UK/Irish guy looking to be with kenyan GF forever.

[BigJeff]

We have neither visited eachothers country or met in person, but have talked for months everyday and know we want to be with one another. Was wondering what is the best way to do this? We have talked about marrage and wonder if this is the best way as im unsure about holiday visas and how long they last or.. not being able to apply for one in a period of time. Notes worth mentioning are I am not currently in employment due to disability.

Edit- I have british passport and live in northern ireland but I can get an irish passport if this became useful.

[Mr Rusty]

She is most unlikely to be issued with any sort of visa if you've never met. So your first priority is to make a few trips to Kenya over the next couple of years. If you can't do that, forget it.

A visit visa is issued with validity for up to 6 months. Primary factors in considering whether to grant a visit visa are whether the applicant has support and accommodation without recourse to public funds, and whether he/she intends to return to their own country. Have a rummage through the various links on the UKBA website:-

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... /visiting/

I hesitate to offer any advice about applying for a spouse visa other than what I said in my opening paragraph.

Whether you sponsor her as a UK or an Irish citizen now makes no difference, she will have to apply for a visa under UK Immigration Rules.

[BigJeff]

What about if I went there stayed for 6 months if im allowed 6 months on a holiday visa and we were to get married over there then apply for her to come here, would that work out better? I want to do things the best/most effective way for us to be together. All info greatly is greatly appreciated

[Gyfrinachgar]

What about if I went there stayed for 6 months (...) would that work out better?

Absolutely. Home Office wants to rule out marriages of convenience and forced marriages. If people who have never met once in person apply for a fiancée/spouse visa, that indicates that something cannot be alright. If you met your girlfriend and have known her for quite a while, and meet the remaining criteria (income and such), you can apply either for a spouse visa (marry in Kenya before immigration) or a fiancée visa (marry in the UK after immigration). The latter is valid for 6 months and must be converted into a spouse visa within that time (also, during that time the applicant is not allowed to work).

[MPH80]

Just keep in mind that you have to prove a minimum income - so if you quit your job to go for 6 months, or go 6 months unpaid - that might mean you don't qualify anymore!

[BigJeff]

I was thinking of going there for 3 to 6 months and if things worked out we get married in kenya, then i apply for a visa when i get back to bring her here, does this seem the best way? Also my income is from disability benefit and not 18,000 per year, but correspondence from a barrister has told me that if im on disability then the income wont matter as long as my income and her stay inst dependent on public resource which it wouldn't be. My main concern would be.. would it make it worse or better if I we got married in kenya and would there be any problems with me getting married there on my holiday visa. Many thanks for your input guys.