30 days to enter UK once granted Indefinite Leave to Enter?

I just want to confirm once again that this is correct. I have people I have to give 30 days notice. I have cars to sell. I can't get rid of it all in just 30 days. I can't plan ahead and sell my stuff on the bald assumption that I will even get a spousal Visa.

Heck, I might even change my mind. It's a big move.

Does anyone know if that is right?

Thanks.

I just want to confirm once again that this is correct. I have people I have to give 30 days notice. I have cars to sell. I can't get rid of it all in just 30 days. I can't plan ahead and sell my stuff on the bald assumption that I will even get a spousal Visa.

Heck, I might even change my mind. It's a big move.

Does anyone know if that is right?

Thanks.

One of the experts may be able to advise on extending the Vignette; I know it's possible but I don't know details. For the rest personal experience - I put the house on the market beforehand, sold it during, sold cars recently etc. Pulled the boys from school (their places were taken immediately and we were effectively school-less as the application dragged so much longer than expected).
Yes one is going out on a limb. It's a personal thing you will need to weigh up... one thing is the process is binary and a check box - if you satisfy the requirements you will get it, so you can rely on that.

Good Luck.

One of the experts may be able to advise on extending the Vignette; I know it's possible but I don't know details. For the rest personal experience - I put the house on the market beforehand, sold it during, sold cars recently etc. Pulled the boys from school (their places were taken immediately and we were effectively school-less as the application dragged so much longer than expected).
Yes one is going out on a limb. It's a personal thing you will need to weigh up... one thing is the process is binary and a check box - if you satisfy the requirements you will get it, so you can rely on that.

Good Luck.

Thank you for all of this.

I just want to confirm once again that this is correct. I have people I have to give 30 days notice. I have cars to sell. I can't get rid of it all in just 30 days. I can't plan ahead and sell my stuff on the bald assumption that I will even get a spousal Visa.

Heck, I might even change my mind. It's a big move.

Does anyone know if that is right?

Thanks.

It's really tough logistically, but yes, you have to enter within the 30 day validity period of the spouse visa or apply for a new vignette.

The vignette you will receive is not indefinite leave to enter though, it is limited leave to enter.
Also, I would not recommend applying for a new vignette unless there is absolutely no other option for you. We've had a couple of people try it and it didn't go smoothly.

What you could do instead, is enter on vignette as you're supposed to, stay just long enough to pick up your BRP, then return to the US to give your notice and sell your cars before returning permanently to the UK. 

One of the experts may be able to advise on extending the Vignette; I know it's possible but I don't know details.

It's not possible to extend a vignette.

Instead, if your vignette has expired and you have not been able to fly to the UK within the 30-day window, you can apply for a whole new 30-day vignette.

However, this costs £169 and you have complete an application for it and send your passport off to New York (I believe). As larrabee said, a couple of people have done it, but it's been a bit of a nightmare - one person had no idea whether their vignette was actually being re-issued or not and it took 2 or 3 months to sort it out.

It would be easier and safer to do what larrabee suggested and fly to the UK during the 30-day window, pick up the BRP and then fly back to the US to tie everything up before returning to the UK using the BRP. Doing it this way will start your 5-year count to ILR earlier as well, so you could qualify for ILR 2 or 3 months earlier than if you waited and applied for a new vignette.

I totally feel your pain, I've been trying to wrap my head around the 30 day vignette stuff. I found this on the UK gov website:

Successful applicants will be issued with a vignette in their passport which is valid for 30 days. The vignette is proof only of your permission to enter the UK and will allow you to travel to the UK. If you do not travel to the UK within this 30 day period you will have to apply for another 30 day vignette, for which there will be an additional fee.

In many cases your vignette will start on the date you indicated as your intended travel date in your visa application. However special arrangements apply to some applications under the Points Based System:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/533854/BRP_OA_information_leaflet_-_July_2016.pdf

Does this mean when the decision is made it is 30 days from the date that I intend to travel? So if I want to travel on Nov 10, then I have 30 days from that date unless a decision is made after my intended travel date? Or is it the date I get my passport back with the 30 day vignette sticker?

Does this mean when the decision is made it is 30 days from the date that I intend to travel? So if I want to travel on Nov 10, then I have 30 days from that date unless a decision is made after my intended travel date? Or is it the date I get my passport back with the 30 day vignette sticker?

The Intended Travel Date you put on the application form can be up to 3 months ahead of the date you submit the online application. So, if you applied today, you could put any date between August 9th and November 9th.

If the visa decision is made before that date, the visa should be made valid for 30 days from your intended travel date. HOWEVER, recently they have been making them valid starting 7 days before that date.

If the decision is not made until the  date has passed, it is usually made valid for 30 days from the date the decision is made. Because it can sometimes take a few days to receive the visa after this, you may have less than 30 days to travel by the time you get it.



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thanks so much! I wouldn't know what to do without you folks here clarifying everything! I can figure out my move a little better with this info!

Lots of good info. Thanks. What is this BRP that I need to pick up? Sorry, I can only chew so much food at once. 

Lots of good info. Thanks. What is this BRP that I need to pick up? Sorry, I can only chew so much food at once. 

It's a Biometric Residence Permit, looks like an ID card. 

See here for details.  https://www.gov.uk/biometric-residence-permits

Your vignette is not Indefinite Leave to Enter as mentioned in your title. ILE is something different.

Your vignette is not Indefinite Leave to Enter as mentioned in your title. ILE is something different.

We mentioned that upthread. 

We mentioned that upthread. 

That will teach me to not skim read by just reading kasnd's replies.

Got it all. Thanks.

This was one of our biggest stresses in applying, especially as I had an apartment lease with almost no flexibility. Here's how we solved things:

1. Right before I left for England, I took my car to a big-name seller and took whatever they had to offer. Made sure I had the title and both sets of keys so I could sell it then and there. Then used a rental the next day.

2. Paid the deposit for sea shipment but didn't do the actual scheduling until after I got the visa. However, I had all of my paperwork done ahead of time so it was just the phone call to schedule the pickup and getting people to help pack the crate.

3. While my apartment manager couldn't do a lot, I did give her a heads up about the situation and planned out all kinds of alternate solutions. In the end, I had to forfeit two months' rent to buy out the end of my lease.

4. We bought plane tickets through Thomas Cook as they were very cheap last minute.

5. I contacted friends, etc. to see what they wanted of my stuff and asked them to wait until I heard about the visa.

It is utterly absurd that UKVI puts us through this! But in the end, the visa approval was worth it. We got our email notice on a Friday, and my wife arrived 28 hours later. We got our visa package the next Monday morning, and we were on a plane back to England that Thursday. So in three days, we emptied and cleaned my apartment, sold my car, and took care of all my last-minute details. It was insane and we nearly killed each other from stress and lack of sleep, but it was worth it.