# Tier 4 student visa to Spouse Visa?



## Anything (Jul 29, 2012)

Hello,



I'm from the US currently under a tier 4 student visa and have finished 1 year of university, I paid my first myself and the funding for my second year fell through. I applied for a FAFSA loan but it wouldn't cover nearly enough for tuition without a private loan so I can't afford to pay for my second year. My partner and I have known each other since 2010 and started official dating in Sept 2011 when I started school, I moved in with her in April. We are planning to get married but we reached a stumbling block, She is currently in temporary work and her job finishes in September. If we do get married can I switch to a spouse visa? If she found herself in benefits could we even get a visa? Would it be beneficial if I had a job lined up for after I was awarded a spouse visa (under tier 4 I am only allowed to work 20 hours).

Thank you.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Anything said:


> Hello,
> 
> 
> 
> I'm from the US currently under a tier 4 student visa and have finished 1 year of university, I paid my first myself and the funding for my second year fell through. I applied for a FAFSA loan but it wouldn't cover nearly enough for tuition without a private loan so I can't afford to pay for my second year. My partner and I have known each other since 2010 and started official dating in Sept 2011 when I started school, I moved in with her in April. We are planning to get married but we reached a stumbling block, She is currently in temporary work and her job finishes in September. If we do get married can I switch to a spouse visa? If she found herself in benefits could we even get a visa? Would it be beneficial if I had a job lined up for after I was awarded a spouse visa (under tier 4 I am only allowed to work 20 hours).


The rule is very simple: to get further leave to remain as spouse, your partner needs to be earning £18,600 a year. Shortfall can be covered by savings, but you need 2.5 times the missing amount plus £16,000. You can add your earnings as student. Your job offer is irrelevant.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Anything said:


> Hello,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What's the rush in getting married?

With the greatest of respect shouldn't you be concentrating on finishing your education, getting a job, building up your finances etc etc?

It costs money to obtain visas etc. Money is sounds like neither of you have.

If you are getting married in order to stay in the country unfortunately you just don't have the resources.


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## Everything (Jul 29, 2012)

I'm his partner in question, we've known each other for nearly two years, one year of which we waited before we actually met each other so we are not rushing. He is the person i want to spend the rest of my life with. 
As for resources the economic situation is not brilliant at the moment for anyone, i'm lucky that i have my job and that while it's pretty bad for other people it's put food on my table. The thing is the £18.600 that is required I don't even cover in my current job now and i'm paid quite well and as my partner pointed out im finishing as my contract is ending.
We asked for help for this forum after reading other people's post, we just wanted advice and Joppa provided even though it was something we already found out by ourselves. He would love to finish his education but it's becoming apparent that unless he takes out seriously extortionist private loan then continuing isn't possible.
Getting married is something we want to do before he goes back to the US, marriage is a serious decision and not one I or most people don't take pretty seriously.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Everything said:


> I'm his partner in question, we've known each other for nearly two years, one year of which we waited before we actually met each other so we are not rushing. He is the person i want to spend the rest of my life with.
> As for resources the economic situation is not brilliant at the moment for anyone, i'm lucky that i have my job and that while it's pretty bad for other people it's put food on my table. The thing is the £18.600 that is required I don't even cover in my current job now and i'm paid quite well and as my partner pointed out im finishing as my contract is ending.
> We asked for help for this forum after reading other people's post, we just wanted advice and Joppa provided even though it was something we already found out by ourselves. He would love to finish his education but it's becoming apparent that unless he takes out seriously extortionist private loan then continuing isn't possible.
> Getting married is something we want to do before he goes back to the US, marriage is a serious decision and not one I or most people don't take pretty seriously.






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