Spouse visa for wife whilst while she is studying in Cyprus

[Brains77777]

Hi guys,

I am hoping somebody can help me:

My situation is my wife (Chinese national with a student visa for Cyprus) and I (British national) were married in nov 2016.

She had got a scholarship which started in Jan 2017 to complete her masters in Cyprus which will last just over 1 year. We just applied for a visitor visa for 6 months so she can visit during term breaks and long weekends but we want to get a spouse visa sorted.

Is it possible to get a spouse visa for my wife whilst she will be studying abroad? If not is the only way to get her over during this time a general visa? I looked at an EEA family permit but it appears that only applies if I am not a U.K. Citizen.

Finally her mum holds a Cypriot citizenship, but ideally I would hope any attempts to get my wife to me would need just me not a reliance on another visa/citizenship

Any advice would be appreciated. This visa business isn't so easy to get your head around.

[vinny]

Is it possible to get a spouse visa for my wife whilst she will be studying abroad?

Yes.

[Brains77777]

Is it possible to get a spouse visa for my wife whilst she will be studying abroad?

Yes.

Thanks vinny,

I was under the impression that since she would not be coming to live with me fully until at least a year later that they would look unfavorably at our application. Also I heard that you cannot stay outside of the country for a certain amount of days during the visa.

Have I just got royally messed up with how I am understanding things?

It would be great if we could just start the process of getting the spouse visa now

[CR001]

I was under the impression that since she would not be coming to live with me fully until at least a year later that they would look unfavorably at our application. Once a spouse visa is granted, she will be issued with a 30 day visa in her passport. She must enter the UK within the 30 days and once here, within 10 days, collect her BRP card at the designation post office. Once she has the card, she is free to travel in and out of the UK with card and passport.

Also I heard that you cannot stay outside of the country for a certain amount of days during the visa. Not applicable to spouse visas.
There is no absence limit.

Have I just got royally messed up with how I am understanding things? Yes

It would be great if we could just start the process of getting the spouse visa now Do you meet ALL the requirements (salary, does she meet the English requirement, etc)?

[Brains77777]

Thank you for your reply.

I believe we meet all the requirements. I earn in excess of 30k and she has completed a degree course that was taken in English. She hasn't completed the language exam but I believe her degree exempts her.

What is a BRP? I feel like I should know but these acronyms are new to me.

This could be so good if we could get it sorted

[CR001]

I believe we meet all the requirements. I earn in excess of 30k and she has completed a degree course that was taken in English. She hasn't completed the language exam but I believe her degree exempts her. If it is a foreign degree, she will need UK NARIC ELA, the degree will not be sufficient.

What is a BRP? I feel like I should know but these acronyms are new to me. BRP = Biometric Residence Permit