Non EU girlfriend work sponsor help

[oldwelshdude]

I need some advice on the type of visa to apply for. My Zambian girlfriend is going to be coming to live with me in the UK. She intends to find work with the intention of remaining in this country.
My question is, can she get a visa to come to the UK, then find work and then apply to remain here.
I have looked at the spouse visa and do not qualify due to lack of funds. I do have a job but it does not give me the £18,000 odd salery.
Any advice or information you can give will be appreciated

[CR001]

What is your nationality or immigration status?

There is no 'boyfriend/girlfriend' visa. An unmarried partner visa requires rock solid evidence of living together in a 'relationship akin to marriage' for a minimum of 2 years.

She would likely need to find a visa that she qualifies for, i.e. Tier 4 to study, limited work on this or a Tier 2 General visa with a sponsoring employer and she needs to be skilled for this.

[Casa]

Your girlfriend can't apply for any category of visa while she is in the UK as a visitor.

Her only options are to apply from her home country for a student visa (if she has sufficient funds) or a Tier 2- General visa if she has a skill and an offer of employment from an employer who is on the UKVI list of approved sponsors.

https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general/overview
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... onsors.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa/overview

Edit: Beaten by CR001

[oldwelshdude]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will look into these types of visa, cheers

[oldwelshdude]

Hi. I have a non EU girlfriend from Africa. We have met eachother in Africa in November and stayed with eachother for 2 weeks. I met her family and she is going to come to the UK on a 6 month visitors visa in the new year.

When she is here is she able to make enquiries into being sponsored to work here on her next visit so that we can make it permanent for her to stay? With the idea to get engaged and married at some point?
And does it have to be certain types of sponsors or certain types of work or can it be anything?

[makky86]

Hi. I have a non EU girlfriend from Africa. We have met eachother in Africa in November and stayed with eachother for 2 weeks. I met her family and she is going to come to the UK on a 6 month visitors visa in the new year.

When she is here is she able to make enquiries into being sponsored to work here on her next visit so that we can make it permanent for her to stay? With the idea to get engaged and married at some point?
And does it have to be certain types of sponsors or certain types of work or can it be anything?

Please state your status

[CR001]

I have merged your topics. The advice given in July when you ask the same/similar question has not changed.

Multiple Topics/Posts (click)

[CR001]

And does it have to be certain types of sponsors or certain types of work or can it be anything?

She can only apply for a work visa (Tier 2 General) from her home country and only with a sponsor on the HO approved sponsor list, See list here (click).

She will also have to get a job with a minimum salary of £30,000pa and and NQF level 6. Any UK sponsor must complete the full and proper Resident Labour Market Test to prove that there is no EU/British or person with ILR already in the UK that is suitable for the job. Tier 2 General is for highly skilled migrants. You don't state what it is your girlfriend does or has studied etc.

There is no visa that permits her to do 'any' type of employment through sponsorship.

[oldwelshdude]

Thanks for the replies, it's a different question from the one I posted before. Let me try and be clearer.

Ok I am a British citizen from birth.
She is coming to the UK on a visitor visa for 6 months.

While on that visa and in the UK can she look for a sponsor in the UK so that when she goes back to her own country she can apply from there?

So the sponsor has to be on that list stated, there is no other way am I correct? She does not want to go the study route.

And how can you be in a solid relationship for over 2 years if she can only get a visitor visa for 6 months at a time?

[CR001]

She is coming to the UK on a visitor visa for 6 months.

6 months is 'residing' not 'visiting'. What evidence of ties to her home country (family, job, financial, etc) to prove she is a genuine visitor?

While on that visa and in the UK can she look for a sponsor in the UK so that when she goes back to her own country she can apply from there?

She could yes.

So the sponsor has to be on that list stated, there is no other way am I correct? She does not want to go the study route.

No other route other than a sponsor on that list. What work does she doe and what are her skills and education?

And how can you be in a solid relationship for over 2 years if she can only get a visitor visa for 6 months at a time?

Many visits to each others countries, solid relationship and then perhaps a 'fiance visa' or get married abroad and a spouse visa??

[oldwelshdude]

6 months is 'residing' not 'visiting'. What evidence of ties to her home country (family, job, financial, etc) to prove she is a genuine visitor?

I was under the impression that visitors could come to the UK on a visitor visa that was valid for 6 months, am I incorrect?
She is currently not working as she lived in South Africa for the last 10 years, only retuning to her home country due to falling ill.
She has 2 brothers in her home country as her parents have died.

No other route other than a sponsor on that list. What work does she doe and what are her skills and education?

