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AIBU?

to think that alot of people don't realise...

59 replies

firstforthought · 05/06/2011 10:50

that a non-British spouse/ partner has to pay for the privalige of being here?
This topic stems from my Mother telling me that she nearly had an arguement with someone who would not accept that my husband first had to pay 500 for a 2 YR spouse visa and secondly, when that expires, has to pay nearly 1000 for indefinite leave to remain.
As a side topic- if we didn't raise the 1000, will dh/ daddy/ employee/ valuable member of society be kicked of the UK no questions asked??

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expatinscotland · 06/06/2011 22:32

It's far cheaper and easier over the long-term to naturalise when you're eligible.

CurlyBoy · 06/06/2011 22:29

Karmakameleon - I DID find that out and didn't bother to get it stamped. It was a bit of a pain carrying two passports, but not too much. It's much easier now though as a UK citizen!

BodyOfEeyore - It cost me about $3000 to ship 100 cubic feet of stuff from the US to the UK and $2000 to insure it in 2002. Fortunately my wife had a house full of stuff and I was only bringing my personal effects. There was the plane ticket too so add $600 to that. Not too bad really!

firstforthought · 05/06/2011 17:25

whiteglovetest - seems you missed previous posts. It is NOT necessay to pay the tranfer fees to have visas placed into new passport - just keep old passport with you!

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giveitago · 05/06/2011 16:26

Well at the same time I'm applying (as a UK citizen) for PIO - nightmare but I'll do it. I'm not wanting to live in India (at the mo) but just want some recognition in a country of my origin (and for the potential benefit for my ds).

My choice and whatever hassle and expense it costs me then it just costs me.

karmakameleon · 05/06/2011 16:00

'joe public' has no requirement to have all the facts

CoffeeDodger · 05/06/2011 15:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DoMeDon · 05/06/2011 15:02

True that a lot of people don't realise the cost but it is of little interest to them. people have opnions on all sorts of things and they are usually a bit muddled and lacking all the facts. I am daughter of an immigrant and work directly with immigrants. There are pros and cons to everything and 'joe public' has no requirement to have all the facts. They comment, I smile and wave.

TheMonster · 05/06/2011 14:51

The cost of moving country is surely huge.

whiteglovetest · 05/06/2011 13:49

I had to apply for the LTR in 2008. I had to buy the book and then pay for the life in the UK test...approx £100, then apply and pay the £1000.

I now have renewed my passport and to get the LTR sticker placed into my new passport, I need to pay another sum (which Ive forgotten).

All this for something which will be null and void if I return home for more than 2 years. I would have to start from scratch again.

expatinscotland · 05/06/2011 13:45

shitmagnet, they didn't used to charge but a small fee. They brought fees in in about 2002 or so, IIRC.

I know one person who was eligible for nationality back in 2003. But she kept procrastinating. She wound up paying nearly £800 in 2007.

DH renewed his passport in 2009. It was £81 with photos.

whiteglovetest · 05/06/2011 13:45

I didnt have granparents ancestry, I came over on a work permit originally.

karmakameleon · 05/06/2011 13:09

No problem firstforthough! Glad to help!

BodyOfEeyore, we are talking a lot of money though. firstfor's DH would have to pay £1500 for his visas and nearly paid another £350 to have a stamp transferred between passports. £1850 is a lot of money to most people.

TheMonster · 05/06/2011 13:04

I don't think the costs are that bad. We're not talking tens of thousands of pounds, are we?

firstforthought · 05/06/2011 13:03

and it is absolutely outrageous that they take the 350 without telling you it is not necessary to transfer the visas, just keep the old passport!

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firstforthought · 05/06/2011 13:00

Karmakameleon - Thankyou! We just spoke about DH having to renew passport and the fee to transfer visas!!

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firstforthought · 05/06/2011 12:58

startail - we had that problem once, spoke to Immigration official about it - she told me of course your husband can join you in the British queue and we can check him here!

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ohnoudidnt · 05/06/2011 12:55

I didnt know that but do agree with it.

karmakameleon · 05/06/2011 12:16

OiYou, think the rules are changed now and the ancestral rights can be carried through the male or female line.

karmakameleon · 05/06/2011 12:14

To get a new permanent leave to remain visa stamped in my new US passport the UK wanted £350!!

garlicbutter · 05/06/2011 12:12

No, I didn't know that.
OiYou, is the ancestral thing only carried through the male line? Outrageous!!

startail · 05/06/2011 12:07

My Canadian friend decided it was cheaper to become a British citizen than keep renewing her visa. She also says it makes customs much simpler because as a mon EU passport holder she had to join a different queue to her British DH and DCs and they were guaranteed not to go at the same speed.

firstforthought · 05/06/2011 11:52

that is daylight robbery, curlyboy. these fees have only gone up recently but they were still expensive before.
we don't mind paying either but a price that is reasonable would be fair.

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CurlyBoy · 05/06/2011 11:46

I'm from the US and when I came over to marry my Yorkshire lass in 2002 I had to pay about $400 for my fiance visa which was good for 6 months. We had to get married in that 6 months and then I applied for temporary leave to remain for 1 year. That cost about £300. A year later I applied for permanent leave to remain for another £300. Last year I became a citizen because I wanted to vote and that cost me about £500.

I don't mind the fees so much, it's how inappropriately high they are. For example, when I got my US passport renewed a few years ago the fee was $75. I had to send it to the embassy in London so that fee included them posting it to the states and back then back to me. To get a new permanent leave to remain visa stamped in my new US passport the UK wanted £350!! Robbing bastards! They had to do no checks as I was already permanent, just stamp it again. I found that WAY out of line.

Morloth · 05/06/2011 11:32

Shrug, if you want to live in a country other than your own you have to do follow whatever rules that country has to achieve this.

That's the way it goes in pretty much every country, certainly every country I have needed visas for I have had to pay.

The ancestral thing isn't carried only through the male line for Australians. DH had an ancestry visa for the UK based on his maternal grandmother being English.

OiYouThere · 05/06/2011 11:28

Thebride - again, I do not mind paying. I would sell my body if that is what it took to raise the money (without breaking any laws that would invalidate my visa!) (and not that anyone would want this saggy old thing! )

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