When I get a UK Spouse visa, do I have to travel straight away or can I come a few months later?

By 1st 4Immigration - #1 UK Immigration Experts -
UK Spouse/Partner/Fiancée visa is one of our most common visa categories (with the 100% success rate so far!), we are often asked this question.  

Under the current rules, once your application has been approved, you are issued a 30-day visa stamp. It allows to come to the UK and collect a “proper” Spouse / Partner visa, which would be a biometric card and valid for 33 months. Collection is at a designated post-office, which you would choose when submitting your visa form online on visa4uk website.

What if you can’t arrive within 30 days? In this case you would need to make another application and pay another fee – to have a new visa stamp, for further 30 days. This sounds inconvenient, and it often is!  

One thing you can do is to specify your date of arrival in the UK (on the application form) as accurately and realistically as possible, so your 30-day stamp starts from the specified ate of your planned arrival in the UK and not from the date of when your visa has been approved.  

How can you plan? It can be tricky but there is now express service available in most countries. Instead of the standard 2-3 months the visa officers would make a decision can be made within approximately 2-3 weeks (for an extra UK government fee of £550).

For an individual advice or to make an application please contact us: info@1st4immigration.com or visit www.1st4immigration.com

If you are an Immigration Adviser or a Solicitor please visit our immigration Training and CPD website: www.1st4immigration.com/training


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