Family immigration for family of person with Right of Abode from Russia

[timarkovich]

Hi, I am a Canadian citizen, currently living in Russia. I have the Right of Abode in the U.K. through my adoptive mother who was a British citizen. Due to the situation in Russia, my family and I want to resettle in the U.K. ASAP. My wife is a Russia citizen. My two children have Russian and Canadian citizenship. Could you please advise about the quickest and least expensive way to bring them with me to the U.K. Thanks very much for your time.

[vinny]

They may apply for family visas subject to the requirements of Appendix FM, FM-SE.

[secret.simon]

I have amended the subject line of the thread to clarify that the question is not about RIght of Abode itself, but about family immigration for a family of a person with Right of Abode.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no special provision made for Russian family members of British citizens (or people settled in the UK or with Right of Abode). You would need to meet the usual requirements for family members of British citizens and people settled in the UK.

The person with the Right of Abode would have three choices.
(a) Move to the UK on your own, earn at least £24,800 p.a. in a salaried job for six months and then make a visa application for their spouse and two children to join them,
(b) Show earnings of at least £24,800 in the country they are currently resident in (Russia) for at least three months AND a confirmed job offer for at least the same amount in the UK. If they meet these requirements, they can apply for spousal visas to move to the UK straightaway.
OR
(c) Show savings of at least £78,000 in an easily accessible bank account for at least six months.

Also, what is the age of the children in question?

It may be easier to move them to Canada. You may want to look into that as well.

[JB007]

Could you please advise about the quickest and least expensive way to bring them with me to the UK.

It won't be quick and it's not inexpensive either to bring your wife and childen (under age 18) to the UK.

Visa fees for all of them,
https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... april-2022

Health Surcharge for all of them.
https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigrati ... w-much-pay

[timarkovich]

Thanks. Children are teenagers

[secret.simon]

Keep in mind that past their 18th birthday, they can't apply as your dependent to move to the UK.

They would have to qualify for a UK work or spoussal visa in their own right if they wish to move to the UK.

Depending on their precise age, there may also be implications on whether they can register as British citizens or whether they would need to meet the standard requirements for naturalisation.

[timarkovich]

Thanks very much for all your answers. I realize it's not cheap, though I can meet the financial requirements you've mentioned. My wife, unfortunately, has already spent about 1,000 for a 5-year travel visa (she applied before the war broke out and before we considered moving.) I've read that we could possibly enter the UK on this visa and then apply for a family visa or ancestry visa for my kids (granny was british) from the UK. What do you all recommend?

[timarkovich]

13 and 16 years old

[CR001]

I've read that we could possibly enter the UK on this visa and then apply for a family visa or ancestry visa for my kids (granny was british) from the UK. What do you all recommend?

Not recommended at all. A person cannot switch to other visa categories from a visitor visa.

For ancestry visa, if the children are the main applicants, they have to be 17 years of age as a minimum and provided your adoptive mother was UK born and not born abroad. Remember an ancestry visa is a work category visa and your children would only qualify if 17 or older or applying as dependents of a parent applying for an ancestry visa as the main applicant.

[timarkovich]

Thanks for that information. If finances are in place, what would you suggest as the first step in getting visas for the family. would like to be in the UK by the end of the summer so my children could be enrolled in school. Thanks

[CR001]

Out of Interest as very relevant, how will you be meeting the higher level financial requirement for a spouse and 2 children?

[vinny]

Do you also have a valid CoE-RoA for yourself?

[timarkovich]

Yes, I have a valid Right of Abode visa in my Canadian passport. I plan to meet financial requirements through job earnings and savings.

[timarkovich]

I have been reading the regulations on the Family Visa and see that if you apply in the UK for 800 pounds you can get "two-day service." My question is this, I understand from a previous post that you cannot switch from a visitor visa to a family visa, but is it possible to enter the UK on the visitor visa and while there apply for a Family Visa? Is this permitted?

[CR001]

No, you still cannot do this. You cannot apply for them within the UK if they are here as visitors.

[secret.simon]

Visitors can't switch to any other visa withi the UK, fast service or not.

is it possible to enter the UK on the visitor visa and while there apply for a Family Visa?

Entering the UK and then applying for a different visa category is literally the definition of switching visa types. And no, you can't do that for people in the UK on visit visas.

I plan to meet financial requirements through job earnings and savings.

If you plan to meet the requirements via job earnings, do you have a confirmed job offer paying at least £24,800 p.a.?

If not, you would need to move to the UK on your own, have a salaried job paying at least that amount for six months before you can apply for their visa.

[timarkovich]

Thanks. One last try, if I'm in the UK alone could I submit the applications for my family?

[CR001]

Thanks. One last try, if I'm in the UK alone could I submit the applications for my family?

No. They must apply in their country of residence for an entry clearance visa.

The £800 Super Priority service is for applications for an extension or switching from a qualifying visa to another or for ILR and not for applications from abroad.

[CR001]

Yes, I have a valid Right of Abode visa in my Canadian passport. I plan to meet financial requirements through job earnings and savings.

To meet the financial requirement, you can only use overseas income IF you have a confirmed (genuine) job offer within the UK to start within 3 months of arrival that also meets the minimum requirement for a spouse plus two children.

Also, how much savings do you have as the first £16,000 is not counted.

[timarkovich]

I don't want to put a figure up on a public board, but I have a good bit of savings and also own a home in the UK. Income comes from self-employment that would continue in the UK.

[JB007]

I don't want to put a figure up on a public board, but I have a good bit of savings and also own a home in the UK. Income comes from self-employment that would continue in the UK.

Which financial route are you going to use? Savings? Self employment?

Have a read to see which category you can meet to sponsor your wife and children.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... rement.pdf

[timarkovich]

This is very confusing. I don't understand what you mean by which route. I have more than enough in savings and self-employment income to meet the 24,800 pounds a year minimum. Is that not satisfactory?

[timarkovich]

Thanks for the guide. I'm looking at it now

[JB007]

This is very confusing. I don't understand what you mean by which route. I have more than enough in savings and self-employment income to meet the 24,800 pounds a year minimum. Is that not satisfactory?

Read the link given, Cataegory D, the savings route, cannot be combined with self employment earnings.

To use the saving route (category D) as CR001 has said,you do not count the first £16,000 of your savings. The savings you need, is then multiplied by the length of each visa.

[timarkovich]

Thanks. So if I have rental income of say 10,000 pounds a year, plus self-employment of at least 25,000 pounds, this would qualify for a family of four? I don't quite understand about the length of the visa. could you possibly explain?