Immigrating to the UK

[Priapus]

I think best case is back to 18500 but most likely is it stays as is.

Personally, I’d disagree with that decision.

£18,600 is simply not enough to live on and below minimum wage. At the very least if they’re going to lower it, it should be what someone in full time employment would make on minimum wage - around £23k a year.

 

[AstroTurf]

Personally, I’d disagree with that decision.

£18,600 is simply not enough to live on and below minimum wage. At the very least if they’re going to lower it, it should be what someone in full time employment would make on minimum wage - around £23k a year.

I would be slightly more inclined to agree with you if both the sponsor and spouses incomes were taken into account but they are not.

You end up with many strange situations like the one we find ourselves in. My wife ended up going through several career changes just to get to the point where she can earn the MIR only for it to add another 14 to 16 months to the timeline before I might be allowed to apply for a visa as she is now considered "self employed".

So now we are in a situation where I am looking after our (British by Descent) children till April when they will fly over (this was the time I would have also flown over if it was not for the MIR change). I will then move in with my wife's parents so that I can send the money saved on rent + petrol to my wife and children or save a bit more for when I am finally allowed to move over or for the likelihood that the Cost of the Visa and NHS fee will increase before then.

Right now we are paying for two households when we should be paying for one. I am wasting years stuck in limbo where I could be earning in pounds and spending it on my British children's future instead of on the privilege of being a part of my family.

Anyway, 3 British Citizens and the 3 people I care for the most on this entire planet will be suffering financially for at least the next 6 to 8 years for me to be allowed to live with my family, I feel guilty about it then I remind myself that it is not me that created this ludicrous profiteering visa system.
For interest, this is the cost for the first visa (It needs to be renewed at a similar cost after 2.5 years).




Anyway, I could carry on for days about the Emotional and financial roller coaster that the uncertainty of the thumb suck MIR and the MAC review have caused us as a family and me personally but I think I will leave it at that for now.

Ironically, the whole MIR is pretty much pointless as Spousal visa holders have no access to public funds and the only result of keeping one parent from their family is that two or more people will end up using social benefits if the British parent becomes unable to work.
What happens to my kids if my wife dies?

 

[Sinbad]

£2k for a solicitor? for what?

 

[prod]

£2k for a solicitor? for what?

I was about to ask this as well, that is a huge amount of money, what does the solicitor do in this instance?!

Also, an extra £500 for priority service...Why?

 

[AstroTurf]

I was about to ask this as well, that is a huge amount of money, what does the solicitor do in this instance?!

There is a 25% to 30% visa denial rate for spousal visas, reduced if you use a solicitor to go through your application and apply for you. I am hoping to get a cheaper solicitor and have not even looked but that seems to be about the cost of one.

I have gathered all the paperwork I can for the application into one folder, it is hundreds of documents including marriage certificate, birth certificates, proof of relationship, proof of living together, proof of sharing expenses, photos, whatsapp chats (all of them), passport copies (they require a copy of each page) video chat screenshots, whatsapp chat screenshots, emails, facebook chats and so on.

Anyway, the folder is now a little over 3GB and the application needs to be done right or I will have to apply again at the cost of the visa fee + express service and more importantly the cost of the time the reapplication will take.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

If your wife is a citizen she can get a solicitor through Citizens Advice or similar. Cost my sister about £300 for one. That 2k is a huge no no, likewise the priority. That 25% to 30% refusal rate will also likely be zero for you because your wife and children are British, they don't wily nilly break up families, it counts in your favour

 

[AstroTurf]

If your wife is a citizen she can get a solicitor through Citizens Advice or similar. Cost my sister about £300 for one. That 2k is a huge no no, likewise the priority. That 25% to

Thank you for the advice, I will make a note of it.

I am also part of a group that have solicitors who do several spousal visa applications pro-bono per year but the MIR increase makes it all irrelevant till April 2026.

 

[Paul Kemp]

@AstroTurf I too was made paranoid by the possibility of visa denial. Moveup in the Cape are significantly less expensive and have made each app run without a hitch.
I’ll drop you a PM with our contact.
Minor saving in the bigger scheme but every bit helps and they’ll offer guidance at no cost.

 

[AstroTurf]

@AstroTurf I too was made paranoid by the possibility of visa denial. Moveup in the Cape are significantly less expensive and have made each app run without a hitch.
I’ll drop you a PM with our contact.
Minor saving in the bigger scheme but every bit helps and they’ll offer guidance at no cost.

Thank you, I appreciate it.

 

[Sinbad]

For the record, I did both the spouse visa application and renewal myself.
There was some info missing on the initial application - they just emailed to ask for it, and we provided it.

It's not rocket surgery to be honest.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

The commitment you have in the process judging by what you say will get you through it mate, keep the faith. We did it crazy low budget and high stress and I know several people who did too and it panned out, it will for you too.

 

[prod]

There is a 25% to 30% visa denial rate for spousal visas, reduced if you use a solicitor to go through your application and apply for you. I am hoping to get a cheaper solicitor and have not even looked but that seems to be about the cost of one.

We paid Breytenbachs around R8000 to assist with my wife's dependent visa application. I know it's not the same visa, but they do share a lot of similarities with requirements, can definitely recommend them.

