Let me make sure I have this correct, on a settlement visa my wife can work straight away. I am sure she is getting mixed up with claiming benefits but she said that during the interview she was told that she can't work for 2 years. She is adament that they said she can't work for 2 years.

morning kevin,

Your wife can indeed work on her 27 month spouse settlement visa, what she will not be able to do is claim any sort of benefit.

Hope this helps

She can work but she has no recourse to public funds.

I am sure she is getting mixed up with claiming benefits but she said that during the interview she was told that she can't work for 2 years.

I believe it's just a case of applying for a national insurance number in the UK but the experts here might know if there's more to it.

Can I ask to what interview you're referring? If at VFS, I thought the appointment was just a case of handing papers over and getting fingerprints taken?

If entering the UK as a fiance/proposed civil partner then the person cannot work until after the marriage/civil partnership has taken place and they have FLR.

If entering as a spouse/civil partner/unmarried or same sex partner then they can work immediately.

I, too, would be interested to know who she was 'interviewed' by. The ECOs at the embassy very rarely interview adult applicants (and know the rules!). VFS are only an application handling centre and should not be 'interviewing' applicants nor giving this type of, false, information.

N.B. She does not need to wait until she has a NI number before she starts work. Her employer will allocate her a temporary one based on her date of birth until she recieves her real one.

Edited March 22, 201313 yr by 7by7

I am sure she is getting mixed up with claiming benefits but she said that during the interview she was told that she can't work for 2 years.

I believe it's just a case of applying for a national insurance number in the UK but the experts here might know if there's more to it.

Can I ask to what interview you're referring? If at VFS, I thought the appointment was just a case of handing papers over and getting fingerprints taken?

When the, I assume Embassy, called her to hold a telephone interview. Definitely on the phone not at VFS. She was asked if she knew the requirement about working. She said yes, I can't work for 2 years. The interviewer said that is right you know already.

Now my guess is she mixed up with pblic funds issue but she is adamant that it was in connection with working.