Traveling Prior to Applying for Spousal Visa

Hello all!  So, my English fiance and I have (fingers crossed) finally nailed down a timeline for applying for our visa.  We plan to marry in Texas, where I'm from, in March 2019, and then apply for the spousal visa after that. 

My question has to do with traveling to see my fiance before then.  I seem to recall it being mentioned before that the UK border agents frown upon flying into the UK from Ireland or other European countries.  I'd planned to go visit my fiance in September, and we'd also planned to go to Oktoberfest in Germany around that time.  I'd initially planned to fly into Germany first and meet him there, and then we'd head back to the UK together for stay for a week or so before I head home to Texas.  Would this cause any potential red flags with the UK border agents?  Would it be better for me to fly into the UK first, and then travel to and from Germany with my fiance?  Am I remembering this all wrong and it won't actually be a problem either way?  Please do let me know if I'm crazy or if this is a valid concern.  I feel pretty paranoid about any little thing going wrong, especially as we've been engaged for almost 2 years now and the border agent's questions get a little more detailed every time I go for a visit.  I haven't had any problems, but I do try to be hyper aware of how often and for how long I go visit and how it will look.


Also, a side question that has nothing to do with travel:  When applying for our spousal visa, they only take his income and savings into account, correct?  So if I have a large amount of money in savings and 401k, they will not be able to consider that when we apply, correct?

Thanks for all your help guys! 

Hello all!  So, my English fiance and I have (fingers crossed) finally nailed down a timeline for applying for our visa.  We plan to marry in Texas, where I'm from, in March 2019, and then apply for the spousal visa after that. 

My question has to do with traveling to see my fiance before then.  I seem to recall it being mentioned before that the UK border agents frown upon flying into the UK from Ireland or other European countries.  I'd planned to go visit my fiance in September, and we'd also planned to go to Oktoberfest in Germany around that time.  I'd initially planned to fly into Germany first and meet him there, and then we'd head back to the UK together for stay for a week or so before I head home to Texas.  Would this cause any potential red flags with the UK border agents?  Would it be better for me to fly into the UK first, and then travel to and from Germany with my fiance?  Am I remembering this all wrong and it won't actually be a problem either way?  Please do let me know if I'm crazy or if this is a valid concern.  I feel pretty paranoid about any little thing going wrong, especially as we've been engaged for almost 2 years now and the border agent's questions get a little more detailed every time I go for a visit.  I haven't had any problems, but I do try to be hyper aware of how often and for how long I go visit and how it will look.


Also, a side question that has nothing to do with travel:  When applying for our spousal visa, they only take his income and savings into account, correct?  So if I have a large amount of money in savings and 401k, they will not be able to consider that when we apply, correct?

Thanks for all your help guys!

Some people use Ireland to enter the UK as a back door route because there is no passport control so it can be viewed as suspicious. No problem coming in via any other route. Also don't enter via Ireland when your visa is granted because you need that border stamp.

The applicant's savings can be used. Just make sure your 401k fits within the guidelines, instant access to the money is particularly important.

Some people use Ireland to enter the UK as a back door route because there is no passport control so it can be viewed as suspicious. No problem coming in via any other route. Also don't enter via Ireland when your visa is granted because you need that border stamp.

The applicant's savings can be used. Just make sure your 401k fits within the guidelines, instant access to the money is particularly important.

Great.  Thank you larrabee! 

I will soon be having a ton of questions, as my fiance (a UK citizen) and I (a Texas gal) plan to apply for a spousal visa next year.  So our timeline starts with getting married in Texas in March 2019.  We then plan to apply for the visa shortly after that.  My question is this: Currently my fiance has a job that he's held for almost 2 years now.  However, it's in a call centre in the Northeast and his yearly salary falls just short of the required £18,600.  I am considering cashing out my IRA and putting an amount from it in savings to be used in conjunction with his income.  I've just read this part of the financial requirements, and want to make sure I'm reading it correctly:

E-ECP.3.1. The applicant must provide specified evidence, from the sources listed in paragraph E-ECP.3.2., of-

(a) a specified gross annual income of at least-
(i) £18,600;
(ii) an additional £3,800 for the first child; and
(iii) an additional £2,400 for each additional child; alone or in combination with

(b) specified savings of-
(i) £16,000; and
(ii) additional savings of an amount equivalent to 2.5 times the amount which is the difference between the gross annual income from the sources listed in paragraph E-ECP.3.2.(a)-(d) and the total amount required under paragraph E-ECP.3.1.(a)

So, for the sake of ease, lets say he makes £17,600 a year.  If I'm understanding this correctly, that means we'd have to have:
£16,000 plus
(£18,600-£17,600) x 2.5 = £2,500
for a total of £18,500 in savings.

Is this correct?  And it has to be in an account with no outward movement of funds for at least 6 months, correct?

Also, this was originally a thread with a travel question, but since I'd like to use the same thread to keep all my questions together, this is probably in the wrong section now.  If one of the mods would be so gracious as to move it to the proper section, I would be most appreciative.

Thank you very much.

So, for the sake of ease, lets say he makes £17,600 a year.  If I'm understanding this correctly, that means we'd have to have:
£16,000 plus
(£18,600-£17,600) x 2.5 = £2,500
for a total of £18,500 in savings.

Is this correct?  And it has to be in an account with no outward movement of funds for at least 6 months, correct?

Yes, that’s the correct calculation.

It needs to have been held in full in an account in your name for at least 6 months, and must be immediately accessible (with or without penalty).

That doesn’t necessarily mean no outward movements of funds at all, but you have to keep  a minimum of £18,500 (or whatever your calculated savings figure is) in the account at all times (on every single day of the 6 months)... as they will only consider the lowest balance in the account during the 6 months towards the requirement.

So, say you needed £18,500 in savings, but you deposited £25,000 into the account, you could do what you wanted with the additional £6,500 during the 6 months, as long as at least £18,500 of it remained in the account at all times.


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Great.  Thank you ksand24.  I will be back!

Edit:

It needs to have been held in full in an account in your name for at least 6 months, and must be immediately accessible (with or without penalty).

  Does it have to be in my name, or his name?  Or does it matter as long as it meets the minimum requirement?

Great.  Thank you ksand24.  I will be back!

Edit:   Does it have to be in my name, or his name?  Or does it matter as long as it meets the minimum requirement?

Savings can be in the applicant's name, the sponsor's name or both. They can't be in the name or joint name of anyone else.

Savings can be in the applicant's name, the sponsor's name or both. They can't be in the name or joint name of anyone else.

Thanks. Got it!

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I assume the funds are currently in USD.  While the pound is likely to go down as we approach the Brexit date, it could also go up once the uncertainty of what's gonna happen? is removed.  Currency fluctuations are generally unpredictable.  So, depending on when you'll apply, consider converting the funds to GBP so you know for sure exactly how much value it will have for Home Office's consideration.  Or just pull more out of your IRA than you need to meet the savings portion, so you can weather any fluctuations.