jrance1975

Hello,

Originally from London, I currently live in San Diego, CA with my American wife and two young children. Both my kids have a British passport.

We want to move back to the UK, hopefully somewhere around London, either Surrey, Kent, Berkshire, before the youngest starts school (3 years away).

I've read a bit about the financial regulations about bringing over a non-EU spouse and it seems a bit churlish, but the rules are the rules.

There's no way either of us will have a job before we get there. My wife is a teacher and it's hard enough to get a job when you're there, so she will probably have to supply teach for a bit. I am just starting out in a new career as a web designer, so unlikely to get a job from California.

The only way it seems is if we have enough money in saving before we leave, so then we can find jobs when we're there. We're hoping to have about 80,000 US Dollars before we leave, about 50,000 pounds.

It seems like there isn't a specific amount they're looking for, but has anyone done this already and how much did you have? I won't need anymore for my kids as they're both British, so I'm only sponsoring my wife. 80,000 seems like it should be enough, but what do you think?

Any advice would be very gladly appreciated!

Cheers,

Jon

SanDiegogirl

Here are the financial requirements for UK citizen moving spouse/family to UK:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/si...df?view=Binary

Since neither of you will have jobs when you return, and you appear to have a new career so no employment history to fall back on (?) you will need the equivalent of 62,500 UKP either in savings or assets.

jrance1975

Hello,

Thanks so much. I guess we'd better get saving!

Cheers,

Jon

holly_1948

It would appear then, in this case, the best bet would be not to start a new career but to continue/resume with the established line of work, even if it does not pay well. Because it will still likely pay well over USD25,000/year and establishes a history.

RICH

How did you manage to get a house in Mayfair on an estate agent wage?

jrance1975

Hello,


After further investigation my wife and I have come up with this.

I currently work part time in the US and earn about 15,000 dollars a year and we also get 20,000 a year in rental income. This meets the financial income requirements to be a sponsor. 35,000 dollars is just over 20,000 pounds a year.

We also currently have about 50,000 dollars in savings (about 30,000 pounds). When we apply we hopefully will have about another 20,000 dollars.

This should be enough for the spouse visa. Anyone think this wouldn't work?

Cheers

Jon

nun

Is 62.5GBP correct. The two kids are UK citizens, so only the USC wife requires sponsorship.

WEBlue

£62,500 in cash savings held for 6 months before appying is necessary for the spouse visa alone if there is NO income.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/si...df?view=Binary

rebeccajo

You've still got to have a job offer in the UK to make this work.

The rental income (if you can document it for 12 months prior to the application) can follow you to the UK. But a job you won't have when you move over doesn't count.

jrance1975

So you HAVE to have a job offer or you still need the 62,500 pounds? That seems a bit crazy because not everyone is going to have a job offer?

I live in San Diego and when I apply for the visa, it's probably going to be at least 4 or 5 months until I'm back in the UK. Who is going to offer me a job based on that timeline?

We will have the rental income in the UK and a lot of savings. My wife is a teacher and should get work easily too.

I will have to research the job offer more.

Cheers

Jon

jrance1975

Oh something else quickly if anyone knows. I have been married to my wife for 9 years and we have 2 children, is their any difference to us than a newly married with no kids or an unmarried partner?

I read somewhere that if you have been married for 4 or more years, you don't have to meet the same requirements.

Cheers!


Jon

rebeccajo

OK, lets's back up.

If a person has no income of any kind, they need a total of £62500 in savings to sponsor their spouse. So that's the scenario if there is NO other income.

If a person is relying on wages, they must have a job in the UK earning at least £18600.

Those are TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.

If you have an income shortfall you can supplement it with savings.

In your case:

You can count the rental as income if it meets the criteria I listed above.

You can supplement that income with your savings. You must always have at least £16000 in savings before any savings will be recognized.

So for instance if your rental income is - say - £6000 pounds per year, you are short of the income requirement by £12600 per year. Multiply your short fall by 2.5 for a total of £31,500. Add £16000 to that for a total of £47500 required in savings.

rebeccajo

There was never any rule that people in long marriages didn't have to meet immigration requirements.

What was in existance (and is now abolished) was an immediate grant of Indefinite Leave to Remain for persons who had been married four years or longer.

holly_1948

If you have money you can probably pay someone to extend you a job offer in return for investing in their (small) business. Assuming you have or can reactivate UK contacts.

jrance1975

Thanks Rebecca,

So, and hopefully this is correct, if my rental income at time of application is about 14,000 UK pounds a year, I would only need savings of...4600 x 2.5 = 11,500 pounds + 16,000 = 27,500 pounds or about 45,000 US dollars. And no job offer?

Thanks again, it's so so helpful

Cheers

Jon