unmarried Partner visa query

Hi there,

I have some questions regarding applying for and obtaining an unmarried partner visa.

I am currently living with my partner and working in the UK on a sponsored work permit and have done so for the past 3 years. My partner is an Australian citizen who has been working in the UK under a Highly Skilled Migrant Visa for the past 2 years. We have lived together for over 2 and a half years and have leases, bills, council tax etc documentation to support our co-habitation and relationship, which I assume will qualify us for the unmarried partner visa which I want to obtain. I hope!

I was under the impression that I would have to apply to the Australian embassy in Canberra, sending off passports application forms etc, but I have read on other threads that changing to this visa can be done within the UK by fronting up at the Croydon office of immigration. Can anyone confirm this and also shed any other light on how I go about applying for this visa?

Any advice or help is gratefully appreciated.

Regards
Gerry

GerryG wrote:Hi there,

I have some questions regarding applying for and obtaining an unmarried partner visa.

I am currently living with my partner and working in the UK on a sponsored work permit and have done so for the past 3 years. My partner is an Australian citizen who has been working in the UK under a Highly Skilled Migrant Visa for the past 2 years. We have lived together for over 2 and a half years and have leases, bills, council tax etc documentation to support our co-habitation and relationship, which I assume will qualify us for the unmarried partner visa which I want to obtain. I hope!

Are you asking about an unmarried partner visa, or about switching to your wife's HSMP status as a dependent?

And what's your nationality?

Thanks for the reply.

Both my girlfriend and I are Australian nationals.

We are not yet married or engaged, just in a long term relationship so I am assuming that I would only be eligble for the Unmarried Partner visa. That said, we are really just looking for the easiest option.