One obvious upside to the Royal Wedding: it will expose quite how farcically complex and expensive it is to keep someone you love in the UK. Meghan and Harry will breeze through this process no problem, but for many it is a huge financial and emotional burden. (1/15)
To start that process, Meghan will need to fill in a FLR(M) form. This is the standard form for a spousal visa. She can only make an application once she’s married to Harry. They’ll need to prove their relationship is genuine. The list of evidence required is extensive. (2/15)
The initial application will cost £993, plus a £200-per-year NHS fee. The application can take months and she will need to surrender her US passport during this time. She will be unable to leave the UK until the application has been processed. (3/15)
Alternatively (and I’d imagine very likely), she can pay an extra £590 for the premium service to get the application sorted in a couple of days. Harry and Meghan will need to earn in excess of £18,600 per year (combined) at the time of application. (4/15)
The initial visa will be valid for 30 months. She will then have to reapply and pay all the fees again. The income requirement will increase if Harry and Meghan have a child. Add one child and it jumps by £3,800, it’s then an extra £2,400 for each additional child. (5/15)
There will also be a cost to Meghan’s employer if she were to get a job in the UK. Any employer who currently wishes to recruit a foreign, non-EU worker with an existing right to reside in the UK must pay a fee of £1,000 per worker per year. (6/15)
After this five year probationary period (during which she cannot leave the UK for more than six months in any given year and not more than 450 days outside the UK cumulatively – that’s 90 days a year), she will be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). (7/15)
Oh, and in the fifth year a slightly different rule applies: she can’t have spent more than 90 days outside the UK during that year. (8/15)
To be approved for ILR, she’ll likely need to be earning in excess of £35,000. So at this point she will need a job… or at least an income. Applications for ILR can take up to six months, during which time she will have to surrender her American passport. (9/15)
An ILR application costs £2,297 (it was less, but it just went up 18%). She’ll also have to pay the £200-per-year NHS fee again. (10/15)
After another year (that’s six years after the initial spousal visa is approved), she will finally be able to apply for British citizenship. Almost. (11/15)
First she must pass the Life in the UK Test, which costs £50. This is a fun quiz in which she will have to answer 24 questions about “British traditions and customs” in 45 minutes. (12/15)
She will pass the test if she scores 75% or more. If she fails, she will have to wait 7 days before booking again (and pay the £50 again). (13/15)
Assuming she passes, the fee for naturalisation to become a British citizen is currently £1,282, plus an £80 ceremony fee. Job done. Welcome to the UK, foreign friend. (14/15)
Total cost (minimum): £6,695. Time taken (minimum: six years. Hope this sheds some light on the process. Thanks for reading. (15/15)
