US citizen needing to renew my spouses visa

n8daag · Post by **n8daag** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 12:47 pm

Hello all, I hope the question I'm about to ask hasn't been answered somewhere else on the board and I was just not thourough enough in my search to find it but my question is:

I'm a US citizen married to a UK citizen I received my visa in Nov. 05 and actually entered on Christmas day the same year, because of this i will be under 2 years in the UK when my visa expires and as far as i know unable to apply for ILR(however that is now irrellevant as even if i was eligible I cannot afford Â£750 this year).

Can someone please tell me where I can find info on renewing my visa as I have looked all over and all I can seem to find is new applications?

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 1:58 pm

You can apply for FLR (Further Leave to Remain) if you do not meet the criteria for ILR. Have you taken the Life in the UK test yet? You won't need it for an FLR application but just keep in mind that you will have to take and pass it before you do make an application for ILR in the future.
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/applyi ... tionforms/

I think you would need to make the application using form FLR(M) but I'm not 100% sure. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

n8daag · Post by **n8daag** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:27 pm

no I haven't taken the Life in the UK test yet and I have yet to find anything definite that says whether I will need to or not but either way i will take it asap because i will ultimately need to to get ILR,

I've missed out on eligibility for ILR by 4 days as a person can apply within 28 days of the 2 year anniversary date of entry into the UK but my current visa expires 32 days before my two year anniversary.

Thanks for the link i believe that form to be exactly what I need.

sakura · Post by **sakura** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:14 pm

n8daag wrote:no I haven't taken the Life in the UK test yet and I have yet to find anything definite that says whether I will need to or not but either way i will take it asap because i will ultimately need to to get ILR,

I've missed out on eligibility for ILR by 4 days as a person can apply within 28 days of the 2 year anniversary date of entry into the UK but my current visa expires 32 days before my two year anniversary.

Thanks for the link i believe that form to be exactly what I need.

You will need to take the Life in the UK test. Everyone does (ages 18 to 65, in fit mental condition, etc). If you don't take it and still apply for ILR, it'll be rejected outright, even if all other conditions are met. So do make sure you take it before applying!

yankeegirl · Post by **yankeegirl** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:19 pm

Absolutely true Sakura, but the OP is planning on applying for FLR as he stated he falls a few days short of the ILR time requirement and does not have the Â£ for the ILR application. The test is not needed for a FLR app but definitely is needed when he is eligible to apply for ILR down the road.

sakura · Post by **sakura** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:41 pm

yankeegirl wrote:Absolutely true Sakura, but the OP is planning on applying for FLR as he stated he falls a few days short of the ILR time requirement and does not have the Â£ for the ILR application. The test is not needed for a FLR app but definitely is needed when he is eligible to apply for ILR down the road.

my bad. I didn't read the last part of the OP's sentence "but either way i will take it asap because i will ultimately need to to get ILR"!!!

Oops

Yes, you definately don't need the test for FLR!

Wanderer · Post by **Wanderer** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:52 pm

Even FLR is 400 quid tho, 600 in person...

Can u not find the extra 350? Otherwise it's gonna end up costing 1150 over time....

n8daag · Post by **n8daag** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:05 pm

I could possibly get the extra cash from my in-laws, however, my visa runs out 4 days before i would be eligible to apply so i'll just have to get another temp visa and apply next year.

SYH · Post by **SYH** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:19 pm

n8daag wrote:I could possibly get the extra cash from my in-laws, however, my visa runs out 4 days before i would be eligible to apply so i'll just have to get another temp visa and apply next year.

You are american and you don't understand the concept of credit??? That's why the dollar is at its lowest value today. Its every red blooded American's god given right to charge for anything and everything where possible even if we don't have the finances to back it up

Take your credit card and charge for your visa application. It will definitely cost you more if you let the visa expire as you will have to apply again anyway and leave the country so that would be the cost of a round trip airplane ticket. So suck it up, go to the inlaws, start begging on the street but get the money to apply and send it overnight mail, its the weekend now so I don't know when you plan to send it in but now sounds like a good idea.

Side note:
Personally I would have applied for the ILR with 32 days ahead of time and taken that chance except for the fact that you didn't take the life in the uk test.

VictoriaS · Post by **VictoriaS** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:30 pm

better idea...borrow the money, pay by cheque. The cheque will take a few days to clear so that by the time it is with the caseworker it will be within the 28 days, and you will qualify....

Victoria

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US citizen needing to renew my spouses visa

US citizen needing to renew my spouses visa