General UK immigration & work permits; don't post job search or family related topics!
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LoveLost
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by LoveLost » Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:52 pm
My boyfriend is from South Africa and I am from UK. He wants to come over to the Uk to be with me. He has already had a 2 year working visa and has been told the only visa available to him now is a 6 month visitors visa. He doesn't want me to support him as he is a proud man, etc. The last time he was in the UK was 5 years ago.
The other visa we have been told he is entitled to is a fiance visa, but that means we would have to get married in that time, which we are not ready to do! And again it is only for 6 monthss.
We want time to get to know each other better before we marry.
What can we do?
Any advice is much appreciated!
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parvus1202
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by parvus1202 » Thu Aug 12, 2010 4:42 pm
Your boyfriend but you want to know him more? Well the best way is to let him come for 6 mo and then you go there for 6 mo. If he overstayed that would mean ban for 10 years.
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Wanderer
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by Wanderer » Thu Aug 12, 2010 5:45 pm
Or try for student visa, very very expensive, or work visa for which he'd need to be highly-skilled or highly-educated.
Other than that, parvus's plan is ur only option.
An chéad stad eile Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile....
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mochyn
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by mochyn » Thu Aug 12, 2010 6:45 pm
You could both go travelling around the world say for a year and then you would really know him
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ElenaW
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by ElenaW » Thu Aug 12, 2010 7:13 pm
I agree with the others. I suppose student visa would be his best bet. Can you go to his country and get to know him there then bring him back on a fiance or spousal?
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Mr Rusty
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by Mr Rusty » Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:11 am
You've asked all this before a few weeks ago, and can continue to do so, but the answers will always be the same. I take it he didn't fancy joining the army, then?
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LoveLost
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by LoveLost » Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:40 am
He has only been offered a 6 month visitor visa. So he cannot join the army. He would get a 10 year ban. Is that not correct?
I have a child from another relationship, so it is not possible to go travelling for a year.
We do love each other, but it just seems that we either have to marry or that is it.
But if he came on a fiance visa, he wouldn't be able to work.
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Mr Rusty
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by Mr Rusty » Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:56 am
LoveLost wrote:He has only been offered a 6 month visitor visa. So he cannot join the army. He would get a 10 year ban. Is that not correct?
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Not at all. You may wish to read S3. of the linked extract from IDIs:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/siteco ... iew=Binary
- in particular the couple of paragraphs beginning "A person admitted in another capacity (e.g. visitor, student) who wishes to join HM Forces should be advised to contact them directly - enlistment is entirely a matter for the armed force concerned."
I should perhaps add that if he is serious about taking this course of action he should make some enquiries about how to apply and the likelihood of meeting the criteria for joining the army if he wants to declare this as the purpose of his visit.
Last edited by
Mr Rusty on Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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LoveLost
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by LoveLost » Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:59 am
He has been to the embassy and they have told him he would be granted a 6 month visitor visa, but he has not yet applied.
The embassy told him that he cannot apply to the army on a visitor visa an this means he intends to stay in the UK, which is illegal!
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Mr Rusty
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by Mr Rusty » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:14 am
LoveLost wrote:He has been to the embassy and they have told him he would be granted a 6 month visitor visa, but he has not yet applied.
The embassy told him that he cannot apply to the army on a visitor visa an this means he intends to stay in the UK, which is illegal!
Then the embassy don't know what they are talking about. He could go back to them and ask them what visa he could apply for to travel to the UK to apply to join the army - he can't get an "Exempt" visa until he's been accepted, and as the link I've previously supplied indicates, he can get that in the UK.
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LoveLost
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by LoveLost » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:27 am
What is an exempt visa?
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ElenaW
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by ElenaW » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:50 am
If you love this person, can't you just get married? Joining the army is a big, serious deal. I Just don't understand.
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LoveLost
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by LoveLost » Fri Aug 13, 2010 10:58 am
I don't want him to join the army. I think its a dangerous thing to do, but he wants to.
You need money to get married. If he can't work on a fiance visa, its not that easy, is it. There would only be my money coming in and like i have said earlier, I have a son to support first.
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Mr Rusty
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by Mr Rusty » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:08 am
LoveLost wrote:What is an exempt visa?
Legislation designates certain types of foreign nationals as "Exempt from Control" - principally diplomats, but also those serving in the armed forces. That means there are no restrictions on their immigration status
for as long as they are engaged in that capacity. If their term of duty comes to an end, they are expected either to leave the UK or apply for Leave to Remain in some other capacity.
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ElenaW
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by ElenaW » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:15 am
LoveLost wrote:I don't want him to join the army. I think its a dangerous thing to do, but he wants to.
You need money to get married. If he can't work on a fiance visa, its not that easy, is it. There would only be my money coming in and like i have said earlier, I have a son to support first.
It doesn't take much to get married and then apply for a spousal visa. My husband (then fiance) and I got married on a student budget. The cost of a visa can be put onto a credit card and if you have a job it most likely meets the maintenance criteria. As soon as he gets here, he can work. So I just dont see the issue here.
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LoveLost
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by LoveLost » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:20 am
We have been told that he cannot work on a fiance visa.
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ElenaW
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by ElenaW » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:37 am
LoveLost wrote:We have been told that he cannot work on a fiance visa.
That's true but I'm not talking about a fiance visa. I'm talking about getting married elsewhere and then him applying for a spousal.
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LoveLost
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by LoveLost » Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:57 am
I have a full time job, however, i am a single parent and recieved benefits. such as working tax credit and child tax credit.
Therefore I cannot claim that I can support him.
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ElenaW
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by ElenaW » Fri Aug 13, 2010 2:58 pm
LoveLost wrote:I have a full time job, however, i am a single parent and recieved benefits. such as working tax credit and child tax credit.
Therefore I cannot claim that I can support him.
How much money per week do you have left over after rent and council tax?