Are there any visas we can apply for?

My girlfriend and I started a relationship in October 2012, when she was on exchange at Leeds university where I study. She stayed in the same accommodation as me for that academic year, and then moved into my family home for summer 2013. She then returned to Canada briefly to reapply for a tier 5 UK visa, enabling her to work in the UK for 2 years (which she received). She worked in Leeds until summer 2014 while I completed my second year at university (again she lived in the same house as me). The past year I moved to Canada on exchange to study at the same university as her while she completed post-grad studies, again living together.

Now, I am going to complete my masters at Leeds until July 2016, but her visa runs out in December 2015. Is there any other visa that we can apply for so that she can extend her stay and work?

Please ask if more information is needed.

Thanks in advance.

Edit: My girlfriend is Canadian and I am British

If you have 2 years of documented evidence showing you were living in a relationship 'akin to marriage' you could apply for an Unmarried Partner Visa, switching from her current visa to a FLR(M) extension. That's assuming you have an annual income of at least £18,600.

Hi Casa,

Thank you for the reply.

We do not have copies of a lease, but we have bank statements and other official mail to the same address. Is this satisfactory proof?

Further, I am a student so my only income is from my student loans, which unfortunately does not amount to 18000. Is it strictly a salary requirement, or is showing sufficient savings an option?

Thanks

The case worker would expect to see evidence of joint commitments, finance etc. The £18,600 income level is mandatory and only savings over £16,000 would be considered to make up any shortfall. Does your partner have any earnings?

Casa wrote:The case worker would expect to see evidence of joint commitments, finance etc. The £18,600 income level is mandatory and only savings over £16,000 would be considered to make up any shortfall. Does your partner have any earnings?

Hi Casa - I am said partner. Thanks for your help, the UK visa site has me running in circles trying to click through and get all the details necessary to see whether this would be a suitable visa for us.

Is the income required to be earned by the sponsor, or can I provide proof that I myself earn that amount, or can we offer combined income and have it be sufficient? I have worked in the UK before and am confident I could gain employment upwards of the 18,600 income level, but will not get hired at this income level without confidence in a visa that will extend past December (when my Tier 5 expires).

Thanks again!

You can combine earnings. Alternative to applying as unmarried partners, you could marry in the UK although this will still require the £18,600 pa earnings.

I think we're pretty set on the unmarried partners visa, we're just trying to simplify the document as best we can before proceeding to ensure we don't fail in our attempt! Thanks again for your help, you don't happen to have any resources for a simplified version of this visa, do you? The official 74-page document is proving very daunting