Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice and on moving back to the UK. I was born in the UK and have spent the last 7 years in Canada with my Canadian wife and our twin boys.

We have decided to move back to the UK and need some help on what the requirement are and forms that I need to fill in as the whole process seems very complicated.

I understand that I have to be earning 18,600 per year and have a job offer. I recently started a business in the UK with a business partner and was wondering would that be enough proof or would I need to show earning for a year or two years.

Also, what if I am unable to get a job offer before we arrive there?
Does my wife have to apply within Canada or while she's on a visitor visa in the UK?

Thank you for all your help

Your wife CANNOT apply for a spouse visa in the UK while she is on a tourist visa.

Have you think of the Ancestry visa - your wife may be entitle to get one -

https://www.gov.uk/ancestry-visa/overview

Other points for the OP to consider -

1) Get Canadian citizenship if you have not already done so.

2) Apply for the children's British passport (if they qualify for them) using the link below -

https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

3) You can also satisfy the spouse visa's financial requirement by cash savings. Your wife will need £62,500 worth of cash saving for six months in order to meet the financial requirement.

If you rely on self employment then you need as a minimum 12 months of accounts relating to the company's tax year.

If you can't get a job offer before moving to the UK, then YOU, the Brit, moves to the UK, obtains a job and then after 6 months applies for the visa.

@SanDiegogirl - Thank you for your response.

If I am not able to get a job offer, is my wife able to come with me to the UK for 6 months under the visitor visa then go back to Canada to apply?

Another option I have is that my business partner has offered me a job running his other business for him as well as our business together. He has operated that business for a few years now. Would that be sufficient as it will meet the financial requirements?

@HKG3 – Unfortunately, she does not have any parents or grandparents born in the UK.

Ill be applying for Canadian citizenship once we leave (it’s a 18 month process and I am looking to move within 6 months). Ill also be applying for the boys passport immediately.

With the 62,500, we don’t have that sort of cash.

Can you think of any other ways to get her in?

Is it a real job? (Assume the employer will be contacted and the credibility of the offer checked.)

Does it pay at least £18,600 per annum?

Does the job start within 3 months of your planned return to the UK?

Do you currently earn more than £18,600 equiv in Canada?

If you can answer "yes" to all four of those questions then you can apply for a visa for your wife now and you can all travel to the UK together.

Read the following document to see how you qualify:

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

Basically, if you now earn the equivalent of 18,600 GBP per annum AND you have a job offer in the UK, starting within 3 months of return and also earning 18,600 GBP then you can apply now and travel together.

If you don't have current job or job to go to in UK, then YOU, the Brit, returns, gets job earning 18,600 GBPand applies for visa after 6 months.

Sounds like your friend has offered you a job which if earning 18,600 GBP will meet financial requirements.

Savings can be used to make up shortfall in earnings,

With regard your wife entering the UK on visitor visa and then returning to Canada to apply for visa, yes, this has been done, but there is no guarantee that she will get entry if they suspect she won't return to Canada to get visa.

Hi Pulaski - Thank you for your response.

Yes, this job is legit and I will be working as soon as I arrive.

And yes to all the other questions.

I will start on the paperwork asap and get a job offer letter from him.

Thank you so much for your help.

Thank you so much for your response. You really have helped me out and relieved a lot of stress. lol

You're welcome.

Thanks for all the information SanDiegogirl really appreciate it.

@Pulaski @SanDiegogirl

One quick question.

Once I send my job offer letter with my papers from Canada and it gets approved. Will my wife be able to work in the UK straight away, or would we have to wait 6 months?

Once she gets her visa and travels to the UK she can work straight away.