Hello everyone,
I just received my initial spouse visa (will be entering the UK in March), but will be working in my USA job for about 2 years. I will need to be back in the USA on business for about 90 -100 days each year. My UK spouse will probably come with me for some of these trips, but most of the time I will be traveling alone. As I look ahead, I have some questions:
If you are going to be living in the UK but working for a US employer, be sure to do your research first so that you know what you and your company are legally required to do. It can be a minefield in terms of employment and tax laws.
1. Will it cause problems for future visas for me to be out of the UK 90-100 days for each of the first two years?
2. My UK spouse and I would also like to travel together on holiday outside of the UK. That would be in addition to the time I need to be away on business. Is this a problem? What is the maximum time I can be away from the UK?
Although the purpose of the visa is for you to be living permanently in the UK, there is no official limit for the amount of time spent out of the country so you should be OK here especially as your absences will be for work or with your husband accompanying you.
Be sure to keep detailed records of your travels.
There is a limit for days out of the country when it comes to applying for citizenship but as yours will be in the first two years, that should be OK too.
The residency requirements if married to a British citizen.
Residency requirements
You should not have:
spent more than 270 days outside the UK during the 3 years before your application
spent more than 90 days outside the UK in the last 12 months
broken any UK immigration laws (for example living illegally in the UK)
You may be exempt from the residency requirements if your partner works abroad either for the UK government or an organisation closely linked to government.https://www.gov.uk/apply-citizenship-spouse
