Moving my girlfriend to the UK

[jcvamp]

My girlfriend and I met online. We've known each other since August of last year, and have been dating since January of this year, I visited her in March, and she visited me in July. I plan to visit again in December. We'd like to live together properly, see how the relationship goes, and maybe eventually get married (though we don't want to rush into marriage just to keep her in the country).

Currently, she is studying to get an Licenced Practical Nurse in the US, and would like to either study to become a Registered Nurse here, or see if her qualifications would allow her to work as a nurse here. She has an 11 year old daughter to a previous relationship. Ideally, she'd like to move here next year.

What kind of work visa could she, as an LPN, apply for, and how long would she be able to stay?
If she'd need to get further qualifications before she could work as a nurse here, would her American LPN allow her to?
If she can apply for a work visa or student visa, is it possible for her to apply for a spouse visa if we decided to get married?
If she can't get a work or student visa, is there any other type of visa she could get that would allow her to live with me so that we can develop the relationship and decide if we want to get married?
If she can get any of these visas, would she be able to bring her daughter?
If she can bring her daughter, would her daughter be able to go to school here?

We don't want to get married just to get my girlfriend into the country. Ultimately, she'd like to work as a nurse here. We're just very confused by the UK Border Agency website.

[vinny]

On the UK Border Agency website, it talks about moving to the UK as the partner as a citizen (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/partners-families/citizens-settled/spouse-cp/). It says you must prove you have a 'genuine and subsisting relationship', but lists that one of the things that proves you have a genuine subsisting relationship is living with your partner (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/partners-families/citizens-settled/spouse-cp/can-you-apply/genuine/). How can you be living with your partner if you aren't allowed to live in the same country? This doesn't make sense.

Can someone explain?

[vinny]

lists that one of the things that proves you have a genuine subsisting relationship is living with your partner

What about the other things?

[ouflak1]

How can you be living with your partner if you aren't allowed to live in the same country? This doesn't make sense.

Try not to take it personally. They didn't write these rules with the idea in mind that they would specifically be excluding you and others in your situation. They wrote them so they could include those who do meet the requirements for a partner visa, but otherwise not qualify to be with their partner in the UK.

This visa is being issued, and there are even posts on this forum from people in the UK who came in on this visa, so it's not like its an impossibility to qualify for it. It just may not apply to your situation and you may have to consider a different route to be with your partner in the UK, which you seem to have already done, considering you mentioned her impending qualifications.

What kind of work visa could she, as an LPN, apply for, and how long would she be able to stay?

Well she can do a job search and get a feel for things, but I do believe that the nursing field is somewhat stable at the moment. And I think you do have to be a RN to register for a pin number to practice nursing. Not sure though. You will need to research that.

If she'd need to get further qualifications before she could work as a nurse here, would her American LPN allow her to?
If she can apply for a ... student visa....

She can certainly apply for RN programs here in the UK, and her existing qualifications would, I'd have to believe, be a nice bonus.

...Is it possible for her to apply for a spouse visa if we decided to get married

Sure. She might have to leave the country, apply for the visa, and come back. But assuming you meet the requirements, most notably the financial requirements, it would be no problem. However keep in mind that once she is here legally, you can get married anyway. You can then sort the visa stuff out later.

...Is there any other type of visa she could get that would allow her to live with me so that we can develop the relationship and decide if we want to get married?

Nope. The UK does not have a 'boyfriend/girlfriend' visa. Don't that take that personally. That's not a knock on you or anybody. It's just the way things are because of a lot of immigration and cultural factors that have been in place long before you made this post.

...Would she be able to bring her daughter (and) ... would her daughter be able to go to school here?

Yes and yes, having to meet additional financial and accommodation requirements naturally.

[jcvamp]

Sorry for not responding sooner; I expected to get alerts when I got replies.

I've been in touch with a university and the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The NMC said that she could do a pre-registration course here. However, the university I contacted said she'd need an NHS bursary to get on a course. We're checking to see if this is the requirement at other universities.

We've discovered that the type of work she'd like to do as a nurse is actually closer to a carer's work here, so another avenue would be to try to get a carer's job here. However, I'm not sure how to go about that.

Is there a place where she could get advice on jobs as a non-UK resident?

[anniecc]

To be able to work in the UK your girlfriend will need a Tier 2 work permit. Normally these are are only available where an employer has advertised a job within the UK and been unable to fill it, or for specific specialist jobs that are in shortage. Working as a carer, I would say her chances of getting a work permit are extremely slim.

Obtaining a student visa should be more straight-forward. Once she's here on the student visa you could subequently get married and apply for a spouse visa for her, or if you live together for two years she will be able to apply for an unmarried partner visa. Both options would give her the right to work in the UK. The main catch is that she will not be able to bring her daughter here on a student visa unless she's studying a postgraduate level course. You'll need to check whether nursing is considered a postgraduate level course but I suspect not.

If you can find a way to get the daughter here, then yes she will be allowed to go to school.