From my point of view, seeing as your wife is a citizen, you already have one foot in the door. Sure, it's still not easy and not a given, but you are better off than most people in SA in that regard. Visa application stages are incredibly stressful, and I can empathise - we also spent 13 months apart, and I had to pay two households like you (luckily no kids at that time). I know the toll it takes on your savings and overall happiness.

But in a general sense you don't have that much to worry about I think - you are in a legitimate relationship and can prove it pretty easily as well, a lot of people will try to take chances with spousal visas (think 90 day fiancé!) - which probably has an impact on the denial rate.

 

[theratman]

Got some good new this afternoon, the home office approved my citizenship (and my sisters) application, and sent through the approval letter. Next up is the oath ceremony in a few weeks, after which I can apply for a passport. Hoping I can go to the one in Dublin instead of in Cape Town.

 

[Messugga]

For the record, I did both the spouse visa application and renewal myself.
There was some info missing on the initial application - they just emailed to ask for it, and we provided it.

It's not rocket surgery to be honest.

Honestly, I think the legal people exploit people's fear here. There is this impression that if you get it wrong, you're screwed and have to restart the process, spend more money or get kicked out of the country.

 

[cguy]

I would be slightly more inclined to agree with you if both the sponsor and spouses incomes were taken into account but they are not.

You end up with many strange situations like the one we find ourselves in. My wife ended up going through several career changes just to get to the point where she can earn the MIR only for it to add another 14 to 16 months to the timeline before I might be allowed to apply for a visa as she is now considered "self employed".

So now we are in a situation where I am looking after our (British by Descent) children till April when they will fly over (this was the time I would have also flown over if it was not for the MIR change). I will then move in with my wife's parents so that I can send the money saved on rent + petrol to my wife and children or save a bit more for when I am finally allowed to move over or for the likelihood that the Cost of the Visa and NHS fee will increase before then.

Right now we are paying for two households when we should be paying for one. I am wasting years stuck in limbo where I could be earning in pounds and spending it on my British children's future instead of on the privilege of being a part of my family.

Anyway, 3 British Citizens and the 3 people I care for the most on this entire planet will be suffering financially for at least the next 6 to 8 years for me to be allowed to live with my family, I feel guilty about it then I remind myself that it is not me that created this ludicrous profiteering visa system.
For interest, this is the cost for the first visa (It needs to be renewed at a similar cost after 2.5 years).

View attachment 1788347


Anyway, I could carry on for days about the Emotional and financial roller coaster that the uncertainty of the thumb suck MIR and the MAC review have caused us as a family and me personally but I think I will leave it at that for now.

Ironically, the whole MIR is pretty much pointless as Spousal visa holders have no access to public funds and the only result of keeping one parent from their family is that two or more people will end up using social benefits if the British parent becomes unable to work.
What happens to my kids if my wife dies?

It’s probably a moot at this point, but isn’t there a savings level at which the MIR is no longer taken into account? IIRC, it was once 65k pounds or something. Depending on your situation you may be able to borrow it from a family member. I didn’t look into the details but I was once the “lender” for a family member applying for a spousal visa.

 

[AstroTurf]

It’s probably a moot at this point, but isn’t there a savings level at which the MIR is no longer taken into account? IIRC, it was once 65k pounds or something. Depending on your situation you may be able to borrow it from a family member. I didn’t look into the details but I was once the “lender” for a family member applying for a spousal visa.

It is £88,500 at this time. I have no access to that kind of money.

There is also the option to use savings to offset the £29k mir if you have £16000 or more in savings.
Self Employed people are not allowed to use savings to offset the MIR.

 

[Paul Kemp]

It’s probably a moot at this point, but isn’t there a savings level at which the MIR is no longer taken into account? IIRC, it was once 65k pounds or something. Depending on your situation you may be able to borrow it from a family member. I didn’t look into the details but I was once the “lender” for a family member applying for a spousal visa.

Strictly speaking, it should be your money. You need to be in control of the funds for 9 month* and provide proof of the source of the funds. Profits from a house sale can make up part of the funds but is exempt from the 9 month* period.

As I understand it, they scrutinise the proof of savings because people exploit the process by “borrowing” from a family member then once the visa is issued send the money back to the next family member.

*I forget what the exact period is.

 

[Paul Kemp]

Honestly, I think the legal people exploit people's fear here. There is this impression that if you get it wrong, you're screwed and have to restart the process, spend more money or get kicked out of the country.

In our case the proof of savings was complicated. Not heavily, but enough to seek professional advice. The cost wasn’t crazy and the guidance given was very useful. Even in hindsight I’d still use them. The cost was insignificant. Immigration has been the been the biggest undertaking of our lives so money well spent.

 

[AstroTurf]

Strictly speaking, it should be your money. You need to be in control of the funds for 9 month* and provide proof of the source of the funds. Profits from a house sale can make up part of the funds but is exempt from the 9 month* period.

As I understand it, they scrutinise the proof of savings because people exploit the process by “borrowing” from a family member then once the visa is issued send the money back to the next family member.

*I forget what the exact period is.

6 months an an easily accessible account (so your cheque or savings account basically, not a 32 day notice, shares etc).

 

[AstroTurf]

Honestly, I think the legal people exploit people's fear here. There is this impression that if you get it wrong, you're screwed and have to restart the process, spend more money or get kicked out of the country.

If you get it wrong you do have your visa denied and the visa costs are not paid back although you get your IHS cash back.