using just cash savings as financial requirement for spouse visa

[beasy1]

Hello folks
can anyone advise me on a query i have which has been worrying me about the financial requirements to bring a loved one from outside the uk .
just to tell you a little about my situation
i currently dont work as i am a unregistered carer to my parents who have been ill for many years and i have been looking after them and been living with them since ,my dad has a back injury and my mum is recovering from cancer, basically i have been looking after them and in return i'm not paying them any rent or bills etc ,i have been doing this for several years as i like to care for my parents but before i did this i worked hard and i saved very well and took out some investments which i could cash in anytime if i wanted to.
my question is:
i would like to know if i can just use the savings i have and the investments that i could cash in as the financial requirement to bring my loved one into the uk if we decide that we are right for each other and marry. i have seen that i have to provide £18,600 but i'm worried about the other years that are required .can anyone advise me how much i would need in total if i can use my cash savings if i was to apply for the spouse visa so she can stay in uk with me indefinitely?
i have investments which i can cash in but i am willing to as i have met the love of my life on a dating site and she is flying over to meet me in february but this financial requirement part has always been on my mind and made me feel worried .the lady i have met is willing to contribute to this requirement if we decide to marry.i do have my own place which we can live so will not be living with my parents once we marry.
i know we have not met her in person yet but we have known each other for 6 months and chatting every day on skype and email but before we take things further i would like peace of mind about this requirement as i dont want to fall in love with this woman only to find out the immigration if we decide to apply for the spouse visa that they wont accept the cash savings as the requirement for the visa
hope you can advise me

kindest regards
beasy1

[bigmarco]

Hi Beasy and welcome to our friendly forum.:Hellooo:
Take a look at this link for a better understanding of the Financial requirements.
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/IDIs/chp8-annex/section-FM-1.7.pdf?view=Binary

My understanding is that if you are relying on savings only you must show £62,500 and this must be shown for the six months prior to any visa application.
Seems you have a bit of time before deciding what to do. Tell us have you any plans to visit the Philippines soon and meet your Mahal.

[beasy1]

hello and thanks for the welcome.
the site seems great and friendly, wow £62,500 ! if this is the case i will have to cash in my investments but i think shes worth it as i think you cant put a price on happiness. i should point out now the lady i am meeting is chinese and not fillipino, i did try to search other forums but this one seems more friendly. i hope you good people on this forum can advise me still. the lady i am meeting has invited me back to china with her if we decide that we get on so we can spend more time with each other so we know each other more.
thanks for the link

[bigmarco]

hello and thanks for the welcome.
the site seems great and friendly, wow £62,500 ! if this is the case i will have to cash in my investments but i think shes worth it as i think you cant put a price on happiness. i should point out now the lady i am meeting is chinese and not fillipino, i did try to search other forums but this one seems more friendly. i hope you good people on this forum can advise me still. the lady i am meeting has invited me back to china with her if we decide that we get on so we can spend more time with each other so we know each other more.
thanks for the link

Good Luck:xxgrinning--00xx3:
When you planning on going. One of our moderators is living and working in China at the moment so you may get a few good pointers of do's and dont's from him.

[Steve.r]

One of our moderators is living and working in China at the moment so you may get a few good pointers of do's and dont's from him.

Did I hear my name mentioned :cwm25:

As always, no matter where your potential partner comes from, please be sure it is you she is after and not a visa, entry to the UK or your money.. so be careful, we do hear many horror stories.

So where in China is your lady? I am in Shanghai right now.. and freezing after just spending the new year in the Philippines with my family where it was lovely and warm.

