Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > Moving back or to the UK
Reload this Page >

UK Spouse Visa Information - evidence required etc

UK Spouse Visa Information - evidence required etc

Old May 10th 2011, 12:38 am
  #1  
JAJ
Retired
Thread Starter
 
JAJ's Avatar
 
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
JAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond reputeJAJ has a reputation beyond repute
Default UK Spouse Visa Information - evidence required etc

Start at http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk

Last edited by Pollyana; Sep 30th 2011 at 7:58 pm. Reason: Posts copied from other threads to gather info together
JAJ is offline  
Old Jun 16th 2011, 3:14 pm
  #2  
Account Closed
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 928
Squirrel is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Spouse's visa, healthcare and all that jazz. Please help if you can.

If you are intending to settle you are entitled to NHS care, you just need to register with a GP. It's a fact even though some doctor's receptionists aren't aware of it!

The UK does not stop people bringing a foreign spouse to live with them based on medical reasons, unlike some other (IMO coldhearted) countries. There is no medical, although at the airport you arrive at they do reserve the right to screen people for medical conditions. This would only be likely if they thought someone had something contagious they were bringing into the UK, like TB for eg, something that other people could catch.

(There is TB screening for people from certain countries where TB is prevailent, I don't think Japan would be one of them).
Squirrel is offline  
Old Sep 13th 2011, 6:43 pm
  #3  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 63
drhewitt is an unknown quantity at this point
Default UK Spouse Visa Information - evidence required etc

I'm looking into obtaining a spousal visa for my wife and noticed this..

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/vi...y/maintenance/

Maintenance (funds)

Can you apply?

This page explains how you can meet the maintenance (funds) requirement when you apply to enter or remain in the UK as the husband, wife or civil partner of a British citizen or a person settled here.

You and/or your partner must demonstrate that you and/or they can cover your living expenses in the UK for:

* 27 months, if you are applying from outside the UK; or
* 2 years, if you are already in the UK and applying to switch from a different immigration category.

This is called your 'probationary period'.

You will not have access to most public funds (such as state benefits) during your probationary period.



Does this mean we need roughly three years of a full time salary to qualify for a settlement visa?

The site doesn't say how much money is needed.

Last edited by drhewitt; Sep 13th 2011 at 6:49 pm.
drhewitt is offline  
Old Sep 13th 2011, 6:51 pm
  #4  
The Kwisatz Haderach
 
Mummy in the foothills's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2008
Location: North Wales
Posts: 8,080
Mummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond reputeMummy in the foothills has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

Proof of a job that earns enough maybe?
Mummy in the foothills is offline  
Old Sep 14th 2011, 12:19 pm
  #5  
Just Joined
 
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1
dpmitche is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

My wife and I are trying to find out the same thing. What is the £/$ amount we need to have in the bank in order to meet maintenance requirements?
dpmitche is offline  
Old Sep 14th 2011, 12:58 pm
  #6  
Back from India
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 793
pennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to behold
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

this link may help you a bit more

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/po...dance/ecg/maa/

In principle you must show in the 27 months that your spouse will not claim any benefits, so you the sponsor need to have a job or income that is above the benefit threshold. (In practice the spouse must not claim the benefits in the 27 months if the visa is granted)

So to do this the sponsors should show that the income they have each week after mortgage/rent and council tax and any large loans is at least £105

If you have a lot of savings and a good chance of a job or have secured a job should be no problems
pennylessinindia is offline  
Old Sep 14th 2011, 1:50 pm
  #7  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 46
tng1 is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

My husband has his spouse application in at the moment and currently we both live abroad. We do not have a large amount of savings, but submitted bank statements plus cvs, educational certificates and jobs available in the area we will be staying for both of us. A financial plan of how we will support ourselves once we get employment. Also support from a friend with a bank letter of her savings saying she is more than happy to help us until we find job. Plus an explainanation of how the savings we currently have will be sufficient for a good few months or more until we find work.

Dont know if this will work, but ill let you know. We did ring the UKBA before hand and they said that they dont expect you to hav elarge amounts of money, the 105 quid per week per couple is sufficient. Just they dont tell you how long.

Annoying as nothing is clear cut. This is why we are nervous about my husbands visa, but hopefully we got nothing to be nervous about.

MAA10 Assessing adequate means of maintenance
The following list, which is not comprehensive, is intended as a guide to the factors which may need to be considered when assessing means of maintenance:

the applicant's past and current employment

do the applicant's / sponsor's educational qualifications and any other skills or qualifications offer a reasonable chance of obtaining employment? If so, that should be viewed as sufficient to meet the maintenance requirement without having to make further enquiries.

the sponsor's current or proposed employment;
any plans the applicant has for employment in the UK
What is the unemployment situation in the area in which the couple intend to settle? High unemployment in a particular area or amongst a certain age group with particular skills (or lack of them), is not in itself sufficient to show that the maintenance requirement has not been met. It would be a relevant factor if the couple's plans were not realistic or if they did not have any skills or qualifications
any arrangements which have been made, or could be made, by the sponsor, any other relatives, friends or contacts in the UK in connection with the plans for employment;
satisfied that job offers are genuine and the work likely to last for the foreseeable future;
any support which will be forthcoming from others.

