INVITING MY SO TO MY HOME COUNTRY UK

The main obstacle for me was money, lots of it.
I went back to the UK in 2017 as i could get no work this side of the world, as things turned out i gave up the job in 2019 and we returned to PH.
As it was 5 years ago i can't remember the costs of everything but i have to assume it has not reduced.
My wife was in the UK on a 6 month visit visa so we started the application in May 1917, i took one look at the online application form and decided to get the help of an immigration lawyer, we filled out the form in his office and he also wrote a letter endorsing her application, cost around £800.
English test done in Glasgow, around £150, test lasts 5 min.
The application cost was around £1500.
NHS fee £600, this is to cover any medical treatment she might need.
Now this was the one i really could not get my head around, TB test, OK BUT it has to be done in her home country.
The visa was approved in October 1917 but it only lasts 2.5 years then you have to apply again including another English test as if she might forget how to speak English,
this one if approved lasts another 2.5 then you can apply for permanent (hoops unknown)
This was our experience, yours will obviously be different as you have a son so best of luck.

Best send them to France to get one of those small boats across the channel, they will get a free hotel until you can pick them up LOL (Joke lang)

 

Thank you for your information this is valuable to me, would you suggest it better for me to get the family over on a short term visit and then do the longer term Family Visa or just jump into the long term one which would seem the logical approach to this?

 

get them there to you in the easiest way possible, then do your battling from within, UK is pretty liberal and won't deport anyone on an even and honest endeavor.......we in Ireland just need to get them here on a tourist visa then before the visa expires just take them to the police and reigster and it's done, just go down the route of tourist visa, the pounce once they are with you

 

Unless the rules have changed regarding the TB test must be done in PH then i would suggest they get a TB test before they come on a short term visa to save double travelling costs.
I was looking at flight costs as i have a wedding to attend next year and the best i could see was £2000 return, used to be around £1000 before the plague descended on us

 

My friend met and married his wife in Hong Kong although she is Filipna.
They had little trouble in obtaining a spouse visa from there, however it was not an indefinite visa, that came later, then came British Citizenship.
All in all cost an arm and a leg and keeps rising every year. If she has a medical/carer certificate it would increase her chances of obtaining a visa sooner, the NHS is crying out for staff.

 

As I've considered this and parked £70k in an account to show savings. This has to remain untouched for 6 months. The UK makes this all very difficult as of course it would do! When I looked into it, it was a headache to say the least. All sorts of monies along the way and many many years before the final and full OK. There are apparently 200,000 Filipinos in the UK so clearly it can be done. That said I expect most of those were from many years ago and things have definitely been tightened up. Remember that many not all Tories don't like really foreigners and no I'm not joking as in private they tell me so.

I did consider getting the 5 or 10 year visa, can't recall the exact name, but it allows multiple entries but of 6 months max duration a time. You must leave and then return. So come the winter here she or you all can visit the Philippines, assuming of course that you have the flight funds etc.

There are various agencies in London one especially that gaurenteed 100% success and many reviews seemed to confirm this. I researched this a while back. The one I mentioned here was very helpful and knowledgable. If you want this contact pm me.

There are also NHS fees to pay btw.
Post Brexit the UK PP is not such a valuable asset.

I have some other information from an agency in Bacolod which seemed relevant?
I'll dig out and post shortly....

My wife has visited the UK on 5 separate occasions.
All as my then girl friend.

 

These fees are fair accurate. Small increase since.

These are from the agency in Bacolod.
I have not used them but their communications were good.

Fee Maximum length of stay
Standard Visitor visa £95 6 months
Standard Visitor visa for medical reasons £190 11 months
Standard Visitor visa for academics £190
12 months
2 year long-term Standard Visitor visa £361
6 months per visit
5 year long-term Standard Visitor visa £655
6 months per visit
10 year long-term Standard Visitor visa £822
6 months per visit

They have a fee to process which was very reasonable.

If you want their details let me know...

 

My wife whose Filipino has thinking about it told me of a friend another Filipino who has children of which I believe one is adopted. She has been turned down a few times, partly because there are a number of different departments that are involved in the process. Also I think she is still married to a Filipino, divorce being not really allowed generally speaking.

Last I heard they had to put a considerable sum for them (£68k is the amount to deter you) into an UK account to cover their living expenses. This is not required if you have a good regular income. However, they are still waiting to hear and I guess with the PP back log in the UK it won't happen quickly or at all if computer says no.

The Philippines in comparison is a breeze IMO.
And I believe the fuel bills in Dumaguete this coming winter will be not increased....

 

Hey Dave really happy you are taking Marissa and your son home, great news.

Not sure if same in Scotland but in Australia a lot of our friends came in on a study visa with kids as a dependant, Its cheap and fast. Once in the country then apply for a on shore partner visa. My wife was also on a study visa at first.

Good luck.

 

Any thoughts on if you can apply for just your son to stay?
Deal with that first
Then, maybe annulment will be done, work on bringing the girlfriend.
I am making the assumption your name is on his birth cert.