Help requested with complicated issue (spouse changing visa)

[dschmidt]

I've gotten conflicting advice from immigration lawyers and border agency phone reps so I thought I would post here.

My wife and I are US citizens living and working in the UK under Tier 2 sponsored visas for the last year. My wife wants to change her visa to become a dependent on my visa so she can change her employment.

Question 1: Can she apply from within the UK to change from her Tier 2 PBS visa to a dependent visa on my Tier 2 PBS?

Question 2: If not, does she have to make the application in her home country (USA) or can she apply from anywhere outside of the UK?

Any thoughts or experiences shared would be most helpful. We've spent thousands on visas and flights over the past two years and are hoping to save a bit this time.

Thanks in advance.

[Wanderer]

No to Q1 and Yes to Q2, unless she has legal residence in another country, ie dual nationality.