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How to apply for a Partner/Spouse Visa Under New Rules

Discussion in 'UK Visa and Immigration Help' started by Micawber, Jul 31, 2012.

  1. Markham
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    Markham Guest

    If you want your new Passport to be in your married name, then yes, you will need to do the CFO thing before you apply. The sticker will be affixed in your old Passport and you must retain this and present it, together with your new one, when leaving the country.
  2. mark_a
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    mark_a New Member

    I am going to apply for a TIER 2 (general) Visa and I want my wife as my dependant. Can you tell me what documents needed as I tried reading the UKBA website but its too complicated. This might sound silly but im just being honest. How anyone can help me.
  3. blue_acid
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    blue_acid Member Trusted Member

    We are considering applying for a spousal visa, I have a few questions -

    1. Is the timetable posted in the UKBA website reliable? I have heard some people taking as long as 6 months to get their visa.

    2. Do I have to leave my passport with the UKBA? I travel a couple of times a year and if it would indeed take 6 months, I might have to reschedule certain trips.

    3. Will there be an issue if my husband works offshore? He works 5 weeks abroad, offshore (family can't join) then 5 weeks off. Currently, he spends 3 of his shoreleave in the Philippines with me and the other 3 months I go to the UK via a Family Visit visa to be with him. If granted a spousal visa, this would change.

    4. If granted a spousal visa, how many months out of the initial 33 months months can I be away from the UK?
  4. Mystica
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    Mystica Active Member

    We are considering applying for a spousal visa, I have a few questions -

    1. Is the timetable posted in the UKBA website reliable? I have heard some people taking as long as 6 months to get their visa.

    YES! it's reliable

    2. Do I have to leave my passport with the UKBA? I travel a couple of times a year and if it would indeed take 6 months, I might have to reschedule certain trips.

    NO! you keep your passport with you.

    3. Will there be an issue if my husband works offshore? He works 5 weeks abroad, offshore (family can't join) then 5 weeks off. Currently, he spends 3 of his shoreleave in the Philippines with me and the other 3 months I go to the UK via a Family Visit visa to be with him. If granted a spousal visa, this would change.

    NO! My husband was working in the Middle East and I am in the UK with our children. But he has to come home every now and then to prove that he is still married to you.

    4. If granted a spousal visa, how many months out of the initial 33 months months can I be away from the UK?

    You can find this information on their website.
  5. missyrable81
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    missyrable81 New Member

    hello to all,
    im here again hoping that u can help us by giving advice on the visa application for uk.
    Were married last April 28, 2013 here in hongkong and thats the 2nd time my husband come here to visit me(i am now currently working as a domestic helper here hongkong). Weve been communicating since 2011. I cant leave my work here yet coz were saving money for the cost of visa and ticket. im about to take my english test this coming December and after that is Tb test.i also reported our marriage in Fili so that i can get a authenticated copy of our marriage certificate plus the marriage certificate that we got here in hongkong. my husband is on DLA and exempts him from the financial requirement.

    my questions are:

    1. with all the evidences that we have do u think the immigration will stil question our reationship.
    2. Do i need to change my passport to my husbands surname? is it nescessary?
    3. i need some backgrounds about english test is it too difficult?
    4. can i apply visa here in hongkong?

    were so worried about the visa appliations thats why we want to make sure that everythings well prepared.
    hope u can give additional advice on these matter.
    thanks a lot in advance..
    best regards and advance merry christmas to all.

    Lorie..
  6. okiammm
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    okiammm New Member

    Thank you for the detailed and comprehensive information. It is indeed very helpful for everyone applying for this specific visa.

    Anyway, I just got married to my British spouse last week and we don't know when to time our application since I am on my last term in my university, this will take about 3 more months starting this June, and correct me if I'm wrong, that I need to use my visa straight away right after receiving it? Or is there a certain validity for it (i.e. Visa expires: August 26, 2014) that wouldn't hinder the 3 months I need to stay here for? If yes, would you have an idea how long the validity usually is for this kind of visa?

    Thank you so much and hoping to hear from you. :)
  7. Anon220806
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    Anon220806 Well-Known Member

    I think there is a limit as I was wondering that myself when my wife got hers. If I said 3 months that would be just a wild guestimate so please don't rely on it. Have seen it stated somewhere that it is valid for a month but not sure if that is true. Maybe someone else will know. Why not simply wait until nearer the time your studies have finished?
    Last edited: May 4, 2014
  8. okiammm
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    okiammm New Member

    Thank you for replying. Actually that's the plan.. To apply it closer to finishing, just thought that it might be better and it might be possible to have the visa on hand as soon as I finish my degree, and leave right away.

