How to bring together an online relationship

[asimpleduty]

Hi guys. I haven't applied or anything, because I am trying to figure out what options I have. Me and my boyfriend have been online friends for ten years. He is in the UK, I am in the US. We got together again about a year ago (we were together as kids), and I want to be able to live there with him. I've went to visit him and his family, and he is coming to visit me and mine in March.

Is there anything that would allow me to be able to be there with him? He has a young daughter, and does not want to leave her behind. Him coming here is out of the question. We really are committed to our relationship and are trying to make it work, but it seems as though we would have to jump into marriage just to be together. We have discussed marriage, but of course we would prefer to do things the normal way and live together first.

Does anyone have any advice?

[MPH80]

Your options are:

1) Get married and follow the spouse visa or plan to get married and go the fiancee visa route

2) Come here as a student

3) Find a company to sponsor you (easier said than done) and come on a tier 2 visa.

M.

[manci]

......we would prefer to do things the normal way and live together first.

How long for? Wouldn't 6 months that you could stay as a visitor be sufficient for that? The visitor conditions are here:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... uirements/

[asimpleduty]

I figured those were my options. He just wanted me to check and make sure.

I believe the six months will be fine (at least I hope it will! ha), but I figure if it could have been a little longer it would be better. You know?

Que sera sera.

Thanks for y'alls help.

[asimpleduty]

......we would prefer to do things the normal way and live together first.

How long for? Wouldn't 6 months that you could stay as a visitor be sufficient for that? The visitor conditions are here:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas ... uirements/

Actually, is this even an option? I looked at it, and you have to leave after this time and show you are not going to get married or engaged while there? So, I couldn't go from a visitor to engaged or married according to this... correct?

Or could I get engaged,and during the 6 month fiance visa, do the "give notice of a marriage" bit? I'm not sure if getting engaged and getting that visa and giving notice of a marriage would be one and the same. Would they?

[MPH80]

You can't come here on a visitor visa and switch no. But you could come on a fiancee visa, give notice, get married and switch to a spouse visa (note - that's a fiancee visa - not a marriage visitor visa!).

But there isn't anything stopping you coming as a visitor for 6 months if you choose.

The key thing to remember about coming as a visitor is 'why are you going to leave'. So if you came here with the intention of being here 6 months, leaving to get a visa and coming back quickly, it might cause a number of red-flags at the point of entry.

You need to show you have reasons to leave (a job, property, family etc) ... so if you turn up having a boyfriend in the UK, who isn't going anywhere because of kids, and you've quit your job, given up your condo/house and have limited funds - the ECO might be inclined to say that you aren't going to leave and turn you around on the next plane back.

If you come here with a genuine intention to visit and go back - then it's easier.

M.