CalgaryStampeder

I'm living in the US with my American wife, I'm a UK Citizen (Born in the UK, still hold UK passport), we want to be closer to my family but I literally cannot see how we could satisfy the Spouse visa. Here in America I am making over 30,000 a year, but obviously after reading here I need to already be in the UK with a job, meaning I'd literally have to leave my wife for half a year? I know I'm not the first and I won't be the last to complain about that requirement, when I first moved to the US my wife's parents were able to 'co-sponsor' me with their income but as far as I know that isn't even an option for the UK Spouse visa, I do have tons of family in Ireland, with my family originally coming from there, so I'm wondering is this really my old option? To go to Ireland and then go to the UK from there after using treaty rights?

Pulaski

You only appear to know about one of two routes to a visa based on your income - there are two alternative ways to meet the income requirements to support a spouse visa for the UK:

(i) you have a job in the UK that pays at least £18,600pa and you hold that job for at least six months before you can apply for a visa for your spouse. This route likely means that you have to return to the UK ahead of your spouse and family.

OR

(ii) you have a job that pays at least £18,600 pa eqiv where you currently live AND you have a documented offer of a job paying at least £18,600pa in the UK to start within three months of your return. This route means that you can both/all return to the UK together, as a family unit.

HTH

BTW the rules on SS are already being tightened, and will almost certainly come to an end when Brexit occurs.

CalgaryStampeder

Ah okay that makes sense, so if I got a job offer beforehand, as long as it was over the 18,600 threshold and started within 3 months, would I apply for the visa before actually leaving for the UK in this case?

SanDiegogirl

Yes..... you then move when the visa is issued.

Pulaski

Yes.
Or the British citizen can move immediately/first and the foreign spouse follows a few days/weeks later, as you said, when the visa is issued.

CalgaryStampeder

Thanks for the help, can you point me to the link on the government website that has the application process using the job offer method, I'm struggling to find it

morpeth

How long from time visa application made until approval received would be typical ?

Are there any advantages to going to Ireland first to speed up process ?

In my case non-EU spouse, child is British citizen.