Just spent the last 2 weeks with my (now!) Thai wife..was great took her all over england! But now have a few questions on our settlement visa application which we will hopefully applying for in 2/3 months.

My wife is a teacher in TL..when she applies for settlement visa does she have to leave her job before she comes to UK?

She has been told in TL that she can keep her job open and return to TL on a settlement visa to carry on working as a teacher in her village.is this correct?

She has to leave TL within 28 days of getting settlement visa?

What does she have to do in order to be able to drive in UK? Pass a UK driving test or can her Thai licence apply for a certain amount of time? will she get insurance on her licence?

Can we go on vacation while she is in UK on a settlement visa? IE to USA or Switzerland?

Can she come and go to and from UK to TL on a settlement visa? and how long can she stay in TL in any one period of time while on a settlement visa?

many thanks in advance once again!

Regards

My wife is a teacher in TL..when she applies for settlement visa does she have to leave her job before she comes to UK?

This would probably depend on her employers

She has been told in TL that she can keep her job open and return to TL on a settlement visa to carry on working as a teacher in her village.is this correct?

Again, this would depend on her employers. As a Thai, she may work in Thailand. However, prolonged work outside the UK is inconsistent with settlement in the UK.

She has to leave TL within 28 days of getting settlement visa?

See also Chapter 8 - Family members, Section 1 - Spouses (4.3)

The spouse visa holder should initially enter the UK within 28 days (4 weeks) from the visa's effective date. This is because she may apply for ILR (indefinite leave to remain) before the visa's expiry but no sooner than 28 days (4 weeks) before the 2nd anniversary of her initial entry date.

What does she have to do in order to be able to drive in UK? Pass a UK driving test or can her Thai licence apply for a certain amount of time? will she get insurance on her licence?

See also Driving on licences from all other countries, and students on a foreign licence

Can we go on vacation while she is in UK on a settlement visa? IE to USA or Switzerland?

Yes. She may require visas for some countries.

Can she come and go to and from UK to TL on a settlement visa? and how long can she stay in TL in any one period of time while on a settlement visa?

Yes. See also Chapter 8 - Family members, Section 1 - Spouses (4.5)

For further information, see also 13.5 - Spouses/civil partners and how they qualify and Chapter 9 The maintenance and accommodation requirements.

See also Knowledge of life in the UK and Application forms (form SET(M) and SET(M) guidance) for the ILR's requirements and documents that have to be collected over the qualifying period. Please note that the Application forms may be updated when you are ready to make an application.

Thanks for your help Vinny..appreciate it very much!