... however, laying aside the language criteria, it seems ludicrous that, while successive British Governments have been content to pander to just about every law dreamt up by the EU, they're quite prepared to "stand alone" on immigration issues. Hence the exhorbitant visa fees incurred to bring OUR lawfully-wedded spouses to the UK ... whereas it's free of charge for citizens of EVERY other country within the 'Union'. HERE, those applying for *ILR - for which there was NO financial outlay prior to 2003 - are being particularly badly hit ... with steep rises in cost, each year since! By your own admission, John, you've found it altogether much cheaper living in Spain - from *THAT angle at least.