DEFACTO visa, how hard is it to get for an NZ citizen?

My boyfriend (NZ citizen) has been living with me (UK citizen) for 16 months in the UK. His WHV expires 1st Feb 07, we are looking to go for the Defacto visa to allow him to stay in the UK. I work and also have my own business in which I employ him to run it, we have joint bank acc, joint council tax bills (i own our house) Inland Revenue stuff etc etc showing our address. How hard is it going to be to get this Visa? What sort of time frames do we need to look at? when should we start applying? Any help much appreciated.

I think you mean Unmarried Partner Visa in UK speak? You need two years proof of co-hab with this visa, as I understand it the Defacto visa is only 12 months.

So you should be ok to apply in October but I dunno if you can switch in-country, others will add.

Just give IND as much evidence as you've got - go mad, overkill and make it impossible to question the validity of the relationship.

Steve

IND apply the 2-year minimum for UPV strictly. I am not sure where Wanderer gets an October date from because with 16 months under the belt already you need another 8 months ... next February! But with the current visa expiring on 01.02.07, can you actually get to 2 years prior to that visa expiry date?

Do you have an exact date that the two of you started living together?

John wrote:IND apply the 2-year minimum for UPV strictly. I am not sure where Wanderer gets an October date from because with 16 months under the belt already you need another 8 months ... next February! But with the current visa expiring on 01.02.07, can you actually get to 2 years prior to that visa expiry date?

Do you have an exact date that the two of you started living together?

I was talking decimal years, 10 months a year! Call it World Cup stress.....

Sorry John's right, it's Feb and a bit of a problem for yous two.....

Steve

clizzywizzy wrote:My boyfriend (NZ citizen) has been living with me (UK citizen) for 16 months in the UK. His WHV expires 1st Feb 07, we are looking to go for the Defacto visa to allow him to stay in the UK. I work and also have my own business in which I employ him to run it, we have joint bank acc, joint council tax bills (i own our house) Inland Revenue stuff etc etc showing our address. How hard is it going to be to get this Visa? What sort of time frames do we need to look at? when should we start applying? Any help much appreciated.

Others have commented on the issues you may have with an unmarried partner visa. One other issue your partner will have to deal with longer term is that as he's not legally married, he will need to fulfil the 5 year residence rule for naturalisation as a British citizen, not the 3 year rule for spouses of British citizens.

Thanks for the replys, we are looking to get married but not specifically for a visa so dont want to rush things? If the worst comes to the worst can he extend his visa for 6 months as a visitor visa without leaving and re entering? 6 months would give us that bit of extra time to have more proof of living together etc and most likely be engaged.