PIL relocating to UK from SA

[NCSA]

Not sure which topic to put this under - happy to move to a more relevant topic if necessary...

Due to the recent troubles in South Africa, my PIL are looking to move (back) to the UK within the next year or so.

Background -
FIL is British citizen - born and brought up in UK until his 20s, now in his 60s
MIL is SA citizen but spent a number of years here before moving back to SA and meeting my FIL.
They are married. MIL is actually stepmum to my DP.
No family in SA. FIL has siblings and their children in UK plus DP and me and our DD.

StepMIL has asked us to get together some documentation (birth certificates, passports, proof of house ownership) along with an accompanying letter to go to the state to ask for indefinite leave to remain (or stay & settle she calls it) in the UK. We need to say that we want them here to watch their grandchild(ren to be) grow up and be part of our lives as we are nervous to travel to SA in the current climate and for the foreseeable future.

My question is - slightly long-windedly - does she even need this? Surely as she is married to a UK citizen, this will be automatic?

And if not, has anyone had experience of this or written a similar letter?

Thanks

Doesn’t she just apply for a family visa as spouse of a British citizen? Then go for indefinite leave to remain after that. Then eventually citizenship.

www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/south-africa/family/yes

It looks like your MIL will need a family visa. Look at the info on Gov.uk and contact local CAB as they can put you in touch with immigration advisers/ help you work out what visas are needed.

Thanks both.
They have also looked into this apparently but they would have to sell their property in SA and keep the money in an account for six months to show that they have funds and meet the financial requirements! I'm going to look into it more this side as I'm not sure they're getting the full story over there...

As a UK citizen he can sponsor his spouse to live in the UK, but there's a financial threshhold to ensure that the sponsor has enough money to support the spouse in the UK and won't need emergency financial help from the govt.

Not sure if they're retired or still working/planning to work in the UK? If working, the best way would be to show that PIL's current salary will continue in the UK or that he has a firm UK job offer. (Since they're not already resident in the UK, the non-UK citizen's wages/salary aren't considered.)

If PIL can't show that he'd have a steady income of £18,600 pa in the UK then savings and other types of funds can be considered, like pension/profit sharing payments, royalties, ongoing insurance payments, dividends, etc. There’s detailed guidance on what funds count and in what combinations: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/996814/appendix-fm-1-7-financial-requirement-v7.0-ext.pdf

Probably not useful but just in case - if your MIL happens to have a grandparent who was born in the UK, she may be eligible in her own right for the Ancestry Visa for Commonwealth citizens: www.gov.uk/ancestry-visa/eligibility

Thanks @Malvarrosa that's really helpful.

He is retired and she doesn't work, which is why I think they were talking about having to sell the house to show they have the funds. He does claim a pension both from SA and the UK but I don't think it would meet the minimum requirements.

I will check with the ancestry side of things for her too.