Confused regarding visa for unmarried couple

Hi
I live in Malaysia (British Citizen working abroad) and I have been living with my partner for 6 years, he is Malaysian. We would like to return to the UK together in the near future. I started the application process but got stuck as the family visa only has the option to be married or in a civil partnership. If I chose civil partnership it requires dates, places, etc of when the 'marriage' took place. I cannot find the unmarried partner visa on the gov.uk website. Can anyone provide a link or has anyone got experience of the same issue and how it actually works. We can prove that we have been in a relationship for 8 years with phot evidence but we do not have shared anything - I own the house, we have separate bank accounts, we do not have joint names for utilities etc, so with regard to official documentation, I am not sure how this will go. Any advice related to this would be gratefully received. We do not want to get married per se but if we have to we would both be willing to ensure that we can have a life together in the UK but that would be a civil partnership which would take place in the UK - we would not get married here in Malaysia.
Hopefully, the information I have provided is detailed enough for someone to help us but please ask any questions if you need more info to provide help.
Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to spend time to help us.

eclaire73 wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:40 am

Hi
I live in Malaysia (British Citizen working abroad) and I have been living with my partner for 6 years, he is Malaysian. We would like to return to the UK together in the near future. I started the application process but got stuck as the family visa only has the option to be married or in a civil partnership. If I chose civil partnership it requires dates, places, etc of when the 'marriage' took place. I cannot find the unmarried partner visa on the gov.uk website. Can anyone provide a link or has anyone got experience of the same issue and how it actually works. We can prove that we have been in a relationship for 8 years with phot evidence but we do not have shared anything - I own the house, we have separate bank accounts, we do not have joint names for utilities etc, so with regard to official documentation, I am not sure how this will go. Any advice related to this would be gratefully received. We do not want to get married per se but if we have to we would both be willing to ensure that we can have a life together in the UK but that would be a civil partnership which would take place in the UK - we would not get married here in Malaysia.
Hopefully, the information I have provided is detailed enough for someone to help us but please ask any questions if you need more info to provide help.
Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to spend time to help us.

Unmarried partner requires strict evidence to show both of you have cohabited for 2 years so if you don't have this evidence required then its risky application!

"13. SET5.13 What types of evidence might demonstrate living together and a relationship akin to marriage / civil partnership?
The applicant must provide six pieces of correspondence addressed to him / her and their partner at the same address as evidence that they have been living together during the past 2 years. The items of correspondence should be addressed to them jointly or in both their names. If they do not have enough items in their joint names, they may also provide items addressed to each of other individually if they show the same address for both of them. The documents provided must be originals and should be spread over the whole 2 years; they should also be from at least 3 different sources. Examples of what documentation the applicant could provide are listed below:

Joint commitments, (such as joint bank accounts, investments, rent agreements, mortgage, life insurance policy naming the other partner as beneficiary etc);
Birth certificates or records of any children of the relationship, showing both partners as parents;
Any official correspondence linking both partners to the same address, for example Council Tax, utility bills, Doctors records;
Any other evidence that adequately demonstrates the couple’s long-term commitment to each other."

See https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... ners-set05

Hi
Thanks for responding - yes I have read that but I cannot find a link or any information about the unmarried partner visa, I can only find a family visa or fiance visa. We can start gathering that stuff as we plan to return in either a year and a half or two and a half years so we can get the evidence eventually, my Instagram should count haha! Joking. if anyone could please post a link I would be so so grateful, otherwise, I have to pay 0.69GBP a minute on a call to the government helpline!
Thanks again, really appreciate your time

eclaire73 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 15, 2021 12:40 am

Hi
Thanks for responding - yes I have read that but I cannot find a link or any information about the unmarried partner visa, I can only find a family visa or fiance visa. We can start gathering that stuff as we plan to return in either a year and a half or two and a half years so we can get the evidence eventually, my Instagram should count haha! Joking. if anyone could please post a link I would be so so grateful, otherwise, I have to pay 0.69GBP a minute on a call to the government helpline!
Thanks again, really appreciate your time

Anyone applying for fiancée, spouse visa or unmarried partners will fill the same application form All of the following are family visa which falls under Appendix FM

The definition of partner under Appendix FM GEN.1.2

Here is the guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... rcumstance

Hi
That's what I thought but when I get to the section asking about me (his partner) it asks if I am wife or civil partner - there is no other option to choose - if I click civil partner it then asks for the date the civil partnership took place and the town etc, no option to leave blank, I cannot progress any further than this page?
Otherwise, I would have agreed with you - but alas, no, so I am totally stuck.
Thanks again for your reply, I really do appreciate all the help you have offered.

eclaire73 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 15, 2021 5:54 am

Hi
That's what I thought but when I get to the section asking about me (his partner) it asks if I am wife or civil partner - there is no other option to choose - if I click civil partner it then asks for the date the civil partnership took place and the town etc, no option to leave blank, I cannot progress any further than this page?
Otherwise, I would have agreed with you - but alas, no, so I am totally stuck.
Thanks again for your reply, I really do appreciate all the help you have offered.

Lol!!! I’m not sure which application form you are filling? Otherwise the same application is what thousands of forum members have been using for their application so you should check your answers because it should you about your relationship and then option for unmarried partners should in the drop down menu if that’s what you want to apply for.

Can you screenshot the part of the questions where you are here?

I am so sorry - I clicked an answer at the beginning of the application referring to my partner as my civil partner rather than him being single, hence the issue arose much further into the application. I clicked this because he is not single, he is with me, but I realize they meant single in the legal sense - durrrr, so sorry you have wasted time because of my stupidity. I have now completed the entire form and am now off to ensure we have the evidence. Thanks for your patience and understanding. Have a lovely day - it will be without me bothering you