claiming HB,Egyptian husband, visa advice please

[Megan55]

Hi all,
I'm a single mother of 2, a 4year old and 2year old. I'm privately renting a 2bedroom flat and claiming housing benefit. I work part time (17hours p/w) and also claim child and working tax credits and child benefit, and my ex-husband pays child maintenence.
I manage my money well but don't have a lot in savings, but also, I'm not in debt.
How will ppl deciding on my husband's spouse-visa application view my claim to benefits while making the decision?
My husband is in his final year of his law degree, and has his own company, although it's not working at the moment. We were going to wait until he'd finish to apply for the visa so he looks stronger educationally and also to give me more time to save money, but we can't stand being apart.
Also, what evidence do we need to prepare to make the visa application as strong as possible?
Any advice would be so greatly appreciated.
Meg

[Wanderer]

Basically apart from the obvious, like it being a genuine marriage, the two biggest burdens of proof for you to submit is accomodation, I think for you two rooms is enough, so you're ok there.

The hardest bit is the financial test, basically you will need to show that after all basic bills have been paid, ie rent, utilities, council tax, you have around £180 a week left as disposable income, I don't know the exact figure but it's £156 for a family of three.

You're fine to claim benefits in you own right so long as you can pass the test above.

Prepare a spreadsheet showing your ins and outs to show the above is met.

[Megan55]

Ah, thanks for the quick reply.
Is that after food? Or is food included in the disposable income? I suppose we could live off Tesco value baked beans and bread to get that down a bit haha.

Meg

[Megan55]

Also, would I need to show what we would be getting after he's living here, because I'm sure most things will change as I will no longer be classed as a single parent. Or do I just use my current income?
Thanks,
Meg

[Wanderer]

Ah, thanks for the quick reply.
Is that after food? Or is food included in the disposable income? I suppose we could live off Tesco value baked beans and bread to get that down a bit haha.

Meg

Yeah I always consider the essential bills as the ones you HAVE to pay, sort of in arrears like rent, power, water, CT but not mobile phone etc.

Food is outside the requirment I think - u could be growing ur own!

So I feel it's the basic living commitments.

Sounds like a lot but it's how the gov determine the minimum income level and how much benefits to pay, and it's all geared to that.

We are a family of six both adults working full time and I think we'd struggle to have the required disposable income, mainly cos I have to spend about £300 a month travelling to work in these hard times..

[Megan55]

Ok, thanks, that really helps.
Where do know this info from?
It's like searching through a swamp trying to find useful info. I'm sure getting a good solicitor to help would be much simpler, but I hate imagine how much they would charge.

Meg

[Wanderer]

Ok, thanks, that really helps.
Where do know this info from?
It's like searching through a swamp trying to find useful info. I'm sure getting a good solicitor to help would be much simpler, but I hate imagine how much they would charge.

Meg

It's all on the UKBA website somwhere - someone will have linked it here. Don't bother with a solicitor, you can do this easily yourself, but if you do try an OISC registered immigration advisor rather than a solicitor who'll just pass your case onto the unqualified gopher and charge you £120 an hour...

[John]

Megan55, you have only just joined this Board. Suggest you spend some time looking at the postings here already, to learn from the experience of those that have gone before you.

[Megan55]

Hi John,
I've been looking through already.
Question off subject,
If my husband needs to return to Egypt 2weeks to take exams once he's here on a spouse visa, will he be allowed to leave and return again?

Thanks,
Meg

[John]

The UK will not be a big prison for him. His visa will be endorsed "MULT" ..... multi-entry ..... he is allowed to leave and later re-enter.

[Megan55]

ah excellent, coz at the moment Egypt is a big prison for him, til he gets his military status.
Thanks for replying so quick. It was one of those questions that keeps popping into my mind.

[Megan55]

I read back what I wrote to begin with and it sounds like I'm quite happy to be on benefits and plan to carry on claiming forever - I'm not happy to be on benefits, and once my husband is here and gets a job, which he'll be looking for straightaway, I won't have to claim housing benefit anymore, and the child and working tax credits will go down. It's just my current circumstances... and I'm studying towards a degree through the open uni, so I do plan to improve my situation.