[stevewool]

welcome, 6 months is such a short time, just be very careful in what you may do, just keep talking and if you can go and visit her, can get some cheap flights these days, it took me 3 years to get over to the phils to see my wife face to face

[Tawi2]

Hope your mum makes a full recovery Beasy :smile: Which part of china is your girlfriend from?I still have an "alien" travel permit I was issued the first time I went to visit Tibet when it was closed to westerners,incredible country if you ever get the chance to visit,I stood on huge sand dunes looking across at a massive glacier surreal place but well worth the effort to get there,hope all works out :smile:

[WhiteBloodAda]

This is why I hate this forum! It always tells me I've misunderstood everything and depresses me even more! I was always under the belief that every pound over the £16,000 savings counted, but now I find out that figure is divided by 2.5 :( which means even more savings if I had to go down that route! only another £26,500 to save then! Two years wages with no spare change!

[sars_notd_virus]

i do have my own place which we can live so will not be living with my parents once we marry.





if this is the case i will have to cash in my investments

hi beasy i think you'll be fine to sponsor as long as you got the financial requirements and the accomodation..you dont need to cash it in as long as you can show that you've got it...good luck

[Terpe]

..you dont need to cash it in as long as you can show that you've got it...good luck

No, that's not at all correct. :NoNo:

If anyone has an intention to rely on cash savings, then it MUST be held in CASH in a personal bank account in the name of the applicant, their partner or the couple jointly.
The savings can be from any legal source, including a gift from a family member or other third party, provided the source of the cash savings is declared.
Cash savings MUST also be in an account that allows the savings to be accessed immediately with or without penalty.
The applicant and/or their partner must confirm that the money, which cannot be borrowed, is under their control and evidence that it has been held in their bank account for at least 6 months prior to the date of application.
Period.

Where the applicant and/or their partner is in receipt of income from assets such as property, dividends, investments, stocks and shares, bonds, trust funds, savings etc then this may be used under the category of non-employment income.
This source may be combined with income from salaried employment, cash savings and pension in order to meet the financial requirement.

To evidence dividends or other income from investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds you need to evidence:-
- A certificate showing proof of ownership and the amount(s) of any investment(s).
- A portfolio report (for a financial institution regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK).
- Personal bank statements for the 12-month period prior to the date of application showing that the income relied upon was paid into an account in the name of the person or of the person and their partner jointly.

To evidence interest from savings:-
- Personal bank statements for the 12-month period prior to the date of application showing the amount of the savings held and that the interest was paid into an account in the name of the person or of the person and their partner jointly.

Cash savings are NOT able to be combined with part (2) of Category B, salaried employment

Equity in property may also NOT be used

[joebloggs]

currently dont work as i am a unregistered carer to my parents who have been ill for many years and i have been looking after them and been living with them since ,my dad has a back injury and my mum is recovering from cancer,

is it possible you can claim Carer’s Allowance for looking after them?, not sure you would qualify , but if you did

3.6.1.
Where the applicant’s partner is in receipt of Carer’s Allowance or any of the following disability-related benefits in the UK, the applicant will be able to meet the financial requirement at that application stage by providing evidence of “adequate maintenance” rather than meeting an income threshold

[Terpe]

is it possible you can claim Carer’s Allowance for looking after them?, not sure you would qualify , but if you did

3.6.1.
Where the applicant’s partner is in receipt of Carer’s Allowance or any of the following disability-related benefits in the UK, the applicant will be able to meet the financial requirement at that application stage by providing evidence of “adequate maintenance” rather than meeting an income threshold

Yes good suggestion.

The Carer’s Allowance is £58.45 a week if you look after someone with substantial caring needs.

You need to be aged 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for them.

Under this exemption you would just need to meet an equivalent income from allowable sources (after housing costs) at current income support levels of £111.45

Could be very well worth considering.

[sars_notd_virus]

No, that's not at all correct. :NoNo:


To evidence dividends or other income from investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds you need to evidence:-
- A certificate showing proof of ownership and the amount(s) of any investment(s).
- A portfolio report (for a financial institution regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the UK).
- Personal bank statements for the 12-month period prior to the date of application showing that the income relied upon was paid into an account in the name of the person or of the person and their partner jointly.





