# Once I have my UK settlement visa, when do I have to travel to the UK?



## Luke Joseph (Jul 30, 2012)

Hi there everybody,

I am currently waiting for an answer for my settlement visa and I have been married to my British wife for 6 years, we have a son and we have everything covered so Im quite confident I will get it.

My problem is after I applied my Mother was diagnosed with cancer and has been given 6 months to live.

What I want to do is spend more time and the last Christmas with my Mother but I said in the application we plan to leave 3rd September and we should recieve the visa around the end of August.

What I need to know is from when the visa is issued, when do I have to arrive in the uk? Is there a time limit of how long I can stay in my country once I have recieved the visa before arriving in the uk? Could I loose my visa if I leave it for to long?

I can not seem to find any information on the internet about this.

Thank you very much for your help.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Luke Joseph said:


> Hi there everybody,
> 
> I am currently waiting for an answer for my settlement visa and I have been married to my British wife for 6 years, we have a son and we have everything covered so Im quite confident I will get it.
> 
> ...


Did you apply before or after 9 July?

You can enter anytime from the valid from date til the valid to date. However, if you enter more than 3 months after the valid from date basically you will have to pay to extend your visa an extra time before being able to apply for ILR.


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## Luke Joseph (Jul 30, 2012)

nyclon said:


> Did you apply before or after 9 July?
> 
> You can enter anytime from the valid from date til the valid to date. However, if you enter more than 3 months after the valid from date basically you will have to pay to extend your visa an extra time before being able to apply for ILR.


Hi, thank you very much for your reply. We were aware of the changes that took place so we applied before 9th July.

Is the 3 months considered the holiday time or something?

I've also read because we have been married for more than 4 years outside the uk I may be granted indefinate leave to enter and I won't have to apply for indefinate leave to remain later on. Does this change anything?

Thanks again.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

Luke Joseph said:


> Hi, thank you very much for your reply. We were aware of the changes that took place so we applied before 9th July.
> 
> Is the 3 months considered the holiday time or something?
> 
> ...



Because you have been married more than 4 years you may--emphasis on may--be issued a visa with KOL required which means that once you pass the Life in the UK test you can apply for ILR rather than having to fullfill a 2 year residency period before being able to apply.

The spouse visa pre 9 July was/will be issued for 27 months giving you 3 month's leeway to get to the UK.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Luke Joseph said:


> Hi, thank you very much for your reply. We were aware of the changes that took place so we applied before 9th July.
> 
> Is the 3 months considered the holiday time or something?
> 
> I've also read because we have been married for more than 4 years outside the uk I may be granted indefinate leave to enter and I won't have to apply for indefinate leave to remain later on. Does this change anything?


The 3 months is the extra time UKBA allow in arranging travel and relocation to UK. If you arrive in UK within 3 months of 'valid from' date of your visa, you will have enough time left on your visa to apply for your next leave, but if you delay your arrival by more than 3 months, you won't and have to get your present visa extended first.

If your visa has the designation 'KOL REQ', then, provided you first take and pass the Life in the UK test (only available in UK), you can apply for settlement straightaway without waiting two years. Under the old rules, some people in your position (being married 4+ years outside UK) have been issued with KOL REQ, while others were less lucky. If you don't get KOL REQ, you may like to contact the UKBA office that processed your visa and ask if you can be given that endorsement. While there is no guarantee you get it, you lose nothing by asking (except eating into the 3-month cushion if you are unsuccessful).


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