Joint sponsorship?

The rules have changed but for my wife, under the old rules, she had to apply for ILR up to 28 days before she had been here 2 years. For citizenship she now has to wait another year. For those arriving under the new rules the lengths of time are longer.

So assuming she gets citizenship next year then it will have been 3 years in total.


The cutoff point was 9th July 2012 I believe. After that then the application is dealt with under the newer and stiffer rules.

UKBA saw an opportunity to extend the "probationary" period to five years (im not sure if you have to spend yet more money to extend the initial settlement visa during this period) this makes it more akin to the European rules of


Five years residence card followed by Permanent Residence however these two applications only cost £55 each lol

Seemingly so and as you say, presumably more opportunities to take more money from the applicants:

New Rules: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/v...families/citizens-settled/spouse-cp/how-long/

Applications from outside the UK
"If your visa application is successful, we will grant you a visa for 33 months. Shortly before the end of that period, you can apply for further leave to remain in the UK. If you still meet the requirements you will be granted permission to stay for a further period of 30 months. Once you have completed 5 years in the UK, as the partner of someone who is a British citizen or settled in the UK, you can apply to settle here. This is known as 'indefinite leave to remain'. The Settlement pages contain more information."

We feel lucky that my wife came in under the old rules.

JohnAsh, just as well she is still covered with the old rules! My friends who are Perubian, Thailander, Filipina, Morrocan, Thurkish and more, who depends on my updates now regret they did not listen to me when I told them to come down to UK, as the new rules will change and will be even more difficult for them to get it! Hopefully they can make it with this new rules, they've been married for more than 10 years already with children but living and working in Middle East all this time.

As long as their income is sufficient then they should be okay. An then it all takes a bit longer, thats all.

Wow 5 plus nationalities in one family ,that is unusual

KeithAngel: I said WHO ARE followed by their nationalities: they are all married to British National some are Irish! they are not just one family! and they can apply if they wish to live in the UK. But some of them seems to have given up the idea now especially my Thailander and Filipina friends because they are not happy with the English weather and with all the difficilties to get the spouse visa.

Oh! yes, when we used to be living in Middle East most wives that I know are working with good income! We can work legally under our husband/father sponsorship in Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and U.A.E. but not in Saudi Arabia though! so I had to come back and find a job here, if not lucky enough, I will try somewhere in Europe since I can travel anytime I want and I can work pretty much legally around Europe.

Sorry didnt realise they had already experienced our loverly weather lol

If their husbands are working in the Middle east though then I cant imagine a problem with the financial requirements unless they are all tax exiles and have no residency in the UK

NOT ENTIRELY TRUE! Most of the British working in Middle East has choice to pay or not pay their taxes as Middle East is a none taxable country!
If a British person do not live in UK and not paying their taxes this is called ordinarily resident status, it is on the list on one of the forms in HMRC where British citizens declare on their yearly taxes.

PROS of paying their taxes, when they chose to go back to UK and decided to bring their spouse home to settle and they find themselves later on they cannot find a job easily, they are entitled for a job seeking allowance and any other benefits including child tax contribution benefits if they have any children.

CONS of NOT paying their taxes, they are not entitled for those mentioned above. But if they have children and has difficulties finding a job then they can only claim child benefits and child tax credit.

Here's one of the explanation/sample on ordinarily resident status.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/tctmanual/TCTM02027.htm

TCTM02027 - Entitlement: Residence rules - Present and ordinarily resident: Making decisions about whether a person is ordinarily resident
When initially deciding if a person is ordinarily resident (under section 14 of the Tax Credits Act 2002) or later for a revised decision (under section 15 or 16), consider the facts that apply at the time. When making final decisions (under section 18) at the end of the year, consider if the decisions made during the year were correct based on the facts known at the time those decisions were made. For example, if a person intended to stay in the United Kingdom for several years at the time of our initial decision but later left the United Kingdom, our original decision should not be changed as at the time it was made that person was ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.

Generally, decisions about entitlement for a year should not be adjusted retrospectively if people end up spending more, or less, time in the United Kingdom than was reasonably expected when the decisions were made. Decisions about entitlement must be based on the facts as they exist at the time.

However, a decision can be revisited where it turns out the facts at the time were different from the facts as we understood them at the time we made our decision.

And yes! they should not have problem when it comes to showing their bank statement as Middle Eastern jobs has the most generous deal.

Most British working in Middle East has all of these benefits.

Attractive salary!
Fully furnished accomodation from 2 to 5 bedrooms.
Flight for the whole family 2 to 3 times in a year.
Tuition fees up to 3 children to British International School.
Free utility bills but not your personal mobiles.
Free BUPA insurance that covers Medical and Dental
A month salary each year as a gratuity.
If lucky enough free transport too!

Geez! I end up advertising here!

Errrrr....why the change of topic?

Sorry about that. There was a bit of confusion as to whether it was a visitor visa or a settlement visa that was required.