Last edited by tng1; Sep 14th 2011 at 1:53 pm.
tng1 is offline  
Old Sep 14th 2011, 6:46 pm
  #8  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 63
drhewitt is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

Originally Posted by pennylessinindia
this link may help you a bit more

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/po...dance/ecg/maa/

In principle you must show in the 27 months that your spouse will not claim any benefits, so you the sponsor need to have a job or income that is above the benefit threshold. (In practice the spouse must not claim the benefits in the 27 months if the visa is granted)

So to do this the sponsors should show that the income they have each week after mortgage/rent and council tax and any large loans is at least £105

If you have a lot of savings and a good chance of a job or have secured a job should be no problems

Thanks for this information, I found it very useful.
drhewitt is offline  
Old Sep 14th 2011, 6:49 pm
  #9  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 63
drhewitt is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

I'm curious about this:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/po...dance/ecg/maa/

There is no objection to the British citizen / settled sponsor receiving any public funds to which he / she is entitled in his / her own right.



So if a family moves to the UK, husband is a British citizen, there is no objection to the husband claiming child benefit and tax credits, but his wife would have no recourse to public funds.
drhewitt is offline  
Old Sep 14th 2011, 8:30 pm
  #10  
DDL
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,198
DDL is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

Originally Posted by drhewitt
I'm curious about this:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/po...dance/ecg/maa/

There is no objection to the British citizen / settled sponsor receiving any public funds to which he / she is entitled in his / her own right.

So if a family moves to the UK, husband is a British citizen, there is no objection to the husband claiming child benefit and tax credits, but his wife would have no recourse to public funds.


Correct but the spouse cannot be taken into account with regard to receipt of any benefits.
DDL is offline  
Old Sep 15th 2011, 12:18 pm
  #11  
Confirmed grumpy old man
 
Victor Meldrew's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2005
Location: Moved back to Riyadh KSA 2016
Posts: 1,298
Victor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

Originally Posted by drhewitt
I'm curious about this:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/po...dance/ecg/maa/

There is no objection to the British citizen / settled sponsor receiving any public funds to which he / she is entitled in his / her own right.



So if a family moves to the UK, husband is a British citizen, there is no objection to the husband claiming child benefit and tax credits, but his wife would have no recourse to public funds.
So I am guessing it's a bit of a catch 22 in that, if the UK citizen is unemployed they can claim benefits for themselves but not their spouse, but if the non-UK spouse is working it is taken into account when calculating the UK citizens benefits.

Frustrating when you have been married to a non-Uk citizen for 9+ years but lived overseas, yet hear stories of less deserving non-UK 'asylum seekers' being sponsored by the UK taxpayer.
Victor Meldrew is offline  
Old Sep 15th 2011, 3:18 pm
  #12  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 63
drhewitt is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

OK, I called someone at Marriagevisahelp.com and they told me, based on my savings, that we should be OK even if I do not have a job to go to.

The rep said that she has had individual clients who want to bring their family over, including children, with only $10,000 in savings.

Bottom line, if you're moving to the UK with kids, you will need a reasonable amount of savings, it does not have to be 27 months of salary (about 2 1/2 years) which is pretty much out of range for most people, but it should be sufficient to maintain a family without recourse to public funds.

What you have after you've paid your rent/mortgage, council tax and utility bills should be 105 pounds a week for a couple and an additional 58 pounds a week per child.

Even though the rules say otherwise, it appears you can show statements of IRA's (Individual Retirement Accounts) for additional backup.

If you're going to the UK with a spouse and no children, I would imagine that $10,000 to be more than sufficient, but again, other factors have to be taken into account, such as do you have a job to go to, what accommodations will you have etc.

Last edited by drhewitt; Sep 15th 2011 at 3:23 pm.
drhewitt is offline  
Old Sep 15th 2011, 3:25 pm
  #13  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 63
drhewitt is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

Originally Posted by DDL
Correct but the spouse cannot be taken into account with regard to receipt of any benefits.

OK, I get you, but let's say I move to the UK and get laid off and claim unemployment benefit, do I fill in the form and not include my wife and kids and call myself a family of one? Wouldn't this be lying by omission? Or do I tell the benefits officer that we're a family of four but please only give me the benefit for myself.

It's a mindbender.
drhewitt is offline  
Old Sep 15th 2011, 3:27 pm
  #14  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 63
drhewitt is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

Originally Posted by Victor Meldrew
So I am guessing it's a bit of a catch 22 in that, if the UK citizen is unemployed they can claim benefits for themselves but not their spouse, but if the non-UK spouse is working it is taken into account when calculating the UK citizens benefits.

Frustrating when you have been married to a non-Uk citizen for 9+ years but lived overseas, yet hear stories of less deserving non-UK 'asylum seekers' being sponsored by the UK taxpayer.

This seems to be the case.
drhewitt is offline  
Old Sep 15th 2011, 3:29 pm
  #15  
Back from India
 
Joined: Jun 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 793
pennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to beholdpennylessinindia is a splendid one to behold
Default Re: Can someone explain requirement to have 27 months of living expenses re: spouse v

Originally Posted by Victor Meldrew
So I am guessing it's a bit of a catch 22 in that, if the UK citizen is unemployed they can claim benefits for themselves but not their spouse, but if the non-UK spouse is working it is taken into account when calculating the UK citizens benefits.

Frustrating when you have been married to a non-Uk citizen for 9+ years but lived overseas, yet hear stories of less deserving non-UK 'asylum seekers' being sponsored by the UK taxpayer.
Even more miffing is that next year long term marriages will not be recognised and everyone will be treated as newly marrieds
pennylessinindia is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.