Filipina wife visiting visa to UK. Help please.

[JonHig]

I must say that the UK immigration does not make life easy for us genuine Brits. As a way forward towards getting a settlement visa i am going to the UK to set up a home in preparation for the great day, if it arrives! I want to apply for a six month visit visa for my wife, once i am there, in order to see if she likes the place for starters. You never know once she experiences the weather for one thing.

I have lived in the Philippines for two years, and we have a 2yr old daughter. It is the required accompanying documents that have upset me. For one thing, my wife does not work and although she has a bank account, i give her cash each month for the living expenses. So, there is no evidence of income for her. OK we could start putting money in the bank instead of the cash for six months or so i guess. Maybe it doesn't matter about her unemployment if she can prove income from me.

In addition I have to provide bank statements. Now i am a pensioner who will benefit from things like pension credits, child allowances etc once i am there, but they MAY look on my present pension as being insufficient to keep her in the UK. I am perfectly capable of earning quite well there by going back into my old profession, but obviously it will take a little time.

Has anyone had their wife go to the UK on this visit visa, and what is their yardstick as to how much they consider necessary for her to get the visa?Maybe enough in the bank to look after things for six months?

Any wise advice would be much appreciated. It seems as diffricult to get the visit visa as it does the settlement one. The only difference is they do not require supporting proof of our relationship, apart from the marriage certificate.

Thanking you and regards to all.
John

[keithAngel]

Slightly tricky John I presume you will be applying for your child to come too?

As I see it your problem is this

If your financial situation would not achieve a spouse visa then its doughtful they would grant a visitors visa as you would be assessed on the same grounds as to your ability to support them. as well as having to show they will on probability return to the Phils befor it expires

Although there is nothing wrong with with the idea of your wife visiting as you say to assess if indeed she wants to live in the UK the only difference is that the period is for upto six months rather than 2 years and she cant take up employment on that visa.

With airfares to and from the Phils and the spouse visa needing to to be applied for in any case from the Phils my advise would be to get reestablished first sad as your temporary separation will be..

[JonHig]

Thanks Keith.

Yes it would be sad for us, but if needs must as they say! One thing i did not mention is our daughter will be able to have, i undestand, a British passport so would not need a visa, correct? Also if my wife got a job offer in the UK would she be able to go on a working visa? She is a highly trained hair stylist having worked with a top salon in Makati and would i think be quite employable in the UK.

Regards and thanks again.
John

[JonHig]

Keith! The proverbial piece of string question please.

If i could prove that i had 600 pounds p.m disposable income after rent etc, plus a bit in the bank (how much?) and no debts would that be enough do you think? The income is from my State pension and is guaranteed. My wife already has a NHI number as a get an allowance for her.

The sum mentioned is the amount that my eldest son, wife and my grandson of 11 seem to manage quite well on after making the mortgage payments. Well, a small Filipina, a 2+yr old girl and a pensioner, albeit a very fit and healthy one, are not going to eat anything like as much as they do that is for sure!. They also live in Kent which will be a bit more exoensive, for certain things than Lancashire where i wish to go.

Any thoughts on the above would once more, be very welcome. I shall never give up (in true Churchillian manner) and will get them over there no matter what!

All the best
John

[Arthur Little]

Slightly tricky John I presume you will be applying for your child to come too?

As I see it your problem is this

If your financial situation would not achieve a spouse visa then its doughtful they would grant a visitors visa as you would be assessed on the same grounds as to your ability to support them. as well as having to show they will on probability return to the Phils befor it expires

... with respect, I cannot see any reason for John NOT being granted a SPOUSAL Visa, given that his income appears to be on a par with mine. I'VE been a State Pensioner myself, since last September, and MY wife's visa was approved six months previously ... at which time my income actually amounted to LESS (than it is now) - as [being retired prematurely] I was then in receipt of the interim 'stop-gap' known as Guaranteed Pension Credit, to top-up a modest occupational pension. Indeed, Keith ... if you cast your mind back to some of my earliest posts at the time I first joined this forum in October 2008, you'll see what I mean.

[JonHig]

Arthur.

If you can tell me where i might find these earlier posts of yours it might tell me something i am not aware of. Of course things might have changed since you did it.

I wish i could send you a PM but can't find how to do it (probably staring me in the face!). John

[keithAngel]

... with respect, I cannot see any reason for Jon NOT being granted a SPOUSAL Visa, given that his income appears to be on a par with mine. I'VE been a State Pensioner myself, since last September, and MY wife's visa was approved six months previously ... at which time my income actually amounted to LESS (than it is now) - as [being retired prematurely] I was then in receipt of the interim 'stop-gap' known as Guaranteed Pension Credit, to top-up a modest occupational pension. Indeed, Keith ... if you cast your mind back to some of my earliest posts at the time I first joined this forum in October 2008, you'll see what I mean.

