A wee note about the savings route
 

I don't know why I hadn't thought of it before......well, just now!

With the fall in sterling, non-EU spouses looking to come to the UK via the savings route have just been handed a bonus.

Americans applying today would need approximately $84,400.

When the rules were first implemented in 2012, the amount needed in USD was approximately $105,000.

Re: A wee note about the savings route
 

Using the route of having a job in the current country and an offer of one starting within three months in the UK, the US$ salary can be lower too.

Good wheeze!

Re: A wee note about the savings route
 

$80,600.00!!!!!

Re: A wee note about the savings route
 

It gets better every day :thumbsup:

Re: A wee note about the savings route
 

The only thing that may happen, though, is that the fees and the financial requirements may go up again :sneaky: We will put our application in this fall, so I think we should be OK.

Re: A wee note about the savings route
 

Yes I still think the July 2012 rules are highly unfair. But at least the minimum salary has not gone up in the four years since it was introduced. Maybe because they know it's too onerous? And the UK minimum wage has gone up to £7.20 per hour and is due to go up incrementally until it reaches £9 in 2020. If the minimum income was based on the minimum wage it would be fairer since £18600 is a high salary in a lot of parts of the UK. The fairest way to change the rules would be to allow family sponsorship like in the US. I can still hardly believe that the government have been allowed to get away with keeping families apart after four whole years.

We are secure because DH now has British citizenship, but I still feel aggrieved on behalf of other families. These are genuine relationships and foreign spouses and step-children who do not have criminal records and would not be allowed to claim benefits anyway under the terms of their visas should have a right to family life.

Incredibly the very person who introduced these rules is probably about to become the new prime minister!

Re: A wee note about the savings route
 

Oh that's always possible. I kind of think the government is a little busy with other things right now, though. :lol:

Re: A wee note about the savings route
 

She might indeed. She's been jockeying for the job long enough.

Re: A wee note about the savings route
 

I have been known to quote "no recourse to benefits" on more than one thread ;) And now that there is an NHS charge, that little canard can be put to rest too.

We are fortunate to be able to rely on savings. I don't know that I would have had the courage to apply earlier based on a job, as that is not always a reliable thing anymore.

Ms May might actually be too busy, as rebeccajo said, to concern herself with us for a while. She has to deal with all those pesky EU citizens first.