Best way to come to the UK

Hi

I am 39, male, full british citizen born and raised, lived and worked in the UK almost all my life.

My girlfriend is 38, female, mexican citizen born and raised, and has been to abroad and to the UK a few months ago.

Realistically she is too old to study, too old to be an au-pair, we have been dating less than 2 years and are not yet ready to rush into get married within the next 6 months, so a marriage visa is desirable at this time.

I am aware that she can visit for up to 6 months without a visa, but as a visitor she cant work - which isn't ideal, though admittedly its a start.

I am also aware that if she applies for a work visa, she needs to go through one of the approved tier 2 employers, but doing that from abroad when she already works is hard work, made harder because of the different time zones.

I am thinking that her best option is to come over here as a visitor for 6 months, stay with me and "look" for work, and if she finds a place that will accept her then return to Mexico and immediately apply for a work visa, returning once it comes through.

My worry is that she might not find it in the first 6 months that she is over here. So my question is, how long does she have to return to Mexico/stay away before being able to "visit" again and repeat the process until either we can prove we have lived together for over 2 years or she finds a job - whichever comes first.

Clearly her staying for 6 months and then us taking a ferry over to Ireland and back again is likely to set off alarm bells ringing, but is there a minimum time spent out of the UK that she can satisfy before returning without facing extra grief at customs upon her next arrival.

Also, if she is allowed to stay for 6 months visiting, and we decide to go for a romantic trip to say Paris, Rome or Madrid during those 6 months, are we likely to get grief with her returning, even if it is still within the initial 6 months and has a flight back to Mexico already booked and paid for. If there will be grief, is there anything we can do to allay the customs fears.

For note, we DO want to do this legit, and are looking at every possible legal option, but i don't really want to leave the uk myself for 2 years (leaving my house and job in the process) just to satisfy to the ukba that our relationship is solid and lasting.

Alternatively, she is a university graduate and fully qualified accountant, so if anyone is on the tier 2 approved list in the London/Kent region and wants to hire her as an accountant/accounts assistant, also feel free to get in touch.

Thanks

Firstly, she can't 'pop back in and out' on a visitor visa. She can't be seen to spend more time in the UK within a 12 month rolling period than she is spending in her home country. Also brief trips outside of the UK (Ireland for example) won't re-set the clock for time spent here.
She shouldn't have a problem with visiting mainland Europe while she is here, but you'll need to check whether she needs a Schengen visa before travelling.
Secondly, don't be under the misapprehension that you can tot up her time spent in the UK towards the qualifying 2 year period for an Unmarried Partner Visa. This requires documented evidence of a relationship 'akin to marriage', including co-habitation (not visiting) and joint commitments such as finances, tenancy or mortgage etc.
In order for a visitor visa application to succeed, she will have to submit strong reasons for returning to Mexico. Don't be tempted to withhold the existence of your relationship or it will come back to bite you in any future partnership/spouse application.

Casa

Firstly, I am fairly sure that I said I wanted to do this legit, and yet the whole tone of your reply seems to suggest you feel it is otherwise.

Secondly maybe I am being touchy, but I would have hoped to have received a response from someone that was going to offer up some positive 'have you thought of this' or 'have you tried that' suggestions, instead of just someone bashing me saying 'no, no, no, cant and don't'.

As she can AND HAS come to the UK before already, without a visa, your whole "in order for a visitor visa to succeed she would have to submit strong reasons for returning" line, just doesn't make any sense at all.

In fact the only thing that you might have been at all helpful is in saying that if she stays with me for 6 months we will have to show that it wasn't just as visitors, though I am fairly sure I can prove that without a doubt.

Thanks but I will wait/keep trying to find someone somewhere to reply who is going to be a little more helpful.

Yes you are being touchy. I'll leave it to someone else to list all the positives in your intended route. As the saying goes 'If you don't like the message, don't shoot the messenger'

Casa is very knowledgeable and experienced, I would listen to the advice, which I concur with.

Firstly, I am fairly sure that I said I wanted to do this legit, and yet the whole tone of your reply seems to suggest you feel it is otherwise.

We don't sugarcoat advice on the forum. We offer advice based on facts and the immigration rules and say it as it is. You might not like this but it is what it is. We have seen it all, every trick people think to try (more often than not resulting in failure).

Secondly maybe I am being touchy, but I would have hoped to have received a response from someone that was going to offer up some positive 'have you thought of this' or 'have you tried that' suggestions, instead of just someone bashing me saying 'no, no, no, cant and don't'.

