Unmarried Partner/£18.6k for continuous period of 2 years?

[lifeontier2]

My question is regarding the unmarried partner visa.

My boyfriend and I have been living together for nearly a year (And we've been in a serious relationship since 2013). I've been in the UK on a tier 2 visa but due to redundancy, I will be losing that visa soon, and face the prospect of leaving him and the UK.

My boyfriend has a steady full-time job that pays him £19,000 and he's had that since January this year. But we are now planning to to move to Germany, where I will pursue a masters and my boyfriend can get a job, so we can continue living together and not break this chain, so to speak.

My question now, is whether my boyfriend needs to have a job of atleast £18600 for a continuous period of 2 years or can we go traveling together for 4-6 months, then go to Germany where he can take up another job (and I my masters) which pays him atleast 18.6k for at least 6 months before we can apply for the visa. Is that possible? That is to say, is it just the 6 months before applying for the visa that we need to worry about or is it all of 2 years?

Thanks very much.

[Wanderer]

Will you be in Germany on a German Student Visa?

[Casa]

My question is regarding the unmarried partner visa.

My boyfriend and I have been living together for nearly a year (And we've been in a serious relationship since 2013). I've been in the UK on a tier 2 visa but due to redundancy, I will be losing that visa soon, and face the prospect of leaving him and the UK.

My boyfriend has a steady full-time job that pays him £19,000 and he's had that since January this year. But we are now planning to to move to Germany, where I will pursue a masters and my boyfriend can get a job, so we can continue living together and not break this chain, so to speak.

My question now, is whether my boyfriend needs to have a job of atleast £18600 for a continuous period of 2 years or can we go traveling together for 4-6 months, then go to Germany where he can take up another job (and I my masters) which pays him atleast 18.6k for at least 6 months before we can apply for the visa. Is that possible? That is to say, is it just the 6 months before applying for the visa that we need to worry about or is it all of 2 years?

Thanks very much.

Your boyfriend doesn't need to show earnings of £18,600 for 2 years, but what you do need is a full 2 years of living together in a relationship 'akin to marriage with the documented evidence to support this. The Case Worker will be looking for joint commitments, such as shared tenancy, joint bank account & finances covering the 2 year period of co-habitation. Something more than a 'boyfriend/girlfriend' relationship.

You've misunderstood the option of applying for an unmarried partner visa when both of you are outside of the UK. In order to qualify, your boyfriend would have to show the equivalent of £18,600 in earnings in the country of residence for the 12 month period prior to submitting the application
and
have a confirmed job offer to start within 3 months of arrival in the UK, again with earnings of £18,600 p.a
In addition to the £1195 visa fee, you would have to pay the NHS surcharge of £600.

Without income you would need £62,500 in savings held in an accessible account for 6 months.

[lifeontier2]

I will be in Germany on a student visa, yes.

[lifeontier2]

Thanks Casa, I am aware that we need a full 2 years of living together 'akin' to marriage and the documented evidence to prove this. Had things gone to plan, we would have been able to get a mortgage in a year's time, so we are serious about our relationship.

What I wasn't sure about, before you clarified it, was whether my boyfriend needed to earn 18.6 for all the time that wanted to prove we were together, or whether it was for 6 months prior to applying for the visa. Turns out it is neither.

If the 6 months rule had been the case, we were thinking of going away to South East Asia for 4-6 months, then going to Germany or even Dubai (in which case we'd both be working) where he could get a job paying the required amount for at least 6 months. But if we want to apply for the visa in a year's time, he can't go away half the year and then work half the year, is that correct?

I am also aware that at the time of applying for the visa, my boyfriend needs to have a confirmed job offer of at least 18.6k in the UK. I don't see this bit being a problem at all.

Also, Germany, like Dubai, is just an option at the moment because it is stupidly hard trying to get a job in any other country that could pay my boyfriend at least 18.6k AND where I can also live with him doing either a study program or work.

Thanks very much once again

[Casa]

Thanks Casa, I am aware that we need a full 2 years of living together 'akin' to marriage and the documented evidence to prove this. Had things gone to plan, we would have been able to get a mortgage in a year's time, so we are serious about our relationship.

What I wasn't sure about, before you clarified it, was whether my boyfriend needed to earn 18.6 for all the time that wanted to prove we were together, or whether it was for 6 months prior to applying for the visa. Turns out it is neither. 6 months if he is applying from within the UK, 12 months if living abroad + the confirmed job offer to start within 3 months of arrival @ £18,600

If the 6 months rule had been the case, we were thinking of going away to South East Asia for 4-6 months, then going to Germany or even Dubai (in which case we'd both be working) where he could get a job paying the required amount for at least 6 months. But if we want to apply for the visa in a year's time, he can't go away half the year and then work half the year, is that correct? Correct if he only has 6 months of employment outside of the UK

I am also aware that at the time of applying for the visa, my boyfriend needs to have a confirmed job offer of at least 18.6k in the UK. I don't see this bit being a problem at all.

Also, Germany, like Dubai, is just an option at the moment because it is stupidly hard trying to get a job in any other country that could pay my boyfriend at least 18.6k AND where I can also live with him doing either a study program or work.

Thanks very much once again