit and we marry two months after I arrive, so that's 6 months, and it could ultimately take longer

30 days? I heard from other sources you have 3 months?

BritInParis

You can select a date of intended travel up to six months in advance. Your wife would then have 30 days to enter the UK after that date or from the date of issue, whichever is later. Bear in mind that the UK spouse visa application could take anywhere from three to six months to process.

That being the case I think your overall time frame is very optimistic. You'll need to find a job in the US first and work for six months whilst concurrently looking for another job in the UK and then wait another three to six months for your wife's spouse visa to be issued (although you can return ahead of him to start work if necessary). As such I would count on being in the US for at least 18 months. Any sooner would be a bonus.

Phillipians

thanks,

I already have employment lined up in the us,so that should shorten that time span