How long do i need to be working in the UK for before I can apply for my wifes settlement visa ?

[brettyboy]

Hi guys,

My wife and son have just returned to Thailand after 6 months in the UK on a 'Family visit visa' She didnt overstay at all. Now we are looking to apply for a settlement visa and have heard varying reports from visa agents about how long I need to working in the UK for before we can actively apply for her visa. They range from 6 months to 10 months but I cant find a concrete number anywhere online. I had previously been in Thailand for 7 years so I have only been back in the UK working for approximately 6 months now. and want to spend as little time as possible away from my wife a son as possible.

Any advice on this would be hugely appreciated. Also I am thinking of using keyvisathailand as an agent to help us with the process, any one with experience of them ? but the time of work question is more vital at the moment

Thanks

Brett

[theoldgit]

The figure is six months, though it's not that straightforward, the full details are in the document I've provided a link to.

5.1.1. Where the applicant's partner (and/or the applicant if they are in the UK with permission to work) is in salaried employment at the date of application and has been with the same employer for at least 6 months prior to the date of application, they can count their gross annual salary towards the financial requirement. In doing so they must have been paid throughout the period of 6 months prior to the date of application at a level of gross annual salary which equals or exceeds the level relied upon in the application.

As for making a recommendation regarding an agent, the only one I would recommend are Thai Visa Express, both Paul and Tony are knowledgeable and professional, contribute to this forum as well as being a forum sponsor.

Financial_Requirement_Guidance_20140324 (1).pdf

[thonglorjimmy]

I would add that the only agent I would recommend is Thai Visa Express, as far as I know they are the only accredited agents in the area, and Tony M is a retired ECO with a wealth of experience.

I don't think I would be allowed to give a view on the other agent you asked about due to Thailand's defamation laws and Forum Rules.

[kjhbigv]

Personally, I find it disgusting that there is a financial requirement to have your family in the UK! Surely, this breaches Human Rights? What about if you have savings?

When I think about all the lazy, useless, benefit scoungers sitting on the backsides doing nothing for years and then I have to jump through hoops to live or visit the UK with my family!? A joke!

[theoldgit]

Personally, I find it disgusting that there is a financial requirement to have your family in the UK! Surely, this breaches Human Rights? What about if you have savings?

You can use savings instead, that's why I indicated its not that straightforward, the details are in the document I provided the link for.

I don't really want the this thread to go down the route of discussing how unfair this, even though it is, it's been discussed to death previously, I'm just try to answer the OP's specific question.

[robertthebruce]

Personally, I find it disgusting that there is a financial requirement to have your family in the UK! Surely, this breaches Human Rights? What about if you have savings?

When I think about all the lazy, useless, benefit scoungers sitting on the backsides doing nothing for years and then I have to jump through hoops to live or visit the UK with my family!? A joke!

I hear what you are saying, but there is also a lot more scroungers get in with there so-called ''Partners'' and then get the rest of there family over..

Also, lots of British ''Chav'' types just sit about drinking there cider and getting free housing and benefits, with no intention to work at all..

Thats bad too...

I think the ''British Goverment'' are now making more and more difficult for Foreigners trying to get into the UK, for a ''Passport'' or ''Citizenship''

[brettyboy]

Thanks a lot guys for the responses,

I have been lucky enough to be in contact with Tony M, bombarding him with questions and he also suggested Paul at Thai Visa Express for my particular case as I'm a self employed plumber which seems to complicate the issue even further. Apparently if i have a slow month they use this to work out my annual salary rather than the other better months which seems a little unfair, but as someone said - its a place to find solutions and not to moan about how rubbish it is not to be able to bring my wife and son into 'my' country.

Its a shame I didn't become employed for a company when we first got back to the UK as i'd be in a much easier situation but i knew self employed or sub contractor equaled more money and thought it was the better way forward, in hindsight eh !!!

Thanks again Gents

[7by7]

Personally, I find it disgusting that there is a financial requirement to have your family in the UK! Surely, this breaches Human Rights? What about if you have savings?

When I think about all the lazy, useless, benefit scoungers sitting on the backsides doing nothing for years and then I have to jump through hoops to live or visit the UK with my family!? A joke!

I hear what you are saying, but there is also a lot more scroungers get in with there so-called ''Partners'' and then get the rest of there family over.........

That would not have been possible under the old rules, and is not possible under the new financial requirement.

Before making comments like the above, perhaps you should find out what the actual rules are!

[jack19201]

Yes I would recommend 100 % Thai visa-express, in Pattaya. As I got help for my wife's visa last yr and She got visa first time without any hiccups and she arrived in London in Dec 2014. Paul and Toni are the best. you will get good informed about the requirements and the papers you required etc.

Good Luck for your wife's visa.

take care

[kjhbigv]

Personally, I find it disgusting that there is a financial requirement to have your family in the UK! Surely, this breaches Human Rights? What about if you have savings?

You can use savings instead, that's why I indicated its not that straightforward, the details are in the document I provided the link for.

I don't really want the this thread to go down the route of discussing how unfair this, even though it is, it's been discussed to death previously, I'm just try to answer the OP's specific question.

I have just read the document, so as long as you have GBP16800+ in savings in the UK, that would be sufficient to meet the financial requirement?

[brettyboy]

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Personally, I find it disgusting that there is a financial requirement to have your family in the UK! Surely, this breaches Human Rights? What about if you have savings?

You can use savings instead, that's why I indicated its not that straightforward, the details are in the document I provided the link for.

I don't really want the this thread to go down the route of discussing how unfair this, even though it is, it's been discussed to death previously, I'm just try to answer the OP's specific question.

I have just read the document, so as long as you have GBP16800+ in savings in the UK, that would be sufficient to meet the financial requirement?

Ask the guys at Thai visa express to either confirm or deny that one but ive been living in Thailand for the last 7 years on a meager salary, so its not an option for me.

[durhamboy]

Personally, I find it disgusting that there is a financial requirement to have your family in the UK! Surely, this breaches Human Rights? What about if you have savings?

You can use savings instead, that's why I indicated its not that straightforward, the details are in the document I provided the link for.

I don't really want the this thread to go down the route of discussing how unfair this, even though it is, it's been discussed to death previously, I'm just try to answer the OP's specific question.

I have just read the document, so as long as you have GBP16800+ in savings in the UK, that would be sufficient to meet the financial requirement?

No you need £62,500 which is calculated as £18600 (based on minimum earnings) x 2.5 (the no. of years of the initial visa) + £16000 (a key benefits threshold) :-

£18,600 x 2.5 = £46.500 + £16000 = £62,500

More is required if you have non-British children.

You can combine income and earnings to meet the requirement although you cannot combine self-employment earnings with savings for some obscure reason.

[theoldgit]

Off topic comment and posts removed, please let's just stick to the question raised.

Ta