Returning to UK with Indonesian Wife

[tokektokek]

I am in the same kind of situation.

Basically my wife and I built ourselves a house in Indonesia, and we got ripped off - so I ended up going way over budget and spending all my savings plus borrowing money to finish the house off. Our plans changed and we decided to keep to house for holidays and retirement, while living together in the UK. What I am looking to do now is work and study a degree part time in the UK, so at least I can have a decent career. Indonesia will always be our second home.

Now, it should be easy but unfortunately the current immigration system for the UK is very extreme for bringing our spouses back to the UK to live. It doesn't even seem to register with them or make it easier for us that we have
a young son (with both British and Indonesian citizenships, of course) - my wife still needs to go through the visa process. The current system needs a complete overhaul to make it fit for the 21st century, when that will happen I don't know.

I have been back in the UK for about a year and a half now, and my wife has used a couple of visit visas - this in itself is unfair as we have to be kept apart for 6 months - while I try and get a job above that salary (not easy, even though I was earning £10k a year more than the £18,600 limit before I left for Indonesia), which will should be within the next month or so if I get my promotion - and as its the same company the total earnings are able to be added together which will even out the amount I'm earning now(£1k below the minimum salary). Meanwhile we have already booked the A1 English speaking and listening test required for the visa.
I am looking to bring my wife to UK within the next few months.

Everything you need to know is at https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

So you need:

- Earnings of equivalent of £18,600 for at least sixth months (or the required savings as detailed earlier - but not many people are going to have that)
- A1 English test Certificate (can be taken anywhere in the world - my wife is taking hers in London costing £150 for 6 minute test)
- Tuberculosis test certificate from an approved clinic (there are 4 in Indonesia - Jakarta, Tangerang and Surabaya cost IDR690k, Bali costs IDR526k)
- Test fee £1,195
- NHS test fee £600
- Priority visa fee - £450 (I will be paying this to get our visa back within 10 days so I can book 2/3 weeks off work and fly there, go together to the visa centre to make the application, collect and fly back to UK together - if not I could be waiting up to 3 months for us to get the visa back, which means paying an extra return flight for myself and our family being split up even longer)
We also have to pay £55 visa centre fee for Surabaya as we will not be going to Jakarta (which is free)

So it is expensive and unfair - for us we are looking at £2300 plus TB and English certificate costs, as well as the flights, which altogether will probably come to around £5000.
You will have to do what I did, and come to UK together with your wife (on a 6 month visit visa) and look for a job which pays £18,600 or more - if you can get this straight away, you could then fly back to Indonesia after the 6 months are up for a couple of weeks, get the priority visa and then fly back to UK together, with no time apart. In my situation when I got back there were not many jobs I could jump into straight away paying over that amount.

Of course you need to take into account accommodation as well for all of it from visit visas to indefinite leave to remain - I am lucky and am able for us to stay at my parents.

All I can say is good luck.

 

[tokektokek]

Sorry I will just add:

After the initial 2 and a half year visa you then have to apply for another visa where you apply from within the UK pay £811 (online or by post) or £1,311 (in person) plus another £600 NHS surcharge and fee for English test A2.

After a total of 5 years in UK you can then apply for indefinite leave to remain which costs £1,875 (online or post) or £2,375 (in person) plus pass English test B1 and Life in UK test.

For the 6 months leading up to each application you need to be earning over that £18,600 amount. And try not to spend more than 3 months out of UK each year, as they may not believe your wife wishes to live in UK and refuse your visa.

Of course this is all the current system, it could all be changed by the next government, either harder and more expensive or (I hope) easier and cheaper.

 

[jstar]

Obviously they want to make sure there will be no 'fake' spouses and marriages of convenience allowed but I think not only the UK is rather extreme in their family reunion requirements. All countries have their own rules and regulations, even in the EU. For The Netherlands, the spouse has some kind of entry exam (in Dutch!) which takes place in the Dutch embassy in the home country. After passing, interviews and finally being allowed in Holland, some more tests are required. These are not only the Dutch TOEFL but also discuss and question cultural issues and behavior, as well as the national situation (e.g. politics). So in that respect it is almost comparable to the process of becoming a WNI.

If anyone has major issues with getting their spouse (and family) into the European Union, there is something called 'the Belgian route'. I think Germany has similar regulations. This is described in an in-depth fashion in forums and websites of mixed marriages which exist in most countries, just google a bit.

The bottom line is to live in a EU country as Belgium for a certain amount of months (just rent a small space and get domiciled in that country) and then get the family over. The EU citizen has the right to live in that other EU country (which imposes less strict requirements). After the determined period, the real and final destination country (e.g. The Netherlands) can not violate the EU rules and will need to allow all of you in. All completely legal using the facilities of countries and laws in the EU. Of course the (potential) problem is to bridge that period abroad, probably without a job and by yourself.

If you would consider something like this, you shouldn't wait too long since Brexit and the changes in laws of the more 'relaxed' countries can go rather fast.

 

[sumyunggai]

It gets more difficult all the time. It will likely be worse 5 or 10 years from now.

15 years ago:

£270 fee - no English test, no TB test (just a scan on arrival at the airport for free), no healthcare surcharge, no specific income requirements (though this could be worse as they didn't make it clear the amount required), no minimum work requirement - just get a job, and then you can apply
after 1 year indefinite leave to remain £270
after 3 years can take British nationality £500 (?)

Total ~£1000

Now: ~£5000

 

[Davita]

Also in the old days...a little before my time....to get into Australia you needed to rob someone. Even in my time it only took 10 quid.
Now you need to be a good swimmer....times change...