ILE Visa question

[dumbo]

Hi all

I have a few questions re the ILE visa.

1. Is it still available under the new immigration rules.

2. My wife is a UK national, we have been married 8 years, we were married in the UK and currently living in Australia, we want to return to be with our family, she is currently too unwell to seek employment, we have around 3000 pounds, can anyone advise me how much more we will need.

3. I may be eligible for a tier 1 general visa also, I am a registered Mental Health Nurse and have current UK registration I seem to qualify on points but am unsure if my registration will be judged as the equivalent of a bachelors degree or not. The reason I have considered this path is that the financial requirement are clearly defined 2800 pounds for myself and 1600 pounds for my wife as a dependent where as the ILE gives no clear direction on the funds required.

I have rung the UK High Commission in Canberra and found them to less than helpful in giving any indication of the amount of money we will need, also on the question of the equivalency of my registration the woman felt it might be okay but could not be more definitive.

Cheers Dumbo

[John]

Using your numbering :-

1. ILE is still available ... if you have passed the Life in the UK Citizenship test! But it is only possible to take that test in the UK. But when you apply for your spouse visa, point out that you have been married for 8 years, and then the visa should be endorsed "KOL required" ... get to the UK ... take the test .... and apply for ILR shortly thereafter.
2. a spouse visa is clearly what you need to apply for.
3. Tier 1 General will be much more difficult than a spouse visa, and could not be endorsed "KOL required".

Can you say how much savings the two of you have at present? And how much you would expect to earn in the UK?

[vinny]

1. It's currently still available. However, see also Naturalising as a British citizen in the future. Unfortunately, to be eligible for ILE,

the applicant has sufficient knowledge of the English language and sufficient knowledge about life in the United Kingdom, unless he is under the age of 18 or aged 65 or over at the time he makes his application (see Paragraph 13.15)

2. See also husband's visa application.

3. If you have sufficient Maintenance (funds) for HSMP, then I would have thought that you should have sufficient funds for a spouse visa.

[dumbo]

Using your numbering :-

1. ILE is still available ... if you have passed the Life in the UK Citizenship test! But it is only possible to take that test in the UK. But when you apply for your spouse visa, point out that you have been married for 8 years, and then the visa should be endorsed "KOL required" ... get to the UK ... take the test .... and apply for ILR shortly thereafter.
2. a spouse visa is clearly what you need to apply for.
3. Tier 1 General will be much more difficult than a spouse visa, and could not be endorsed "KOL required".

Can you say how much savings the two of you have at present? And how much you would expect to earn in the UK?

Hi John

thanks for your reply

Unfortunately due to the recent market crash a considerable amount of our savings have been wiped out, we currently have around 3000pounds in savings.

I expect to earn between 28,000 and 35,000pounds, depending on job and location.

Cheers

[John]

we currently have around 3000pounds in savings

Even so, I would still say .... go for it. Visa application fee is just over £500, payable in local currency.

When you first get to the UK, where will you be living? From friends or family, or where?

[dumbo]

we currently have around 3000pounds in savings

Even so, I would still say .... go for it. Visa application fee is just over £500, payable in local currency.

When you first get to the UK, where will you be living? From friends or family, or where?

We are going to stay with my brother in Portsmouth, he can give us our own room and also said he could support us financially for a while however we know we cant use the offer of financial support in our application so we have decided to say will ay 50pound a week including utilities. I have researched the prospect of jobs in my field and there seems to be plenty of opportunities.Do you think 3000 pounds might be enough to scrape us through. When I leave my employment here I will be due around 2000 pounds but obviously wont be in my bank account till I leave my job.

[John]

he can give us our own room and also said he could support us financially for a while however we know we cant use the offer of financial support in our application so we have decided to say will say 50pound a week including utilities.

It is OK for him to allow you to stay there rent-free, and whilst it is totally OK for him also to give you financial support, any such financial support, or potential support, would be ignored in assessing whether the financial test is passed, or not.

However £3000 in savings, and free accommodation for the initial period, should be OK to get you to the UK on a spouse visa.

[dumbo]

he can give us our own room and also said he could support us financially for a while however we know we cant use the offer of financial support in our application so we have decided to say will say 50pound a week including utilities.

It is OK for him to allow you to stay there rent-free, and whilst it is totally OK for him also to give you financial support, any such financial support, or potential support, would be ignored in assessing whether the financial test is passed, or not.

However £3000 in savings, and free accommodation for the initial period, should be OK to get you to the UK on a spouse visa.

thankyou for your help John it is much appreciated.

Cheers