Your right Arthur but you may remember it took a little while to elicite all the information to arrive at that conclusion unfortunatly I cant find your or my posts of that time .

One difference I do recall was that you owned outright your own home and in addition were applying from the UK

John as you say your child can come with you in anycase on a British Passport and as Arthur says you will probably meet income requirements with 600 a month what you will need to do is have proof of adequate accomodation do you have that?

The application for your wife has to show that its not a case were on the balance of probability you would all arrive in the UK and require immediate help from the public purse .

You and your child could of course just arrive stay with friends /family etc but to get the settlement visa you need to demonstrate conformaty to the H.O. rules (nothing to do with whats right unfortunatly) the more info you give the better the advise can be here.

Conjecture on my part in the absence of more information would be that you would need £1500 airfares perhaps, £500 spouse visa app a place to rent perhaps initially furnished £5-£800 plus deposit plus exteraneous amounts which could all add up to £4-6 k of course you may already know where you will live etc so keep the information coming

[Arthur Little]

Arthur.

If you can tell me where i might find these earlier posts of yours it might tell me something i am not aware of. Of course things might have changed since you did it.

I'd be more than pleased to share their content with you, John ... if they're still available for "general" consultation on the public forum; I know I'M able to access them ... but, from what Keith says ... it might not be possible for others to do so. However, once a 'Newbie' has reached 15 posts, he/she is, I believe [usually] provided with a message box on his/her main profile page.

I wish i could send you a PM but can't find how to do it (probably staring me in the face!). John

Yes the Private Message facility is a very useful tool; however, recent changes to Forum Regulations preclude contributors from using it until they attain 'Respected Member' status. And, there again, the rules have been overhauled ... due to past abuses of the system. I'm sure, though, that any technicalities can be overcome as soon as you've notched up the 15 posts referred to above.

[JonHig]

Thank you Keith.

I shall be renting a house initially and i figure i will need maybe three months rent plus a bond. Actual income wiill be covered by the pension and there is then just the matter of air fare visa for my wife and bits and bobs. Not too b ad really.

[JonHig]

Thank you Arthur

I will try and post another 4 times, including this one then i shall be at the magic 15! It would be a great help to be able to PM with someone who has actually 'done it' !

All the best
John

[JonHig]

I may decide the nbest wah to go is directly for the settlement visa, if the difference is only a matter of the interview and if qualifying for a visit visa covers most of the settlement visa requirements then wht bother. She will HAVE to like it when she gets there

Regards
John

[JonHig]

I do apologise for my tying errors this morning!

I am not normally like that but i think i am getting over excited at getting near my 15 posts! In fact i have done that so now i am waiting for the magic door to open

[Arthur Little]

I do apologise for my tying errors this morning!

I am not normally like that but i think i am getting over excited at getting near my 15 posts! In fact i have done that so now i am waiting for the magic door to open

"Open Sesame!" ...

[keithAngel]

That all sounds doable then John you just need to make sure you cover the "suitable accomadation" section in a coherent manner and have a proof of income to include all the best

[Arthur Little]

Your right Arthur but you may remember it took a little while to elicite all the information to arrive at that conclusion unfortunatly I cant find your or my posts of that time .

Keith, the thread I'm referring to in particular was [appropriately] entitled '?What If ... ' and was typed on 29/10/08 ... with YOUR replies (among others) following on, the next day ... and again on the 31st. It can be accessed easily [by ME, at least] by going to my profile page and (under statistics) clicking on 'Show all threads by Arthur Little' ... but, of course, with THIS thread having long-since been "padlocked", I don't know whether other members will still be able to view it ...? I would certainly like to refer to it again in more detail, in order to help John in whatever way I can.

One difference I do recall was that you owned outright your own home and in addition were applying from the UK

Yes, that's true ... ! However, my wife and I applied for her visa from the Phils ... during my subsequent visit there.

[JonHig]

Thank you Keith and thank you Arthur for opening the door - how about PMs though?

Opening doors reminds me of this, which hope does breach any rules of the Forum!

Three nuns were waiting for St Peter to open the pearly gates for them. But first they had to pass their settlement interview which was one important question. When it was answered correctly the gates would open.. ding ding ding.

Sister 1 was asked, who was the first man on Earth? Oh that's easy she said, Adam of Course.....ding ding ding.

