SPOUSAL VISA GRANTED, NEXT STEPS

[arobbo]

Hello,

My US citizen wife was granted her UK spousal Visa a few days ago, and we were wondering what will her next step be. The actual visa was processed online in the states at the Chicago office, then was approved and returned in 5 days without any interviews.

Where and how will she obtain her NI number? Does she just contact the local job centre to arrange an interview which they will assign her one, or will she have to attend an interview with Inland Revenue? I did read somewhere it may take up to 1 month to process but in the mean time she'll be allocated a temp NI number, is this true?

She'll have to register with a GP and dentist when we arrive back into the UK, is there anything else that we will need to do upon arriving back?

Thanks for any advice, much appreciated.

[John]

Arobbo, do ensure that your wife enters the UK, for the first time using her new 2-year spouse visa, within 28 days of the start date printed on the visa, otherwise there could be problems near the end of the 2-year period when applying for ILR.

Once in the UK, in order to get a NINO, she will need to provide evidence that she is actively seeking work or, better still, she has actually found employment. Go to the local Job Centre+ office and make the arrangements for an interview.

Certainly she should register with an NHS doctors' surgery. As regards registering with an NHS dentist, in many parts of the UK that is problematic, and in making that statement I assure you it is nothing to do with your wife's immigration status. Simply a great shortage of NHS dentists in many parts of the UK.

No great hurry yet, but clearly your wife will be applying for her ILR after 01.04.07 ... indeed in 2009 .... and accordingly she will need to pass the Citizenship Test prior to applying for the ILR.

[lisa71]

good luck !
JOhn what does the abbreviation NINO stand for please ?

[John]

NINO? Simple National Insurance Number :-

National
Insurance
No.