Benefits and Fiancee Visa

Hello...

Looking for some advice, please. My long-term girlfriend (South Korean) and I are planning on getting married - we'd like to apply for settlement. However, I'm currently caring for my ill mother in the family home and I receive income support and carer's allowance. My girlfriend and I would continue living here for the foreseeable future (and my father will write a letter of support, saying he'll provide for my gf) but I'm worried that my benefits would affect her visa application...recourse to public funds, etc.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Maxy

Please say more about your fiancée. Where is she now? In her country? Or in the UK, and if so what is her UK immigration status? What sort of visa?

The ages of the two of you?

Sorry, should have given more information - here goes.

I'm 34 and she's a South Korean national currently in South Korea; she's 36. We're thinking about applying for a fiancee settlement visa - she (hopefully) can come over and then we'll get married, after which we'll apply for FLR. She has already spent six months in the UK as a visitor and left in January of this year.

Thanks in advance.

Thanks for that. When she comes over here, and after the fiancée visa has been converted into a spouse visa, what sort of work will she hope to get? Does she have any particular skills or qualifications?

Or might she start looking after your mother, and then you can go out to work? If yes, what sort of amount would you hope to earn?

John wrote:Thanks for that. When she comes over here, and after the fiancée visa has been converted into a spouse visa, what sort of work will she hope to get? Does she have any particular skills or qualifications?

Or might she start looking after your mother, and then you can go out to work? If yes, what sort of amount would you hope to earn?

Thanks for your message.

Yes, that's exactly what we've been thinking - if she comes over then she can stay at home and I can (fingers crossed) work and support the two of us. I sorely miss working but I simply can't at the moment, my mum requires 24 hour care.

As for work she could get, it would probably be hospitality; she's worked in a couple of hotels in Seoul and has good references. But she's not fussy, she knows how hard it is over here to find work so she'd be happy to do anything really. She's not qualified at anything, however.

As for me, I don't know - I've been out of the UK for a long time, several years, so I wouldn't think I'd be earning that much. Realistically, I don't know, about 16k I'd imagine.

Thanks again.

How much savings do the two of you have?

John wrote:How much savings do the two of you have?

Sorry to sound like a troll, but how much do you think they have in savings? He has his income support and she worked (pass tense I note from his wording) in hospitality in Korea where the average wage is below the poverty line in the UK.

SSEF, so if they have no savings, how will they pay for the visa application? The flights to the UK?

The fact is that even someone with some savings might well still be entitled to claim Income Support.

Savings? Not a lot. My girlfriend is currently working part-time at her brother's coffee shop.

So after paying for the visa application, and her flight to the UK, what amount of savings are we talking about? Roughly how much?

John wrote:So after paying for the visa application, and her flight to the UK, what amount of savings are we talking about? Roughly how much?

About £1000. Not a lot.

Presumably with no housing costs to take into account, even that £1000 will help. But do make it clear that assuming the visa is granted, one of you will be going out to work, and that can even apply while she is still on a fiancée visa, because while she cannot do paid work at that stage, there is nothing to stop you going out to work, and her taking over the caring duties.

John wrote:Presumably with no housing costs to take into account, even that £1000 will help. But do make it clear that assuming the visa is granted, one of you will be going out to work, and that can even apply while she is still on a fiancée visa, because while she cannot do paid work at that stage, there is nothing to stop you going out to work, and her taking over the caring duties.

Thanks John. Yes, that's a good idea and something we'll definitely make clear in the application, that by being here I'll be able to go out to work while she takes over at home.

Much obliged for all your help

John wrote:Presumably with no housing costs to take into account, even that £1000 will help. But do make it clear that assuming the visa is granted, one of you will be going out to work, and that can even apply while she is still on a fiancée visa, because while she cannot do paid work at that stage, there is nothing to stop you going out to work, and her taking over the caring duties.

I didn't think the rules for visas differentiated between paid work and unpaid work. Does caring for a person who at least to begin with is not even related by marriage count as work?

djb123 wrote:

John wrote:Presumably with no housing costs to take into account, even that £1000 will help. But do make it clear that assuming the visa is granted, one of you will be going out to work, and that can even apply while she is still on a fiancée visa, because while she cannot do paid work at that stage, there is nothing to stop you going out to work, and her taking over the caring duties.

I didn't think the rules for visas differentiated between paid work and unpaid work. Does caring for a person who at least to begin with is not even related by marriage count as work?

Thanks for all your help, everyone, it's much appreciated.

I have another question regarding my finances as the sponsor - I'm receiving benefits and have very little in the way of savings so do I still need to include my bank statments with the application?

Thanks in advance:)

Sorry, the answer is .... yes.

John wrote:Sorry, the answer is .... yes.

OK, that's fine, just so I know - thank you.

Hello again, just realised that no one's answered my question - if possible, could someone please let me know whether my receiving carer's allowance (classed as a public fund) means I won't be able to sponsor my girlfriend for a fiancee visa.

Thank you.

Given you are British (I assume, please confirm) it is not a problem you claiming those benefits. However that does not automatically mean that the financial test will be passed; that is a separate matters.

John wrote:Given you are British (I assume, please confirm) it is not a problem you claiming those benefits. However that does not automatically mean that the financial test will be passed; that is a separate matters.

Thanks, John, for your reply. Yes, I am British. And I'm relieved that it's not a problem me receiving those benefits - I was worried when I just read through the funds section again.

My father has offered to support my girlfriend financially while she's here, prior to her altering her immigration status (flr (m)) but I'm concerned that my bank statements will far from impress the ECO.