Immigrating to the UK

Sinbad said:
Yes

But in all honesty, if the UK spouse is earning less than 18k, the immigrant spouse would probably need a 60-70k+ job to provide a decent lifestyle. Especially coming from SA where in essence you'll probably have to start again with no real savings or net assets to speak of. So that house deposit is a massive stretch, for example.
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In my family members case, she makes a fair amount more, but still only around 30k. They live up in Manchester though, and even bought (an ungodly cheap) house.
 
cguy said:
In my family members case, she makes a fair amount more, but still only around 30k. They live up in Manchester though, and even bought (an ungodly cheap) house.
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Yeah property gets cheaper the more north you go. For reasons.
 
Priapus said:
It’s a chicken and egg situation. The applicant’s income cannot be counted, because they cannot get a job without a visa.

What I do disagree with, is the relevance of the sponsor’s current income - what difference does it make if they were earning R0 or R60k a month?

As long as they have a job that meeting the MIR, starting writhing 3 months of getting to the UK, that’s all that matters. How is previous income abroad relevant?
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What I am saying is that it would be quite simple for them to take my current SA income into account, or my employment history, or even just my last years worth of bank statements to show that I am willing and able to work when I arrive. Then they could used my income as a part of the MIR.

Thats rough; stay strong though - April is close now!

Where about in the UK are you moving to?



The fees are unlikely to increase; if they do it will only be July or August I suspect.
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As my wife went through several career changes to get to the point of earning the MIR. She has only been doing her current "self employed" job for around 5 months. She has not yet earned the full MIR as is needed for Self employed people.

Employed people can prove they earn the MIR by showing 6 months worth of payslips. Self Employed people need to have earned the full 29k in the last financial year (UK financial year runs from 6 to 5 April).

So April, 2026 and only after my wife has had her accounts audited.

To be fair, you can drop £2500 from those costs. No need for a solicitor and I get priority is wanted in your case - but it isn’t s must for people.
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Yea, Will see closer to the time and have other, cheaper possibilities for the solicitor.

No visa allows access to public funds. I think the point of the MIR is that people can at least support themselves and their family in someway.

If you were in the UK and your wife passed away; you’d be able to apply for a parent visa (As your child is British).
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I do not want nor need access to public funds. I want to just be with my family without feeling as though we have to pay a ransom for the privilege.
If my wife passes away, gets sick, has an accident and sits in the hospital etc while I am still in South Africa?
There are nightmare stories (I am obviously in several closed groups with other families in the same situation, imagine being threatened with deportation or being deported because your life partner just died and your kids are old enough to look after themselves), even if I am in the UK and something happens to her it will be insanely difficult and expensive for us to stay there. Parental Visas are also not cheap.

Sorry to hear you’re going through all this and I know it’s tough. It will still be tough once you’re here - but honestly it’s so worth it imho.
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Yea, I am doing this for my wife and kids, My children need a future and my wife needs security.
Doubt I need to go into detail but the perpetual anxiety of crime should be enough of an explanation.
 
Priapus said:
Wait. Can you only apply next year?
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Yes

Full, best case scenario timeline for me with the current visa system:

April 2024: Wife left for UK.
April 2025: Kids leave for UK.
April/May 2026: I can apply for a visa and get there by Jun/September.
2028/2029: Visa Renewal.
2030/2032: ILR.
2031/2033: Citizenship.
 
AstroTurf said:
Yes

Full, best case scenario timeline for me with the current visa system:

April 2024: Wife left for UK.
April 2025: Kids leave for UK.
April/May 2026: I can apply for a visa and get there by Jun/September.
2028/2029: Visa Renewal.
2030/2032: ILR.
2031/2033: Citizenship.
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Does your wife meet the MIR?
ie, £29k?


Also, the MIR is _combined_ income as far as I know, so you should be able to add your SA income as well, as evidenced by payslips?

I know I used my SA income to show meeting MIRs for our first visa application.


/edit
actually I may be wrong.
I hate legalese
Where the applicant has to meet the minimum income requirement, the financial requirement can generally be met in the following 5 ways: • income from salaried or non-salaried employment of the partner (and/or the applicant if they are in the UK with permission to work) - this is referred to as Category A or Category B, depending on the employment history

Once your wife has been in a job with the same employer meeting MIR for 6 months, the historic requirement goes away so they become a category A, not category B application.

/editagain - ah I see self employed. Bugger.
 
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Sinbad said:
Does your wife meet the MIR?
ie, £29k?


Also, the MIR is _combined_ income as far as I know, so you should be able to add your SA income as well, as evidenced by payslips?

I know I used my SA income to show meeting MIRs for our first visa application.


