UK visa for my Japanese wife

[mcsilks]

Hello, I am a British citizen.

I have been living and working in Japan now for 18 years.

I want to move back to the UK in 2 years time with my Japanese wife (who has a Japanese passport), and our two children (who both have Japanese passports but I think I can get them UK passports as they have a UK father and a Japanese mother).

We will have 80k in savings, and I will be starting a new job when we move to the UK.

My brother has around 150k in savings and has said that if possible, he can sponsor my wife's visa.

Do you think we can find a way for my wife to get a full visa, so she can live and work in the UK?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[CR001]

See link below for spouse visa. Your savings will suffice. Your brother cannot sponsor her though.

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse

[seagul]

Hello, I am a British citizen.

I have been living and working in Japan now for 18 years.

I want to move back to the UK in 2 years time with my Japanese wife (who has a Japanese passport), and our two children (who both have Japanese passports but I think I can get them UK passports as they have a UK father and a Japanese mother).

We will have 80k in savings, and I will be starting a new job when we move to the UK.

My brother has around 150k in savings and has said that if possible, he can sponsor my wife's visa.

Do you think we can find a way for my wife to get a full visa, so she can live and work in the UK?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

In your case the easiest way to meet the financial requirement is through savings if either of you have possessed at least equivalent to £62500 from at least 6 months. Otherwise if you have been working in Japan with annual income of at least £18600 and have confirmed offer of job going to start within 3 months of arriving the UK then it can also meet the criteria.
Your Brother's savings wont be relevant here because he cannot sponsor your partner unless he gift you his saving which you keep in your account for next 6 months.

[mcsilks]

Many thanks for your replies.

I will have savings of around £50,000 a year prior to my application and saving of between £70,000 ~ £80,000 when we leave for the UK.

Just one more question if you don't mind.

Can my wife and kids travel to the UK (with a return ticket for Japan), and we begin the visa process in the UK? What is a realistic timescale for her application should we meet the financial criteria?

My plan is to rent accommodation, get my kids into a school and then use my savings to help buy a house.

Thanks again in advance.

[CR001]

She needs to apply from Japan. She cannot do the application within the UK as a visitor.

Where is the extra savings of £20k to £30k coming from before moving to the UK??

[seagul]

Many thanks for your replies.

I will have savings of around £50,000 a year prior to my application and saving of between £70,000 ~ £80,000 when we leave for the UK.

If you use savings route then the balance must not have fallen than £62500 during the last 6 months before the date of application. Otherwise if you have been working in Japan with annual income of at least £18600 and have confirmed offer of job going to start within 3 months of arriving the UK then it can also meet the criteria.

[mcsilks]

Many thanks for your replies.

I will have savings of around £50,000 a year prior to my application and saving of between £70,000 ~ £80,000 when we leave for the UK.

If you use savings route then the balance must not have fallen than £62500 during the last 6 months before the date of application. Otherwise if you have been working in Japan with annual income of at least £18600 and have confirmed offer of job going to start within 3 months of arriving the UK then it can also meet the criteria.

Can these be my savings? (me being the UK citizen and husband)

[mcsilks]

She needs to apply from Japan. She cannot do the application within the UK as a visitor.

Where is the extra savings of £20k to £30k coming from before moving to the UK??

Thank you for the reply. Very helpful.

The extra savings would be what I have saved in my final year in Japan. I now realise that I must have £62.5k in my account at least 6 months prior to my application.

I hope the application isn't a really long-winded process as I am wanting to put all of those savings towards a house.

[CR001]

Correct on the savings.

The only time you do not have to hold the savings for 6 months is if, for example, it is the proceeds of a property sale and you have the documentary evidence and paper trail of origin of funds.

[mcsilks]

After a visa application is successful, I understand there is a period of time that you have to wait before you can spend the £62,500.

Would you happen to know how long this is, as I would be looking at using this to go towards buying a place to live as soon as the visa is accepted?

[CR001]

After a visa application is successful, I understand there is a period of time that you have to wait before you can spend the £62,500.

Would you happen to know how long this is, as I would be looking at using this to go towards buying a place to live as soon as the visa is accepted?

Really, where does it say that?? If you come over and get a job, there is no requirement to hang onto the savings for x amount of months. Once she has the visa and is in the UK, you are free to spend the money.

[mcsilks]

After a visa application is successful, I understand there is a period of time that you have to wait before you can spend the £62,500.

Would you happen to know how long this is, as I would be looking at using this to go towards buying a place to live as soon as the visa is accepted?

Really, where does it say that?? If you come over and get a job, there is no requirement to hang onto the savings for x amount of months. Once she has the visa and is in the UK, you are free to spend the money.

Thanks. I was misinformed.

[seagul]

Many thanks for your replies.

I will have savings of around £50,000 a year prior to my application and saving of between £70,000 ~ £80,000 when we leave for the UK.

If you use savings route then the balance must not have fallen than £62500 during the last 6 months before the date of application. Otherwise if you have been working in Japan with annual income of at least £18600 and have confirmed offer of job going to start within 3 months of arriving the UK then it can also meet the criteria.

Can these be my savings? (me being the UK citizen and husband)

Anyone of you's savings at anywhere