US citizen visa help

[smurray0610]

Hello! I am in need of some advice...

My story is this. I am an American citizen, currently visiting the UK under a short term visitors visa. I still have 6 weeks left on my 6 month stay. I came here to visit my boyfriend, who is a British born citizen. We met online, and although how we met is unconventional, we have found love. We had been talking for about a year and a half before my visit, and I had visited the UK one other time before, where i visited for a week. Now I have been here for 4 months, and I am looking at my options. I know full well, that they might include going home and applying for a visa there, but I am trying my options before I go all the way home.

-I could apply for the tier 2 visa, but I am having difficulty with sponsorships from companies, any suggestions on this as it would be the easiest way.
-We would plan on living together, and marriage is in our future, but unlike some people who would get married just to stay in the country, we do not want to do that. We want to make sure what we have will last. So time together is really what we need.
-If a fiancee visa is best, am I right in thinking that, if I went home and applied under a finacee visa, and arrived here and then applied for a CoA, will that give me 6 months finacee visa time, then another year to get married? Or am i misunderstanding that?
-My biggest question is if I enter under a fiancee visa, and then apply for a CoA...do I still have to marry within my 6 months of my fiancee visa or...just register my CoA and then be married within that year after I register the CoA...So confused. @_@
-Can anyone recommend any other type of visa? I have also looked into the Long Term Visitors visa. But I have heard all kinds of problems with ths one.

Any advice given would be great, I do not want to break any immigration laws or become an overstayer.

[Kitty]

If you are granted a fiancé visa, you won't need to get a CoA.

In order to see what other options you have:

How old are you?

Do you have any British ancestry?

What qualifications/work experience do you have?

Could you afford to come to the UK as a student?

You can get a "long term visit" visa, but it still only allows you to spend 6 months out of any 12 in the UK.

[geriatrix]

I could apply for the tier 2 visa, but I am having difficulty with sponsorships from companies, any suggestions on this as it would be the easiest way.

You cannot apply for Tier 2 visa without an employer sponsoring your employment. So you need a job offer with sponsorship to apply for Tier 2. Also, you cannot apply from within the UK.

-If a fiancee visa is best, am I right in thinking that, if I went home and applied under a finacee visa, and arrived here and then applied for a CoA, will that give me 6 months finacee visa time, then another year to get married? Or am i misunderstanding that?

You don't need to apply for CoA when you enter UK on a fiancee visa You'll need to get married within the 6 months of your leave and then may extend your stay as spouse of a British citizen. While in UK on a fiancee visa, you cannot work.

-My biggest question is if I enter under a fiancee visa, and then apply for a CoA...do I still have to marry within my 6 months of my fiancee visa or...just register my CoA and then be married within that year after I register the CoA...So confused. @_@

As explained above.

-Can anyone recommend any other type of visa? I have also looked into the Long Term Visitors visa. But I have heard all kinds of problems with ths one.

As a guideline, one can stay in the UK on a visitor visa for 6 months in 12, even if you hold a "multi-year / long-term" visitor visa.

[smurray0610]

First thank you for your response and your information. It is most appreciated!

@ Kitty:
I am 31 years old,and although I have UK Ancestry, none that goes as recently as my grandparents. Unfortunately,we have been Americans for many generations. As far as a student visa is concerned, it is an avenue I am willing to look into, but I am told that you can only do limited work under a student visa, and I would prefer to work. I am not one of those peoplethat would rely on governmentaid for anything. I didnt in the US and will not anywhere else.

@ Sushi:
Thank you for the info on Tier 2 Visa. I was misinformed about Tier 2 visa before I arrived then. I was under the impression you could apply for it even if you were in the UK. I am just a visitor, still within my 6 month time restraint, so I am technically not living in the UK, but I would prefer to stay and work and live here. Just curious as to how that is done. How can one get a sponsorship form overseas, without having met their future employee? Or how can one get a sponshorship period.

As far as a CoA....can you explain that for me? WHen do you apply for it, who qualifies for it? Would I be able to get one under my circumstances?

Thank you again for your help! This has been more informative than my one year on my own research.

[vinny]

A COA is simply permission for you to get married in the UK. It doesn't change your Immigration status. Moreover, it should be scrapped soon.