Self-employment financials/visa refusal

Thank you. This is all very helpful. 

Since we'll now be considered not straightforward for any future application, can we expect another 69BD wait for a spouse visa app? Or is February a better time and it would likely be shorter?

Would it be useful to do priority, or not?

I don't relish all this waiting, but I just don't see how we could make it work now.

Since we'll now be considered not straightforward for any future application, can we expect another 69BD wait for a spouse visa app? Or is February a better time and it would likely be shorter?

It's unlikely to take that long unless you end up stuck in a summer backlog again.

February time is likely to be much faster... 'normal' processing times (when there's no backlog) are about 1-2 weeks for priority applications and 2-4 weeks for non-priority.

With a previous refusal, you could expect it to take maybe 1-2 weeks longer than 'normal'... so maybe 2-4 weeks priority and 3-6 weeks non-priority.

Would it be useful to do priority, or not?

I don't relish all this waiting, but I just don't see how we could make it work now.

If you can afford priority, I would go for it.

I know they don't recommend using priority if you have a previous refusal, but that's just because they can't guarantee a fast decision and don't want people complaining that it's taking too long.

However, by paying for priority, you're still getting your application opened and looked at quicker than non-priority, so in that sense, it's probably worth it.

It's unlikely to take that long unless you end up stuck in a summer backlog again.

February time is likely to be much faster... 'normal' processing times (when there's no backlog) are about 1-2 weeks for priority applications and 2-4 weeks for non-priority.

With a previous refusal, you could expect it to take maybe 1-2 weeks longer than 'normal'... so maybe 2-4 weeks priority and 3-6 weeks non-priority.

If you can afford priority, I would go for it.

I know they don't recommend using priority if you have a previous refusal, but that's just because they can't guarantee a fast decision and don't want people complaining that it's taking too long.

However, by paying for priority, you're still getting your application opened and looked at quicker than non-priority, so in that sense, it's probably worth it.

Well, there's so good news!

My husband and I are still crunching numbers, trying to figure out a way to get me back in the UK. It's crazy because he made over 75K in the last calendar year, but, because it's self-employment income, we can't seem to prove it to the UK's satisfaction or prove that it will continue without a longer contract from the university.

I read on another thread that we can use his pension as savings if it's fully vested. He has a large pension in Australia (he calls it a super annuation fund), what does it mean to be "fully vested" for the application? Or, could someone explain this route to me in case it's an avenue for us?

I read on another thread that we can use his pension as savings if it's fully vested. He has a large pension in Australia (he calls it a super annuation fund), what does it mean to be "fully vested" for the application? Or, could someone explain this route to me in case it's an avenue for us?

Yes, you can use pension savings under Category D: Cash Savings - which is why I kept asking if either of you have any pension savings fund, because savings is the absolute easiest way to meet the requirements.

Fully vested means that you are entitled to withdraw the full amount at any time. The pension funds usually have to be held for a certain number of years before they become fully vested.

If you can show that the funds in the pension account can be immediately accessed and withdrawn in full (with or without penalty), you can use them to meet Category D.

To meet the requirements you need to have at least £62,500 in the account, which has been held in full for at least 6 months.


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One other thing: if he has 13,044 of yearly pension disbursements, we need to have 2.5 times the remainder in savings. So, that would be 13,890? Is this correct?

Thanks so much!!

Yes, you can use pension savings under Category D: Cash Savings - which is why I kept asking if either of you have any pension savings fund, because savings is the absolute easiest way to meet the requirements.

Fully vested means that you are entitled to withdraw the full amount at any time.

If you can show that the funds in the pension account can be immediately accessed and withdrawn in full with or without penalty), you can use them.

To meet the requirements you need to have at least £62,500 in the account, which has been held in full for at least 6 months.


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Thanks! I've passed that on. Sorry, I didn't understand before. I need to get my hubby on my login because I'm passing this stuff on and it's becoming like a bad game of telephone.

One other thing: if he has 13,044 of yearly pension disbursements, we need to have 2.5 times the remainder in savings. So, that would be 13,890? Is this correct?

Thanks so much!!

Not quite - they don’t count the first £16,000 of savings and then on top of that, you need 2.5 x the difference between his pension income and £18,600.

So, as I said above, you need £29,890 in pension savings (£16,000 + (2.5 x £5,556)) to meet the requirement.




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Not quite - they don’t count the first £16,000 of savings and then on top of that, you need 2.5 x the difference between his pension income and £18,600.

So, as I said above, you need £29,890 in pension savings (£16,000 + (2.5 x £5,556)) to meet the requirement.




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Well this won't work. He's not fully vested for a few more years. Darn.

Okay, we'll keep thinking and reading the guidelines. Thank you!

In the meantime, my husband is still pushing for me to try to get a Standard Visitor visa for the holidays and our first wedding anniversary in January. I can prove I've lived at my parents' house in the US since Sept 2016 (though I was on a tourist visa in the UK for almost 6 months in 2017). I also have a work conference I must attend in Feb in the States. I read the other requirements about income, etc, and I believe we have that covered. We thought we could try for mid-December to end of January, 6 weeks. Any chance that might fly, and would you help us put it together if you think it's a possibility?

Well this won't work. He's not fully vested for a few more years. Darn.

Are you thinking he has to be retirement age before he’s fully vested?  As that’s not the case.  Usually you are fully invested after a year or two of working for the employer. 

What you need to know is the amount you could withdrawal from the pension this week.  BEFORE tax penalties for early withdrawal.

You wouldn’t have to withdrawal the funds, just have the ability to do so.

Are you thinking he has to be retirement age before he’s fully vested?  As that’s not the case.  Usually you are fully invested after a year or two of working for the employer. 

What you need to know is the amount you could withdrawal from the pension this week.  BEFORE tax penalties for early withdrawal.

You wouldn’t have to withdrawal the funds, just have the ability to do so.

He tells me there's 130K that is vested, but he's only allowed to take 10% of that total each year, which he already withdrew in July when he took the 13,044. The other monies in his superfund are tied up in an investment and not available at the moment.

Is there any option to withdrawal more than 10% in a year?  I would hope so, just that there would be a huge financial penalty.

Remember, you won't have to do that, it just will allow you to meet the requirements for the visa!

Is there any option to withdrawal more than 10% in a year?  I would hope so, just that there would be a huge financial penalty.

Remember, you won't have to do that, it just will allow you to meet the requirements for the visa!

We're checking. My husband thinks no, that in Australia they won't let you touch it as a way to keep you from getting at it. My hubby's going to ask his financial advisor this week.