Yes, a bit touchy. There is no 'try this or thought of that'. There are rules and they are quite rigid, we reiterate them, people don't like what we say often proceed on what they perceive and fail and return for help to fix their stuff up at not taking the advice in the first place.

In fact the only thing that you might have been at all helpful is in saying that if she stays with me for 6 months we will have to show that it wasn't just as visitors, though I am fairly sure I can prove that without a doubt.

That is not what Casa said. Read the comment again. Visitors cannot accumulate the time to qualify towards an unmarried partner visa because then it is evident that they are not a 'visitor'. But if you are so sure, let us know how you get on and if she receives a ban or is refused entry for effectively 'living' in the UK and not being a 'genuine visitor'. I would be cautious given the amount of visitors that have been refused a visa or entry.

Thanks but I will wait/keep trying to find someone somewhere to reply who is going to be a little more helpful.

You might have a bit of wait given the tone in your response.

daveace76 wrote:Casa

Firstly, I am fairly sure that I said I wanted to do this legit, and yet the whole tone of your reply seems to suggest you feel it is otherwise.

Secondly maybe I am being touchy, but I would have hoped to have received a response from someone that was going to offer up some positive 'have you thought of this' or 'have you tried that' suggestions, instead of just someone bashing me saying 'no, no, no, cant and don't'.

As she can AND HAS come to the UK before already, without a visa, your whole "in order for a visitor visa to succeed she would have to submit strong reasons for returning" line, just doesn't make any sense at all.

In fact the only thing that you might have been at all helpful is in saying that if she stays with me for 6 months we will have to show that it wasn't just as visitors, though I am fairly sure I can prove that without a doubt.

Thanks but I will wait/keep trying to find someone somewhere to reply who is going to be a little more helpful.

Casa is right, only takes one IO to stop her and ask her intentions. Search of bags and find CV's, bills showing living at ur address, doesn't take much.

The true test is 'genuine visitor' and is that what she's doing or is she residing here as long as she's allowed to visit?

If you want to do this properly, read the immigration rules then come back here.

@ Wanderer, knew it wouldn't take you long to arrive and comment

CR001 wrote:@ Wanderer, knew it wouldn't take you long to arrive and comment

Not easy for me though at this difficult time personally. Trying to watch Coronation Street AND Liverpool vs Bournemouth in two windows on my Mac...

Wanderer wrote:

CR001 wrote:@ Wanderer, knew it wouldn't take you long to arrive and comment

Not easy for me though at this difficult time personally. Trying to watch Coronation Street AND Liverpool vs Bournemouth in two windows on my Mac...

Struggling with the mulit-tasking again I see!!

CR001 wrote:

Wanderer wrote:

CR001 wrote:@ Wanderer, knew it wouldn't take you long to arrive and comment

Not easy for me though at this difficult time personally. Trying to watch Coronation Street AND Liverpool vs Bournemouth in two windows on my Mac...

Struggling with the mulit-tasking again I see!!

What do you expect Char...he's a man!

Casa wrote:

CR001 wrote:

Wanderer wrote:Not easy for me though at this difficult time personally. Trying to watch Coronation Street AND Liverpool vs Bournemouth in two windows on my Mac...

Struggling with the mulit-tasking again I see!!

What do you expect Char...he's a man!

Of course, how could I forget!! And here I am watching a show on TV, another show on my tablet, on immi boards and another forum and having chats on FB with 3 people!!

Hmmm

10 replies, all patting each other on the back, sticking together and taking cheap shots at the newbie, not to mention ending up talking about watching TV and sport, nothing at all to do with helping me.

Casa "all the positives" .... the ONLY positive in your comment is that she shouldn't have a problem visiting mainland europe. Whoop de do!

CR001 "every trick" ... no, my situation is not a magic act, nor was my genuine request for informed help for seeking the best/correct way to be with my girlfriend. As far as "we offer advice" well after reading all your comments I have to say that so far no, pal, you don't, and as for "let us know how you got on", no, this is not day time reality tv, I have tried this site and got nowhere fast, so now I am going to cut out the middle man and go straight to the source, i.e. arrange an appointment with the UKBA directly and get advice from the real experts.

I see this forum is no better than most on the internet.

Nothing positive, nothing constructive, just a bunch of lazy trolls making fun.

You lot can all just sugar coat yourselves into a trollish footballing dream.

