Hello everyone. My wife has been granted a Spouse Visa, and we will both be moving to the UK shortly (we are currently working in the Middle East). We now want to apply for her son to join us. His father died years ago and we have sole parental responsibility, although he lives in the Philippines with my wife’s sister. He is 16, and legally still needs two years of education in the UK. I want to make arrangements for him to improve his English, and also to obtain qualifications that will help him get a job in the UK. I don’t think putting him in the UK school system at his age would help, as he is not familiar with the curriculum. Are there any organisations that can advise me about this? Or has anyone here had experience of dealing with this situation and could give me some advice?
Does the town/city where you intend to live have a 6th form college or college for further education ? I think you will find that there will be a wide variety of students there, originating from many different countries. Contact the local education authority, or the college direct. (Most have websites now). I brought my Filipino stepchildren to the UK, but they were much younger... 7 and 9 years... speaking little English. Both have excellent degrees and good careers in UK/New York now. A friend brought his two boys here from the Phils when they were in their late teens (British passports, but born in the Phils and hadn't left until that time). I believe they initially went to a further education type college. Both have British degrees now, and really good jobs in London. They were always clever lads though.
It will either be sink or swim for the kid if you bring him along. UK education is very different from that in the Philippines. Our Philippines education is based from American system of education. Also we focus more on general subjects whereas here in the UK, students specialise more on certain subjects. That plus the eventual culture shock, getting used to the British accents, peer pressure, etcetera... He will be tested in all aspects. So it depends on the kid. My suggestion is for him to stay put instead, continue his education in the Philippines. Then when your wife is granted British citizenship, your step-son will be able to apply for British citizenship too (British-born overseas). Your son by then will be in university or close to finishing. He will be more mature (hopefully) and be able to cope more with the changes. He can either study for another degree in the UK or find work. I was somewhat in the same shoes as your step-son before.
Then when your wife is granted British citizenship, your step-son will be able to apply for British citizenship too (British-born overseas). oh--can you explain that KS ?
Thank you. There are three 6th form colleges in our town. I will contact them and see what can be arranged. We also live near two large towns with immigrant communities, so that is another possibility, but I would prefer him to go to school in the town as it would help him to make friends he can see outside of school.
Then when your wife is granted British citizenship, your step-son will be able to apply for British citizenship too (British-born overseas). Your son by then will be in university or close to finishing. He will be more mature (hopefully) and be able to cope more with the changes. Could you provide more information about this, please? I understood that he would have to apply before reaching 18, and it would be almost impossible for him to be approved after that. My wife also has a daughter who is 19, so we thought that she was already too old to apply. If I am mistaken about this then that would be good news. But the Gov.uk website says children must be under 18 when they apply.
No, it's not. My father is British and my mother is a Filipina who became British back in 1979. My mother gained British citizenship through marriage (back then it was possible). I gained British citizenship (British-born overseas) because of both. Now I have step-siblings in my mother side, who are eligible for British-citizenship because of my mother. It was the same thing with my maternal grandmother, who married a British citizen too. My two uncles are here in the U.K. and both dual-British and Filipino. So it is possible, as long as your wife gains her citizenship. She'll be British otherwise than by descent. Then your step-son will be British by descent. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/262401/chapter20.pdf Check out 20.1.3 and 20.1.4
