EnglishmanInMoscow

Hi all

Family circumstances dictate a return back to UK from Russia where we live - Russian wife, and dual nationality children. (Im a UK citizen)

Plenty of hurdles of course. First and foremost, entry and right to remain for my wife. Second is getting employment and renting somewhere to live

She has 3 degrees (languages, construction engineer, and lawyer). Married for 12 years, and currently doing her PhD

Me - Im an architect / project manager with a Masters in construction contracts and arbitration. Im also a Professor of law in a Russian university part time.

Any advice gratefully received - but specifically two questions:
1. How to get my wife legally into the UK so she can apply when there for permanent residence and citizenship (she is fluent in English)
2. Jobs in construction claims or project management - any leads gratefully received.

Best regards
EinM

BritInParis

To apply for a spouse visa for your wife will require you, as the sponsor, to fulfil certain financial requirements. To do so will usually require you to have a job offer in the UK and accommodation already arranged before you make the application from Russia.

Alternatively do you have cash savings, held in either of your names or jointly, equivalent to £62,500 which has been held for the six months or a property which you intend to sell, which you have owned for the last six months, which would raise the required amount?

EnglishmanInMoscow

Thanks for the info.

Our assets are all in Russia, except for a long held pension fund of a smaller amount than the threshold.

My thoughts are to go to uk myself and find job and accommodation. Then and only then apply for the family

SanDiegogirl

Read the following document carefully to see what is required to qualify under the financial requirements.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...ment_Final.pdf

BritInParis

It doesn't matter whether the assets are in the UK or Russia providing they meet the relevant threshold.

If you have been earning over £18,600 pa in Russia for the last six months and are able to get a job offer in the UK starting within three months of your proposed return also earning over £18,600 then your wife can apply for her visa before you move and you can all go as a family.

If you prefer to move by yourself first then you will need to work for six months in the UK earning over £18,600 pa before your wife can make her application.

EnglishmanInMoscow

Very interesting info - thank you.

As I understood it, assets need to be in uk for 6 months. We certainly have assets to the required minimum in Russia, but would have to liquidate them (property).

BritInParis

Assets merely need to have been held by either the applicant, sponsor or jointly for six months. The location is irrelevant. If you were to sell a property in Russia then you could use the proceeds to apply immediately for a spouse visa providing you could provide evidence that you had owned the property for at least six months prior to its sale and the proceeds of that sale were £62,500 or more.

scot47

Do Russian Exchange Controls make it impossible to move money to the UK ?