Advice regarding unmarried partner visa

[reedy]

Hi

I am a UK citizen and have been in a relationship with a US citizen since June 2004. We recently got engaged but would ideally like to live together on a more permanent basis before getting married.

Does anyone know if we would qualify for the unmarried partner visa so that she can join me in the UK without there being a wedding date deadline? I see the qualifications state we should have been living together as a married couple for the previous two years - this is of course, impossible in the literal sense due to visa requirements.

I come out to visit her as often as I am able to do, and she does the same by visiting the UK on a regular basis. We have evidence of these trips by way of passport stamps and photographs - in 2007 she visited me in the UK on three occasions totalling a period of around 10 weeks, and I visited her on three occasions totalling a period of around 9/10 weeks.

Over the course of 2008 I expect her to make at least one trip to visit me for a couple of weeks and I hope to spend at least four months in the USA with her.

Would this kind of evidence/frequency of visits be considered acceptable?

Thanks in advance for any advice that can be offered.

[vinny]

See also 13.14 - Unmarried (i.e. opposite sex) and same-sex partners and how they qualify.

[Wanderer]

Has to be 24 months provable living together in a relationship akin to marriage.

[reedy]

See also 13.14 - Unmarried (i.e. opposite gender) and same-gender partners and how they qualify.

I have read this section - hence my question based on my circumstances.

Has to be 24 months provable living together in a relationship akin to marriage.

I am aware of this; that's why I asked the question as I don't know whether my circumstances would fulfil such a definition.

Does anyone have any advice based on my circumstances?

[Wanderer]

See also 13.14 - Unmarried (i.e. opposite gender) and same-gender partners and how they qualify.

I have read this section - hence my question based on my circumstances.

Has to be 24 months provable living together in a relationship akin to marriage.

I am aware of this; that's why I asked the question as I don't know whether my circumstances would fulfil such a definition.

Does anyone have any advice based on my circumstances?

Sorry, reread after I posted.

To be honest I don't think there's any way forward for you via this route, part of the proof required is documentation in the form of letters bills etc at a common address.

Of course these are easy to 'arrange' even if the person is not living in UK but that's going too far down the fraudulent route in my opinion - a persons movements are traceable andthe HO aren't daft...

I'm faced with similar issue to this, my gf has been living abroad for the last twelve months (part of her degree) and although we have the required proof in the form of bills, bank statements etc to show she seems to have lived in UK during this time, the fact is she hasn't. Over that year, we spent about three months of it on visits to each other and I know even that would not be enough to satisfy the requirements of the UPV.

If you are resistant to marriage, your only real options are either a skill-based visa for her, or a student visa as we have done. It's the only non-dodgy way the play the system in my book.

[reedy]

Hey

Thanks for the advice. We are certainly not resistant to marriage (we would never have got engaged otherwise!), we simply would prefer to live together for a while before taking the plunge!

I may look into getting a student visa for the US and doing a Master's there - not cheap though!

[sakura]

Hey

Thanks for the advice. We are certainly not resistant to marriage (we would never have got engaged otherwise!), we simply would prefer to live together for a while before taking the plunge!

I may look into getting a student visa for the US and doing a Master's there - not cheap though!

It'll cost far more for you to go to the US than for her to come here...is she willing to study? If so, she could come for one year, and live with you here.

I really don't think you meet the UMP visa - there's no proof of co-habitation and you live in two separate (and far-flung) countries, so there's a lot of hurdles there.

[Wanderer]

Hey

Thanks for the advice. We are certainly not resistant to marriage (we would never have got engaged otherwise!), we simply would prefer to live together for a while before taking the plunge!

I may look into getting a student visa for the US and doing a Master's there - not cheap though!

It'll cost far more for you to go to the US than for her to come here...is she willing to study? If so, she could come for one year, and live with you here.

I really don't think you meet the UMP visa - there's no proof of co-habitation and you live in two separate (and far-flung) countries, so there's a lot of hurdles there.

Plus I don't think u can work on a US student visa....

[reedy]

Plus I don't think u can work on a US student visa....

Hi

That wouldn't be an issue as I make money as a sole trader via the Internet. Ah the joy of bureaucracy, eh?

[Nowty]

Is that allowed under US rules ?, it certianly is not allowed in the UK on a SV. i.e. you cannot be self employed with a SV. Of course if you manage to stay 2 years in the US with her, then she could apply for a UPV and settle with you in the UK. Assuming you collect the evidence of living together of course.