Pianoscore wrote:
In regards to settling in another EU country first, could you elaborate please? How would that help?
It's an EU thing and rather puzzling when you first hear it.
When an EU national wants to bring a non-EEA spouse to their own country (in your case: UK), domestic (in your case: UK) immigration law applies which means, among other things, satisfying financial, accommodation and relationship requirements and often, when the UK national is outside of the UK it also means returning without family first, finding a job that pays above the minimum requirement and working in that job for at least six months before they can apply for a spouse visa. Your wife would also have to prove that she speaks English at an A1 level. Visa fees are also crippling to be honest.
BUT when an EU national is living and working in an EU country that he is not a national of, EU immigration law applies to him, which is much simpler than any of the domestic laws in any EU country.
For example, I am German, living in the UK and the first time we moved to England it took my husband two weeks to get his visa as a family member of an EEA national and it was issued free of charge.
So, if you would decide to move to, say, the Republic of Ireland or Malta (might be easier for you as English speaking countries) or Spain (might be easier for your wife and stepson but beware - the economy is in a bad situation) you would not have to show finances or a job first but you would be able to take them along, going to that country as a jobseeker. Within 90 days of arriving your family then applies for residence cards as family members of an EEA national. These cards are valid for 5 years and allow unrestricted access to the job market. After five years they can then either apply for an indefinite permit or get another 5 year card.
Now. Here's the catch. You will need to exercise treaty rights in that country to be allowed to settle: working, being self-employed or studying. Since I assume that working is anyhow in the cards, that shouldn't be too horrible, though?
You might want to look around the Europe and EEA Route forums.
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