British Citizenship for Pakistanis

[uzairjawed]

Hi,

I am a pakistani muslim and currently working on work permit in Kuala Lumpur. I will be getting married in Pakistan next year . She is a British national and a muslim as well. She is a working woman in UK and earning more than 18k in UK. She will come to Pakistan to get married and our marriage will be recognised by the Pakistani govt. After marriage, she will come with me to Malaysia.

But, we are thinking to obtain UK citizenship. Now, my question is, is it better to apply for citizenship earlier or is it same even after couple of years? Does she have to prove her earning documents to apply for my spouse visa? In that case if she has already left her job and living with me in Malaysia and then we apply for spouse visa, does it mean she has to get a job in UK first, show 6 month job statement and then apply for my spouse visa?

What advice do you guys give on this case ?

Uzair

[go2khurram]

To get the british nationality you have to get the spouse visa and need to spend min 3 years in UK. To get the spouce visa your wife has to prove the earning you mentioned and you yave to pass the english test.

[CR001]

You will need to apply for a spouse visa which will be for 2.5 years initially, meeting the financial and A1 English requirment. You will then need to apply for an extension for another 2.5 years on FLR(M), meeting all the requirements again.

Once you are within 28 days of meeting the 5 year residence requirement, you can apply for ILR on SET(M), meeting all the requirements again.

Only one you have recieved ILR, can you apply for British Citizenship and once approved and ceremony and received your certificate of naturalisation, you can then apply for a British passport.

There is no other easier or quicker route.

[Wanderer]

To get the british nationality you have to get the spouse visa and need to spend min 3 years in UK. To get the spouce visa your wife has to prove the earning you mentioned and you yave to pass the english test.

It's 5 years, not 3.

[uzairjawed]

Thanks Wanderer,Khurram and CR001 for your answers. My few other questions are..

1) How much time does it take to obtain spouse visa usually?
2) If she has left her job for an year so (living outside UK), does it mean she cannot apply for spouse visa ?
3) Is it true that they are making an immigration process more tougher every year ?
4) Can I do job while I am on spouse visa ?

another complicated question, Lets say we delay our spouse visa process (after 4 to 5 years of marriage), Can I live with her in UK for a limited amount of time until she gets a job and fulfill the requirements of getting spouse visa for me? If yes, what is the limited amount of time or visa which can be applied so that I can live with her in UK ? If no, does it mean it's better to apply for spouse visa as soon as you get married?

I know I am thinking too much, It's just because I am currently living and earning over here in KL but just because of the future of our kids it made me to think this much. You don't get a nationality in Malaysia.

Uzair

[Wanderer]

Thanks Wanderer,Khurram and CR001 for your answers. My few other questions are..

1) How much time does it take to obtain spouse visa usually?
2) If she has left her job for an year so (living outside UK), does it mean she cannot apply for spouse visa ?
3) Is it true that they are making an immigration process more tougher every year ?
4) Can I do job while I am on spouse visa ?

another complicated question, Lets say we delay our spouse visa process (after 4 to 5 years of marriage), Can I live with her in UK for a limited amount of time until she gets a job and fulfill the requirements of getting spouse visa for me? If yes, what is the limited amount of time or visa which can be applied so that I can live with her in UK ? If no, does it mean it's better to apply for spouse visa as soon as you get married?

I know I am thinking too much, It's just because I am currently living and earning over here in KL but just because of the future of our kids it made me to think this much. You don't get a nationality in Malaysia.

Uzair

1. 6-8 weeks I think nowadays but depends on country applied from.

2. She'd need to have lived and worked in UK for 6 months meeting earnings criteria or have substantial savings (£62,500)

3. Yes, it's a big issue in UK and not just non-EU migration, agenda is to curb EU migration too. Country is too full!

4. Yes.

WRT to you other questions, no you can't live in UK under those circumstances, unless you can get a visa under your own merits, i.e. student visa (expensive) or Work Permit (need to be highly skilled and have a sponsor).

You mention kids? How many and are they British?

[Casa]

1. Possibly 3 months for a decision
2. Yes. Without £62,500 in savings, your wife will have to earn the equivalent of £18,600 per annum in the UK for at least 6 months.
3. Yes
4. Yes

You won't be able to join her until she meets the financial condition unless you qualify for a work permit or student visa.

[uzairjawed]

Thanks wanderer and Casa for your detailed response.

@Wanderer
I will be getting married next year so no kids yet. I was talking about future kids because they wouldn't get either British or Malaysian nationality If I choose to live in Malaysia on work permit.

Do you guys know how are the job prospects in UK for Software Engineers/Developers?

[Wanderer]

Thanks wanderer and Casa for your detailed response.

@Wanderer
I will be getting married next year so no kids yet. I was talking about future kids because they wouldn't get either British or Malaysian nationality If I choose to live in Malaysia on work permit.

Do you guys know how are the job prospects in UK for Software Engineers/Developers?

Those sort of roles ironically have been offshored to the Subcontinent and Far East but there's always higher levels roles available, though I have to say market does look a bit depressed at this moment in time.

Market and rates are much better for Architecture type roles etc, if you can cope with Visio and waffling over coding!