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American Visiting the UK - 6 months

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Auron
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American Visiting the UK - 6 months

Post by Auron » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:44 pm

Hi all,

As i have discovered, US citizens can visit the UK for 6 months, without gaining a Visa in advance. The visa is given either at the airport or onboard the aircraft and includes arious questions as regards to criminal conviction and so on.

My fiancee wishes to enter the UK, for approximatley 6 months. She has no criminal records of any type, and there is no reson to entry denial.

We do intend to marry once she is over here within the 6 months. It would be preferrable if she could remain in the UK for morre than 6 months, 12 months would be perfect.

I have found out that she can extend her stay, however i was owndring how this was done. To give me peice of mind while he is over here, id like to apply for 12 months right away rather than hope for 12 months, during her 6 month stay.

Thanks,

Auron.

Auron
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Typing errors

Post by Auron » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:46 pm

There are a few typing errors in the previous message. For clarity, i am wondering how i can gain more than 6 months when we are married.

I am male, and live in the UK, my femal fiancee lives in the US

:)

Wanderer
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Ireland

Post by Wanderer » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:53 pm

The key is 'genuine visitor' - u gf might fail this test if she intends to stay for than six months or intends to marry.

You can't stay more than six months in any 12 and u cannot switch visa category. To marry u would need to apply for a CoA and find someone willing to marry you, and even then she'd have to return home to apply for a spouse visa - expensive business, about 800 quid in fees.

To get more than six months apart from marriage ur options are student visa, budget 15-30k, or Tier 1 work visa, for which she'd need to be highly skilled or have an in-demand skill.
An chéad stad eile Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile....

Auron
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Post by Auron » Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:00 pm

Thanks for the reply,

Obviously ive heard different opinions regarding this, i wondered if you could tell me what you think of this response found on another website.

Response -

She can stay for up to 6 months without getting a visa in advance. Effectively she is applying for a tourist visa when she arrives in the UK which is automatically granted assuming certain conditions are met (e.g. no criminal convictions for certain serious offenses, not a terrorist etc...)

A visa for more than 6 months is harder to get, she would need to apply for one and prove that she has the means to support herself without working for that length of time.
The one exception is if you plan to get married soon in which case it gets a little easier.

If she needs / wants a visa to stay longer then she should contact the nearest UK consulate in the USA about getting one, there is a list of them here: http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/our-offices...

Wanderer
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Post by Wanderer » Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:21 pm

A tourist visa can be issued for 2,5 or even 10 years upon formal application at a UK Embassy. But still the rule applies, no more than six months in every 12, it's just the expiry of the visa is 2,5, or 10 years hence, it's not a visa to stay that length of time. I think that's what ur confusing it with. Mainly for the benefit of visa nationals, ie those who have to apply for a visit visa formally every time.

As a US national this would be pointless for her since US Citz receive an 'auto-virtual' visa on entry. Bear in mind if she's ever been refused entry to UK she would need to formally apply for a visa.

Right, extending a visit visa beyond six months? Yes, it's possible but not in ur situation. Civil War back home, Volcanic eruptions, Nuclear catastrophies are the kind of things we're talking about here.

What else? Oh yeah, if she arrives in UK and the IO decides to question or search her, make sure there's no talk of marriage or wedding paraphernalia in her bag, the IO will assume the worst and bounce her, meaning no more visa-waiver.

There is also the Marriage Visit Visa, where u get married within the six months, return home and apply for a spouse visa.

Take it from me and all here, there's no legal way of extending the six months.

And remember 'genuine visitor' not 'fiancee looking to marry' or 'hoping to settle', any doubts and bingo-bango, visa grief for the forseeable.

Indeed, my UK mate living in USA and his US wife are questioned all the time on entry cos they visit a lot and the IO is sure she's living here. She's not and there's no proof but it's a right royal pain in the arse for them.
An chéad stad eile Stáisiún Uí Chonghaile....

sakura
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Re: American Visiting the UK - 6 months

Post by sakura » Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:23 pm

Auron wrote:Hi all,

As i have discovered, US citizens can visit the UK for 6 months, without gaining a Visa in advance. The visa is given either at the airport or onboard the aircraft and includes arious questions as regards to criminal conviction and so on.

My fiancee wishes to enter the UK, for approximatley 6 months. She has no criminal records of any type, and there is no reson to entry denial.

