# Maximum Stay Per Year on Visitor Visa



## Tawn (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi all,

So after all this time my UKC hubby and I (USC) are finally gathering our documents to apply for our settlement visa! As I was looking through some forums today, I saw that someone posted that you are only allowed to stay a total of 6 months on a visitor visa in a 12 month period!? Whereas my experience at the border and all information I had ever gotten was just that you could only stay 6 months per visit, and never about how many "days per year"....

In my case, I have been going back and forth from the UK and US for the last 12 months. 

ie:
-3 months last May-Aug 2010
-returned to US for 5 weeks
-2 months last Sept-Nov 2010
-returned to US for 2 weeks with hubby to get married in early Dec.
-7 weeks early Dec-end Jan. 2011
-returned to US for 2 1/2 months (in hopes of applying for visa at this time but we decided to put it on hold till hubby got full-time job, which he has had for last 3 months!)
-this trip will be a total of 3 months from early Apr-early July 2011 by the time I go home to apply for the settlement visa on July 7th.

Will this be problematic with our application? I had never even thought about this since I specifically made sure I complied with the lengths of my tourist visa waiver and always made sure to spend extended lengths of time in the US when I went back. I also never had any problems at the border with customs because I continue to have a job in the US (which I work with online) in digital marketing and I was always able to prove my intent to leave. 

All of a sudden today, after everything we have been through, I am unsure whether the ECO will say I have "frustrated immigration law" by coming for multiple short visits over the year which add up to more than 6 months out of 12. I looked on the ukvisas website and it says it is "recommended" to keep it to 6 months out of 12... Any one with insight, I would be SO grateful!

Tawn


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## Shelby (Feb 9, 2011)

Tawn said:


> Hi all,
> 
> So after all this time my UKC hubby and I (USC) are finally gathering our documents to apply for our settlement visa! As I was looking through some forums today, I saw that someone posted that you are only allowed to stay a total of 6 months on a visitor visa in a 12 month period!? Whereas my experience at the border and all information I had ever gotten was just that you could only stay 6 months per visit, and never about how many "days per year"....
> 
> ...


Tawn, Im not expert but...

You were honest/upfront and they let you in and a future settlement visa should be ok. From what I gather, even if you overstay it doesn't stop you from getting a spouse settlement visa in the future anyway.

It still wouldn't stop me worrying about it though so I know it's of little help...


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Tawn said:


> Hi all,
> 
> So after all this time my UKC hubby and I (USC) are finally gathering our documents to apply for our settlement visa! As I was looking through some forums today, I saw that someone posted that you are only allowed to stay a total of 6 months on a visitor visa in a 12 month period!? Whereas my experience at the border and all information I had ever gotten was just that you could only stay 6 months per visit, and never about how many "days per year"....
> 
> ...


You are right in saying there is no absolute rule that states you can only stay 6 months in a year, but that's what UKBA use as a guideline. The fact that you have been given leave to enter each time, and haven't overstayed your 6 months, is a good indication. I wouldn't have thought your frequent visits will count against you in your settlement visa application, as you have been keeping in touch with your husband and haven't broken any conditions of your stay.


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## Tawn (Aug 31, 2010)

Thanks so much for replying guys! That is definitely giving me some piece of mind tonight.

As I am sure you can appreciate, every new thing sends us into a tizzy of worry  I certainly can't wait for this last month of preparing to be over and (hopefully!) to have our settlement visa done and dusted for good! 

As always, I am so grateful to have found this site and the support and information it provides!

Tawn


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## Shelby (Feb 9, 2011)

Tawn said:


> Thanks so much for replying guys! That is definitely giving me some piece of mind tonight.
> 
> As I am sure you can appreciate, every new thing sends us into a tizzy of worry  I certainly can't wait for this last month of preparing to be over and (hopefully!) to have our settlement visa done and dusted for good!
> 
> ...



Good luck Tawn, I got an email today saying my spouse visa has been issued, I was the same, worrying about everything.

I visited my husband in the UK for 6 months and applied for the spouse visa the day after I arrived back in the US. Here I am, exactly one week later and have a visa on the way.

Now if only I was 21, I wouldn't have to be apart from my husband for another 10 weeks.


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