Spouse Visa, husbands earnings outside of the UK

[OsakaG]

Hello,
I am from the UK and live in Japan with my Japanese wife and 2 children (both born in Japan).
We are thinking to move back to the UK, but there are many questions I have about how to go about it and particularly applying for a visa for my wife.
I have 2 main questions;
1. To apply for a Spouse Visa, I would need to earn 18,600 per year to support my wife, more with our children. If I am not working in the UK (as I live here in Japan) can I provide evidence of my current earnings from Japan, or do I need to secure a job in the UK before I apply?
2. I have a profitable English School here in Japan, if I were to remain in Japan and only my wife and children return can I still apply for the spouse visa and present my current earnings, as they well exceed the 18,600 required. I would support my family from Japan while they are in the UK.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks

[CR001]

Are you children not British by descent if you are British born? Or are you British by descent yourself?

You need only £18,600 for your wife if your children are British. More if they are not.

You can use overseas income if it meets the requirement AND you have a genuine job to start in the UK at the same level as a minimum within 3 months of arriving (and HO do check to verify this).

If you don't move back yourself, your wife doesn't qualify. The requirement is that you must also be present and settled in the UK and evidence of this will be required when she extends her visa after 2.5 years as well as the income requirement again.

[OsakaG]

Thank you for your reply.
My children are brutish by descent , so that part is a relief.
Securing a job and place to live before moving back to the uk will prove a tough ask.
Visa regulation may change as well after Brexit, if it ever happens.

[CR001]

Securing a job and place to live before moving back to the uk will prove a tough ask.

Do you have any savings?? If yes, how much??

Visa regulation may change as well after Brexit, if it ever happens.

Brexit does NOT affect the UK immigration rules routes. It affects EU citizens (non British) and their family using the EEA/EU Directive rules route.