UK Visas and British Citizenship

It is a common scenario in our practice: a British/foreign couple returning together to the UK (often with children) after living /working abroad. Most commonly from the USA, Australia/NZ or Asia. Although most our clients have been working there for years, they often find it challenging to find a job offer in the UK before coming back, meaning their non-British spouse/partner would find it difficult to secure a UK visa.  Here are top 5 solutions from our experience:  Option 1: Savings. This is most common. The couple needs savings of £62,500 held for 6 months. Can be in any currency or country. If your family want to help, they have to deposit money on your and/or your partner’s account. You have to wait for 6 months.  Option 2: British partner coming to the UK alone and working for 6 months.   This may not sound like a god option at first glance, being apart for 6 months, but it is a realistic option and it often ends up being the only option. 6 months may sound li

#1 How long can I be out of the UK?  #2 Difference between 5 and 10-year route?  #3 Does having a British child exempt from the Financial Requirement £18,600?  #4 English language: A1, A2 or B1?  #5 When to apply for British Citizenship: 3 or 5 years?  #1 How long can I be out of the UK? By far, most common question ever! You might have heard 6 month or 90 days or 6 months per year.  The ruth is: there is no rule. Each case is considered individually. The only rule is “you live permanently with your partner in the UK”.  In practice, with the new online application forms, you will be asked about your trips abroad and reasons, such as holiday or work.  It will attract attention if you spend more than 50% of your '‘visa time” outside the UK.  We recommend to go by the same rule as for work visas: 6 months per year and your main home has to remain in the UK.  If this affects you - please contact us for an individual assessment.  #2 Diffe

Dear customers, We at 1st 4Immigration are taking part in a BBC documentary, called Who Should Get to Stay in the UK? Tune in to BBC2 at 9pm on Thursdays, starting from Thursday 13th June. We will be in Episode 3 on the 27th June, and it is our Senior Immigration Lawyer, Jules Motcho, on this picture (on the right). The programme follows people who are making various UK visa applications. Just like you, they have to meet the visa requirements (including Financial), prepare paperwork and then anxiously wait for the outcome. With so much controversy surrounding the subject of immigration, this programme aims to show how it really is to secure a visa to remain in the UK: a complicated, expensive and stressful process. It also sheds the light on our work as immigration lawyers, proving that immigration law is one of the most complex legal areas. We, immigrated lawyers, have to work hard and be alert to constant changes. Our Episode 3 features Spouse visa cases, including our

When you are applying for your 1 st  Spouse visa, you need the most basic A1 level. This is true whether you are applying outside the UK or switching from another category inside the UK.  After the 1 st  Spouse visa you will need an extension. At this stage, after 2.5 years in the UK, you will need A2 level.  After that you could normally apply for a permanent visa, known as Indefinite Leave to Remain. This is where an even higher B1 level would be needed.  If you chose to have a Fiancée visa first, you need A1 level for this and then again A1 level when you get married and apply for your 1 st Spouse visa. In this case you meet the A1 rule automatically. Then you need A2 at extension and B1 at the permanent visa stage. The rules for Unmarried Partners are the same as for spouses.  We also have a very good post earlier on the confusion between A1 and B1 level when applying for “settlement” , as many spouses applying outside the UK are told – incorrectly – that th

#1 How long can I be out of the UK?  #2 Difference between 5 and 10-year route?  #3 Does having a British child exempt from the Financial Requirement £18,600?  #4 English language: A1, A2 or B1?  #5 When to apply for British Citizenship: 3 or 5 years?  #1 How long can I be out of the UK? By far, most common question ever! You might have heard 6 month or 90 days or 6 months per year.  The ruth is: there is no rule. Each case is considered individually. The only rule is “you live permanently with your partner in the UK”.  In practice, with the new online application forms, you will be asked about your trips abroad and reasons, such as holiday or work.  It will attract attention if you spend more than 50% of your '‘visa time” outside the UK.  We recommend to go by the same rule as for work visas: 6 months per year and your main home has to remain in the UK.  If this affects you - please contact us for an individual assessment.  #2 Difference betw

Bahija, a UK/US citizen who needed help for a Spouse visa for her American/Lebanese husband: Thank you so much for helping us with the spouse visa. I cannot add anymore than what everyone else has said about 1st4immigration.  Natalia has been magnificent and together with Sebastian they coordinated with my daughter to prepare all the paper work. Natalia had originally told us that she couldn't help us as we didn't have all the documents required for the application so we knew what we needed to do. When we got all the requirements she agreed to proceed. We will recommend them to everyone. Will do it all over again in two and a half years. Thank you so much once again. Here is a copy of Google review, which can also be found here:  https://goo.gl/maps/wy6huawTCit For individual advice or to make your application as successful please contact us:  info@1st4immigration.com  or visit our website,  UK Spouse and Partner visas page Let’s start working on your UK Spouse

When you are applying for your 1 st  Spouse visa, you need the most basic A1 level. This is true whether you are applying outside the UK or switching from another category inside the UK.  After the 1 st  Spouse visa you will need an extension. At this stage, after 2.5 years in the UK, you will need A2 level.  After that you could normally apply for a permanent visa, known as Indefinite Leave to Remain. This is where an even higher B1 level would be needed.  If you chose to have a Fiancée visa first, you need A1 level for this and then again A1 level when you get married and apply for your 1 st Spouse visa. In this case you meet the A1 rule automatically. Then you need A2 at extension and B1 at the permanent visa stage. The rules for Unmarried Partners are the same as for spouses.  We also have a very good post earlier on the confusion between A1 and B1 level when applying for “settlement”, as many spouses applying outside the UK are told – incorrectly – that they need a

How are they different? What are advantages of each of them? Our helpful table below gives you the visa options for partners of UK citizens. Spouse visa Fiancée visa Unmarried Partner visa Marital status  Have to be married (or get married) and apply for a UK visa as a Spouse.  Allows you to come to the UK, get married within 6 months and then apply for a Spouse visa.  Instead of being married, you have to have lived together for 2 years. Where to apply? You can apply for a Spouse visa in the foreign spouse's country. You can also apply inside the UK but only if your current UK visa allows such a "switch". You can only apply for a Fiancée visa outside the UK, usually in the foreign partner's country.  This includes a situation where your current UK visa allows to switch to a Spouse visa but you prefer to take the Fiancée route (such as if you need more time to meet the Financial Requirement)

SYLIVIA, Ugandan, Applied for Fiancée visa: The best immigration LTD a soliciting company in the UK, located at 68 King William street right next to House of Fraser on Monument underground tube station in the city of London. We used a train from Bournemouth to London but it was easy to reach there as the building is clear just as in the photo so we just entered office with a nice view facing London Bridge. The most important thing is that they know more than any other Immigration company. They advise you well, I managed to get my marriage (Fiancée) Visa with the advise and list of documents. They told me to gather when I was still in Uganda last year before the application as sometimes when you're using self employment route you can't figure out how it's being calculated but this company let's you understand. To avoid the stress and if you can afford an immigration solicitor, I advise you to look no further just contact them, we are now preparing for my spouse