Income Requirements

Are there set income requirements by household size? When we were doing the US process they used 125% above poverty. It was a set $ amount. You knew exactly how much you had to make or get a co-sponsor. I'm not finding such a thing for UK. My husband has great job...10+ years...good money. My worry is that we are a large family. His boss would do anything to keep him there. Should we just have him co-sponsor in case?

Set requirements would make life far too easy!  The thing to do is to work out your budget and see if you can afford to live here.  If it is a close call, then by all means get a co-sponsor...though if the boss is willing to do that, can't he just increase the salary?

If you post your husband's salary, where you'll be living, and how many family members you are talking about we can give you more help.  Also, have you somewhere to live, and have you got an idea of the rent to be paid?


Vicky

Hubby is a subcontractor making between 2500 and 5000 pounds per month. Most often 3500 to 4000. We have our budgets all worked out. But I also plan to work. As for a flat, we really lucked out. We have been offered a 3-bedroom flat next to his parents in Crouch Hill for 275 pounds per week. So we can afford it...but how do we prove that to them? Take our budgets? I hope that I find a good employment agency in my field that will either help me get an offer letter or give me a letter saying I am actively looking. As for boss...he doesn't give the raise cause then the other 3 would want one too. But he gives bonuses...like laptops and my tickets. And he would sign the letter if it helped. We know we can make it...but worried about what we have to do to prove it.

Uh-oh...I forgot...7 of us.

There is a big difference between £30k and £60k per year, so I think it is a good idea to take the budgets with you to show that you have worked out how you can afford to live on the lower salary.

A three bedroom house for 7 of you could be tricky.  How old are the kids and is there a living room in the flat?

Vicky

Family break down as follows: Paul (my UK hubby), myself, our 4 month old daughter, and my 4 teens from my 1st marriage (3 boys, 19, 16 and 15...and 1 girl...17). The flat has a rather decent sized living area, kitchen and 1/2 bath downstairs. Upstairs it has two HUGE bedrooms (one for Paul/baby/me and one for my boys) and a smaller one for my daughter. It also has a full bath up there. Even has washer/dryer. See why I'm jumping up and down for joy on that one.

And 2500 is almost never...so is 5000...more realistic is 40,000/year average. What about me? Do I need to actually get an offer letter?

Okay, that sounds fine, but for that number of people it might be an idea to get either someone from the local council to affirm that it won't be overcrowded, or supply a floor plan and photographs.

It is difficult to see whether the earnings are okay as I can't beging to guess what living expenses are for a family of seven!

Vicky

Okay, that sounds fine, but for that number of people it might be an idea to get either someone from the local council to affirm that it won't be overcrowded, or supply a floor plan and photographs.

It is difficult to see whether the earnings are okay as I can't beging to guess what living expenses are for a family of seven!

Vicky

I use the ONS in difficult calls like these...

Works like a charm if you give citations to the authority................

ONS? What is it? Where can I find them?

Family break down as follows: Paul (my UK hubby), myself, our 4 month old daughter, and my 4 teens from my 1st marriage (3 boys, 19, 16 and 15...and 1 girl...17).

I know almost nothing about these sorts of things, but... does anyone see a problem with the 19-year old coming over?   He's not a minor child anymore, so wont that cause a problem?  Wouldnt he have to apply for his own visa in his own right?

I was told earlier if he was a student and a dependent then it won't be a problem. Hope that is right.

Sorry Terri... not trying to scare you or anything.
It's just when i saw his age, my first thought was  'uh-oh'......

Hang in there and wait till someone more knowledgeable comes along, cos i honestly dont know the answer.

Yep, if the 19 yr old is a student and in full time education and is financially dependent upon you then it won't be a problem.  Keeping him here once he has finished his studies will be trickier, but you can cross that bridge once you get to it.

The ONS is the Office for National Statistics  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/


Vicky

But if he is 19, he will be at university in the US, right?
And if they move to the UK, he will obviously have to leave the course he's on at the moment, so will no longer be a student.

How does that work?
Should he be applying to universities in the UK?

Yes, he should.  I rather assumed that he had sorted a transfer.


Vicky