2 Year Settlement Now Up, Extension Or Eea Family Permit?

[uk2bkk]

Hi,

My wife's 2 years in the UK are nearly up, there is no chance of her

passing the life in the UK test, just yet. I think we need another 8

months of study, or until we can find an esol course so she can progress

up a level.

We have two routes open to us, questions concern both routes.

We can either pay the 395/600 pounds for the extension visa (flr m).

Or we can try and apply for the free EEA family permit, as I also have an Irish Passport.

Questions.

If you have not completed the full two years, are the Home Office still extending the FLR m upto

the 2 year mark. Thus making you reapply for another FLR m extension at twice the cost?

Can you apply in person in the UK for the EEA family permit? What are the processing times?

Once my wife has got the EEA family permit, then qualified on the life in the UK test/esol Course

could she then apply for ILR visa (750 pounds) after about 8 months of receiving the family permit?

Basically as soon as she can qualify for a ILR visa I would like her to do so, not go the whole

term on the family permit, just use the family permit as a way of bypassing the exorbitant UK

visa fee's.

We are now 23 months both working full time in the UK, with a 13 month old British born son,

does a Thai having a child born here in the UK get any extra rights when it comes to their immigration status?

Could she not apply for ILR not as a spouse but as a mother to her UK born child under 18? (Form SET F) I think not.

Note 3 on form flr m says no Internet bank statements, anybody had problems with this?

I intend to take our online statements to the bank to be rubber stamped, would this suffice?

My wife's employer have stated they wish to see a new visa, immediately after her current one

has expired to continue her employment. Home office stipulate that once the application has been received by them her visa status

is unchanged. Can they put this in writing so I can present to and satisfy my wife's employer?

Many thanks, we will update with how the application goes.

uk2bkk

[the scouser]

If you go the family permit route, you then have to stick with it and your wife would not get ILR for another five years. However, all applications would be free. The Home Office are currently taking about 4 months to decide such applications. They can be lodged in person but will not be considered on the same day. If you decided that you wanted to switch back to being British for the purposes of your wife's immigration status, you'd have to start again with a new two-year visa.

Having said that, you state that you've now been in the UK together for 23 months, so this should require only one further application to the Home Office for a further two years' leave. As soon as your wife obtains her English/citizenship qualification, she can apply for indefinite leave, even if the extension still has time to run.

Your wife will not be given any special treatment because she is the mother of a British citizen. Yes, have your bank statements authenticated by the bank, and when your wife makes her application to the Home Office she should receive an acknowledgement which should state that her current entry conditions continue to apply whilst the matter is being considered.

Scouse.

[uk2bkk]

If you go the family permit route, you then have to stick with it and your wife would not get ILR for another five years. However, all applications would be free. The Home Office are currently taking about 4 months to decide such applications. They can be lodged in person but will not be considered on the same day. If you decided that you wanted to switch back to being British for the purposes of your wife's immigration status, you'd have to start again with a new two-year visa.

Having said that, you state that you've now been in the UK together for 23 months, so this should require only one further application to the Home Office for a further two years' leave. As soon as your wife obtains her English/citizenship qualification, she can apply for indefinite leave, even if the extension still has time to run.

Your wife will not be given any special treatment because she is the mother of a British citizen. Yes, have your bank statements authenticated by the bank, and when your wife makes her application to the Home Office she should receive an acknowledgement which should state that her current entry conditions continue to apply whilst the matter is being considered.

Scouse.

With this insight, we will not persue the EEA route, as obtaining Citizenship asap is more important. The Home Office have a knack of moving goal posts, mid match and who knows what they will do next.

Many many thanks Scouse.