Post
by anniecc » Mon Nov 18, 2013 5:00 pm
When did you and your partner begin living together? What evidence do you have to show this?
If you want to apply to switch in country, you can apply up to the day before your YMS visa expires - your current visa status will continue while your application is being considered. However, under the rules for unmarried partners, you should have completed two full years living together at the point you apply. This may be difficult unless you have literally been living together since the day you arrived in the country. Returning to Taiwan to apply out-of-country would not solve this problem as you would still be short of the two year requirement.
I can see two possible options
1) Apply in country before your YMS expires. Continue living with your partner while your visa is being processed. If your application is refused on the grounds of not meeting the two year requirement you can leave the UK and reapply from Taiwan, as the period spent living together while your application was being considered should have enabled you to satisfy the two year requirement. Downside of this option is the possibility you'll have to pay two application fees.
2) Convince your partner to move back to Taiwan with you, or to a third country, for a period to enable you to meet the two year requirement. So for example, if you can document 18 months living together in UK, you would need to add 6 months living together in Taiwan. You may have difficulty meeting the financial requirements if you choose this option though.
