first wife on Tier 2 visa - I want to come to Uk on a separate working visa (tier2 gen.) with first wife as my dependent

[mushef]

I am a Pakistani Muslim, residing/working in Saudi Arabia since May 2014 with my first wife (married in Pakistan - 2005) and daughter (born in Pakistan June 2017).

According to what I have read so far on this forum, Polygamy is allowed for Muslims in UK if marriages have taken place in a country where it is legal to have more than one wife (for e.g. Pakistan), provided that both husband and wife, at the time of their marriage, are domiciled (living, earning) in the same country.
( http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ ... fullreport )

My second wife (married in Pakistan – 2013) is living in UK (Tier 2 General Visa) since January 2015 with our daughter (born in UK December 2016). They will be applying for ILR in 2020.

I have been visiting UK on visit visa for attending conferences. I have never been to UK on a family visit visa (as a dependent).

I am planning to move to UK (on a tier 2 General working Visa) as well and I want to take along my first wife and our daughter as my dependents. I have some queries …..
(I shall be posting question one by one, in order to avoid lengthy discussions and confusions in between them……)

Regarding my first wife and daughter from her
1. Would there be any issue in getting visas for my first wife and daughter as my dependents, when I am applying for separate work visa?

My 2nd wife is living on a working visa since 2015. And I shall be going to UK on a separate working visa. Since, technically, my second wife and her daughter will not be my dependents therefore to my understanding there should be no problem in getting dependent visa for my first wife and her daughter. And same should be the case at the time of applying for ILR, I believe. Please give your expert opinion on that.

2. Would there be any implication on getting ILR (for my first wife and daughter) later on?
http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ ... fullreport (mentioned under immigration rules).

[mushef]

Reposting above/same questions with some corrections .... sorry for that....

I am a Pakistani Muslim, residing/working in Saudi Arabia since May 2014 with my first wife (married in Pakistan - 2005) and daughter (born in Pakistan June 2017).

According to what I have read so far on this forum, Polygamy is allowed for Muslims in UK if marriages have taken place in a country where it is legal to have more than one wife (for e.g. Pakistan), provided that both husband and wife, at the time of their marriage, are domiciled (living, earning) in the same country.
( http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ ... fullreport )

My second wife (married in Pakistan – 2013) is living in UK (Tier 2 General Visa) since January 2015 with our daughter (born in UK December 2016). They will be applying for ILR in 2020.

I have been visiting UK on visit visa for attending conferences. I have never been to UK on a family visit visa (as a dependent).

I am planning to move to UK (on a tier 2 General working Visa) as well and I want to take along my first wife and our daughter as my dependents. I have some queries …..
(I shall be posting question one by one, in order to avoid lengthy discussions and confusions in between them……)

Regarding my first wife and daughter from her
1. Would there be any issue in getting visas for my first wife and daughter as my dependents, when I am applying for separate work visa?

My 2nd wife is living on a working visa since 2015. And I shall be going to UK on a separate working visa. Since, technically, my second wife and her daughter will not be my dependents therefore to my understanding there should be no problem in getting dependent visa for my first wife and her daughter. And same should be the case at the time of applying for ILR, I believe. Please give your expert opinion on that.
( http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ ... fullreport (mentioned under immigration issues )

2. Would there be any implication on getting ILR (for my first wife and daughter) later on?

[seagul]

You have asked certainly a very interesting question. Although polygamy is legal in a lot of countries but unfortunately the UK strictly don't allow it even conducted legally in another country. But still In my opinion in your application you should remain honest in declaring your family including second wife & daughter. Moreover, also in my opinion you might be able to sponsor your first wife as dependent on your tier2 working visa because your 2nd wife more likely will have no legal marital status in the eyes of Home office.

[secret.simon]

Although polygamy is legal in a lot of countries but unfortunately the UK strictly don't allow it even conducted legally in another country.

It depends on your point of view. The same sentence can be reformulated using exactly the same words.
"Although unfortunately polygamy is legal in a lot of countries, the UK strictly don't allow it even conducted legally in another country."

Also, while most forms of marriages are portable across national boundaries, many nation states may refuse to recognise marriages that do not meet their cultural criteria. Many states (including within the EU) do not recognise gay or child marriages for instance, even when, to use a turn of phrase, it is conducted legally in another country.

Be that as it may, I think the OP's strategy is workable. He is only allowed to sponsor one spouse to the UK. If the second wife is present in the UK on her own steam, without his sponsorship, I believe that the law permits it. See Point 7 of Polygamous Marriages on the Gov.UK website.