My wife and I have been overseas since January but would like to visit the UK again in July. How does this affect the Settlement Visa she currently still holds?

 

Her visa is valid until March 2019.

Thanks

You'll find the replies given by 7by7 in the thread below useful:

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1036629-calculating-time-away-whilst-on-a-settlement-visa/

Her initial visa vignette would only have been valid for 30 days, during which she should have moved to the UK and collected her biometric residence permit. If she couldn't move to the UK within the 30 days then she could have extended the vignette, for a fee of course, and then collected her BRP once she had moved to the UK.

 

I assume that she did one or the other.

 

As long as her BRP is still valid then she can use it to enter the UK.

 

If she's lost it, then she should report the loss, which she can do from outside the UK. But she will then  need a ‘replacement BRP visa’ which lets her re-enter the UK once only - you must apply online in most countries. It costs £154.

 

So, if she has lost it and you will be living in China until after her current UK leave, and therefore her BRP, expires then I'd suggest she applies for a visit visa for this proposed trip as it's cheaper.

 

Thank so much for that clarity.  She did get the BRP but I will have to check its validity.