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Topic: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?  (Read 507 times)

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Hello!

I just discovered there is a visa you can apply for when marrying a member of the British armed forces, but I'm having trouble finding much information about it. My future husband is a UK citizen and currently serving in the RAF. (I am a US citizen)

What are the differences between the two spouse visas?

TIA!!


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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2018, 08:12:10 PM »
Hi!
I’m in the exact same situation as you. I found this website, which I’ve found extremely helpful: https://aff.org.uk/advice/foreign-commonwealth/visas/

What I can’t find any information about is what the difference is if your future husband’s contract expires a few months before the five years to qualify you for ILR.
Married : 2/1/2019
Priority Spouse Online App Submitted : 6/3/2019
Biometrics appointment : 7/3/2019
Documents sent to NY : 7/3/2019
Docs received in Sheffield email : 11/3/2019
Decision made email: 23/5/2019
Visa Decision: 5/6/2019 Yes!!!!!


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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #2 on: October 06, 2018, 08:23:15 PM »
What I can’t find any information about is what the difference is if your future husband’s contract expires a few months before the five years to qualify you for ILR.

You will have to apply for an FLR(M) visa to bridge the gap between the end of service and the 5 years for ILR.

The Armed Forces spouse visa will be valid for either:
- 5 years
Or
- until the Armed Forces member’s end of service
... whichever is shorter

Also, there is no IHS surcharge to pay for the Armed Forces visa (though due to a system glitch you may have to pay it and then request a refund).


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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2018, 12:38:27 AM »
Dang! I was hoping there would be a few months grace period. At least we can still save on the IHS fee  :)

Do you happen to know what happens if he extends his service after my visa is granted? Will I be able to apply to extend, or will we still need to apply for a second visa by his original end date?
Married : 2/1/2019
Priority Spouse Online App Submitted : 6/3/2019
Biometrics appointment : 7/3/2019
Documents sent to NY : 7/3/2019
Docs received in Sheffield email : 11/3/2019
Decision made email: 23/5/2019
Visa Decision: 5/6/2019 Yes!!!!!


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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2018, 03:55:18 AM »
Dang! I was hoping there would be a few months grace period. At least we can still save on the IHS fee  :)

There is the usual 28-day grace period, same as all visas... but if the time to qualify for ILR will be longer than 28 days from the expiry, you’ll need another visa to bridge the gap.

Quote
Do you happen to know what happens if he extends his service after my visa is granted? Will I be able to apply to extend, or will we still need to apply for a second visa by his original end date?

I’m not sure, but I assume you’ll need to apply for FLR(AF) to extend:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-extend-stay-in-uk-hm-forces-form-flraf




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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #5 on: October 07, 2018, 05:40:26 AM »
Ok, thank you for the info! Wish we would have met just a few months earlier, could have saved us a few thousand. But such is life  :)
Married : 2/1/2019
Priority Spouse Online App Submitted : 6/3/2019
Biometrics appointment : 7/3/2019
Documents sent to NY : 7/3/2019
Docs received in Sheffield email : 11/3/2019
Decision made email: 23/5/2019
Visa Decision: 5/6/2019 Yes!!!!!


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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #6 on: October 07, 2018, 10:29:02 AM »
There is the usual 28-day grace period, same as all visas... but if the time to qualify for ILR will be longer than 28 days from the expiry, you’ll need another visa to bridge the gap.

I’m not sure, but I assume you’ll need to apply for FLR(AF) to extend:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/application-to-extend-stay-in-uk-hm-forces-form-flraf




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I thought they removed the grace period a year or two ago?


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Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #7 on: October 07, 2018, 10:43:14 AM »
I thought they removed the grace period a year or two ago?

They did, but that’s not what I was talking about. That grace period was after the visa expired but I meant the 28 days before you reach 5 years during which you can apply while your visa is still valid.

I.e. your visa could expire 28 days before you qualified and you could still apply for ILR on the expiry date.

Example:
Visa starts and you enter the UK: 1st Jan 2019
Visa expires: 4th Dec 2023
Can qualify for ILR on 4th Dec 2023

But if the visa expired before 4th Dec, you wouldn’t qualify for ILR without applying for an extension.


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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #8 on: October 07, 2018, 12:09:25 PM »
They did, but that’s not what I was talking about. That grace period was after the visa expired but I meant the 28 days before you reach 5 years during which you can apply while your visa is still valid.

I.e. your visa could expire 28 days before you qualified and you could still apply for ILR on the expiry date.

Example:
Visa starts and you enter the UK: 1st Jan 2019
Visa expires: 4th Dec 2023
Can qualify for ILR on 4th Dec 2023

But if the visa expired before 4th Dec, you wouldn’t qualify for ILR without applying for an extension.


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Ah, yes!


Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #9 on: October 07, 2018, 10:52:46 PM »
Lots of good info!!

Question - if my boyfriend stays in the RAF for three years after my visa, I know I’ll have to apply for the standard spouse visa to bridge the gap, but are the fees prorated at all? (Since the visa will be for two years until my IRL instead of 2.5 years)


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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2018, 11:47:03 PM »
Lots of good info!!

Question - if my boyfriend stays in the RAF for three years after my visa, I know I’ll have to apply for the standard spouse visa to bridge the gap, but are the fees prorated at all? (Since the visa will be for two years until my IRL instead of 2.5 years)

No, because your visa will be made valid for 2.5 years regardless. the length of FLR(M) does not vary. It is always issued for 30 months, regardless of how long you have left to get ILR... so even if you were only a couple of months short, you would still have to apply for and pay for a 2.5-year FLR(M) extension visa.

The only difference is that you can then apply for ILR as soon as you are eligible instead of waiting the whole 2.5 years.



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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #11 on: October 08, 2018, 11:24:25 AM »
We had someone have to bridge the gap for a matter of weeks before (as they hadn't passed the Life in the UK test).  That was an expensive mistake.   ;)


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Re: Difference between standard spouse visa and Armed Forces spouse visa?
« Reply #12 on: October 17, 2018, 11:33:04 PM »
Hello!

I just discovered there is a visa you can apply for when marrying a member of the British armed forces, but I'm having trouble finding much information about it. My future husband is a UK citizen and currently serving in the RAF. (I am a US citizen)

What are the differences between the two spouse visas?

TIA!!


https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-armed-forces


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