/edit
actually I may be wrong.
I hate legalese
Where the applicant has to meet the minimum income requirement, the financial requirement can generally be met in the following 5 ways: • income from salaried or non-salaried employment of the partner (and/or the applicant if they are in the UK with permission to work) - this is referred to as Category A or Category B, depending on the employment history
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My wife has to earn the full £29k in a UK financial year less expenses (excluding tax) for the initial visa.

The MIR is only combined for the subsequent renewals and applications.

1'st visa is all on the spouses income, subsequent renewals, spouse and partner.
 
AstroTurf said:
Yes

Full, best case scenario timeline for me with the current visa system:

April 2024: Wife left for UK.
April 2025: Kids leave for UK.
April/May 2026: I can apply for a visa and get there by Jun/September.
2028/2029: Visa Renewal.
2030/2032: ILR.
2031/2033: Citizenship.
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On the bright side your kids and wife will be together. That’s got to be hell on a mother. Fathers, we suck it up and deal.
 
Sinbad said:
Does your wife meet the MIR?
ie, £29k?


Also, the MIR is _combined_ income as far as I know, so you should be able to add your SA income as well, as evidenced by payslips?

I know I used my SA income to show meeting MIRs for our first visa application.


/edit
actually I may be wrong.
I hate legalese
Where the applicant has to meet the minimum income requirement, the financial requirement can generally be met in the following 5 ways: • income from salaried or non-salaried employment of the partner (and/or the applicant if they are in the UK with permission to work) - this is referred to as Category A or Category B, depending on the employment history

Once your wife has been in a job with the same employer meeting MIR for 6 months, the historic requirement goes away so they become a category A, not category B application.

/editagain - ah I see self employed. Bugger.
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Nope. Applicants income earned abroad does not count, unfortunately.
 
AstroTurf said:
Yes

Full, best case scenario timeline for me with the current visa system:

April 2024: Wife left for UK.
April 2025: Kids leave for UK.
April/May 2026: I can apply for a visa and get there by Jun/September.
2028/2029: Visa Renewal.
2030/2032: ILR.
2031/2033: Citizenship.
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Are you or have you considered applying for a visitor visa at least so you can visit in the mean time?
 
Astro, is there no mate or family you can move in with when your liteys go over to mom to help you cut down on running 2 households? Apologies if you've mentioned this before.
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
Astro, is there no mate or family you can move in with when your liteys go over to mom to help you cut down on running 2 households? Apologies if you've mentioned this before.
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I am moving in with my in-laws (into my wife's old bedroom ironically enough) :ROFL:

And that for multiple reasons but cost is one of them, I will save around R2000pm on petrol alone to work and back, never mind all the other random household expenses.

I'll obviously pay them board and lodging.

I was given the option of my sisters granny flat but distance from work and her very busy social life (2 to 3 gatherings at her house every week) put me off as I plan to use the time productively and need fewer distractions.
 
Paul Kemp said:
On the bright side your kids and wife will be together. That’s got to be hell on a mother. Fathers, we suck it up and deal.
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Actually said something similar to my wife a few weeks back, I am not looking forward to being "left behind" but I can't wait for my kids to join their mom :ROFL:
 
AstroTurf said:
Actually said something similar to my wife a few weeks back, I am not looking forward to being "left behind" but I can't wait for my kids to join their mom :ROFL:
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Yeah I get that. Some peace and quiet for a little bit :ROFL:

How old are the kids?
 
AstroTurf said:
I am moving in with my in-laws (into my wife's old bedroom ironically enough) :ROFL:

And that for multiple reasons but cost is one of them, I will save around R2000pm on petrol alone to work and back, never mind all the other random household expenses.

I'll obviously pay them board and lodging.

I was given the option of my sisters granny flat but distance from work and her very busy social life (2 to 3 gatherings at her house every week) put me off as I plan to use the time productively and need fewer distractions.
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That's cool, I was sitting here thinking gods I hope he's at least got that option to save some dosh!
 
Priapus said:
Yeah I get that. Some peace and quiet for a little bit :ROFL:

How old are the kids?
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LOL, not about peace and quiet, Just so that my kids can start settling into their new life (this whole thing has been terrible on them both and they need stability, they have none right now, watching me dismantle our life, empty the house they both grew up in from birth etc and uncertain about future, new schools new life and if I will ever join them and and and).
Also so my wife can be with her children again as all 3 need that connection after them having been under my care for close on a year :ROFL:

Our boy is 10 and our young lady is 16.
 
Just started spouse visa application. It’s a lengthy application form. Asking all sorts of questions spent ten mins just filling out part one.

Hoping to submit the application within the next week and finally get off the SWV.

I’m told it’s around 8 weeks to get a decision within the UK. Let’s see…
 
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