You are me...9 years ago. Differences being i had met..and was living with mine before i found out anything about annulment..visas etc. I reckon youre staring at 30,000 pounds..allowing for the massive hikes in fees every time. Maybe someone else will tell me im wrong.
Broad total costs estimated up or down to approx 1st raft of visas and other bits Spouse visa and dependant visa year 1 =4500 NHS X3 first visa =3600 CFO and English tests and tb screening=1000(broad figure) 2nd lot after 2.5 years Leave to Remain and 2 dependant visas 3300 NHS Surcharge 3000 English test 150 ILR X3 7200 English test and Life in UK test 300 British Citizenship costs x3 3300 About £26000 over 5 to 6 years at todays costs approx, excluding flights, other travel costs such as getting to approved testing centres in the Philippines local travel to airports. Probably something I have missed! £30,000 about right @bigmac
Stop picking holes haha I did say in my reply "at todays costs" I think between 7 and 10% in prices increase over the period would be a reasonable assumption
Thanks for the replies, and the breakdown of the costs it really helps a lot. So the figure, and I have checked with my own notes on what I reserched is correct, around the £30k. Thats a staggering figure, but spread over a number of years after an intial big outlay. So thats all doable. Its just a shame that it costs so much to be with someone you have fallen in love with... soppy I know lol I should also point out that I have not yet made any payments for the forthcoming annulment, the process has started and we will know more about it tomorrow. One thing in our favour is her Cousin works in a Lawyers office, they are the ones I have requested look into it, no mention yet of costs, but who knows I may get a discount lol. But as its her Cousin that will be doing the annulment it will maybe make the process quicker due to the Family connections being easier for communication.
Ian, can I suggest you find out using your own research as much as possible about the law firm being suggested before you start using them, also I suggest you look at paying the firm (if you start using them) direct into their bank account. To me, and I may appear paranoid, over judgemental or just plain old cynical "a relative that just happens to work in the area I want help with" would start sounding alarm bells. We have had on this forum a number of members that have fallen for scammers at various stages! You may say I dont know the lady or her family your involved with and thats a fair point, but it could be argued neither do you, at this stage you only know whats been told to you. I made a very firm decision when I embarked on my path to marry a Filipino lady some 7 years ago that I would not send money till I had met her, any help offered such as school fees and hospital fees help were paid direct to the supplier, we also agreed a family size limitation. Practical yes, unromantic yes, peace of mind yes, happy marriage very!
Mattecube, I fully agree, I have no intention of paying direct to anyone except the company or organization concerned. It really is in the early stages of the process, and all correspondence will be between me and the Lawyers, and not any members of the family. I assume (and will check) that whoever I am in contact with concerning the lawyers, will not be the Cousin direct, and I may insist on that. She is merely a "foot in the door" I will do my homework on the lawyers too just to make sure they are legit. You are aslo correct in not sending any money to anyone until we have met. That will certainly be the case. I plan to visit her as soon as the flights open up again, I will then judge whether to continue, and only then will I part with any hard earned cash. But all these comments and sugggestions do help, I take them onboard, I live and learn Apparently there is to be a review on flights into the Philippines on the 18th of this month, I will be watching for that result closely, but given the continuing rise in cases in the PH I suggest the restrictions will remain for some time. The wait to get into the country I and everyone else in a similar position, is a pain, but also a good test, if it is true love it will survive, if not, well it won't.
you really need to tread very carefully with this annulment business--and that is exactly what it is. try to get a firm price for the whole thing..including any "incidentals"--like judge's "assistance fees". Its a very touchy subject over there..and the husband may well want his share of the pie as well. i read somewhere that annulled husbands rub their hands with glee--at the prospect of a million peso for their compliance.
Welcome to the site Ian! Indeed it's a ridiculous price tag they've put on the entire process. Depressing. The only conciliation is that it's not all in one go.
Ok, an update... I hope I don't bore people with any future posts, some of what I experince will seem minor and mutch to say, btu the little things are big things to think about when first starting of on this wonderful joureny I think. I had a video call with Jennie's Cousin, the woman who works with a Lawyer firm regarding my future wife's Annulment. She seemed very genuine and very well educated and could speak almost fluent English. Not a lot of details were dicussed yet because I have insisted that all the details are to happen once I have made "official" contact with the Lawyer direct, and of course I will then have the name of the Lawyers firm and I can do some reseach. Belt and Braces... I will then of course insist that a set "fee" is agreed for the whole process. And no money will be sent except direct to the Lawyers. She agreed that all that will be done and it is the best way all round. I will keep you all posted.
Slow down meet first, then proceed. Anything else has the potential to be wasteful in time and money.
Hi all, Just a little update, and by following advice from members on here, this is the situation now. I have put on hold the process of annulment for Jennie until at least after my first vist. The process has kind of started however, and the Lawyers have agreed to do some preperation prior to any payment, thats fine, it may speed things up when I give the go ahead. I have checked the validity of the Lawyers as best I can with the information I have, and and they seem to be well respected. I will pass more details regarding their identity once I have more information. So just a small update, but a valid one for anyone reading this in the future. After I received advice from members on here to hold back a little, and doing a little more research myself on what problems can arise, it came obvoius to put the breaks on the Annulment. ("Always be prepared to take the adivice of others who have gone before you")
Ian ( here to help) I suspect the annulment will take a few years to get through, I know it's a long way off but children can only be bought across as dependents if they are under 18 as the oldest is now 14 you will have to watch the clock ticking on that one. In your post you say the lawyers have agreed to do some preparation work prior to payment is that what you and they have agreed, or what your good lady has told you?
i agree with Mattecube. have you discussed with your lady the very real possibility the older child will be too old to apply as her dependent in 4 years time.? will she be willing to be parted from the child ? also--with regard to their fathers involvement with them--does their mother have sole responsibility for them ? how can she prove that ? how does she support them financially ? i'm not trying to put a downer on your plans--but i speak from very real experience on both the points ive touched on.
Thanks for the comments above, it really does help when there are people who have already been through all this willing to help with advice. I know in some cases it has been known to take up to 4 years for the annulment to be finalised, but through my contact with the lawyers they are saying 8 months to a year. Now I have yet to get any clarification on this, and see any details on how they have come up with that time scale. I am also unsure how they can predict that time having not officially started the procedure. So I keep an open mind on that for now. It is something that is important I know. I am aware of the potential disastrous consequences of this whole thing, which is why I am being extremely cautious. Regardless of whether Jennie would want to leave any of her children behind or not, I would not allow that. A Mother should not be separated from her children, simple. However, if the older child was to reach 18 before this all happened, he would then be old enough to decide himself. I suspect at 18 he would rather stay where he is. But I am counting on the annulment being done with 12 months. We shall see. One question though, if while I wait for the annulment to be completed, and in time we are both still happy, is it appropriate and legal for me to ask her to marry me while she is still technically married? Not sure on the etiquette in the Philippines on this.
