Uk Settlement Visa's For Wife And Her Daughter - Any Advice Welcome

[geordiesteve]

Hi everybody,

New member - been reading the posts for about a year.Would like any advice on applying for settlement visas for my wife and her daughter.

My wife and I have been together for 7 years( we lived together in Bangkok until March - I was an English teacher), married for nearly 3 years with a 2 year old daughter with British and Thai passports.

Wanted to apply for a settlement visa in January but after reading the posts decided it was too risky and expensive so got a tourist visa instead as my wife had never been to the UK.Arrived in Newcastle in the middle of March ( big culture shock for my wife- also very very cold ) 2 year old daughter loved the snow ,wife's 13 year old daughter stayed in Bangkok with relatives.

We are renting a 2 bedroom flat(apartment) in both our names and most of the bills are in both names.She will be returning to Thailand in September after 25 weeks in the UK.

Any suggestions on what to attach with the settlement visa plus I have been claiming Working Tax Credits and Child Tax Credits as I only work 30 hours a week.Are these classsed as public funds even though I didn't claim for my wife.

Any special things needed for my wife's daughter's visa.We have already contacted the local authority to get a place in a school for her.

Sorry for all the info.Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks !!

[vinny]

One suggestion is that your wife take the Life in the UK test while she's in the UK, if she hasn't yet satisfied the KOL requirements. Then apply for a spouse visa. If she passed the test, then you may be able to persuade the Embassy to grant her ILE, if she had already spent at least 4 years together with you, outside the UK.

Your wife's daughter may apply for a child settlement visa. See also Children Visa, CHILD 14 YEARS VISA TO UKcan you please tell me

See also Claiming Child Tax Credit Whilst On Flr, Now we need to apply for ILR.

Edited August 6, 2008 by vinny

[geordiesteve]

Thanks Vinny for the advice,

Sorry it took so long to check the replies.Wife leaves for Thailand in 3 weeks, so no time for test or changing our plans.Will have to go with the settlement visa.

Some further questions - does it matter that I have not adopted my wife's daughter.

Also should we apply for both settlement visas together or should we wait to see if my wife gets hers and then apply for her daughters and would her daughter automatically get hers if her mother got hers.

Steve

[the scouser]

Steve,

It doesn't matter that you have not adopted your step-daughter and she can apply for her visa at the same time as your wife. Your wife will have to demonstrate, amongst other things, that she has "sole responsibility" for the 13-year-old. To that end, the whereabouts of the father and with whom the daughter normally lives will be relevant factors.

Scouse.