Visa expiration

[JAMZ]

A friend of mine sponsored his wife and son and were approved of visa to join spouse and visa to join parents in Year 2007.

Three months after, the wife flew away to the UK alone to join her husband and left their son to the son's grandparents because they changed their plan, that is, the wife sought for a job first and after a year and a half, since she has gained work experience already in the UK, they now wanted to get their son to continue his son's studies here.

Also, they did leave their son in the Philippines because they enrolled their son to a private English-speaking school so their son could be prepared when he comes over here.

Now, the question is - Since the visa to join parents of their son was granted in year 2007 and hence not yet stamped, when they get their son here by 2010 (the visa is valid until 2012), do you think they will encounter any problem when their son enters the UK the first time because the wife and the son didn't flew here in the UK together at the same time?

Is there any rule wherein there is a certain period of time from the date you were granted the visa that you should enter the UK?

Any idea or past experiences you have heard relating to this kind of situation?

Thanks again!

[Arthur Little]

A friend of mine sponsored his wife and son and were approved of visa to join spouse and visa to join parents in Year 2007.

Three months after, the wife flew away to the UK alone to join her husband and left their son to the son's grandparents because they changed their plan, that is, the wife sought for a job first and after a year and a half, since she has gained work experience already in the UK, they now wanted to get their son to continue his son's studies here.

Also, they did leave their son in the Philippines because they enrolled their son to a private English-speaking school so their son could be prepared when he comes over here.

Now, the question is - Since the visa to join parents of their son was granted in year 2007 and hence not yet stamped, when they get their son here by 2010 (the visa is valid until 2012), do you think they will encounter any problem when their son enters the UK the first time because the wife and the son didn't flew here in the UK together at the same time?

Is there any rule wherein there is a certain period of time from the date you were granted the visa that you should enter the UK?

Any idea or past experiences you have heard relating to this kind of situation?

Thanks again!

Possibly either Joe Bloggs or Darren-b might be able to advise ...

[IainBusby]

A friend of mine sponsored his wife and son and were approved of visa to join spouse and visa to join parents in Year 2007.

Three months after, the wife flew away to the UK alone to join her husband and left their son to the son's grandparents because they changed their plan, that is, the wife sought for a job first and after a year and a half, since she has gained work experience already in the UK, they now wanted to get their son to continue his son's studies here.

Also, they did leave their son in the Philippines because they enrolled their son to a private English-speaking school so their son could be prepared when he comes over here.

Now, the question is - Since the visa to join parents of their son was granted in year 2007 and hence not yet stamped, when they get their son here by 2010 (the visa is valid until 2012), do you think they will encounter any problem when their son enters the UK the first time because the wife and the son didn't flew here in the UK together at the same time?

Is there any rule wherein there is a certain period of time from the date you were granted the visa that you should enter the UK?

Any idea or past experiences you have heard relating to this kind of situation?

Thanks again!

I don't think there is a fixed time period but they recently incresed the settlement visa length from 24 months to 27 months because to be able to apply for ILR when the visa expires, you have to have been living here in the UK for 2 years.

In the case of my wife and daughter however, my wife came here about 2 and a half weeks after she got her visa. That was at the end of September 2006 and in January 2007 we applied for a visa for her daughter which was issued in March 2007. We did not go to the Philippines to bring her daughter here until 6 months later at the end of August 2007, but when we applied for ILR, although my step-daughter had not been living here for 2 years, ILR was still granted for both of them.

Iain.