US Citizen - ? about visiting/coming back every 6 mo

[SwertleTheTurtle]

I have been planning on moving to the UK with my girlfriend of 3 years who will be going to school there for her masters.

I applied for a Student Visa as a dependent as the UK Border Agency advised me to. For some reason they declined my application, I don't know why yet and won't know for another two days.

I know that as US citizens we are allowed to visit the UK for 6 months without a visa.

Is it possible for stay for the 6 months, leave for X amount of time and come back, stay for another 6 months? And what is X? I know a lot of guys that stay in South American countries and just go to a neighboring country every 90 days for a few days, and come back for another 90 days, perpetually.

I have contacted the US Embassy, UK Embassy, and searched the internet for a while and haven't been able to find my answer.

I really need to be there for about 16 months, the duration of her program.

Thanks everyone.

[Lucapooka]

X would be six months if the strict application of the UKBA guidelines were applied to your case, but it depends on the circumstances and the discretion of the admitting officer. Speaking of South America, I live in Brazil and if you stay for a continuous period of six months you can't return until the end of the annual cycle that began when your entered - the six months in, six months out rules here are even stricter than the UK, as there is no discretion.

The problem is that, with the failed application, you have already indicated to the UKBA that you wish to reside in the UK with your GF (and the refusal might be due to the course not being at a HEI, or the fact that you have not satisfied the requirements for unmarried partners), so they will be watching you like a hawk, and if your entry is not as a genuine visitor (in their estimation) you could be refused if you enter, leave and return very soon.

[ban.s]

Is it possible for stay for the 6 months, leave for X amount of time and come back, stay for another 6 months? And what is X?

also see Frequency and duration of visits

[SwertleTheTurtle]

Would this work:

Stay in UK for just under 6 months - fly to Malta, stay for 90 days. Fly to Cyprus, stay for 90 days. Fly back to UK for duration of her program. Fly back to US.

[SwertleTheTurtle]

Also can I get my name on a lease to rent an apartment in the UK with my gf? I need to prove residency in the UK (I play poker professionally online and need this to reactivate my poker accounts on the biggest sites).

[Lucapooka]

Yes, perhaps.

[mulderpf]

I suggest you wait for the reason for refusal of your dependent visa first and try to remedy that - living in the UK on a visit visa is not a good idea. You also shouldn't be working while in the UK, so if you play poker professionally, you actually aren't allowed to do that while visiting.

I can't help to think that this is an ill-thought through plan.