Interview and Wife visit
 

UK citizen married to a US citizen.
I have finally received my interview date for May.
I am in the US at the moment with my wife on a tourist visa and will be flying back to the UK next month, a few days before my interview.
My wife was in the UK on the tourist visa last year for 6 months.

My question is will she be allowed to come to the UK with me on a tourist visa?
It will be about 5 months and a week since she was last here.

We plan on being in the UK for 7-8 weeks and then moving permanently to the US, provided of course that I pass the interview.

Re: Interview and Wife visit
 

She can certainly travel with you - however, it'll be up to the UKBA officer whether or not to allow her to enter the UK. That'd be true regardless of the time away.

Ian

Re: Interview and Wife visit
 

Do they have any specific rules on how long a person should be out of the country before returning?

Re: Interview and Wife visit
 

No.

Rene

Re: Interview and Wife visit
 

You know that if you want your wife to go with you on your interview date, you need to notify the embassy using their online "contact us" form, right? And that she can't approach the interview window. .. she'll just stay in the waiting area.

Rene

Re: Interview and Wife visit
 

The usual rule of thumb is you can visit for up to 6 months in 12.

She was in the UK for 6 months, so it will be up to the official as to whether he allows another 2 months or entry at all.

Re: Interview and Wife visit
 

I don't think it's 6 months in 12. It's simply 6 months per visit. You are correct in that the longer between visits the better, and it will be up to the POE officer to allow entry.

Might be a good idea to have your visa appointment letter handy, to prove she's not going to stay in the UK.

Rene

Re: Interview and Wife visit
 

Which is why I said "rule of thumb". Too frequent visits may mean the visitor is trying to live in the UK under the guise of visitor and the officials are aware of this

There is no Rule that states a visitor can only remain in the UK for 6 out of any 12 months, but an ECO must examine the pattern and frequency of visits to see that it does not amount to de facto residence