Help please, South African visiting the UK passport/Visa question

cirrus18

My nephew and wife who live in South Africa wants to visit us in the summer.
He was born here in the UK and has a British passport, his wife is South African and has a South African passport.

He sent me the following three questions and I have been searching the Internet for answers without success. Also try phoning the Home Office but the line is always busy.

This is what he said:
I've spent 27 mins on phone to British embassy to be cut off and then again another 20 min for the same to happen. Have e mailed them twice but no answer.

1.
They have introduced visa for S A passport holders but am led to believe that if you have travelled to UK on S A passport in last 5 years you don't need a visa .. true or false.

2.
If my wife is travelling with me and I'm a british passport holder does she still need a visa.

3.
Can she as my wife of 23 years be put on my passport or is it possible to get her a British passport.

Any help with these questions would be greatly appreciated particularly if you can add a link to an official site where this information is displayed.

benjus

1. If she has a UK entry stamp in her current passport she is currently exempt from the Visa requirement, although this exemption only lasts until 1st July 2009. After that a visa would be required.

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/aboutus/newsroom/?view=News&id=15713879

2. AFAIK it doesn't make any difference that she's travelling with you as far as visa requirements are concerned.

3. You can't put anyone else on your passport. I don't think anyone can apply for British nationality unless they live in the UK - but you can check the rules here: http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/eligibility/

will-in-estoril

cirrus18 wrote: »

My nephew and wife who live in South Africa wants to visit us in the summer.
He was born here in the UK and has a British passport, his wife is South African and has a South African passport.

He sent me the following three questions and I have been searching the Internet for answers without success. Also try phoning the Home Office but the line is always busy.

This is what he said:
I've spent 27 mins on phone to British embassy to be cut off and then again another 20 min for the same to happen. Have e mailed them twice but no answer.

1.
They have introduced visa for S A passport holders but am led to believe that if you have travelled to UK on S A passport in last 5 years you don't need a visa .. true or false.

2.
If my wife is travelling with me and I'm a british passport holder does she still need a visa.

3.
Can she as my wife of 23 years be put on my passport or is it possible to get her a British passport.

Any help with these questions would be greatly appreciated particularly if you can add a link to an official site where this information is displayed.

1. False. ZAF nationals require either a valid visa or UK residence permit (or EEA family permit).
2. Yes.
3. No. Before an overseas' national can apply to naturalise they would need to have indefinite leave to remain (residency) in the UK.

Without the correct documentation your wife would not even be checked in by an airline, as they would be liable to a fine of £2000 by the British immigration authorities.