Money, money, money....

[danturner81]

OK- good news... just got engaged to my Turkish girlfriend. Very happy occasion, took my family over to meet hers and all went swimmingly. Not planning to marry until we have everything together for the visa application financially, which brings me to my question;

Obviously, I am to take the sponsors role as spouse and will have to provide financial statements etc. I understand this is to prove that there will be no claim of public funds on her part. So what ballpark figure will I have to have in savings and how much do I need to be making a year so this isn't a disaster?

I am not on a great income, but do ok and can support myself just fine and know I'll be able to support her for a while too without too much hassle. My job is in the public sector and should be stable. I even changed career to make this work.

If anybody could give me a rough idea of what I need to aim for, that'd be great.

Thankyou all

Dan

[paulp]

£2-3k in savings will be a good start.

[John]

Dan, I don't think it is possible to put a figure on it. It "merely" needs to be clear that she will not need to claim certain Public Funds.

Can you say how much you are earning? And also the amount of your housing costs?

So are you planning to marry in Turkey, and then apply for a spouse visa for your wife (as she will then be)? If so, she will be permitted to work as soon as she arrives in the UK. Does she intend to work? How much might she be earning? These are all factors that might convince the ECO that the financial test is passed.

[danturner81]

Thanks for everybody's help.

I will be on just over £19,000 PA when we choose to marry, and am planning to have at least 3-4k in savings. My current living costs are approx £550 a month at moment- less once I move out of the city.

We will marry in Turkey and will apply after this. She has good work experience from her native country and holds a Bsc and will have some glowing references. The immediate plan is to hit agencies like crazy- I live in Cardiff which is a hotbed of office-related job opportunities.

Would that be enough, or is there more to aim for?

Regards

Dan

[John]

Sounds OK to me ... go for it!

[danturner81]

Thankyou all! Then I shall aim for this!

John- do you work in the field of immigration, just purely out of interest? Also, how best to make our argument regarding this topic on the documentation that will be affixed to the Visa?

Thanks again!

Dan

[John]

No I don't work in the field of immigration. I am not OISC-registered so cannot take on clients. However I have been a Moderator here for years, and I have more posts than any other member. Also back in 2001, without any guidance from this or any other Board, I got visas for my wife and step-daughter to join me in the UK, later got them ILR, and then British Citizenship. In other words, I have preceded you down the path you are now starting to go down.

To make the application you need to use form VAF4 and it will also be worthwhile downloading the guidance notes. Have a good read of those and that will give you an idea of the things to include in your "evidence folder".

Having read those documents if you have further queries, do post here.

[danturner81]

John, thankyou for your time and help. Much appreciated!

Dan