Can we apply for EEA unmarried partner visa?
Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2018 1:26 pm
Hello everyone,
I hope I have posted in the right section. Below is a summary of my situation:
- I am EU citizen, I have been living and working in the UK for 3 years, I have a permanent contract and I am planning on applying for the pre-settled status once the scheme fully opens.
- My girlfriend is non-EU, she did her Master's in London and stayed from September 2017 to September 2018, she came back in December 2018 for the graduation ceremony and her Tier 4 visa expires in January 2019. She won a scholarship and one of the clauses states that she'll need the written consent of the Home Office before she applies for a Tier 2 visa if she's had that scholarship in the last 12 months. Given that the scholarship ended in September 2018, she won't need that written consent from September 2019. At the end of the scholarship she went back to Serbia to her previous job as she didn't have any other means to support herself financially.
We met in February 2018 and started dating, then our relationship became "official" at the beginning of April 2018. After she left I visited her in October (6 days) and November (7 days) - I have kept the flight tickets. As said, she came to London for her graduation and stayed for 7 days and I am going to visit her again in January, again for 7 days.
On the UK Government website, in the page for family permits I read "You can also apply as an unmarried partner if you can show that you’re in a lasting relationship with the EEA national. Extended family members and unmarried partners are not guaranteed to get a permit. Your individual circumstances will be considered when you apply."
My understanding is that there are no specific and quantifiable requirements on the relationship - different from the spouse visa for example, for which they require at least 2 years relationship. My girlfriend is a bit worried that she may get that application rejected and that she'll have to declare if she'll be to apply for other visas.
Now, given that we can prove that our relationship is genuine and lasting, that we are putting effort to see each other every month, do you think we are in the position to apply for the extended family permit which will give her the possibility to come and visit me in the UK from time to time? If not, the only alternative is the tourist visa?
Still from the UK Government website "You must apply for a residence card if you’re the ‘extended’ family member of an EEA national and want to stay in the UK after your EEA family permit has expired." Do you think she can get the residence card automatically or more easily if she previously got the family permit?
To me this seems the best route to follow, but I'd like to hear your opinions too as you'll surely be more knowledgeable than me.
Many thanks in advance!
I hope I have posted in the right section. Below is a summary of my situation:
- I am EU citizen, I have been living and working in the UK for 3 years, I have a permanent contract and I am planning on applying for the pre-settled status once the scheme fully opens.
- My girlfriend is non-EU, she did her Master's in London and stayed from September 2017 to September 2018, she came back in December 2018 for the graduation ceremony and her Tier 4 visa expires in January 2019. She won a scholarship and one of the clauses states that she'll need the written consent of the Home Office before she applies for a Tier 2 visa if she's had that scholarship in the last 12 months. Given that the scholarship ended in September 2018, she won't need that written consent from September 2019. At the end of the scholarship she went back to Serbia to her previous job as she didn't have any other means to support herself financially.
We met in February 2018 and started dating, then our relationship became "official" at the beginning of April 2018. After she left I visited her in October (6 days) and November (7 days) - I have kept the flight tickets. As said, she came to London for her graduation and stayed for 7 days and I am going to visit her again in January, again for 7 days.
On the UK Government website, in the page for family permits I read "You can also apply as an unmarried partner if you can show that you’re in a lasting relationship with the EEA national. Extended family members and unmarried partners are not guaranteed to get a permit. Your individual circumstances will be considered when you apply."
My understanding is that there are no specific and quantifiable requirements on the relationship - different from the spouse visa for example, for which they require at least 2 years relationship. My girlfriend is a bit worried that she may get that application rejected and that she'll have to declare if she'll be to apply for other visas.
Now, given that we can prove that our relationship is genuine and lasting, that we are putting effort to see each other every month, do you think we are in the position to apply for the extended family permit which will give her the possibility to come and visit me in the UK from time to time? If not, the only alternative is the tourist visa?
Still from the UK Government website "You must apply for a residence card if you’re the ‘extended’ family member of an EEA national and want to stay in the UK after your EEA family permit has expired." Do you think she can get the residence card automatically or more easily if she previously got the family permit?
To me this seems the best route to follow, but I'd like to hear your opinions too as you'll surely be more knowledgeable than me.
Many thanks in advance!
