TB Tests - where and how long? + General visa questions

[Washy]

Hi all - having successfully got married using advice from this forum - time is coming to leap the next hurdle!!

I'm a British expat in Malaysia and I married my Filipina wife in the Philippines on December 23rd 2014 and we have been living together in Malaysia since August 2013.

Work have decided its time for me to go home they have committed to getting my wife's visa - but they are notoriously slow at everything, I haven't seen anything from them yet and their expectation of me is to go UK in around 8 weeks.

Hurdle 1, TB test. Can wifey use one of the certified TB centres in Malaysia to submit with the application or does a Phil application require a Phil TB certificate? It's much cheaper in Malaysia than in Phil.

Hurdle 2, if work don't come through or will only finance the visa application I will be left to do it myself - can I do that from Malaysia or will the requirements dictate it will have to be from Phil?

I assume the right thing to be applying for was this one ->

https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

Also its incredibly likely that in 2016 I will be re-assigned with work either to USA or back to Malaysia - which I think makes getting the £956 visa a little bit silly - surely just a 6 month visitor and a holiday or two would be a better option? Since if we leave the UK together for a significant period of time then she would fail the requirements to be eligible for British citizenship.

For the financial requirements my wife doesn't work so I'm assuming me just submitting Malaysian payslips and bank statements is fine? I easily meet the requirement with my Malaysian salary (and my UK one when I transfer back).

When you start the application, how do you submit the evidence documents, in what format? We have hundreds if not thousands of photos of us together, from places we visit, Phil trips, etc... Immigration chops of us travelling together, wedding certificates, her Malaysia employment pass from my company etc......

This is an incredibly daunting process, so even if work take care of it I still think I will have to prepare a lot of documents for them to collate and submit.

Happy for any advice

[Washy]

Oh I have another question regarding the CEFR level A1 requirement - how do you achieve this when all the test centres are in the UK, seems like a chickeny eggy situation?

Do you just have to book an appointment with them - put the ref number on the application and then pass the test on arrival at the UK?

[Terpe]

Hi Washy,

Hurdle 1, TB test. Can wifey use one of the certified TB centres in Malaysia to submit with the application or does a Phil application require a Phil TB certificate? It's much cheaper in Malaysia than in Phil.

You'll need to review the UKVI guidance (by following the link) in their publication called - Tuberculosis testing in Malaysia

Not sure where in Malaysia you're located, but it seems you lucky to have a number of UKVI approved test centres.

Here in the Philippines there's only one test centre. Manila.

Hurdle 2, if work don't come through or will only finance the visa application I will be left to do it myself - can I do that from Malaysia or will the requirements dictate it will have to be from Phil?

I assume the right thing to be applying for was this one ->

https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

Just being pedantic here, but it's not you who is the applicant. Your wife is the applicant.
Anyway, just like Philippines, Malaysia is one of the countries where the application must be made online.
The Financial Requirement form Appendix 2 and all other supporting documents to be submitted to your local Application Centre following your appointment booking

For Malaysia follow this link - Visa Application Centre

Also its incredibly likely that in 2016 I will be re-assigned with work either to USA or back to Malaysia - which I think makes getting the £956 visa a little bit silly - surely just a 6 month visitor and a holiday or two would be a better option? Since if we leave the UK together for a significant period of time then she would fail the requirements to be eligible for British citizenship.

I think the priority for you is to decide a strategy.

I'd suggest you review the UK Visa requirements and costings for a settlement visa. Don't forget you'll also be required to pay for the new UK Health Surcharge which will be another £600 on top of the visa application fee.
That's in addition to the TB screening costs and the costs involved in securing a pass certificate for English Language.
The initial visa will be issued for 33 months. You wife will be expected to apply for FLR(M) after 30 months in UK before being eligible for ILR on the 5 year immigration journey

Based on the information you've shared, although not ideal, the short 6 month visit visa may well be the best option based on the work schedule you currently have.

This is an incredibly daunting process, so even if work take care of it I still think I will have to prepare a lot of documents for them to collate and submit.

There's really very little your employer can do to help much with the process.
Bit like engaging the services of an immigration lawyer really. They can only advise on the quality and compliance of the various supporting documents to be submitted, which they must ask you to collect and supply for them.

[Terpe]

Oh I have another question regarding the CEFR level A1 requirement - how do you achieve this when all the test centres are in the UK, seems like a chickeny eggy situation?

Do you just have to book an appointment with them - put the ref number on the application and then pass the test on arrival at the UK?

Washy,

Your wife will not be issued with settlement route visa for UK entry clearance unless she has a pass certificate in the needed English Language Tests which must be submitted as part of the mandatory supporting documents bundle.

The new UKVI approved listing is here -
Approved Secure English Language Tests and Test Centres from 6th April 2015

Table 3 on page 3 of the above listing shows the testing centres around the world.
You'll find the Malaysia test centres on page 8

[Washy]

Hi Terpe, thank you for the brilliant replies - Joanna has decided she wants to do all of the requirements and application in the Philippines which is better for us I think, because I will leave Malaysia on May 30 and her visa will not be approved by then for sure - so she will take the English test and the TB test there and stay with her family.

Work have been basically useless with the whole thing - and as you intimated - we still have to prepare everything and submit everything, which I could have done anyway.

I'm just preparing my financial documents for her - and I don't like the wording in appendix much - both my bank statements and payslips in Malaysia are both electronic, so I guess I need to get covering letters for both confirming their authenticity.

My electronic payslips meet the requirements employer name etc... I don't see how they could know that they are not original but I'll ask for that anyway. Do I need to provide both sets of documents - throughout the Appendix FM would imply just either or is OK but then section 5.6.1 states

a) Payslips for 6 months
b) letter from employer stating employment, gross annual salary, length of employment etc.....
c) bank statements covering same period as payslips

So I to include a letter stating the bank statements are genuine (3.3.4), payslips are genuine (3.3.7), and my new contract of employment in the UK (5.2.1), a letter that my employment was real (5.6.2b)

Which is 2 letters from my current employer, 1 from me new employer (which is actually my current employer), and 1 from the bank

I hope that is correct, is there a form I need to fill in also - I'm sure I saw a sponsorship form on the website earlier but I cant see it now and Appendix FM has no mention of one as a requirement?