I'm so confused, please help!

[SirBaron]

Losing sleep over this!

I am engaged to my Japanese Fiancee, and she will be here for 2 weeks in April, then I plan to visit her sometime after in Japan.

She wants to live with me and my family (living at home with family after moving back up to North England).

This is the confusing part, I keep hearing of this Income Threshold etc etc, all I want her to do is live with me and my family, get married, and eventually see what happens, get a job etc.

I only earn £16,000 a year before tax, however I can work 6months solid (no holidays) overtime and get about £19,000-20,000.

The silly thing is I can actually easily sustain her with 16k a year because I keep 95% of my wages from living at home!

I've been reading many, many sites and my brain is turning to mush.

I'm hoping some more educated people will be able to guide me in what to do.

Which visa can I get her to come here, doesn't need to be a working visa, just a visa that she can stay for more than 6months, and eventually work onto a more permanent visa.

Someone who can explain the process, and visa's required would be much appreciated!

[CR001]

Fiance visa, apply from Japan and meet all the requirements, including £18,600pa salary or £62,500 in savings for 6 months. She cannot work on a fiance visa. It is valid for 6 months.

Once you are married before the visa expires, apply for FLR(M) which is spouse of British/settled person (assuming you are British). All the same requirements will need to be met again and she can work once she gets this visa. Visa will be valid for 2.5 years.

After 2.5 years, apply for an extension on FLR(M) and meet all the requirements again. Visa will be granted for 2.5 years again.

When she reaches 5 years residence, she can apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and immediately once this is approved, she can apply for British Citizenship.

Each point of the application process involves big visa fees and the requirements must be met each time.

Alternatively, if she qualifies for a student visa or a Tier 2 (if she can get a sponsor), she can apply for that.

[Wanderer]

..or YMS, not many places for Japanese though...

[SirBaron]

if I go on holiday for 2 weeks during that 6month period, will that mean those 2 weeks of holiday pay will be calculated as my lowest wage?