passport 4 wife

[stumos]

Does anyone know if it is possible to get a uk passport for a wife, of a uk citizen, who is a non-eu citizen?
We have been married for 5 years, live in russia, have a dual nationality daughter and yet are seperated as she has to wait for a visa in moscow. If anything were to happen to me we both want our little girl to be brought up in the uk. unfortunately my wife doesn't have a UK passport. Can we apply for a uk p'port without immediately returning to the uk? we just want to avoid splitting our family up, during visa application periods and in the event of family tragedy.
any help or info would be most appreciated.
stu

[vinny]

I don't think that it's possible.

[Casa]

Sorry to disappoint you but the route to British Citizenship is a lengthy and costly one.
Your wife first needs to apply for a Spouse settlement visa which will grant her an initial 2 years in the UK. Under current regulations she would then apply for Indefinate Leave to Remain (ILR). After 3 years legal residence she could then apply for British Citizenship...and once this is granted, a British Passport.
However, the British Government intend to amend the current regulations in 2012, which would extend the qualifying time considerably, which could possibly mean 6 years before BC and the passport you want could be applied for.

[pennylessinindia]

this is the dilemma many expats have and there is no answer really except spending time in the UK together and then applying for British Citizenship . Things look like they will not get any better so if you have any plans to return look to do it sooner rather than later

[Casa]

One point I missed in my previous post...if you've been living together outside of the UK for 4 years or more and have been married throughout that time, your wife can apply for ILE from Moscow with the condition that once the Life in the UK (KOL) test is passed she can immediately apply for ILR without waiting for the 2 year period. She could also take the KOL test while on a visit to the UK in which case she could apply for Indefinate Leave to Enter straight away from Moscow.
Your wife would need to make this clear in her spouse visa application on form VAF4a

[stumos]

many thanks for the info and suggestions. it is difficult for families and often feels unfair.
stu

[Jon.Scott]

It is my understanding that even under a spouse visa (non ILR) if anything happened to you it would be taken into consideration for her path to citizenship, rather than her having to return home. I believe the same is also true of domestic abuse.

She'd still have to be living here though.