# family visitor visa- financial requirements?



## ceburger (Apr 27, 2012)

My husband and I were married in June this year and had since then been preparing documents and getting everything in order for the spouse visa. He makes less than the sponsor maintenance requirement for that visa and his father (my father-in-law) had agreed to be our co-sponsor. we had the opportunity of sending it in before July, and of course we did not (I could not be more angry with myself). So now the spouse visa is out of the question, however, I've been looking into a 6-month family visitor visa and have not been able to find exact numbers for financial support requirements on both the applicant's and sponsor's part. Would anyone care to shed some light as to the amount of savings/salaries the UKBA is looking for when granting a family visitor visa? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

ceburger said:


> My husband and I were married in June this year and had since then been preparing documents and getting everything in order for the spouse visa. He makes less than the sponsor maintenance requirement for that visa and his father (my father-in-law) had agreed to be our co-sponsor. we had the opportunity of sending it in before July, and of course we did not (I could not be more angry with myself). So now the spouse visa is out of the question, however, I've been looking into a 6-month family visitor visa and have not been able to find exact numbers for financial support requirements on both the applicant's and sponsor's part. Would anyone care to shed some light as to the amount of savings/salaries the UKBA is looking for when granting a family visitor visa?


As an American, you don't need a visa as such. Just arrive in UK with your passport, and provided you meet the requirements, usually a six-month stay is given by means of a stamp.
You may not be asked any questions about your finance, but just carry a letter from your husband stating he will bear all the cost of your stay. Carry his recent bank statement for a good measure, just to show he has the means to do so.

The only potenntial problem is as you are now married, they may suspect you may not return home and get a job just to prolong your stay. So make sure you have a return plane ticket (properly paid for R/T ticket - a copy of your e-ticket receipt, for example) and strong ties at home, such as a job (letter from your employer granting you holiday or leave of absence, and stating when you are expected back).


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## ceburger (Apr 27, 2012)

I have been reading other forums about this and a few posts have mentioned that even though we are allowed to stay for up to 6 months, if our return flight home is scheduled exactly 6 months later, they could potentially change our visa for a shorter stay. Because I'm married to a British citizen, could this be enough reason for them to do this?

I want to stay for the full 6 months, and while I'm there I plan on filling my time with online school (through an American community college) and staying with my husband. I know I shouldn't volunteer information if I'm not asked, however I feel like every time I go through any border, the officer ALWAYS asks what my purposes are. Are my chances likely of getting through if I say I'm just visiting family? I'm scared of either not giving enough information or giving too much.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

ceburger said:


> I have been reading other forums about this and a few posts have mentioned that even though we are allowed to stay for up to 6 months, if our return flight home is scheduled exactly 6 months later, they could potentially change our visa for a shorter stay. Because I'm married to a British citizen, could this be enough reason for them to do this?
> 
> I want to stay for the full 6 months, and while I'm there I plan on filling my time with online school (through an American community college) and staying with my husband. I know I shouldn't volunteer information if I'm not asked, however I feel like every time I go through any border, the officer ALWAYS asks what my purposes are. Are my chances likely of getting through if I say I'm just visiting family? I'm scared of either not giving enough information or giving too much.


To stay the full 6 months - and you have to state on immigration form how long you intend to stay, you must have sufficient finance (letter from your husband underwriting your entire costs), return ticket and strong ties at home, such as a job. If you have all three, you are unlikely to be turned away or given shorter stay, unless you have bad immigration history or they suspect you aren't telling them the whole truth.


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## Mymorg (Aug 14, 2012)

Okay, so just to clarify- I'm also in a similar situation except I married my husband in South Korea, which is now our home. He's from England and I'm from America respectively. We do NOT make enough money to move to England, so we've chosen to move to Prague instead. There we can both get work and we'll be a bit closer to his family. We intend to leave South Korea in a few months, but we'd like to visit his family for a few months before we move to Prague. The problem is, while we have some savings, I will not have any proof of obligations back home because I haven't been living there for over a year- I also don't yet have a job in Prague. So, is it impossible for me to even set foot in the UK? We intend to move there eventually if we can ever make enough money to apply for a spouse visa, but as of now were stateless. I have no family in America but for a few aunts and he can't rerun to England because he doesn't make enough money to bring me... We just want to visit! Any advice?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Mymorg said:


> Okay, so just to clarify- I'm also in a similar situation except I married my husband in South Korea, which is now our home. He's from England and I'm from America respectively. We do NOT make enough money to move to England, so we've chosen to move to Prague instead. There we can both get work and we'll be a bit closer to his family. We intend to leave South Korea in a few months, but we'd like to visit his family for a few months before we move to Prague. The problem is, while we have some savings, I will not have any proof of obligations back home because I haven't been living there for over a year- I also don't yet have a job in Prague. So, is it impossible for me to even set foot in the UK? We intend to move there eventually if we can ever make enough money to apply for a spouse visa, but as of now were stateless. I have no family in America but for a few aunts and he can't rerun to England because he doesn't make enough money to bring me... We just want to visit! Any advice?


Again, provided you can meet the financial and other requirements, you should be given leave to enter for up to 6 months. Now in circumstances like yours, what the immigration officer will be looking for includes evidence of leaving UK, such as onward plane ticket to Czech Republic, reasons for going there (such as potential job offers, enclosing suitable job ads) and enough money available for your maintenance while in UK. This can be savings, bank statement or offer of hopitality from relatives in writing. You may not be asked for any the proofs, but you should still carry them on your person just in case.


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## ashkevron (May 1, 2012)

Joppa said:


> To stay the full 6 months - and you have to state on immigration form how long you intend to stay, you must have sufficient finance (letter from your husband underwriting your entire costs), return ticket and strong ties at home, such as a job. If you have all three, you are unlikely to be turned away or given shorter stay, unless you have bad immigration history or they suspect you aren't telling them the whole truth.



Is it possible to get a UK visa for less than 6 months? I thought the minimum time they issue it for was 6 months? Or is this just for tourist/general visit type of visas? Quite a few times I applied for tourist/general visit visas (albeit from my own country) for just a few weeks and every time I received a visa valid for 6 months? Does it work differently for American citizens or for visas/permits issued at the border?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

ashkevron said:


> Is it possible to get a UK visa for less than 6 months? I thought the minimum time they issue it for was 6 months? Or is this just for tourist/general visit type of visas? Quite a few times I applied for tourist/general visit visas (albeit from my own country) for just a few weeks and every time I received a visa valid for 6 months? Does it work differently for American citizens or for visas/permits issued at the border?


Yes, but that's unusual for non-visa nationals like Americans. Normally, if you meet the requirements, you get stamped six months. Only occasionally, if they have some doubt but not enough to refuse you entry, they may restrict to a shorter period. This seems to happen with younger travellers with less convincing finances and vague travel plans, but not enough to disqualify from entering. Another thing they can do is to stamp six months, but put a tag on your database entry for a shorter period, so you are flagged up if you don't leave the country after a shorter period mandated by the immigration.

For visa nationals, the admission period can be more specific, like a week, a month etc.


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## Mymorg (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks a million, Joppa. And there I was, freaking and stressing about trying to obtain a family visitor visa in the middle of Korea. This is the most mind bendingly confusing process ever and so it's amazing that you're willing to help. You're like a superhero.


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