Tier-1 Dependent extenstion - airport imm officer suggetion

Hi

Thank you in advance for the knowledge that you are offering on this website.I would appreciate your reply for my question below.

I have aquired UK citizenship through Tier-1 route ( 2008 - 2013)

My wife joined me on May 2013 as Tier-1 depenedent. She got her first in-country extenstion for 3 years on Oct 2013. My ILR & Citizenship all done in this period.

Now I have to apply for my wife's visa extenstion for next 2 years as her current visa expires 4th Oct 2016. When she came back from india trip recently, the immigration officer at the MAN airport suggested her that she should not be in Tier-1 dependent visa and should apply for dependent of citizen etc.

I am aware that I have to get my wife visa as Tier-1 dependent for 5 years in order for her to eligible for ILR. But after imm officer suggestion at airprot, I got confused whether to extend her visa as Tier-1 dependent.

should I counitue applying her visa extenstion as Tier-1 dependent or should I apply a different which will break 5 year period.

waiting for your reply
thanks in advance

It's odd for Immigration Officers to suggest this.

If your wife wants to qualify for ILR in May 2018, then she should continue extending as a PBS dependant.

Thank you very much!

I will go ahead and apply her extension as PBS dependent.

Hi

Would you please mind answering another question? Thank you.

is my wife exempt from IHS surcharge just because I am a UK citizen now? (I think its a NO, just to confirm)

IHS website asking £600 although my wife only need 2 year PBS dependent extension. I hope they are going to refund £200 later on. Am I correct?

Thanks

yes need to pay IHS surcharge.
they will not refund.

Actually, refunds are discretionary. No harm in asking.

Thank you so much for your reply

I have applied online for my wife using pbs dependent - partner application. Also paid IHS surcharge.

After submission, the website only mentioned about sending supporting documents in the checklist within 15 working days. what about the paper application form? should my wife fill that as well?

Also in the application, there is no specific mention of whom the personal bank statement the maintaince funds should exist. Since my wife dependent on me, I can send my personal bank statement for past 90 days.
Am I right?

Thanks