Sister 2 was asked, who was the first woman on Earth? Eve of course, she said....ding ding ding

Sister 3 was asked, what was the first thing Eve said to Adam? Oh, that's a hard one, she said....ding ding ding!

regards to all
John

[keithAngel]

Keith, the thread I'm referring to in particular was [appropriately] entitled '?What If ... ' and was typed on 29/10/08 ... with YOUR replies (among others) following on, the next day ... and again on the 31st. It can be accessed easily [by ME, at least] by going to my profile page and (under statistics) clicking on 'Show all threads by Arthur Little' ... but, of course, with THIS thread having long-since been "padlocked", I don't know whether other members will still be able to view it ...? I would certainly like to refer to it again in more detail, in order to help John in whatever way I can.




Yes, that's true ... ! However, my wife and I applied for her visa from the Phils ... during my subsequent visit there.

Heres your thread Arthur
http://filipinaroses.com/showthread.php?t=11873

I think its just a question of John covering the accomadation thing thats harder potentialy for him whilst he is in the Phils as Idealy they need to include where they will live in tha application whereas you already had that one covered although we didnt know tthat at the begining perhaps John already has a plan?

[JonHig]

Arthur,!

I have read all your details included in the past posts and there is an almost identical situation re the finances. The big difference is i have no property. I once did of course and it was a nice house in Wimbledon, in the years when i spent my summer hols in Glen Isla, renting a house from Lord Inchcape! Things went pear shaped, as they say, when my first wife and i were divorced and the house ( a few years later to be sold by her for just under 1 million pounds) went to her.

I have lived the rest of my life abroad. 17 years iin France, 5 years in the middle east (where i met my present wife) and 2 years in the Philippines. It is during the last two years that i have been slowly relieved of any savings i had. Partly because of the exchange rate which was 87pesos to the pound when i arrived here.

On reading all that has gone before, it is very evident that i shall not be able to get my wife into the UK. I suppose that France is a viable alternative as i once had my carte de sejour there, and i think they are not as ruthless over the visas, as they are in the UK. The language may be a problem for my wife at first, and i would not get some benefits that i would be entitled to in Britain. The quality of life there is however very good, but i digress!

So it seems i have to go over to GB, get myself settled into a rented house, find some work and stick it out through thick and thin, until i am better off financially. We must not forget that our little girl Chloe, is a British citizen, and i have already been given a pension rise for my wife with her accompanying NI no for what it is worth. There seems to be nothing wrong (in my simple mind) in my being given housing benefit at first, as long as i had got off it by the time we were able to apply for the settlement visa. I would send her sufficient funds each month, which would be recorded and go some way to proving that i was able to support her as well as myself, at the same time cementing our relationship even further surely. If i was also able to secure an offer of a job for her, then i believe that would be another plus.

I must say how kind you and Keith have been with your concern and help, This must be a totally unique forum! It is so sad that things are the way they are, but upwards and onwards i suppose.

Arthur, do i assume the final outcome for you was a success, and was it because of your house? The thread seemed to stop before the end of the story, if it has ended that is!

I must stop prattling on now, but i think by doing so i may have clarified my siuation somewhat.

Thank you Keith, and thank you Arthur once more.
Best regards
John

[joebloggs]

I have lived the rest of my life abroad. 17 years iin France, 5 years in the middle east (where i met my present wife) and 2 years in the Philippines. It is during the last two years that i have been slowly relieved of any savings i had. Partly because of the exchange rate which was 87pesos to the pound when i arrived here.

On reading all that has gone before, it is very evident that i shall not be able to get my wife into the UK. I suppose that France is a viable alternative as i once had my carte de sejour there, and i think they are not as ruthless over the visas, as they are in the UK. The language may be a problem for my wife at first, and i would not get some benefits that i would be entitled to in Britain. The quality of life there is however very good, but i digress!
John

do you have french residency/passport ?
it might be possible for you to use the EU route using a EEA family permit for your wife, cost nothing and difficult to refuse compared to a spouse visa and bring your wife to the UK that way

http://www.visabureau.com/uk/family-permit-married.aspx

even if it's not possible now, if you could go and live in a European country for a few months and then try the Surinder singh route and bring her to the UK ..

http://www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/fil...ews17/don.html

[sars_notd_virus]

I must say that the UK immigration does not make life easy for us genuine Brits. As a way forward towards getting a settlement visa i am going to the UK to set up a home in preparation for the great day, if it arrives! I want to apply for a six month visit visa for my wife, once i am there, in order to see if she likes the place for starters. You never know once she experiences the weather for one thing.