I presumed that his investments was either stocks or shares in that case he only have to produced certificates and not cash them in.

[beasy1]

hi ,thanks for that ,shes coming in early feb or march, at present she is organizing her visa and shes planing on staying for 1 or 2 months and we plan on doing some travelling around the uk ,if all goes well and we get on great i will go back back with her to china to meet her family ,this will be the first time ive ever been abroad as i only just got my passport so this venture will be very exciting.

[beasy1]

hi and thanks
i have heard all the wise cracks and rumours from friends and family on why some asian woman marry westerners and hope that if ever i did get married to this woman it will be for happiness and love and the right reasons and not just a passport but i think in this life you have to take risks and hope it will work out ok
she is from shenzen i think the weather in china is similar to what we have in uk rain rain lol

[beasy1]

welcome, 6 months is such a short time, just be very careful in what you may do, just keep talking and if you can go and visit her, can get some cheap flights these days, it took me 3 years to get over to the phils to see my wife face to face
hi and thanks for the advice ,we dont plan on marrying straight away maybe 1 or 2 years down the line ,we want to make sure we are right for each other before we commit .

[beasy1]

Hope your mum makes a full recovery Beasy :smile: Which part of china is your girlfriend from?I still have an "alien" travel permit I was issued the first time I went to visit Tibet when it was closed to westerners,incredible country if you ever get the chance to visit,I stood on huge sand dunes looking across at a massive glacier surreal place but well worth the effort to get there,hope all works out :smile:

hi and thanks ,shes from shenzen ,we do plan on doing some travelling so i will certanly consider it :smile:

[joebloggs]

she is from shenzen i think the weather in china is similar to what we have in uk rain rain



there are nearly 2 million Chinese Filipinos :xxgrinning--00xx3:

i had a friend in Macau i very nearly went to see, but went to the phils instead :biggrin:

[beasy1]

is it possible you can claim Carer’s Allowance for looking after them?, not sure you would qualify , but if you did

3.6.1.
Where the applicant’s partner is in receipt of Carer’s Allowance or any of the following disability-related benefits in the UK, the applicant will be able to meet the financial requirement at that application stage by providing evidence of “adequate maintenance” rather than meeting an income threshold

hi, thats very interesting to know and worthy of finding out more about it ,not sure if they would backdate it ,if they could the amount of years i been caring i may not need to cash in :icon_lol:

[sars_notd_virus]

hi ,thanks for that ,shes coming in early feb or march, at present she is organizing her visa and shes planing on staying for 1 or 2 months and we plan on doing some travelling around the uk ,if all goes well and we get on great i will go back back with her to china to meet her family ,this will be the first time ive ever been abroad as i only just got my passport so this venture will be very exciting.

good for you ..good luck!!

[beasy1]

I presumed that his investments was either stocks or shares in that case he only have to produced certificates and not cash them in.

hi ,my investments are classic cars which i have owned for many years and bought when i was younger ,if all goes well i may have to sell them but if i did i would make sure they be sold after 6 months before i apply for the visa

[sars_notd_virus]

hi ,my investments are classic cars which i have owned for many years and bought when i was younger ,if all goes well i may have to sell them but if i did i would make sure they be sold after 6 months before i apply for th visa

yeah then terpe is correct , you need cash ...because the value is subjective.

[beasy1]

can someone clarify these questions
when i apply for fiancee visa do i have to show the money as to speak then
also when applying for the spouse visa is it £18,600 i have to show or the full £62,500
thanks

[sars_notd_virus]

i think you better check and understand the financial requirements link provided on post number 2

[beasy1]

i think you better check and understand the financial requirements link provided on post number 2

hi i saw it but was hoping someone who could spell it out for me more easily .but as you say have to study it more

[sars_notd_virus]

hi i saw it but was hopeing someone who could spell it out for me more easily .but as you say have to study it more
yes you have to, so you should know what you are trying to do.

....well, we can only give you pointers and point you in the right directions...at the end of the day, its your cash.

