Those of you who've read our story over and over must be really bored by it. But, I need to give a quick recap and then ask advice.
We came to the UK in 2003 for hubby to do a PhD. Hubby decided to quit his programme due to advisor problems and a business opportunity that arose. Before applying for HSMP, we each called HSMP and Croyden and were assured that hubby would be eligible for in-country switch and that we would be legal after he quit school, as long as the HSMP was submitted before he left the uni. He was told he'd have to work half-time under the provisions of the student visa until the HSMP was approved.
The HSMP was submitted in April before he quit school and was not approved until the following Nov. By then, the FLR rules had changed and people on a student visa who had not completed their programmes, were no longer eligible to switch in-country. The FLR team refused to consider grandfathering the old rules. HSMP refused to change the approval letter to allow for EC. We went back and forth with them and they would not help in any way. So... the only option was to reapply as out-of-country -- which was done at the end of March. Still, no reply from that application.
In the meantime, we cannot leave the country, since trying to explain this situation to an immigration officer would be a nightmare. The student visa is good through 2006, but we will not lie to immigration control and telling the truth would cause all kinds of problems and could result in refused entry -- and all of our possessions are in the UK. However, we need to be able to go over to France for job interviews (thinking of moving if we can line something up).
So...if we were to try to obtain a 6 month visitor's visa (so we would have multiple entry without hassles), do you all think it would be granted? I'm worried that if we tell them our history, that they may boot us out of the country, which would be a disaster. Also -- if for some reason, the HSMP is not resolved before the 6 months visitor's visa runs out, then we would be overstayers, so we have that problem, as well. But, if we could obtain a visitor's visa, we might be able to line up jobs in continental Europe before having to spend all the money to return to our home country to get EC.
What do you all think? Would it be likely to be granted a visitor's visa from the student visa under these circumstances?
Many thanks.
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