Visit Visa &/or Settlement For Wife

[kippers]

I'm intentending to move my family to England sometime in October/November this year.

Prior to actually moving I'm planning to take my Filipina wife (married 11 years) for a four week holiday,

basially to look for a place to live in England followed by a quick driving trip in Europe,

my two kids will be staying in Thailand whilst we are away.

Although my kids and I have British passports my wife has a Filipino passport,

we have been living here for the last 5 years on a retirement visa.

Should we apply for a Visit visa to Britain first and upon return apply for a Settlement visa

or both Visas at the same time (if possible) or is there some other way?

Any advice is most appreciated.

[the scouser]

I'd apply for the visit visa first and then, upon return, apply for the settlement visa.

Scouse.

[roygsd]

I'm intentending to move my family to England sometime in October/November this year.

Prior to actually moving I'm planning to take my Filipina wife (married 11 years) for a four week holiday,

basially to look for a place to live in England followed by a quick driving trip in Europe,

my two kids will be staying in Thailand whilst we are away.

Although my kids and I have British passports my wife has a Filipino passport,

we have been living here for the last 5 years on a retirement visa.

Should we apply for a Visit visa to Britain first and upon return apply for a Settlement visa

or both Visas at the same time (if possible) or is there some other way?

Any advice is most appreciated.

HI

Scouser has covered the uk end for you , just dont forget to get a Schengen Visa for the wife from Bkk in order for her to enter the other european countries you are likely to be visiting.

Obtaining a Shengen Visa for your wife from the uk if she is in the uk on a tourist visa is gong to be very difficult if not impossible from most EU Embassies in the UK.

Roy gsd

[vinny]

One suggestion is that your wife take the Life in the UK test while she's visiting 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.

[kippers]

Vinny, thanks for your comment.

I read about the "Life in the UK" test a while ago and recently learned that she could take it whilst applying for her settlement visa,

to get an "indefinate stay" status.

She's been studying the booket and taking the online test for a while now, to that end.

However, you say that she can take it in the UK when we are over there,

Where would one do that?

[vinny]

Find a test centre.

Note that Knowledge of language and life in the United Kingdom:

If you are outside the United Kingdom

It is currently not possible to take the Life in the UK test overseas unless you are in Crown or designated service or you are the spouse or civil partner of someone in Crown or designated service. If you are outside the United Kingdom you will have to return to the United Kingdom to take the test.

So, she should take it while she's visiting the U.K., before applying for her spouse visa.

Edited August 18, 2008 by vinny

[kippers]

Many thanks

[riceboy66]

I'd apply for the visit visa first and then, upon return, apply for the settlement visa.

Scouse.

Hi I'm in the same situation but have left the wife in Thailand with my daughter but I have brought my son with me to settle in the UK. I plan to bring my wife over on a settlement visa when I have worked here for a couple of months but the question is how long do I have work? Or how many bank statements are required to prove I can support mywife?

[the scouser]

Your situation is different to the OP's as he intends his wife to visit the UK before settling, whereas, if possible, you want your wife to settle immediately.

I've replied to the PM you sent, but for the benfit of the forum as a whole, you do not need to have been in work for a prescribed length of time before your wife may seek a settlement visa. You simply need to demonstrate that you can maintain yourselves without recourse to public funds.

Scouse.