DigitalGhost

It wouldn't be a 3rd world country, well he can if he wants to, but neither of them could marry a citizen in their corresponding country on a visitor permit since both UK and Japanese immigration law prohibit that and Japan has no fiancee visa system so if he wants to marry her close to home then the defacto location for this is South Korea.

DigitalGhost

You can take the US out of the equation these days because their policies are verging on xenophobic and are needlessly complex to the point where a lot of immigration consults don't even both with US residency petitions anymore but Canada will grant the foreign spouse of a Canadian immediate PR in most cases and have only a 1 year cohabiting requirement for unmarried partners to qualify for PR. Also if your application is refused for whatever reason then at least the CIC do not keep your application fee.

I'm not bigging up the Canadians here or anything but when you compare those to the laws in Britain, even pre-April 2012, then Britain suddenly doesn't look too free and fair anymore.

Craig1987

I can actually marry her in Japan. I would need to apply from a certificate of no impediment from my local registrar. This is the plan currently. I leave for Japan at the start of March.

Mummy in the foothills

Congratulations.
I was going to suggest a resort wedding somewhere like the Bahamas.
If you marry in the beginning of March, theres still time to have all the paper work ready to mail off and get her application in before the changes in April come to pass, and not have to meet the new guidelines.

Craig1987

Thank you. The Bahamas is quite a bit outside our price range. Blew all my savings in Canada. I've only met her mother, but from what I gather her whole family (particularly her father, who I've been scared of meeting) are really happy about our impending wedding.

Chisa thought her parents weren't particularly bothered about that sort of thing. I told her they would be especially as she's their only daughter (they have two younger sons). She was surprised about how positively they reacted. It's looking like our small wedding is constantly growing, but I'm happy with that.

The only slight regret I have is that my mum wont be able to be there for the wedding. My grandparents too, but with the way my grandfathers health is, a trip to Japan wouldn't really be possible.

Dashie

Maybe you could have some kind of blessing later in the UK?

Anyway, I read the links posted on the first page, and both of the pages linked to each other are very clear in saying that 'The joint income of a couple will be taken into account when assessing the adequacy of the funds available.' Both in regards to providing proof of funds, and the length of time you are expected to support your spouse. To me that says that the fact you have a job overrides and need for 2 years of savings. And I'd guess that the reason they don't have a clear cut amount you need to have/earn is because there isn't one and it would vary greatly depending where you live.

If you don't want to live in the UK then that's fair enough, but I don't think it's fair to blame that on something that doesn't appear to be correct either (as stated by many on here, even those who have sponsored their spouse and seen nothing of the hoops you think are there). I remember looking at all of the different options before moving to Canada, there were also income requirements here as well as several hundred dollars in fees, and last time I looked a processing time of up to 4 years (although I think that temporary residency can be taken up before this, as long as all medical and living expenses are paid by the sponsoring spouse), so the UK requirement doesn't seem too bad to me.

DigitalGhost

Actually, now that I remember, I think that you are correct on that one but you will probably just need to go to Pusan or somewhere to apply for your spousal visa since you can't make that status change inside Japan. I believe that a lot of foreigners looking to change their status in Korea use the Korean consulate office in Kyoto for the same purpose but the Japanese will usually approve a spousal application for a British citizen inside one day.

DigitalGhost

I really doubt that it will take the Canadians 4 years to process a spousal/common-law PR visa application, even inland. Outland they are usually processed within a couple of months.

If this particular poster manages to get his arse into gear and his application submitted pre-April of this year then it is highly likely that it would be processed in his favour by the BIA but there is no denying that after April, things are going to be a lot more difficult for cases like this, which do in fact include my own if I am honest.

It all seems academic in this case anyway though as he now seems all set to move to Japan and if he is willing to make a go of it there then I say good luck to him.

Dashie

Sorry, 4 years is for parents, 2-3 months for spouse, I had been looking at family sponsorship overall.

Craig1987

Thank you. My job ended a few weeks ago and that was with an agency. I doubt I would be able to qualify before April.

Now I'm 100% focused on the move to Japan.

DigitalGhost

At the moment for the UK I think you just need to provide recent bank statements which include an income so you might be able to get away with it but it sounds like your all set on a move to jolly old 日本 so the best of luck with everything and hopefully it will work out for you over there.