Quote Originally Posted by manilabong View Post
Hi, all! Can I work with my spouse visa? And when I get to the UK, what are the things that should be done first? I think I read something like having a joint bank account with my husband. But can I do that even if I don't have a job yet?
Hi, You can immediately work with a spouse visa. You will need to apply for NI number (National Insurance) & a Bank Account. The next step before your spouse visa expire is apply for Permanent Residence. I'm not sure how long a spouse visa is valid these days. Mine was 2 years. So a month or two before it expires you will need to apply for Permanent Resident. Be sure you have money in the bank (£3000) should be enough I'm guessing. You will also need to Pass the Life in the UK test & any other test that is required before applying so leave ample time to prepare & pass the exam before applying. Being employed will also help to have a favorable decision.

After the required number of years (depending on the rules now) you can apply for British Citizenship.

Just to give you an overview of the time frame I had.

Spouse Visa 2 Years
Permanent Resident 1 Year

Then I was able to apply for Citizenship after.


Hope this helps.