Advice for those who have just arrived on a spousal visa

Darn, thank you though! I'll try my hardest to not go through Ireland first to avoid not ending up with a stamp.

Yeah, although it is possible to prove the date you entered the UK through your travel paperwork, it's easiest if you can avoid travelling through ROI to save the trouble of not having the visa stamp.

Just a suggestion: I've lived in Bristol most of my life and have flown to and from the US several times during my life... but I've always flown from/to London - because it's usually a lot more expensive to fly into Bristol than London. Apart from one trip from/to Bristol (when they had a route from Bristol to Newark), I've always flown to/from Heathrow or Gatwick and then taken public transport (bus or train) back to Bristol.

Yeah, although it is possible to prove the date you entered the UK through your travel paperwork, it's easiest if you can avoid travelling through ROI to save the trouble of not having the visa stamp.

Just a suggestion: I've lived in Bristol most of my life and have flown to and from the US several times during my life... but I've always flown from/to London - because it's usually a lot more expensive to fly into Bristol than London. Apart from one trip from/to Bristol (when they had a route from Bristol to Newark), I've always flown to/from Heathrow or Gatwick and then taken public transport (bus or train) back to Bristol.

Same here.  I use Bristol for European voyages and go to London on National Express for US ones.  It's pretty rare to have London along with the bus fare cost more than Bristol or Cardiff.  I refuse to pay hundreds more when the bus ride only takes a few more hours and is so easy to catch.

Unfortunately I think my daughter in law might end up the ROI as the airlingus flights are the cheapest, but we will see nearer the time she applies and gets the visa might change in september when kids go back to school.

Is it a problem if she does end up flying to dublin and then to manchester.

Love pads

Although I did not enter the UK on a spousal visa, I did come through Dublin in 2006. (This was before the awareness about entering through the CTA was high.) My work permit was not stamped and the next time I entered the UK I was scolded by the IO. 

I saved my boarding passes and successfully received my ILR this past March.

Well thats' good to know but how come they don't stamp your passport in Ireland, or in britain when you land there I am confused surely you must get a stamp somewhere.

Love pads x

Well thats' good to know but how come they don't stamp your passport in Ireland, or in britain when you land there I am confused surely you must get a stamp somewhere.

Love pads x

It's something to do with the common travel area or something, they don't stamp people out of EIRE when arriving in the UK.

Has you're DIL submitted the application yet?

No she hasn't submitted it but we mailing everything off this week so it will be submitted this week sometime.

Common Travel Area yeah I get that but surely its got to be stamped somewhere in It if Ireland is part of the CTA then why don't they stamp it in Ireland and not in Britian if you know what i mean then at least you would have a stamp.

Love pads x

Common Travel Area yeah I get that but surely its got to be stamped somewhere in It if Ireland is part of the CTA then why don't they stamp it in Ireland and not in Britian if you know what i mean then at least you would have a stamp.

I guess it wouldn't help because Ireland and the UK are two separate countries with separate immigration. The CTA is more for making it easier for Irish/British travelling back and forth.

Yes. Ireland can't validate a UK visa. 

No she hasn't submitted it but we mailing everything off this week so it will be submitted this week sometime.

Common Travel Area yeah I get that but surely its got to be stamped somewhere in It if Ireland is part of the CTA then why don't they stamp it in Ireland and not in Britian if you know what i mean then at least you would have a stamp.

Love pads x

That's good, well I go home in less than two days, hopefully she won't be far behind!

I had a question about changing all the bills into joint names. Well we'll be moving into a place together, so will be putting both our names onto the bills. I don't remember how that works, so I'm sorry if this is a stupid question.

I haven't changed my name yet, he has our marriage certificate and we forgot to order a second copy, so I have a major identity crisis going on Have to keep switching between my maiden and marital name! Do I have to prove my identity in any way when I put bills into our names? So can I ring up and tell them I am Charli Married and not have to back that up, or do I have to tell them I am Charli Maiden until I officially change my name? I don't remember proving my name last time I moved in somewhere, but I can't see that you could ring up and give them any old name!!

Am I over thinking this? I just think it would look best if we have bills in both our names, but the one last name as soon as possible.

You can just call, but be prepared that not all will allow more than one name on a bill.  If you have to you can spread the bills out in both your names.

You can just call, but be prepared that not all will allow more than one name on a bill.  If you have to you can spread the bills out in both your names.

We're both on the water bill now, and the council tax bill.  I'm on the gas/electricity bill.

The bank and my employer were the only official types that I needed to use the marriage certificate with (outside of some things like national insurance).  All my other bills just took the info over the phone with no ID at all.

I'm the UKC and when i changed my name for things like water, council tax and utilities they just did it over the phone no proof required. I also added DH at the same time. I wanted to change my virgin media account name but they wanted to charge me £20 so i didnt bother..... I also still have a credit card in my maiden name.....So im a bit of married and a bit of maiden!

A piece of advice for anyone moving in with a UKC who currently lives on their own. If they are recieving the 25% off council tax benefit for sole occupancy - make sure you phone up immediately and get this changed! Obviously getting added to the council tax bill is one way to do this!