CaRo78

Can someone please advise me;

My husband is from the USA, he is currently here on a tourist visa (6 months) while we looked into the viability of me returning to the US to live over there. It now seems that this will be highly unlikely due to me having some health problems, and being unable to secure health insurance as I am classed as disabled.

We are now looking at applying for a 'family of a settled person' visa for him.

I meet the criteria for financial support, and have no issue filling in the form, however, I was given some information from a 'lawyer' who tells me that these visas are very rarely granted, and we would be wasting our time and money, he said my husband should return to the US and apply from there, and he would be 'happy to help us with our application'.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of visa? Do they get granted? whats the best way to do this?

Thanks in advance... )

SanDiegogirl

He cannot apply for any visa while in the UK as a visitor.

He MUST return to the US and apply for the relevant visa i.e spouse by the sounds of it.

CaRo78

https://www.gov.uk/remain-in-uk-family

The information is here, it says that application can be made if he is already in the UK.

mikelincs

But only if he is here on a student or work visa, NOT on a visitor visa, he MUST return to the US to apply, the visa is a quick process if you can fulfill the financial requirements.

CaRo78

The financial side of it isn't an issue. I meet it both through income, and through disability.

How long does it take to complete it from overseas? It seems I have misread that damn paragraph so many times and missed the word 'except'.....

I have no clue now how to go about sorting this out from the US.....

mikelincs

Read the instructions, get all the relevant documents together, then he can take them back to the US to send off. I believe you can even ask for it to be expedited, but someone who really knows will be along with some time scales.

CaRo78

Do we have to go back to the US, or can it be done from anywhere outside of the uk, ie.. Spain or somewhere?

SanDiegogirl

No...... the US spouse needs to return to the US. You can stay in the UK

He completes the application form from the US - you provide all the financial documents and the whole documentation package gets sent to Sheffield for processing.

Pay for priority service and it could be a short as a month.

https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk

SanDiegogirl

Pre-conditions cannot be a reason for not providing health insurance in the US

I'm pretty sure disability cannot be excluded either.

CaRo78

I've applied to 5 health insurance providers, 4 of which knocked me back and one said it would be $1800 a month. Since that, we looked at the bigger picture and saw it would be (so I thought) easier to stay here.

A month?

Has anyone ever heard of any special circumstances where it can be done from here?

SanDiegogirl

No there are no special circumstances for a non Brit spouse visiting the UK to apply from the UK.

What reasons did the health insurance companies give for refusing you health coverage?

CaRo78

Pre existing conditions. I was under 12 specialists a year ago. Still under a few. It's ongoing stuff that'll be lifelong.

SanDiegogirl

Wonder if Obamacare officials know that pre-conditions are still being used to refuse health insurance. Thought all that was behind us now.

BritInParis

The new £200 surcharge to use the NHS suddenly seems like a bargain!