In UK. Visa Settlement Wife expired on non-EU passport

[JoannaS]

My friend has asked me to help sort out her UK visa.
She has a non-EU passport (Israel), married in the UK 25 years ago to a British citizen, with British children and grandchildren.
In 2007 she was issued a Visa Settlement Wife - Multiple Entry - Indefinite Leave to enter the UK.

She entered the UK in February 2007, and lived here until 2009.
They then moved back to the UK in November 2011.
She is planning to do her English and Life in the UK exams now, ready to apply for citizenship in November 2014, since she needs to be here 3 years since they moved back.
She has left the UK for a short trip (perhaps 7-14 days each time) two or three times since they've been back. She last returned in December 2013.
They understood that the Indefinite Leave to Enter the UK did not expire, but in fact there is an expiry date on the visa: June 2010.

In fact she has entered the UK several times since then. The last time the immigration officer at the airport recommended that she "take care of" her visa, and since then she has been trying to work out what needs to be done. She's been looking for someone to speak to about it - and today I found your forum, at last!

What do you recommend:
1. Should she now apply for ILR?
2. Can she do it here in the UK?
3. Does she need the English and Life in the UK exams for ILR?
4. Or can she wait until November, and apply for Citizenship?
5. Can she apply for Citizenship if her Visa Settlement Wife has expired?
6. Or should she leave the UK (for instance for a day trip to France) to get a tourist visa on return, then apply for Citizenship in November?

Any guidance you can give will be very welcome to sort this out!

Thanks very much

Joanna

[Amber]

It doesn't expire per se unless she's been out the Country for 2 or more years, so long as it didn't say KOL required, she's got ILE.

[JoannaS]

Thank you so much!
This sounds like great news!
So does that mean she can progress to Citizenship now in November?
Who can we talk to about this?

[Amber]

Go and see your local Nationality Checking Service - https://www.gov.uk/government/collectio ... ng-service