[Terpe]

I presumed that his investments was either stocks or shares in that case he only have to produced certificates and not cash them in.

Yes, as long the income only from those investments are used as non-earned income.
The value of the investments themselves cannot be used in support of cash savings

[Terpe]

can someone clarify these questions
when i apply for fiancee visa do i have to show the money as to speak then
also when applying for the spouse visa is it £18,600 i have to show or the full £62,500
thanks

Yes, you probably need to do some further research.

But in principle you need to have a minimum income of £18600
Any cash savings above £16000 can be used to support any shortfall.

This very simple table may help you to visualise how it would apply to Entry Visa


Income
Income
Savings Needed


0
£62,500
(£16k + (£18600x2.5))


£15,000
£25,000
(£16k + (£3,600x2.5))


£18,000
£17,500
(£16k + (£600x2.5))

[stevewool]

can someone clarify these questions
when i apply for fiancee visa do i have to show the money as to speak then
also when applying for the spouse visa is it £18,600 i have to show or the full £62,500
thanks
remember with this fiancee visa you have to marry in that time too,

[Steve.r]

hi and thanks
i have heard all the wise cracks and rumours from friends and family on why some asian woman marry westerners and hope that if ever i did get married to this woman it will be for happiness and love and the right reasons and not just a passport but i think in this life you have to take risks and hope it will work out ok
she is from shenzen i think the weather in china is similar to what we have in uk rain rain lol

No wise cracks from us Beasy just honest and good advice. Beleive me and others here, we have heard of and experienced the worst type scammers on the forum and anything we say will be because we need you to think about 'all' the outcomes before you get burnt.
It sounds as though you are moving slowly and making sure you do not make a mistake and I wish you luck in achieving your goal of bringing your lady to the UK to be with you. :xxgrinning--00xx3:


And to be honest, all the people who make the 'wise cracks' have probably never been anywhere or done anything in their lives and are just quoting the same old stereo-typical stories they have heard about from chat in the pub. Hold your head up and be proud of your Chinese lady, like we are all so proud of our Filipina ladies.

[Tawi2]

Shenzhen is the SEZ just over the border from Hong Kong mate,the temps there at the moment are a degree or two above ours,jan-feb are the coolest months,I went to shenzhen a few times from Hong Kong,if you get the chance visit Honkers and Macau,both great places but china is vast,it would take you forever to explore the while country,enjoy your trip :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[beasy1]

hi everyone. i thought i share some badnews my ladyfriend has had and would like some advice and thoughts on what to do for the best.

my ladyfreind applied for a tourist visa to vist me and today they got back and it has been refused, the reason being 2 years ago she came to uk to visit her chinese friend whos married to british guy (they had a baby) her first visa was for 10 days but she stayed for over 2 months! now shes applied for her 2nd tourist visa and its been refused. i think from what she said they the immigration think she was working but she was not she was staying with her friend as the baby was almost due and her friend wanted her to stay, i think by talking to her she did not really understand that she had to be gone within the 10 days

she has rang up the visa agency and told them of the refusal and they told her she can apply for a visit visa to come to the uk. i understand that i will have to invite her but what else are the requirements of this visa for me as a sponsor. she is also worried that her tourist visa refusal will look bad when we eventually apply for the fiancee and marriage visa

on a good note she did the english exam i think its the A1 and she passed it .
many thanks

[Terpe]

hi everyone. i thought i share some bad news my ladyfriend has had and would like some advice and thoughts on what to do for the best.

