hi from a midwesterner looking to settle in cardiff

hi everyone. i'm hoping this website and forum will provide me with the support i've been needing. i already posted under visas to get advice about applying for the spouse visa but still waiting for response. i'm pretty stressed about the whole process and that next week i have to fly back to iowa for anywhere up to 5+ months and be seperated from my husband of 6 years.
if anyone wants to chat or give advice, that would be nice. thanks!
-jen

Hello Jen-fellow Iowan here!  I can not help with the spouse visa but be ready to roll with the punches.  Our Tier 2 Visa process was pretty straight forward but did come with a lot of stress of waiting and not wanting to mess it up.  If you have any questions about things in general... I'd be happy to help...just message.  Good luck!

Welcome!
I lived in Iowa for 3.5 years and had both of my girls there.  Where are you from?
As far as the visa stuff, I am not looking forward to that bit, but I can't really get started except to educate myself until closer to our move [20 months to go!] I've done a lot of prep on everything else, though!
Cardiff is nice--my FIL and his wife live in Barry and his inlaws are in Swansea, so I've spent some time there.  We put it on our list of places to maybe live, but it's looking more and more like London now, as my husband might be able to transfer and keep his same job [plus they'd pay for the move and save us lots of $$].
Just curious--why 5+ months?  That seems like a really long time to wait for a visa, and to be apart from your husband.

so cool to see fellow iowans! where are you two from? i grew up between des moines and ames but lived in des moines for 3 years before travelling south america for 5 months then coming to the UK. my husband didn't start his permanent position meeting the current income requirements until last month so, unless the law changes, i have to wait until he has been working in that position for 6 months before i can apply. i can't reenter the UK on a visitor visa since my current stay has been for 6 months. (plus it may cause some red flags anyway) = have to spend 5+ months apart my husband will come to visit me in the states if i'm away too long though. i'm just really hoping they will change the law this month as they're expected to. @Wren Black - it's good that you are preparing early. i do like cardiff. if you end up living here or visiting, send me a message.

Hello-  We are from Greenfield (southwest of Des Moines about 4 min.).  We also have family from up around your direction as well.  Too funny.  Your situation will sort itself out...hang in there.  All you can do is keep researching and be prepared.  I know Skype is not as good as a real visit...but it does help.   

so cool to see fellow iowans! where are you two from? i grew up between des moines and ames but lived in des moines for 3 years before travelling south america for 5 months then coming to the UK. my husband didn't start his permanent position meeting the current income requirements until last month so, unless the law changes, i have to wait until he has been working in that position for 6 months before i can apply. i can't reenter the UK on a visitor visa since my current stay has been for 6 months. (plus it may cause some red flags anyway) = have to spend 5+ months apart my husband will come to visit me in the states if i'm away too long though. i'm just really hoping they will change the law this month as they're expected to. @Wren Black - it's good that you are preparing early. i do like cardiff. if you end up living here or visiting, send me a message.

We lived in Cedar Rapids, but I have some friends from Ames
Ack! I understood that as soon as a UK citizen had a job meeting the financial requirements, that their spouse could apply for their visa! My husband makes enough money now, but it's here in the US. He told me that if he changed jobs [instead of transferring], he would just need to have the offer and proof that he accepted it. I am going to have to look into this more.  For both of our sakes, I hope our understanding is the correct one, or that the law changes!

We lived in Cedar Rapids, but I have some friends from Ames
Ack! I understood that as soon as a UK citizen had a job meeting the financial requirements, that their spouse could apply for their visa! My husband makes enough money now, but it's here in the US. He told me that if he changed jobs [instead of transferring], he would just need to have the offer and proof that he accepted it. I am going to have to look into this more.  For both of our sakes, I hope our understanding is the correct one, or that the law changes!

Your understanding is correct and you are fine to meet the requirements that way. It sounds like the OP is applying under a slightly different requirement to you based on their personal circumstances.

There are two ways to meet this requirement, depending on whether the UK citizen has been living and working abroad or not.

Option 1
The UK citizen has been living with you in the US and is moving back to the UK with you. In which case, he must meet 2 requirements:

1) he has earned at least £18,600 in the US in the previous 12 months
AND
2) he has a job offer in the UK, paying at least £18,600 per year and starting within 3 months of moving back to the UK.

Option 2
The UK citizen is living in the UK (or has just moved back) and has NOT earned £18,600 in the previous 12 months before applying. In which case he must meet 1 requirement:

a) He has been working in a UK job paying at least £18,600 per year for at least 6 months.

Wren Black, in your situation you can presumably qualify under option 1 as long as your husband has earned enough in the US in the last 12 months.

jendali, as your husband has only just got a UK job, I'm assuming he hasn't earned £18,600 in the last 12 months and so you can only qualify under option 2.

HI .... Still new here (3rd post woohoo)

Im actually from Las Vegas NV and waiting on my Spouse Visa so I can get back to my Hubby of almost 3 years in Wales (Cardiff)

We met online back in 2003/2004 ... Finally met in person when I took a leap of faith and went to visit him for 2 weeks in March of 2010 ... Been going back & forth from there to here every 6 months since December of 2010 and Married in November 2011, And I am STILL going back & forth... Only with us its me always going Back & Forth so its a full 6 months before we get to see each other again ... we finally met the financial requirments for my Visa so that is what we are waiting for ... The whole Visa process is a headache and seems like we hit every bump in the road ...

Gosh! I can't believe they'd separate families like that for so long!  I hope you all meet the requirements soon and can be reunited permanently. I miss my husband when we are apart for more than a few hours.  Even after 8.5 years together   I did do some further research and as we already meet the financial requirements we will be fine. I got really scared, though. Good luck in Cardiff, all.  I'd like to get back there soon.