Hazzie

Hi,

My wife (US citizen) gained her ILR a few years ago and her visa was put into her US Passport. We have noticed that the passport is due to expire mid way in 2014 so were looking into getting that renewed however were puzzled as to what will become of her ILR visa once a new passport is issued.
Is the visa still valid even though her old Passport will technically become invalid? Is there a process to get the visa trasnfered to the new passport?
Anyone been through this process?

Thanks,
Richard.

larrabee

The visa will still be valid.
Either she can carry the new passport along with the old one with the visa in it or she can apply for a biometric residence permit. The choice is hers.

It's all here.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/vi...a-to-passport/

It would a good idea to look into her obtaining British Citizenship. Makes life a lot easier.

roaringmouse

In your last post on these forums, you indicated that you were moving back to the USA soon after your wife was due to get ILR (in May 2009).

Where do you currently live? UK or USA? If your wife has been living in the USA since 2009, then the ILR is most likely no longer valid anyway.

The maximum time out of the UK with ILR is 2 years - and a visit back does not "reset" those 2 years, it has to be a permanent move back.

Hazzie

Thank you very much for th information.

Hazzie

That was the plan, however job security/cash had us thinking it might be better to hang on a little while in the UK.

roaringmouse

In that case, naturalisation is the way to go.