my ladyfriend applied for a tourist visa to visit me and today they got back and it has been refused, the reason being 2 years ago she came to uk to visit her chinese freind whos married to british guy (they had a baby) her first visa was for 10 days but she stayed for over 2 months! now shes applied for her 2nd tourist visa and its been refused.. i think from what she said they the immigration think she was working but she was not she was staying with her friend as the baby was almost due and her friend wanted her to stay, i think by talking to her she did not really understand that she had to be gone within the 10 days

she has rang up the visa agency and told them of the refusal and they told her she can apply for a visit visa to come to the uk. i understand that i will have to invite her but what else are the requirements of this visa for me as a sponsor.she is also worried that her tourist visa refusal will look bad when we eventually apply for the fiancee and marriage visa

on a good note she did the english exam i think its the A1 and she passed it .
many thanks

Hello beasy,

Firstly, let me say I'm sorry your friend was refused for her visit visa.
Secondly, a refusal for the visit visa will NOT impact an application for settlement visa so don't be too concerned about that.

It's difficult to say just how to 'counter' the refusal without knowing the actual wording of the refusal from UKBA

Are you able to post the actual wording (taking out any personal details)?

It may sometimes be an issue when the actual stay is very far in excess of the declared stay. But it does depend so much on other factors such as funding and reasons etc. Don't forget that the 6 months visa is always given.

You can help significantly with your sponsorship details and supporting letter.

The UKBA page specifically for UK Visit Visa's can be found here (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/) with additional detailed information which can be found here (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/general/) and also explains what you are allowed to do while you are in the UK as a visitor.
It's well worth taking a look around and checking out all of the links provided.
Anyone coming to the UK as a visitor, will usually be granted a visa with a validity for up to 6 months stay.

Anyone 'sponsoring' a visitor to UK should also review the UKBA webpage Sponsoring a General Visitor (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/sponsoringavisitor/)

In principle, you must be able to show that:-

- you are 18 or over
- you intend to visit the UK for no more than 6 months
- you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit
- you have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working or help from public funds, or you and any dependants will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends
- you can meet the cost of the return or onward journey
- you are not in transit to a country outside the 'Common Travel Area' (Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).
- you do not intend to take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public
- you do not intend to do a course of study
- you do not intend to marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership
- you do not intend to carry out the activities of a business visitor, a sports visitor or an entertainer visitor
- you do not intend to receive private medical treatment


You can downdload the application form and guidance notes from this page (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/general/apply/)

Understand how to apply by reviewing the page Applying for a UK visa in the Philippines (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/philippines/applying/?langname=UK English)

Concerning the actual documents you'll need to submit in evidence, it really does come down to your personal circumstance but generally must contain:-
- information about you
- information about your finances and employment
- your accommodation and travel details
- information about your visit to the UK

As examples of the type of documents that could be supplied Here is the UKBA Guide to Supporting Documents (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/out-of-country/visitors.pdf) for visiting the UK

For the General Visitor the application should be supported with some of the following documents for a sucessful application:-

- if you are employed, a letter from your employer granting leave of absence from your job for a specified period - the letter should also say how long you have been employed by that employer, in what job(s), and when you are expected back at work
- if you are self-employed, evidence of your business activities and financial standing
- evidence of any property you own in your home country
- if you are a student, a letter from your school or college stating the course you are on, its start and finish dates, and the dates of the holiday period when you intend to visit the United Kingdom
- evidence of any family or social ties and responsibilities to return home to
- evidence of any firm travel plans you have made
- bank statements going back over a period of several months
- evidence of savings/funds available to you during your stay
- evidence you can financially maintain and accommodate yourself in the UK with or without assistance from family/friends living in the UK but without resource to public funding or employment.

Your sponsor can help greatly by providing an invitation/supporting letter to confirm the support they will be providing in terms of financial assistance and/or accommodation.

If the sponsor is intending to totally support the visit this is a listing of fairly typical supporting documents that should be provided:-

- 6 months Bank statements
- 6 months pay slips
- Proff of address (eg utility bill, Council Tax etc)
- Accommodation details (including owner's agreement / rental agreement)
- Sponsors passport copy (Photo page, any relevant stamp pages)
- P60 (if available)
- The main reasons for wanting the applicant to travel at the specific time

The first and foremost thing that you need to keep in mind when applying for a visa for UK, is that you should have an intention to return to your home country. Have a well thought out travel plan. Date of Travel, duration of stay and reasons for travelling.

