Uk Settlement Queries

[kp86]

Hi all,

Few more queries about my friends settlement visa application that she could use some advice on if poss. Quick update:

My friend (british) is engaged to her thai boyfriend of 19 months and is now pregnant. She is hoping to acquire a settlement visa for him for the UK. They are due to be married next week and then apply for the visa.

1. As she has been in Thailand for the past year, my friend has little savings to supply deposit and first months rent on a flat as soon as she arrives in the UK. Her parents rent a three bedroom house and have offered for her and her husband to live there with them for as long as they need, most likely until after the baby is born so her parents can help when she first has the baby. There will be two bedrooms for their exclusive use, one for them and one for the baby. Her parents can provide copies of the tenancy agreement for this house and copies of their wage slips for the past 6 months but cannot provide bank statements. Will the tenancy agreement and wage slips be enough and will the embassy accept this accomodation as meeting their requirements? Obviously it is just a short term solution until after she has the baby and they are settled in the UK, after which they will rent their own property.

2. She has a job offer from her previous employment, due to start as soon as she returns to the UK. The company have also said there will probably be job prospects for her fiance in the same company providing he has the legal goahead to work and are willing to write a letter confirming both her job offer and salary (£1500 per month) and possible prospects for her soon to be husband. However, she does not have any savings as she has been in Thailand for the past year and will not have much money when returning to the UK. Her brother has kindly offered to financially support her and her husband until she is settled with money once she has started her new job. Will this satisfy the embassy as meeting their maintanence requirements. Her brother is willing to provide wage slips and bank statements which show he has more than enough means to support her and her husband for however long they need. Again this is a short term solution until she receives her first pay check and is settled.

Will it be an issue that her financial support and her accomodation support is being provided by two different relatives? Both her parents and her brother are willing to support her and husband for as long as needs be but she will make it clear in her supporting letter that this is only short term until they are settled. Will the embassy accept this short term help as she does have a guarunteed job offer and will therefore be able to support her and her husband as soon as she has begun working?

Also, if she were to apply for a settlement for her husband so shortly after her wedding would this disadvantage them in a successful visa application? They believe they have enough evidence to prove their relationship is genuine (photo's dating back to the start of the relationship, letter from landlord confirming they have been renting a bungalow together for the past year, letter from her boss confirming her employement for the past 8 months in Thailand and his knowledge of their relationship, visa stamps into Thailand) but are worried that the embassy may be suspcious if they apply so soon after getting married.

Obviously they are on a short timescale as my friend will only be able to fly up to 7 months pregnant, will the fact she is pregnant add to their case anymore?

Any help or advice appreciated...this forum is so helpful..thanks guys!

[7by7]

Firstly, if the relationship is genuine then it is genuine; they will not be suspicious if he applies a few days after the marriage (If they marriad a few days after the metand then applied then yes, they would be!)

Get your friend to read the following, and then come back if she has any questions.

Maintenance and accommodation

Settlement; spouses