Other ways to prove living together for 2+ years

[muffinman]

Hi everyone,
This forum is proving incredibly useful - thanks for the help so far. A few questions if anyone is able to help...

I'm Australian and my partner of 7 years is British and I'm looking to apply for the un-married visa so we can settle in the UK. We have been living and working abroad in the development sector - now expecting baby so moving to UK. Currently we live in West Africa and have been cohabiting here for 4 year - previous to that 12 months living together in the UK (while I was on a tier 5 YMS visa) - previous to that 2 years living together in southeast Asia.

I'm quite sure we tick all the boxes (almost) - The only thing we don't really have is utility bills or post in both our names with this address for the past 4 years. The lease and all the bills are in my name - there isn't a mail service here so we don't receive mail. Is there any other way we can prove we have been living together? My partner's drivers license here has our address on it and we have loads of photos of us here. We could get references from people we know here that work for the British Embassy, or from her employer. We have tones of photos over the past 7 years of us in Australia, UK, and everywhere.

So basically my question is - can we use other means to prove that we have been a genuine couple living together for 7 years?

thanks in advance!

[Casa]

A sticky situation as you are required to show not only that you shared a joint address but also that you were living in a relationship 'akin to marriage' for the mandatory 2 years. This would generally be expected to include evidence of joint finance, bills, mortgage or tenancy. If you are able to solve the co-habitation issue, do you have the minimum income/finances covered?

[muffinman]

Thanks for the reply. I believe the finances is covered as we have more than the required savings £62.5k.

We also have other documentation over the last few years like flight bookings with both of us on them and some other things that might show we've been together for this time. Also money transfers between our two accounts. Just not much with our address on it

Thanks again

[Wanderer]

Thanks for the reply. I believe the finances is covered as we have more than the required savings £62.5k.

We also have other documentation over the last few years like flight bookings with both of us on them and some other things that might show we've been together for this time. Also money transfers between our two accounts. Just not much with our address on it

Thanks again

Think you'll struggle then, UPV always the most strictly applied visa in terms of docs required, due to the perceived lack of commitment compared to a married couple.

[muffinman]

Ok thanks for the help.

Do you know if they will even look at other things? We have 7 years of pretty solid evidence in terms of photographs, travel documents, references from employers/friends/family. Skype calls, emails, messages over the past 7 years. A couple things with same address like driving licenses.

When we were in the UK for 12 months we have some mail with the same address but that was 2011.

And now we are having a child who will be born in the UK.

You think I'd be wasting my time even applying?

[Wanderer]

Ok thanks for the help.

Do you know if they will even look at other things? We have 7 years of pretty solid evidence in terms of photographs, travel documents, references from employers/friends/family. Skype calls, emails, messages over the past 7 years. A couple things with same address like driving licenses.

When we were in the UK for 12 months we have some mail with the same address but that was 2011.

And now we are having a child who will be born in the UK.

You think I'd be wasting my time even applying?

We got our UPV in 2008 and it was tough then. Be even tougher now. Best way to judge it is to look at your evidence and take a detached view on it. Would you be convinced that it shows incontrovertible proof that this couple have cohabited as man and wife for the previous 24 months?

References from people won't be counted, Skype, emails etc point to NOT living together so I'd discount those.

[muffinman]

Ok thanks - I guess we need to try and get more documentIon. With the emails and communication it is things like discussing renovations, photos of us renovating and living there for over 4 years, emails between us and landlord (tho the actual lease is only in my name!). Anyway, I get your point about proving it.

Out of curiosity, if we had been married say just a few months ago would that hold more value than 7 years unmarried together?

Thanks again

[Casa]

Ok thanks - I guess we need to try and get more documentIon. With the emails and communication it is things like discussing renovations, photos of us renovating and living there for over 4 years, emails between us and landlord (tho the actual lease is only in my name!). Anyway, I get your point about proving it.

Out of curiosity, if we had been married say just a few months ago would that hold more value than 7 years unmarried together?

Thanks again

In all honesty, probably yes.