As stated she has been ill so hasn't worked in the last 2 years almost. Education wise I don't think she did well as that is when her mum died

Many visits to each others countries, solid relationship and then perhaps a 'fiance visa' or get married abroad and a spouse visa??

Fiance or spouse visa, isn't that the one where we have to have earnings of £18000?

[Casa]

6 months is 'residing' not 'visiting'. What evidence of ties to her home country (family, job, financial, etc) to prove she is a genuine visitor?

I was under the impression that visitors could come to the UK on a visitor visa that was valid for 6 months, am I incorrect?
She is currently not working as she lived in South Africa for the last 10 years, only retuning to her home country due to falling ill.
She has 2 brothers in her home country as her parents have died.

No other route other than a sponsor on that list. What work does she doe and what are her skills and education?

As stated she has been ill so hasn't worked in the last 2 years almost. Education wise I don't think she did well as that is when her mum died

Many visits to each others countries, solid relationship and then perhaps a 'fiance visa' or get married abroad and a spouse visa??

Fiance or spouse visa, isn't that the one where we have to have earnings of £18000? £18,600 p.a

[CR001]

I was under the impression that visitors could come to the UK on a visitor visa that was valid for 6 months, am I incorrect?

A 'genuine visitor' wouldn't usually stay for 6 months. The visa is a multiple entry, valid for 6 months. Has she applied for the visitor visa yet? Did she state in her visa application that she was going to be staying for the full 6 months? Did she mention you as her boyfriend in her application?

She is currently not working as she lived in South Africa for the last 10 years, only retuning to her home country due to falling ill.
She has 2 brothers in her home country as her parents have died.
As stated she has been ill so hasn't worked in the last 2 years almost. Education wise I don't think she did well as that is when her mum died

Unlikely she will qualify for a Tier 2 General visa to be honest.

Fiance or spouse visa, isn't that the one where we have to have earnings of £18000?

Yes and the financial requirement is £18,600pa.

[oldwelshdude]

A 'genuine visitor' wouldn't usually stay for 6 months. The visa is a multiple entry, valid for 6 months. Has she applied for the visitor visa yet? Did she state in her visa application that she was going to be staying for the full 6 months? Did she mention you as her boyfriend in her application?

No she has not applied for the visa yet. Do you in visage this being a problem? So not a good idea to state she is going to stay with her boyfriend and a visitor visa is not the way to go? We want her to stay for 6 months

Yes and the financial requirement is £18,600pa.

And this can be savings or salary? What if this amount is not available is there any leeway?

[Casa]

A 'genuine visitor' wouldn't usually stay for 6 months. The visa is a multiple entry, valid for 6 months. Has she applied for the visitor visa yet? Did she state in her visa application that she was going to be staying for the full 6 months? Did she mention you as her boyfriend in her application?

No she has not applied for the visa yet. Do you in visage this being a problem? So not a good idea to state she is going to stay with her boyfriend and a visitor visa is not the way to go? We want her to stay for 6 months

Yes and the financial requirement is £18,600pa.

And this can be savings or salary? What if this amount is not available is there any leeway?

She will have to declare she has a boyfriend in the UK to avoid being refused due to deception in any subsequent visa applications which are based on your relationship.

You may want her to stay for 6 months, but the ECO is likely to consider this is too long and refuse the application.

What evidence does the intend to submit to prove strong ties to her home country

[oldwelshdude]

You may want her to stay for 6 months, but the ECO is likely to consider this is too long and refuse the application.

So what is the maximum they would consider that isn't too long?

What evidence does the intend to submit to prove strong ties to her home country

Well she has a flat there and 2 brothers. Would that be enough?

[Casa]

You may want her to stay for 6 months, but the ECO is likely to consider this is too long and refuse the application.

So what is the maximum they would consider that isn't too long? Probably a few weeks for a first visit

What evidence does the intend to submit to prove strong ties to her home country

Well she has a flat there and 2 brothers. Would that be enough? May not be as the ECO will want to see evidence such as financial self-sufficiency in the home country/ongoing employment/dependent relatives etc. They will need to be convinced that your girlfriend won't overstay in the UK.

[oldwelshdude]

Probably a few weeks for a first visit

That's kind of sucky? Why so short do you think?

May not be as the ECO will want to see evidence such as financial self-sufficiency in the home country/ongoing employment/dependent relatives etc. They will need to be convinced that your girlfriend won't overstay in the UK.

Ok well she lived in South Africa up until 2 years ago (she was there for 10 years). She had her own business there but returned to Zambia as she had cancer and that is where her brother's live. She used all of her savings over the last few years to aid her recovery. So no employment and she has no dependants. Only relatives are her brother's and some cousins. Guess she will just have to be convincing as we want to be together and get married in the future