A happy couple at last - Oliver and Jen can live together in Shropshire after visa wait ends
Oliver Blake and Jenifer Delgado can now enjoy being a 'happy couple' after they were given Home Office approval to live together in Shropshire.
Although they married 10 months ago, the young couple have had to live separate lives because Jenifer is a Columbian national.
But, just days after their plight was highlighted in the Shropshire Star, they received the news they have been waiting for - that Jenifer has been granted a spouse visa.
It means she can live and work in the UK for two-and-a-half years - when the process will have to be completed all over again.
As soon as they were told the news they booked a flight and Jenifer will leave Spain, where she has been studying for a second masters, for England. She will arrive on Sunday.
A delighted Oliver, who lives in Rhydycroesau, near Oswestry, said: "We didn't see the point in hanging around as we've both been waiting long enough and want to start making headway with our plans.
"Fortunately, Jen's last module in Barcelona is a research project which she has decided to conduct on British residents and their perceptions of South American tourism and South American food."
Oliver, 29, an athlete, is also a marketing expert for the Shropshire-founded Net World Sports company, now based in Wrexham.
He met Jenifer, 30, in 2014 when she did work experience for the company when she was completing a masters degree in business at Chester University.
The couple fell in love and were married in Shrewsbury in July last year.
Mr Blake said: “When Jen came to Shropshire she fell in love with the place and we agreed that we would settle down and find a house here.
“We had no idea at the time of how difficult that would be. Simply to apply for a UK Spouse Visa costs £1,500-plus and on top of that there is the £500 that has to be paid to the NHS and processing fees.
Once that visa is granted it has to be renewed every two-and-a-half years.
“Someone living in Britain on a spouse visa is not entitled to any benefits and their partner – or sponsor – must earn at least £18,600 to enable them to live here.
"Jen is highly skilled and wants to make a contribution to the Shropshire economy by living and working here.”
“We are delighted that we can now live together.”