You are asking what many before have asked; how to bring their girlfriend that they don't want to marry, to the UK. Basically, there is no "shack up" visa for your girlfirend to join you in the UK. It's marriage or nothing and even with marriage you will have to show you can afford to sponsor her.

As you have been told, the unmarried partner visas requires you living together for 2 years akin to marriage (casa kindly explained these requirements) which your girlfriend doesn't meet and she can't do this on visitors visas. For visitors, it's 6 months in any 12 months (they can't spend more time in the UK then they spend out of the UK, in any 12 months).

As you have already been told, your girlfirend cannot live in the UK on a visitor visa. The fact she is with you and wants to live in the UK, will make it hard for her to be allowed to visit becasue visitors are meant to show they have no intention of living in the UK; and you have already said she will be honest/do this legally. As you have also been warned, a tempting lie here to try to secure entry to the UK as a visitor, could come back and bite her if she then applies for a fiance/spouse visa later down the line.

Work visas are very hard to get unless your girlfriend can do a job on the UK's shortages list or has skills that an employer can't find anyone in the EU to do. There are only 20,700 of these visas given a year and are soon going to get harder to achieve this visa.

You've already had lots of help from the posters here who gave their free time to help you. Even though it wasn't what you wanted to hear and perhaps that is why you responded as you did, a "thanks" to them would have good.

Good luck with getting an interview with the UKVI to 'discuss your girlfriend's application'. That will be a first!

daveace76 wrote:...

For note, we DO want to do this legit, and are looking at every possible legal option, but i don't really want to leave the uk myself for 2 years (leaving my house and job in the process) just to satisfy to the ukba that our relationship is solid and lasting.

...

Thanks

Another way to come to UK, especially for a Mexican citizen, is via Spain.
Ref: http://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-for ... sh-citizen

You could also look into the Surinder Singh route if you wanted to test the water whilst living/working together somewhere in Europe.

Whatever happens, if the lady does come to UK in a relationship then you clearly will have to

... satisfy to the ukba that our relationship is solid and lasting

Best of luck.

Petaltop wrote:You are asking what many before have asked; how to bring their girlfriend that they don't want to marry, to the UK.

Don't want to marry - WRONG

Petaltop wrote:It's marriage or nothing and even with marriage you will have to show you can afford to sponsor her.

So the ONLY way people from other countries enter the UK legally is to be married first! - WRONG

Oh and I can afford her just fine thanks, as I have a nice London job that pays very well thank you!

Petaltop wrote:bite her if she then applies for a fiance/spouse visa later down the line.

So immigrants who come to live and work in the UK are ok as long as they never plan on getting married? - WRONG

Petaltop wrote:You've already had lots of help from the posters here"

So accusing me of lying, cheating, and trying to simply shack up with my girlfriend and am not prepared to marry her is all your idea of "lots of help"?

Geez, what a bunch of helpful souls.

Your right Petaltop ... I should say a big thank you to all the people here who insulted me, slurred me and my intentions and then went off topic and started talking football and television viewing habits ... it was SUCH a great help in deciding which sort of Tier 2 visa my girlfriend should apply for, or how much it was going to cost, or how long it would take to process, or if there was any associated health costs incurred, or how long it would be valid for, or if she could extend it here in the UK or not, or how much savings she needed and for how long, or if she had to be fluent in English, or which were the most appropriate UK sponsors to go to, or how much the job would need to earn per annum in order to qualify, or if she could change jobs once after she arrived, or if she could change her visa once she was here or had to return to Mexico in order to do this, or what documentary evidence she would need to prove in order to backup her application, or any of the dozens of other questions we will need to answer and justify prior to her arrival later this/next year.

Great help one and all ... your doing a bang up job, and I am sooooooo glad that I took time to read and re-read every reply here, because you certainly put my mind at rest and allayed my fears I can tell you.

Why now that I have read all your comments I feel positively confident that I have been informed of everything I needed to know before assisting her in successfully completing her entry visa.

Your job here is done ... give yourselves a pat on the back then treat yourselves the rest of the day off, you sure have earned it!

daveace76 wrote:

Petaltop wrote:You are asking what many before have asked; how to bring their girlfriend that they don't want to marry, to the UK.

Don't want to marry - WRONG

Petaltop wrote:It's marriage or nothing and even with marriage you will have to show you can afford to sponsor her.

So the ONLY way people from other countries enter the UK legally is to be married first! - WRONG

Oh and I can afford her just fine thanks, as I have a nice London job that pays very well thank you!

Petaltop wrote:bite her if she then applies for a fiance/spouse visa later down the line.

