Length of employment for UK fiancee visa?

Hi there,

I was just wondering if anyone could give me a definite answer with regards to the desired length of employment that UK immigration would need from me to be able to get my girlfriend over on a fiancee visa?

We have met and fulfill many of the other requirements (I spent 2 x 3 months in Florida in the last 12 months, have letters, emails, telephone bills etc), I'm just worried about starting a new job. I haven't worked for the last 16 months (after coming out of the RAF), and have been living with my parents to help with my Dad who has just started suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. I have been offered a job which I will be starting after the New Year (I purposely went out to find this job with applying for the fiancee visa in mind), and I have also been offered a large 4 bedroom flat to rent through my parent's landlord. All that is great so far.

The only problem is this...I want my girlfriend to be over here by April at the very latest. The question I need answering is, what is the chance of this happening when my employer will say "oh Ian has a permanent job here paying £XXXXX PA, but he has only worked here for 3 months"?

Any help would be gratefully received. Many thanks in advance.

I  was just wondering if anyone could give me a definite answer with regards to the desired length of employment

I can't give you a definite answer, but I can tell you my experience......

When we applied for my fiance visa, my fiance had only been at his employment for 2-3 months. (he started in Sept, we applied in Nov) His letter from his employer, just stated, his position is perm, how much he makes and when he started working for the company. We also showed his resent payslip. We didn't show any other employment stuff prior to this and they didn't ask. I can only assume they are interested in the current/present standing of employment.

My fiancé had also just changed jobs about 6 weeks before I applied for my fiancée visa.  The letter from his employer stated his position, that he is employed full-time, and his annual salary.  We had no problems.

This is all excellent news, it looks like my sweetheart SHOULD be with me by March then!

Thanks ever so much for your adviceboth  Kysa and Stuzgirl, it's good to meet you!
Christmas greetings to you both.

I'm just bumping this back up as the circumstances have changed slightly.

The job that I was offered never happened basically, so it's now April and we haven't even applied for the visa yet. I am waiting for yet another job to be offered (yes, another waiting game!), and I'm still a little cautious as to what the minimum length of term is going to be required.

I have acknowledged the above replies, but if I get this job very soon, could we apply for the visa withing a few weeks or would that be a bad plan? When would common sense come in? Does 6-7 weeks seem too soon for the application, or would 3-4 months be more comfortable?

Do either of you have savings that you could use to support yourselves?

Or friends and relatives who can help out?


Victoria

The answer to savings is a big, fat "no" unfortunately. When it comes to relatives who can help, my eldest brother is really quite financially secure (he's a regional director for United Utilities, his wife is a school inspector for the education board, they've just bought a £300,000 house etc etc).

Now, would I still need a job to say "I'm working but my brother is helping us" (which I probably wouldn't need as I would be earning enough to support my family), or would it be enough to say "I'm currently receiving Carer's Allowance and Income Support because I'm looking after my father who has Alzheimer's Disease and can receive financial help from my brother". (The latter being the specific truth).

I am back living with parents in their home which has plenty enough space for us to live in when Christina and her boys arrive (so we'll be living rent and basically cost free, apart from food and other essentials). This is a very pale shade of grey area that I'm not comfortable with. There are no written guidelines anywhere saying "you have to be working for a minimum of xx months or have a secure employment history", so just where IS the line drawn? 

I'm not nearly as educated as the good majority of members here on this board when it concerns immigration (I'm going through the process myself), but I've read several things in regards to co-sponsors. Since you're living with your parents, they could play the part of co-sponsors, which would require them to prove that there's sufficient room to accomodate you and your intended (and her child[ren]), as well as supplying evidence that they'd be able to financially support you all until either of you can obtain employment (if you haven't already done so yourself). I'm not entirely certain about your brother acting as co-sponsor, since you're not under his care (i.e. living under his roof, etc.).

Though I'm not sure about the required length of employment. I'm not even sure there is one. Victoria or garry will probably be able to help with this a lot more.

I wish you the best of luck!

Coming over o the spousal visa....neither of us had jobs, my husband (the UK citizen) hadn't worked in the UK for almost a year.  We had, instead, a letter from his mum stating she would support us financially until we had jobs.  That was enough to get the visa issued.

Valerian and Gwen are right in that you will need evidence that you are living in the house rent free and that your fiancee can come and join you.  A letter of support form your brother, and evidence of his income, can also be used.

Victoria

Ok, the answer is so - I didn't get THAT job either (this is just a never-ending circle, isn't it?). My parents DO need me as a carer, I can provide proof that we have rent-free accomodation. The only problem is such, my parents only receive retirement pension and the social security benefits that they receive for their conditions (both receive Attendance Allowance, and Dad receives Disability Living Allowance). IS this sufficient for me to say that they will provide financial support when my girlfriend gets here then I can work at finding a job once she IS here, or will UK Immigration find that as laughable as I do?

I cannot practically look for a job at the moment, no matter what job it is, as my parents need full-time care and commitment. Once Christina arrives here, we have pre-arranged that she will take over the carer's responsibilities (payment free, of course), so that I can go out and find a job, to work and support my new family. Would this be sufficient to put in a letter and sign it as authentic so that it would help the visas application?

The long and short is that I really need to get a job, don't I? I just haven't got a clue what to do, and if I haven't got a clue of what I want to do, then I can't look for it. The only option that keeps popping into my head is "go back into the RAF", but I came out of that for very specific reasons, so nothing could ever be the right reason for going back.

Coming over o the spousal visa....neither of us had jobs, my husband (the UK citizen) hadn't worked in the UK for almost a year.  We had, instead, a letter from his mum stating she would support us financially until we had jobs.  That was enough to get the visa issued.

Did you have to get your husband's mother to declare her income, or just a letter saying "I will support them..."?

You need 3 months worth of bank statements as close to the date you apply as possible how close I am not 100% on still trying to find out myself, deeds to the house if owned dated as close to the date of application as possible if still mortgaged then a letter from the bank the deeds take 24 hours to get to you and cost £4 I just got mine,  proof of rent and letter off landlord if you do not own the property,  if you get any sort of money then make sure it goes through your account so you have something to show them, You could join an agency or go to college re train as it where you have experience in health care and care work through agency's is regular and easy to get they are crying out for good care workers, if your parents are under 65 you should be able to get direct payments for them through the local social services this might help you.

We are starting next week, we go back to the states and are getting married and applying the begining of May, it is such a worry not knowing if you have the right stuff together especially the finacial side of it, but there seem to be a few people who are not working but get co sponsored and they got there visa.  We have Chris parents co sponsoring Chris.

Good luck

Chris and Sonya

Did you have to get your husband's mother to declare her income, or just a letter saying "I will support them..."?

You need proof.  Add up the income that your family get from the benefits and see if this is going to be enough to support you are.  The chances are that the ECO will say that it is not.

Would it be possible for your girlfriend to get a job offer for when she comes over.

I must admit, the application does not sound strong at the moment.

Victoria