HEY

I would like to thank everybody for their help in helping me and my wife to obtain a settlement visa for the uk. We managed to get the said visa without question and without needing an interview. I think it goes to show if you provide the correct evidence you can get the visa without many problems.

The question I have now though is that my wife is coming back to the UK with me in four weeks and i would just like to know - well make sure - that nothing else is needed to help her gain access to the uk. Also from reading on here after 2 years my wife would have to take some kind of test to stay in the uk....is this correct? and if so can you give me some pointers of exactly what to expect in the next year or two.

Thank you everybody for your help

When your wife arrives in the UK get her on as many bills as a joint name as possible, these can then be used to obtain her ILR (indefinate leave to remain) in 2 years.

Also go to one of the banks (Like Lloyds) & get her set up with an account, it may have to be a joint one at first as she wil have no proof of salary, employment or address for a month or so.

You can also sign her up for English classes at the local adult ed centre, after a year her lessons will be free but most local authorities charge very little, 2-5 pounds an hour, my husband found 2-4 hrs a week to be enough in the beginning so it doesn't have to be expensive. She will need to pass the citizenship test in 2 years for her ILR so the earlier she gets on with studying the better (assuming her english is ok but not great here, if she is already proficient then she may not need classes)

She will need an NI number & IMO the earlier you can get ot the better. There is conflicting advice as to what is needed but for my husband, he was refused one 1st time as he hadn't proved he had applied for enough jobs!! (we only put 3 rejection letters in with the application form!) So I suggest sending her cv to as many jobs online & from the paper as possible, even just to get the rejection letters, these can then be shown to the NI office as proof of applying for work. Without an NI number most agencies will not take her on their books & as we found, most of the better jobs are only available through agencies, so catch 22.

For now, the main thing to prepare her for is the arrival in the UK, assuming you are coming through Heathrow, she will need to be xrayed for tb & this will delay your getting out of the airport by about an hour, so if you are being collected, bear that in mind. Also you may be questioned by the clearing officer at passport control so best to go through with her in the foreign passport queue.

Thats about all I can remember from when we went through this 3 years ago.

Good luck

HEY

Thanks for that boo. We are coming through manchester does the tb scan apply the same at all airports across britain. Also the visa agency said my wife would not be able to work for the first 6 months........is this correct??

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=111094

As for the question on taking the LITUK test read this link.

Be prepared to distinguish the Wheat from the Chaff though.

Good Luck

Moss

What type of settlement visa does your wife have? Did she apply as your fiancée or spouse?

Scouse.

HELLO SCOUSER

Thanks for your help previous to this and my wife came on the spouse settlement.

In which case it should be valid for 2 years and she can work from the word go.

With regard to the TB x-ray, she will have had to have one done already as a condition of getting the visa, so she should bring those papers with her for presentation to the Port Medical Inspector, if referred.

Scouse.