Friendly reminder for spouses

We're coming up into the marriage season, and just a friendly piece of advice for those applying abroad for spousals (i.e., the VAF2).

You want to be sure to fix your itinerary so that you arrive in the UK within 4 weeks of the start date of your entry clearance.  That's the slack period that they give you.

If you don't arrive within that period, you won't get in trouble.  It doesn't have to do with being in trouble or not.  It just means that you might have to pay for an LLR extension when your probationary visa expires.  And then cough up some more money to get your ILR - EVEN ON THE NEXT DAY!!!     And the way things are going, that could be pricey - and who wants to throw an extra £500 away because they didn't plan ahead?  They have been getting persnickety about ILR apps from spouses on LLR.

On a different topic, but related to being persnickety, for those submitting nationality apps, take note that Liverpool is persnickety about your start date.  It's calculated to be exactly and exactly 3 years prior to the day they stamp it RECEIVED in their mail room - and if you were not in the UK on that exact day, your app will be misconceived.  And in summary, that means the post office introduces an element of randomness into people's start dates.  This only affects a small amount of people, but it pays to be careful!

Garry,

When you say spousal, do you mean fiance?

I ask this because what I got in my passport just says:
Entry Clearance
Type MULT
Settlement Husband
Indefinite leave to enter the UK
Valid until 27/02/15 (which is the expiration date of the passport itself)

Doesn't that say I already have ILR?

Jim

Indefinite leave to enter the UK

That's a good point!  If you have ILE then of course you wouldn't be applying for ILR and so my reminder doesn't apply to you.  It does not apply to fiances either, they would receive their LLR from within the UK. 

It just applies to spouses getting their 2 year probationary visas abroad.

But come to think of it, it would also apply to UPs getting their probationary visas abroad also.  So the subject line should properly read "...for spouses *AND* UPs..."

Errrr, I'm sorry but you have completed and utterly got me confuddeled now  - What do you mean by 'You want to be sure to fix your itinerary so that you arrive in the UK within 4 weeks of the start date of your entry clearance.  That's the slack period that they give you'

Call me thick (not really please  ) but can you explain it in laymans terms.  we are just about to apply for a spousal visa for my hubby on 7th June.  Hopefully we can then get him booked onto plane as me for 28th June.

what is the difference between 'ILE', 'ILR' and 'LLR' please  and is there somewhere that I can go look where all the abbreviations are?

Thanks. 

Pauline

It's already as layman oriented as I can make it.  But based upon the dates you have given, you'll be just fine!

'ILE' - indefinite leave to enter, 'ILR' - indefinite leave to remain  and 'LLR'  - not sure but I think it's basically an extension to remain in the UK until you apply for your ILR.

'LLR'  - not sure but I think it's basically an extension to remain in the UK until you apply for your ILR.

Limited Leave to Remain?  Just a guess...

~Liza

LLR and FLR (further leave to remain) are the same thing -- what you have before you get ILR.