You stated that your wife's mother is British. What is your wife's month and year of Birth? Where was your wife born? What was the citizenship of your wife's mother at the time of your wife's birth? Was your wife's mother British by birth or naturalisation or due to your wife's grandparents british citizenship?

What is your status in UK? Where were your children born and what is their month and year of Birth? Where do your children and wife live now?

Hi,
My wife was born in 06/1973. She was born in south Africa. Her mothers citizenship was British at the time of my wifes birth. My wifes mother was born in The UK and both of her parents too were British. MY daughters were all born outside the UK but they will possess British passports. I am British, classed as an habitual resident of the UK and I am based here, whilst they are residing in south Africa.My problem besides the initial cost of a spousal visa is my familys situation in south Africa has become very stressful, dangerous and quite serious now, and I want them out of there ASAP. That is why I am enquiring if my wife is able to Just get here and apply For either ancestry visa, naturalization later. WOuld it be ok If she entered on a 6 month general visitors visa as this would enable me some time to get all required funds in place, but ensuring their safety and well being also.If need be she could stay with friends in Europe if she has to physically be out of the UK to submit a new and different visa application. We Have been married 14 yrs and she had ILR 9 years back.ANy advice would be gratefully appreciated.

Should have asked this before, what was the citizenship of her father at the time of her birth?

There is a way to reinstate her ILR. She will have to apply for a returning resident visa from SA. The form to be used is VAF4B. This to me seems the best and easiest way. Anything else would surely make things more complicated and in the end more costly.

I am afraid there is no very quick way to deal with this situation. You will need to have some time to hand, and not to mention application fees. I am not sure what is the fees for this returning residents visa.

Coming to UK with a visitor visa would prove to be suicidal, as the lost ILR can then never be reinstated. If she comes as a visitor, then she will have to leave UK to apply for spouse visa, then when in UK apply for ILR after two years, and who knows that gaining ILR after two years might get even more difficult, as is the government plan. You can yourself add up the cost of all these application fees together, and also the increases that would happen in future.

Please read info from this link carefully.
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/settlement/returning-residents/

Hope this helps

Also could you pls inform whether you yourself have claim to any other eu citizenship, eg Irish citizenship due to a parent or grant parent being Irish?

Hi, my wife and I have been married for over 14 years. BAck in 2001 she was granted ILR but we left the UK following year due to job opportunity. I am back in the UK and settled. Due to the large cost of 4 airfares and spousal visa I am looking for alternatives, if any. Question one, is there any chance if our children join me first could my wife apply for her ILR to be reinstated even tho we been out of the UK for more than 2 years ? Secondly although arriving on a tourist visa she cannot change her visa to spousal but would she be able to apply (from the UK) for British citizenship based on ancestry (mother is British) ?