I have lived in the Philippines for two years, and we have a 2yr old daughter. It is the required accompanying documents that have upset me. For one thing, my wife does not work and although she has a bank account, i give her cash each month for the living expenses. So, there is no evidence of income for her. OK we could start putting money in the bank instead of the cash for six months or so i guess. Maybe it doesn't matter about her unemployment if she can prove income from me.

In addition I have to provide bank statements. Now i am a pensioner who will benefit from things like pension credits, child allowances etc once i am there, but they MAY look on my present pension as being insufficient to keep her in the UK. I am perfectly capable of earning quite well there by going back into my old profession, but obviously it will take a little time.

Has anyone had their wife go to the UK on this visit visa, and what is their yardstick as to how much they consider necessary for her to get the visa?Maybe enough in the bank to look after things for six months?

Any wise advice would be much appreciated. It seems as diffricult to get the visit visa as it does the settlement one. The only difference is they do not require supporting proof of our relationship, apart from the marriage certificate.

Thanking you and regards to all.
John

Hi John,try using the search box and type family visit visa u will read several posts similar to urs and what u need to do is decide which visa u want to apply for ur wife and daughter...












'Dont be serious..Be Sincere!!'

[JonHig]

Thank you but i have exhausted all the possibilities and it seems only the settlemenmt visa is the sensible option. I have been looking into it all for some weeks now!

[joebloggs]

Thank you but i have exhausted all the possibilities and it seems only the settlemenmt visa is the sensible option. I have been looking into it all for some weeks now!

http://www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/fil...ews17/don.html

[JonHig]

Hi Joe!!!

Thank you for that info, but having read through it all it does seem that the immigration gang will still do their darndest to keep us out. Living in France and trying to be employed is well nigh impossible for me at my age. I was working there before i left for the Middle East but to try and take it up again will not be easy in the extreme.

Yes i could easily live there without my family, but it would be hard to try and make ends meet until my wife was fluent enough in French to work there.
I WAS a resident of France with all the full entitlements, but that may have lapsed. I will look into it however.

At the end of the day it is probably easier to go to England as i said in my post above, as work in my particular profession would be much easier to obtain there. Also the pay i would get is high enough to be ablew to work part time and still earn enough to satisfy big brother, maybe!

My eldest son, wife and an 11 yr old boy live comfortably enough in Kent on 600 pounds a month plus his mortgage. Now if i could earn that for about 8 hours per week, surely that would be enough taking my pension of about 600 pm into account on top of that. That is not obviously not including her own possibilities of work in which she is well qualified too!

Regards
John

[joebloggs]

Hi Joe!!!

Thank you for that info, but having read through it all it does seem that the immigration gang will still do their darndest to keep us out. Living in France and trying to be employed is well nigh impossible for me at my age. I was working there before i left for the Middle East but to try and take it up again will not be easy in the extreme.

it's your right as a EU citizen to bring your wife and family, unlike the British immigration system. I think the only way they can really refuse your wife a family permit is on the grounds of being a marriage of convenience, but in your case that's impossible.

Yes i could easily live there without my family, but it would be hard to try and make ends meet until my wife was fluent enough in French to work there.
I WAS a resident of France with all the full entitlements, but that may have lapsed. I will look into it however.

your wife work there? your'e wife would only need to be in France for 6 months max, and then bring your wife to the uk.

It seems strange, but it is true that a British citizen has more rights to enjoy family life in any one of the seventeen other member countries of EEA than they do in the country of their own citizenship!

http://www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/fil...ews17/don.html

At the end of the day it is probably easier to go to England as i said in my post above, as work in my particular profession would be much easier to obtain there. Also the pay i would get is high enough to be ablew to work part time and still earn enough to satisfy big brother, maybe!

My eldest son, wife and an 11 yr old boy live comfortably enough in Kent on 600 pounds a month plus his mortgage. Now if i could earn that for about 8 hours per week, surely that would be enough taking my pension of about 600 pm into account on top of that. That is not obviously not including her own possibilities of work in which she is well qualified too!

Regards
John

maybe easier to apply for spouse visa, any chance you can go and live with your son for a while? while you find a job, save up a bit of money, collect some bank statements and payslips ?..

even better, it might be possible for your son to sponsors your wife accommodation? as long as the home wouldn't be overcrowded. could save you alot in rent, once your wife gets here, go and live where you want..

the bare minimum you need to support your wife for a visa, is about £100 a week after paying rent/mortgage and council tax. but the more the better, but if you have children it be more.