The absolute keys are going to be:-

- Reasons to return home that outweigh reasons to stay
- Financials

Reasons to return home and strong/complelling ties differ from country to country, city to city, individual to individual.
Some examples of ties can be a job, a house, social and family relationships, a bank account, possessions etc
The ECO will be looking to see if the aspects of your life that bind you to your country outweigh those aspects that may cause you to be unwilling to return to your home country, or to attempt to change or extend your visa status.

The positive aspect of visit visa application is that of it's very low cost.
So nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Good luck with that.

Beasy, your original posting concerned a Spouse Visa, not a visit visa.

What are your intentions?
Are you able to visit to the Philippines?

As they say, "there's more than one way to skin cat"

You may need to clearly state what you want to do, what is your strategy/aspiration.

Another visit visa application on the part of your loved one will inevitably mean a declaration of your relationship and long term intention and of your financial situation.
The more information you can provide, the better the advice you can receive

[beasy1]

hi ,thanks for the posting .just to be clear it was the tourist visa which was refused ,she was told she can apply for the freind vist visa with the help from me in form of invitation and support but she is worried that because she just had a tourist visa refused this will bear impact on the freind vist visa application.

the whole idea of her coming to the uk is so that we can meet to see if we get on and also for her to meet my parents .she is also worried that because her intended vist is for a meeting and relationship as we do intend to get married she is worried that if she says that her intended vist is for relationship she will defiantly get this freind visa refused .

can someone clarify this situation so i can put her mind at ease
i do have other questions but i was hopeing i could tag them to this topic so you all can see if this relationship works out and has a happy ending
thanks

[Terpe]

hi ,thanks for the posting .just to be clear it was the tourist visa which was refused ,she was told she can apply for the freind vist visa with the help from me in form of invitation and support but she is worried that because she just had a tourist visa refused this will bear impact on the freind vist visa application.

As I mentioned in my post, without seeing the reasons for refusal it's not possible to advise on how to overcome.


...the whole idea of her coming to the uk is so that we can meet to see if we get on and also for her to meet my parents .she is also worried that because her intended vist is for a meeting and relationship as we do intend to get married she is worried that if she says that her intended vist is for relationship she will defiantly get this freind visa refused....

Again, it really depends if the ECO is convinced on the balance of probabilities that there is adequate funding and compelling reasons to return home.

Whether it's as a 'tourist', 'family visit' or any other category under General Visit visa the primary requirements are the same.

[beasy1]

hello guys its a long time since ive posted here but ive not forgotton about my topic here and this splendid website so I thought I give a update as there are a few things we are worried about and I hope you can give us your expertise and advice:)

since ive posted here ,ive been to china to see my ladyfreind ( my first time abroad ) and I had a fantastic 3 weeks with her and her family and we both went on a tour of china which was simply amazing !
we discussed my parents going back to china to meet her as before we can apply the fiancée visa i will atleast need my parents approval but my dad is not well so I have asked my lady to come to the uk again so she can meet them which she wants to.
the problem is this and I hope someone can put us in the picture over this ..my ladyfreind has already been to the uk to vist her friend in London who was having a baby in sept 2011 this was way before she met me and she was granted a visa for 10 days but unknown to her at the time she was never told it was for 10 days and presumed it was for 2 months and 17 days which was on the flight tickets .

she applied to go to the uk to meet me in febuary this year but her visa got refused as the ukba said she over stayed on her first vist to the uk (which I have a copy of the refusal ) as she got refused it was then I decided to go and see her in china .
what we would like to know is this , can I invite her with my invitation and would her previous refusal have any bearing on my invitiation but more importantly would it effect the finacee visa .I should say that her friend she was staying with in London will confirm she was staying with her in all the time of her vist there so I can get a letter from her if that can help
many thanks