So immigrants who come to live and work in the UK are ok as long as they never plan on getting married? - WRONG

Petaltop wrote:You've already had lots of help from the posters here"

So accusing me of lying, cheating, and trying to simply shack up with my girlfriend and am not prepared to marry her is all your idea of "lots of help"?

Geez, what a bunch of helpful souls.

Your right Petaltop ... I should say a big thank you to all the people here who insulted me, slurred me and my intentions and then went off topic and started talking football and television viewing habits ... it was SUCH a great help in deciding which sort of Tier 2 visa my girlfriend should apply for, or how much it was going to cost, or how long it would take to process, or if there was any associated health costs incurred, or how long it would be valid for, or if she could extend it here in the UK or not, or how much savings she needed and for how long, or if she had to be fluent in English, or which were the most appropriate UK sponsors to go to, or how much the job would need to earn per annum in order to qualify, or if she could change jobs once after she arrived, or if she could change her visa once she was here or had to return to Mexico in order to do this, or what documentary evidence she would need to prove in order to backup her application, or any of the dozens of other questions we will need to answer and justify prior to her arrival later this/next year.

Great help one and all ... your doing a bang up job, and I am sooooooo glad that I took time to read and re-read every reply here, because you certainly put my mind at rest and allayed my fears I can tell you.

Why now that I have read all your comments I feel positively confident that I have been informed of everything I needed to know before assisting her in successfully completing her entry visa.

Your job here is done ... give yourselves a pat on the back then treat yourselves the rest of the day off, you sure have earned it!

"So the ONLY way people from other countries enter the UK legally is to be married first! - WRONG"

That's not what has been said. What was being said is that you are either married or living together in a genuine and subsisting relationship for a period of 2 years, which your girlfriend can't be doing on a Visitors Visa. That or she enters with employment or the intention to invest (Tier 2 or Tier 1).

"So immigrants who come to live and work in the UK are ok as long as they never plan on getting married? - WRONG"

Again, no-one has said that. Migrants are free to marry within the UK. The problem is that the Home Office will need to be satisfied that the relationship is genuine and subsisting and your girlfriends immigration history will be taken into consideration. So if she marries in the UK when here as a Visitor, this casts doubt as to the genuine nature of her 'Visit' and could result in a refusal.

Honestly, it's quite amazing that you have a girlfriend at all with the way you've reacted to the genuine advice given to you on this forum. You obviously know more than the Immigration Advisors, Lawyers, Home Office Caseworkers (chances are they are members on this forum), so I can't understand why you are asking such basic questions?

However, should you wish to have confirmation of your knowledge, I suggest to visit :

http://www.gov.uk

All immigration rules, guidance, policy etc can be found there.

Here's hoping you don't waste thousands of pounds on a pointless immigration application that will ultimately be refused.....sure you won't though as you clearly know what you are talking about.

noajthan wrote:

daveace76 wrote:...

For note, we DO want to do this legit, and are looking at every possible legal option, but i don't really want to leave the uk myself for 2 years (leaving my house and job in the process) just to satisfy to the ukba that our relationship is solid and lasting.

...

Thanks

Another way to come to UK, especially for a Mexican citizen, is via Spain.
Ref: http://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-for ... sh-citizen

You could also look into the Surinder Singh route if you wanted to test the water whilst living/working together somewhere in Europe.

Whatever happens, if the lady does come to UK in a relationship then you clearly will have to

... satisfy to the ukba that our relationship is solid and lasting

Best of luck.

noajthan, I don't think the OP wants any further advice as it appears that he's going to wait for the UKVI to start offering interviews for sponsors needing help with their application ...although this may well be a considerably long way off... but for the benefit of other members, the Surinder Singh route isn't open to unmarried partners.

Casa wrote:noajthan, I don't think the OP wants any further advice as it appears that he's going to wait for the UKVI to start offering interviews for sponsors needing help with their application ...although this may well be a considerably long way off... but for the benefit of other members, the Surinder Singh route isn't open to unmarried partners.

Well noted Casa, it's his prerogative ofcourse but it's a shame as there's a lot to be learned between here
& here:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/genera ... 92929.html

About Surinder Singh, I haven't had much call myself to make use of the more exotic EA rulings but yes, understood it's for married folk;
OP is evidently intending to take it to next level anyway so thought it was worth putting on the table.

Well noajthan, after 7 years or so on the forum, if there's anything I've learned, it's that you can help some of the people some of the time...but not all of the people all of the time