What next??

[james2007uk]

I met my bride to be a couple of months ago at Heathrow, and we have planned a wedding for February, her visa will run out in March. I know I will have to register the wedding, but I also understand that I will have to obtain a visa extension for two yearsm abd would like to ask a few questions?

When should i make the applicaiton to extend the visa?
Is it about £500, are there any other charges?
Will my wife be able to work or will that only be when she has UK residency, is it automatic after the two years or are there conditions?
Can we travel back to her home to visit her family and come back to the UK ok with the 2 year visa extension?

If anybody knows of anything else i should do at this point it would be really helpful?

Many Thanks

james

[estherboaz]

is she holding a spouse visa?

[james2007uk]

is she holding a spouse visa?

yes, a 6 month fiancee visa, runs out in March

[darren-b]

She needs to apply for FLR (Further leave to remain) after you get married but before her visa runs out. This costs £465 for a postal application, or £665 if you apply in person. Once FLR is granted she will be able to work and have no trouble leaving the UK for holidays or trips home.

As you say this will only be valid for 2 years and she will have to apply for another visa just before it expires. At the moment the visa she would have to apply for after the 2 years is called ILR (Indefinite leave to remain) which costs £820/£1020 (postal/in person) and to apply for that she would need need to pass the Life in the UK test. But the system is changing and by the time her FLR runs out she will need to apply for probationary citizenship instead of ILR, and then forced to apply for citizenship or permanent residency after that.

[james2007uk]

She needs to apply for FLR (Further leave to remain) after you get married but before her visa runs out. This costs £465 for a postal application, or £665 if you apply in person. Once FLR is granted she will be able to work and have no trouble leaving the UK for holidays or trips home.

As you say this will only be valid for 2 years and she will have to apply for another visa just before it expires. At the moment the visa she would have to apply for after the 2 years is called ILR (Indefinite leave to remain) which costs £820/£1020 (postal/in person) and to apply for that she would need need to pass the Life in the UK test. But the system is changing and by the time her FLR runs out she will need to apply for probationary citizenship instead of ILR, and then forced to apply for citizenship or permanent residency after that.

Thanks for all that, most of what you mentioned I didnt know... its been a very big learning curve, for both of us.