Spouse Visa Help required - married 11 years works overseas

[msh2503]

A friend of mine married to a British Citizen almost 11 years ago, he comes to the Uk and goes back to his work in the Middle East every two months. He was given 5 years visitor's visa to the UK for multiple entry and now his visa is expiring in August 2007.

His job is nearly finishing soon and he decided to join his wife in UK permanently. His wife is not working and claims JSA and Housing Benefit.

What type of visa should he apply?
What evidence is required to succeed as she currently cliams benefit?


Any advise will be appreciated.

Thank you

[John]

The obvious choice for visa is a 2-year spouse visa. So the wife is currently on benefits. But what about him? What sort of amount of savings does he have? Does he have a job in the UK to come to? If so, what sort of amount will he be earning?

I ask these questions because it needs to be clear that he will not need to claim certain Public Funds. Answers to the questions above will hopefully show whether there is a problem passing the financial test.

Or put it another way, if he has lots of "money in the bank", not only might it be easy to pass the financial test, but him moving to the UK would clearly stop the wife claiming benefits ..... a saving to the UK Exchequer!

[msh2503]

Thanks John

To answer some of you questions in regard to financial test. My friend has an experience of 15 years as an oil rig engineer and he wants to seek work in the UK and not claim any UK benefits but he has only a savings of USD 10,000 in the bank.

Do you think he has case to join his wife in the UK?

Thanks
msh

[John]

These days US$10000 is worth little more than £5000. I think it really would help if he made contact with some relevant agencies in the UK and got an idea whether his skill set would mean it would be easy, or difficult, to obtain work in the UK, and if employment possible, roughly how much would be paid.