Uk working visa

icuraqt70 · #1 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 01:27 PM

Hi all,

My partner and I are moving to the Uk over the next few months. I have a british passport and I'm a British citizen although I've never lived in the Uk. I'm also an Australian citizen and I've lived in Australia my whole life.

My partner is also an Australian citizen but is not a British citizen. We will both be working in the Uk but he will already have a job in the Uk when we leave.

I'm hoping someone can tell me if he is better off applying for a working visa or a spouse visa as he is my partner. Which process would be quicker/easier/allow him to stay in the Uk the longest without renewing/any trouble. I should probably make note that we are not currently married but will be living together in the Uk, we currently live separately in Australia.

Would appreciate your input!!

Thanks,

Rebecca

mehemlynn · #2 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icuraqt70

Hi all,

My partner and I are moving to the Uk over the next few months. I have a british passport and I'm a British citizen although I've never lived in the Uk. I'm also an Australian citizen and I've lived in Australia my whole life.

My partner is also an Australian citizen but is not a British citizen. We will both be working in the Uk but he will already have a job in the Uk when we leave.

I'm hoping someone can tell me if he is better off applying for a working visa or a spouse visa as he is my partner. Which process would be quicker/easier/allow him to stay in the Uk the longest without renewing/any trouble. I should probably make note that we are not currently married but will be living together in the Uk, we currently live separately in Australia.

Would appreciate your input!!

Thanks,

Rebecca

I don't know too much about the working visas. Here are a few of the questions which will help you figure out which is the correct course for you.

work visa
Does your partner already have a job offer where the company will offer to get him a visa?
Is your partner in a profession on the jobs shortage list on the UKBA site (I'm sure someone will post a link, or you can google it)?

spouse visa
are you planning on getting married?
*The reason I ask this is that an unmarried partner visa requires that you have already been living together for 2 years. So if you are not planning on getting married, then this option might not be available to you.

does your partner have UK born grandparents? if so an ancestry visa might be the way to go.

icuraqt70 · #3 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 01:46 PM

Hi there. Thanks for the quick reply. We are planning on getting married but it may not have happened by the time we get to the Uk (long story). Up until now we haven't lived together in Australia as he is expected to live with his family until he is married.

He is an IT professional and is looking at getting a company transfer. I had just hoped a spouse visa would be easier!

His parents weren't born in the UK, they actually settled in Australia from Afghanistan and are citizens of australia, and as is the same case with him.

Looks as though the work visa may be the only option

mehemlynn · #4 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icuraqt70

Hi there. Thanks for the quick reply. We are planning on getting married but it may not have happened by the time we get to the Uk (long story). Up until now we haven't lived together in Australia as he is expected to live with his family until he is married.

He is an IT professional and is looking at getting a company transfer. I had just hoped a spouse visa would be easier!

His parents weren't born in the UK, they actually settled in Australia from Afghanistan and are citizens of australia, and as is the same case with him.

Looks as though the work visa may be the only option

The "can you apply" section of the new rules for a spouse visa are at this link UK Border Agency | Can you apply?

Good luck with whatever you all end up doing.

M

2farapart · #5 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 02:11 PM

Spouse/unmarried partners this week became more difficult with the introduction of new rules. It depends rather heavily on you as the British citizen (and therefore sponsor). The rules now require that you've been earning at least £18600 per year for at least 12 months, and also that you have a confirmed job offer waiting for you in the UK that meets this same level. If you have an exhorbitant amount of savings between you, you can use that instead, but otherwise it's suddenly become that much tougher. However, if you meet the requirement, this is probably the easiest route, depending on your circumstances.

You say your partner has a job available to him already in the UK - does he have a visa already or is his employer providing one? If so, then that could be your easier option. Another thing to check: are either of his grandparents British? if so, an ancestry visa would be worth looking at.

EDITED TO ADD: Too late! Slow server and me a slow typer - same answers as above

icuraqt70 · #6 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2farapart

Spouse/unmarried partners this week became more difficult with the introduction of new rules. It depends rather heavily on you as the British citizen (and therefore sponsor). The rules now require that you've been earning at least £18600 per year for at least 12 months, and also that you have a confirmed job offer waiting for you in the UK that meets this same level. If you have an exhorbitant amount of savings between you, you can use that instead, but otherwise it's suddenly become that much tougher. However, if you meet the requirement, this is probably the easiest route, depending on your circumstances.

You say your partner has a job available to him already in the UK - does he have a visa already or is his employer providing one? If so, then that could be your easier option. Another thing to check: are either of his grandparents British? if so, an ancestry visa would be worth looking at.

EDITED TO ADD: Too late! Slow server and me a slow typer - same answers as above

Your response is still handy and much appreciated!!! Thanks so much. He's in the middle of getting his company to try to transfer him, I just hoped if we could get the spouse visa sooner it would be easier for him to get the job!!! It's not looking good, as I've only been earning money outside the UK.

Thanks again

mehemlynn · #7 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icuraqt70

Your response is still handy and much appreciated!!! Thanks so much. He's in the middle of getting his company to try to transfer him, I just hoped if we could get the spouse visa sooner it would be easier for him to get the job!!! It's not looking good, as I've only been earning money outside the UK.

Thanks again

As the sponsor outside the UK, you would have needed to make more than your country's equivalent (in the US it is approx $30,000) and you would have to have the confirmed job offer in the UK.

M

icuraqt70 · #8 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mehemlynn

As the sponsor outside the UK, you would have needed to make more than your country's equivalent (in the US it is approx $30,000) and you would have to have the confirmed job offer in the UK.

M

Thanks M. That's good to know. I do earn over that at the moment. Perhaps I'll have to start looking for a job before I get to the UK! It might help. It's looking like visas in the Uk aren't as simple as they used to be.

mehemlynn · #9 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icuraqt70

Thanks M. That's good to know. I do earn over that at the moment. Perhaps I'll have to start looking for a job before I get to the UK! It might help. It's looking like visas in the Uk aren't as simple as they used to be.

Visas in the UK have been getting increasingly harder over the past year. Some of the rules are very difficult now.

M

2farapart · #10 (**permalink**) 11th July 2012, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by icuraqt70

Thanks M. That's good to know. I do earn over that at the moment. Perhaps I'll have to start looking for a job before I get to the UK! It might help. It's looking like visas in the Uk aren't as simple as they used to be.

If you're already earning more than the equivalent of £18,600, then all you'll need is a confirmed job offer in the UK. If successful with your first visa, for subsequent visas leading up to the final Indefinite Leave To Remain the income from both of you (if working in the UK) will be able to be counted. The worst pressure is on the first visa only.