    Oh well, if not, the original plan is not so bad. Just more waiting.

    Thank you again!
  9. Anon220806
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    Anon220806 Well-Known Member

    You could always drop the embassy or VFS an email. Or both. You might have to wait a week but they normally do get back to you.
  10. kevin marquez
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    kevin marquez New Member

    Hello everybody! I just chanced upon this forum while killing time at work; I have a very specific question on my rather peculiar status; allow me to expound on my circumstance so as for you guys to better evaluate my situation; please bear with me and thanks in advance for any info you may have; my wife has been a british citizen since 2003; we been friends since we were early teens(early 1990's) and we got married 2005 we are now on our late 30's; we have 2 kids; both british citizen; we been living in manila right after we got married; and she hasn't been back in the UK since 2005; also, year 2005 was the last time she worked as a nurse in the UK; she hasn't worked at all from 2005 till now even in the philippines; I on the other hand have been working on my little business since 1999 till now; she(my wife) has plans of moving back in the UK late this year and she has somehow convinced me to come with her there; we do not a have a house in the uk; she has no job offer but she is insistent that we try it there for the kids to have a better education; we do not plan to bring the kids this year but maybe a year or two from now if everything turns out right. we have close to a 130000 pounds in asset wherein about 70000 pounds is in cash all legally acquired through years of labor. My question now is if it is at all possible for me to get a spouse visa? can what we have cover for whatever financial requirement there may be? what steps should we take to better the odds of getting a spouse visa ( i'm aware that visa fee is non refundable )? again thanks in advance for any info or suggestions you guys may have!
    Last edited: Jun 18, 2014
  11. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    hi Kevin. what is your nationality ?
  12. kevin marquez
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    kevin marquez New Member

    Filipino
  13. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member


    i need to give this more thought--i'll reply again later
  14. kevin marquez
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    kevin marquez New Member

    thank you!
  15. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    i'm still a bit confused about your situation. what i'm about to write is purely my opinion--others may well correct me.
    you say:

    your wife is a british citizen
    your kids are both also british citizens---how so---are you sure about this ?

    if the above is correct ( i'm not doubting your word !!! )-----then i cant see why they cant just come to the UK and settle here. in other words--your wife find somewhere to live--and--hopefully a job. then you could apply for a spouse visa to join her. your present cash savings are enough to satisfy the sponsorship criteria--even if your wife (as your sponsor ) cant find a job.

    there may well be terms and conditions you need to comply with--but i'm not going to speculate on that.

    does your wife have any family or friends over here? otherwise it seems like a big leap of faith to me.

    i hope someone more knowledgible will come in here.
  16. Anon220806
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    Anon220806 Well-Known Member

    Sounds like you have got it right. I wasnt sure about the cash savings bit. So I hung back.
  17. bigmac
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    bigmac Well-Known Member Trusted Member

    if the sponsor as NO qualifying income--the savings formula is---£18,600 earnings requirement ( missing ) times 2 point 5--plus £16,000 threshold which isnt included--so----
    £62,500 in savings if NO income----so the posters £70,000 is more than enough.

    any qualifying income--or state pension--in my case--reduces the savings needed
  18. kevin marquez
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    kevin marquez New Member

    hindsight; i should have written British Passport holders for my kids so as to have avoided the confusion, sorry;

    she has friends and past co-workers who are willing to lease/share a room for the two of us until we get a place of our own; I realize that my wife and kids can come to UK anytime they want to, our only concern is that I could be denied a spouse visa with her as a sponsor because she still has no job offer and a place of her own there;

    I know it's not ideal that my wife and I go to the UK at the same time; but we would prefer it, if we could go there together rather than she goes first then I apply for a visa then she comes back and then we both go; saves time and money too! Can i still be given a spouse visa if we plan to go together without job offer on her part and only a temporary accommodation?
  19. kevin marquez
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    kevin marquez New Member

    also my wife is thinking of scheduling an appointment with the British embassy in the Philippines (taguig); is this something that they at the embassy would entertain in discussing with us? or are we suppose to talk to somebody else? thanks!
  20. Anon220806
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    Anon220806 Well-Known Member

    We visited the embassy but VFS in Makati are well worth a visit. They are the people who handle the applications that come in and then pass them on to the embassy.

    Big Mac has done his research on this and as he says your savings might well be your saviour here. If so then no need for your wife to be earning, in terms of spouse visa application.

    However you wont be allowed into the UK with your wife and kids unless you have a visa.

    Have you checked the UKBA website on savings in lieu of income?


    On accomodation. Rented accomodation is fine. You just need to satisfy the UKBA that it is adaequate for the number of persons in it.

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