[JonHig]

No chance Joe. They live in a two bed apartment and seem to think it would be a hardship to put me up let alone my wife and child! I will sleep on all this tho. So much food for thought. Re France, i thought i read that i had to work in France. I will look at it again tomorrow.

Thanks a lot. I am so grateful to all for the help.

John

[joebloggs]

No chance Joe. They live in a two bed apartment and seem to think it would be a hardship to put me up let alone my wife and child! I will sleep on all this tho. So much food for thought. Re France, i thought i read that i had to work in France. I will look at it again tomorrow.

Thanks a lot. I am so grateful to all for the help.

John

An EEA national can exercise Treaty rights in another Member State by being an employed / self-employed person, or a student.

Only if the EEA national doesn't not fall in to one of the above categories, must he or she have sufficient funds to support himself / herself.

[keithAngel]

John I dont know where you want to be geographicaly in the UK but a thought occured that if you could get for example your son/friend to look for a property rental that can be offered you but which only becomes available around the time of the result of your application (but with an aggreement)that way you wouldnt be paying rent whilst not using the propety .

It may be you could retire to France based on your previous residency depends on the rent implication I guess

[JonHig]

Good morning Keith!

I plan to live in the North West. Lancashire to be exact. I look forward to walking in the Peninnes and Lake District once again and letting my two loved ones experience real fresh air. I assume it still exists up there! Better than Manila at any rate.

We can discount my son i am afraid. We get on perfectly well but they have enough of their own affairs to take care of without taking on any of mine.

If we can be near enough to Manchester (not a bad city by any means) it will be easier for my wife to get work, and it is a convenient location to be able to go to the seaside for our little one to enjoy. We don't want much except to give Chloe a chance of betterment as she grows older. We certainly do not intend to sponge off the State, but we shall take what we are entitled too nonetheless!

Have a nice Sunday all, and thanks once more for your interest and help.

John

[JonHig]

Another query please if i may.

It seems fairly easy to get around 100 pounds pw That is only about 18 hours work. So in essence it is no problem on that front. However if i am getting housing benefits, and i have had it confirmed that i shall, will that be a black mark against me even if i am earning sufficient to keep the family? I am talking of the pension plus the minimum of earnings as above. I find it hard to believe that it would, although if anything can happen, it will!

I do not mind doing a part time job but full time would be difficult as it would reduce the time i have to try and build up my true profession once more.

I cannot understand the logic or reasoning as to why they can't take into account benefits which they know we shall be entitled to once she is actually here. Maybe my intelligence doesn't stretch far enough to understand!

TTFN
John

[joebloggs]

I plan to live in the North West. Lancashire to be exact.

We can discount my son i am afraid. We get on perfectly well but they have enough of their own affairs to take care of without taking on any of mine.

If we can be near enough to Manchester (not a bad city by any means

your'e right about Manchester

Another query please if i may.

It seems fairly easy to get around 100 pounds pw That is only about 18 hours work. So in essence it is no problem on that front. However if i am getting housing benefits, and i have had it confirmed that i shall, will that be a black mark against me even if i am earning sufficient to keep the family? I am talking of the pension plus the minimum of earnings as above. I find it hard to believe that it would, although if anything can happen, it will!

I do not mind doing a part time job but full time would be difficult as it would reduce the time i have to try and build up my true profession once more.

I cannot understand the logic or reasoning as to why they can't take into account benefits which they know we shall be entitled to once she is actually here. Maybe my intelligence doesn't stretch far enough to understand!

TTFN
John

are you still applying for a visit visa or spouse visa ?? anyway for the settlement visa ..

i don't think you have mentioned if you have any savings?? if not is it possible your son or some other family member or friend can lend you £3,000+ for 6 months or so ? put this in your bank account, get your 6 bank statements, apply for your visa and once you get it pay it back.

as for Child benefit, WTC/CTC, Housing benefit, if your allowed to claim them, you could be ok as long as none are increased because of your wife being there. but your chances of refusal could increase, because the level of benefits are really not designed to support someone else. but some lucky people have got their partner a visa with no job and no savings, thou some have been refused.

bit like i said there is no minimum figure you need weekly or monthly to support your wife and child. but in appeal cases, some judges have used the minimum figure of what you would get in state benefits(£101a week) , but as you have a child, i think the figure is £150 a week, for the 3 of you after paying rent/mortgage and council tax.

but even if you do get refused, your wife would have a right to appeal and many appeal case are won.

does your wife have a skill ? you know anyone who could employ her or a job offer ? this could help a bit.

also prepare a budget on your incomings and out goings showing you have at least £150wk)

i would advise you to find a job, relying on benefits is too much of a risk to take.