We do intend to marry once she is over here within the 6 months. It would be preferrable if she could remain in the UK for morre than 6 months, 12 months would be perfect.

I have found out that she can extend her stay, however i was owndring how this was done. To give me peice of mind while he is over here, id like to apply for 12 months right away rather than hope for 12 months, during her 6 month stay.

Thanks,

Auron.
If you plan to marry whilst she is here, and if she wishes to stay for longer than 6 months, she should NOT use the Visa-Waiver. She cannot even marry as a tourist (except in certain places), and she most certainly would NOT be able to either extend her tourist visa (unless due to the extreme reasons given above by Wanderer) or 'switch' into another category. The best option is the fiancée visa (see here for more). After marriage, you can apply for a spouse visa. That is the best visa option I can think of, even if you are deciding to move to the US or elsewhere in a year's time.

By the way, just because she is entitled to six months does not mean she will get six months. It isn't automatically granted, and some visitors (even US citizens) have been given much less. The maximum stay in any one period is six months; I have never heard of anyone obtaining a tourist visa which allowed them to be physically present in the UK for any one period longer than 6 months.

UKBAbble
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Location: Berkshire

Post by UKBAbble » Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:12 pm

6 months is the maximum period permitted as a visitor - that is set in the immigration rules. Do not assume that she will be granted a visitor's visa at all - from what I've read it's quite possible she will be refused entry.

berkshire1987
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Location: United Kingdom

Post by berkshire1987 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 5:44 pm

UKBAbble wrote:6 months is the maximum period permitted as a visitor - that is set in the immigration rules. Do not assume that she will be granted a visitor's visa at all - from what I've read it's quite possible she will be refused entry.
I think she should apply for a fiancée visa. This will allow her 6 months in the UK and then you can get married. Make sure the marriage is done so it is recognised for purposes of obtaining a spouse visa. After this she can go back to the US and apply for a spouse visa.

If she wishes to come over as a visitor then on arrival at immigration she will get asked some questions. This will be by an IO in order to ensure she is a genuine visitor. She will need to tell him/her truth and don't assume he/she wont check things up . If she lies she will be refused entry. Telling them that you plan to marry, the truth, at the border whilst asking for a visit visa isn't going to get her in either. So with all that in mind a visit visa is not the best or indeed the right option.

So don't assume there will be no reason to refuse her entry. From what you have said it is more the opposite and being a US citizen this doesn't warrant her any exceptions. A visit visa is for visiting purposes not marriage. If she lies and manages to get through then later applies for a spouse visa they will know she married on a visit visa so don't try it.

Take the correct route and there will be less hassle. Good luck!

djb123
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Post by djb123 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 6:07 pm

Wanderer wrote:There is also the Marriage Visit Visa, where u get married within the six months, return home and apply for a spouse visa.
berkshire1987 wrote:I think she should apply for a fiancée visa. This will allow her 6 months in the UK and then you can get married. Make sure the marriage is done so it is recognised for purposes of obtaining a spouse visa. After this she can go back to the US and apply for a spouse visa.
If she came here on a fiancee visa she wouldn't have to return to the US to apply for a spouse visa. All she would have to do is apply for FLR once they got married.

berkshire1987
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Post by berkshire1987 » Fri Nov 07, 2008 6:20 pm

djb123 wrote:
Wanderer wrote:There is also the Marriage Visit Visa, where u get married within the six months, return home and apply for a spouse visa.
berkshire1987 wrote:I think she should apply for a fiancée visa. This will allow her 6 months in the UK and then you can get married. Make sure the marriage is done so it is recognised for purposes of obtaining a spouse visa. After this she can go back to the US and apply for a spouse visa.
If she came here on a fiancee visa she wouldn't have to return to the US to apply for a spouse visa. All she would have to do is apply for FLR once they got married.
Yes....sorry my apologies....she can apply for a marriage visa from within the UK after marriage. Marriage visa will require you both to be 21 or over as of 27th November 2008.

hardwork!
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Post by hardwork! » Sat Nov 22, 2008 9:48 pm

I wouldn't let your fiancee risk her chances. While a visitor can be entitled to stay for 6 months, anyone that does stay for that time will be asked questions re work, true intentions. Her intentions are to marry, which means she needs a Fiancee visa. I wouldn't make her future stay complicated by not doing things properly first! If you 'risk' it,be aware that Immigration can send her straight back to the US, which is a wasted cost!

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