Hi everyone, I'm after some advice. Im British and my wife is Filipina.We got married in the UAE almost 5 years ago. We both have decent jobs in the UAE, but Ive been offered a good position back in the UK. We would like to take the job and relocate along with my wifes son (hes been living with us in the UAE for almost 4 years and is aged 10). My wife and step son both have 10 year visit visas. Is it possible to return to the UK using the visit visas and then apply to remain in the UK with family, but use my earnings and financial supporting documents from the UAE plus my job offer in UK documentation, or would we have to apply to join family living permanently in the UK, or is there an easier way? Thanks
Welcome to British Filipino Yorkshire Lad, the Spouse visa has to be applied for whilst outside the UK, you could first return to the UK and later on your wife and step son could join you. You are in the good position that your wife and son will be able to join you in the UK whilst the application is ongoing (takes 2-3 months for the decision). You are one of the lucky ones who managed to get visit visas for the UK, my wife lived in Dubai for twelve years and was refused a visa for the UK twice although she had visited the UK before we had met. Some of the other chaps here may be able to give you some more ideas but I feel you are in a very good position.
Thanks Timmers. Our only issue would be that we don't want to spend time apart at the moment......although I suppose we could do visa runs to France so that she doesn't overstay her visit visa terms
Is her UK visa not valid for 6 month trips to the UK? She wont be able to go to France, she would need another visa for that.
Yes its got 6 months stay.....I was just looking on the worst case if the application took longer than 6 months to get approval they could then apply for schengen visa to visit France.
I would say the average time for the visa decision is around two months if this forum is anything to go by, our visa which was granted this August took 50 days including weekends, some here have got the visa in 20 days. It certainly wouldn't be more than three months before you got the decision. I met my wife whilst working in the UAE and was looking at getting married there but decided against it, was it an easy process or was it a bit of a pain?
It wasn't too bad to get married here tbh.......just lots of approval stamps on documentation, which is easy enough if you are living here
Take a look at the link below Yorkshire Lad, this will give you a good idea of what is required for the Spouse visa application, its not too bad but you have to be a little pedantic when filling it in and collating all the required documentation. There is a lot of chasing around to be done and of course there is the wait for the decision. If you have any questions just post here and someone will help you out, most of us here have been in the same boat as you http://www.british-filipino.com/ind...r-a-partner-spouse-visa-under-new-rules.5740/
I'm afraid you will have to return to the UK alone and take-up that employment offer. Your wife can then apply for settlement visas once you have accrued at least 6 months' worth of salary slips showing an annual salary of not less than £22,500 gross; you will also need to demonstrate that you own, or rent, suitable accommodation. If your wife remains in the UAE, she would apply for those visas at the British Embassy there and would need to submit her - and her son's - Passports. This means they could not travel whilst the application is being considered.
You could have course get a second Philippine passport (takes two weeks approx. in UAE) for your wife and step son and submit the new ones for the Spouse visa, if a second passport is permitted like it is here in the UK. I have always had two passports for traveling, one to travel with and one for the company to obtain travel visas for when I'm away, secretary used to just forge my signature on the visa forms.
You can show payslips from overseas employment, no need to wait for six months worth of payslips from the UK, just complete section 3b of the VAF4A Appendix 2 financial requirements form. In this section you can also give details of the job offer from the UK.
