Singapore Expats

I'm a British Citizen married to a Singaporean and with two children - we're starting the process of relocating to the UK and the UK visa and immigration guidelines about what visa she requires to settle are very confusing. Terrified of making an error and wasting months of time and 800+ pounds!

Is anyone else going through this process or recently done it (since all the rues changed in 2012)? Or can anyone recommend a good agency in Singapore who can help with the application (for a reasonable fee?). Thanks.

criteria is pretty straightforward. there is a HMRC guidance on the website itself.

we have never used any agent for getting HSMP, Tier 1, ILR and citizenship. All that is needed is to just follow the published guidance.

there's also an immigration board forum (google as I am not sure I can put the link here).

AFAIK, quite easy to meet the criteria. Income above £18k (more if there are kids), married for at least 3 years.

HTH

johnnybev wrote:I'm a British Citizen married to a Singaporean and with two children - we're starting the process of relocating to the UK and the UK visa and immigration guidelines about what visa she requires to settle are very confusing. Terrified of making an error and wasting months of time and 800+ pounds!

Is anyone else going through this process or recently done it (since all the rues changed in 2012)? Or can anyone recommend a good agency in Singapore who can help with the application (for a reasonable fee?). Thanks.

do you have any singaporean sons? if so, you might want to plan ahead too...

Thanks folks... we have two small kids, one boy, they are Singapore born but British by descent (have both passports), so they will be renouncing their citizenship once we're settled in the UK.

In terms of the visa process for my wife, there are lots of guidelines on the website yes, I'm just finding it quite difficult to know what applies and what doesn't... I'd really love to have a conversation with someone who's been through it recently, because if we get it wrong, we might end up selling a house with nowhere to go for a while!

We will be moving in with my parents in the UK until we can buy our own place. I already have a UK employer. The main questions I have are:

1) What to do about the Sponsor section of the application? Is this me (husband, British Citizen, but not residing in UK yet), or should it be someone who's already in UK, like my parents?

2) Do we need to get her BSc degree (University of Western Aus) verified as an English-speaking qualification, to avoid the English language test?

3) Is the date of intended travel (which has to be no more than 3 months in the future) something we have to prove with a plane ticket etc? Because since the decision process takes 3 months, we'd be insane to actually book a ticket without knowing the outcome!

johnnybev wrote:Thanks folks... we have two small kids, one boy, they are Singapore born but British by descent (have both passports), so they will be renouncing their citizenship once we're settled in the UK.

While I cannot help you with the UK stuff, I can help you avoid a major catastrophe in your son's life later. Was your son born to a Singaporean mother in Singapore? If so, he cannot renounce until such time as he turns 21. Additionally, unless you follow proper protocol to the letter, you could make it so that he will NEVER be allowed to return to Singapore unless he does his National Service to Singapore. Comes with the territory of having Singapore Citizenship which by law, cannot be renounced until such time as the child is 21.

I would suggest you familiarize yourself with the heaps of information by Kraik, Mad Scientist & myself to a much lesser extent regarding the whys, wherefores and ways & means to accomplish this without completely ruining your son's possible future travel plans. It's long, lengthy, repetitive and sometimes contradictory, but it IS essential reading......

http://forum.singaporeexpats.com/ftopic61423.html This is a sticky in the subforum "Strictly Speaking"

Also have a general wander around that subforum as there are numerous posts there and the pitfalls that can and HAVE happened to the unsuspecting, uncaring or didn't bother to find out before leaving.

Just because he can get British Citizenship by descent doesn't mean he's free of his Singapore obligation of birth/citizenship. Preparedness is the only way to approach this. If, after doing your research (should just about answer any question as you haven't gotten yourself in the deep end yet), if you do have specific questions put out a flag for Mad Scientist as he is the most valuable asset this board has (and he's actually in NZ I believe at the moment).

Remember, forewarned is forearmed.

SMS

johnnybev wrote:I'm a British Citizen married to a Singaporean and with two children - we're starting the process of relocating to the UK and the UK visa and immigration guidelines about what visa she requires to settle are very confusing. Terrified of making an error and wasting months of time and 800+ pounds!

Is anyone else going through this process or recently done it (since all the rues changed in 2012)? Or can anyone recommend a good agency in Singapore who can help with the application (for a reasonable fee?). Thanks.

I went through this process but over 10 years ago so can't really advise on new procedure for new changes.

What I would recommend is contacting the British High Commission here in Singapore for advice or even making an appointment to see them.

You might as well simultaneously look into how to make your wife a citizen. I cannot remember the details, but I believe that residing there for 5 years will be the main criterion.

I'm not in your situation but have a UK friend who until recently lived in Vietnam working for a major UK firm. He married a Vietnamese girl more than 15 years ago and they have two kids. When his job relocated to the UK recently, she and the kids were sent back to 'Nam at Arrivals until the officials were satisfied it was not a sham arrangement and she was issued the appropriate visas. I guess his work and him should have sorted out the paperwork but don't take it for granted you'll just walk in. Heed the advice on here - speak to the High Commission and your employer. Good luck.