PLEASE HELP Boyfriend Coming Over In June, Don't Want Him To Go Back To USA

(NB I am saying this with the idea that US nationals can work in Canada easily, and I hope I'm right on this...)

I don't think so, actually.  I haven't looked at this terribly in detail, but from what I can tell there's a (short) temporary BUNAC program for Canada as well, and there's NAFTA (but that requires specific skills/education that someone out of high school wouldn't have).  Otherwise it's about as hard to get into Canada as it is the UK for USC's. 

Of course this is based on probably about 1 hour of perusing Canadian immigration stuff all together, so take with a grain of salt if needs must.

A student visa is a good idea, except that the fees are very expensive, and you can't rely on the possibility of him getting a job when making the application.

Can I ask how you would feel about spending time together in a third country, such as Canada?  This might be an easier option, and would mean that you could be together and work but without the pressure of having to marry.

(NB I am saying this with the idea that US nationals can work in Canada easily, and I hope I'm right on this...)

Vicky

I already have 2 potential employers in mind who would take him on part time and are desperate for young people though so that should be ok.  He'd only need the student Visa though right as his fundamental thing is studying after all.  I found one course that is £4100 and it happens to be the course he wants to do you gotta pay £2050 upfront then a further 2 payments in November and March.  Figured I'd get a loan that'd be fine. He can stay in house on a student visa though right? I just have to declare I'm his accom and stuff or something??? But do you think the 3 month BEFORE the course thing would work though coz flights are expensive in themselves and i don't want him to come over then have to go back and then come back here AGAIN to start his course and then finally back again in May if you see what I mean coz that'd be uber expensive. Plus I want him here as long as possible! 

As for the 3rd country thing my parents would never let me go, they still think of me as a little girl and are very protective coz of my disability... 

I don't think so, actually.  I haven't looked at this terribly in detail, but from what I can tell there's a (short) temporary BUNAC program for Canada as well, and there's NAFTA (but that requires specific skills/education that someone out of high school wouldn't have).  Otherwise it's about as hard to get into Canada as it is the UK for USC's. 

Of course this is based on probably about 1 hour of perusing Canadian immigration stuff all together, so take with a grain of salt if needs must.

Thanks Springhaze but what if I had relatives in Canada, which I do come to think of it! Would that make any difference?

You could get a working holidaymaker visa, that it fine, it is your boyfriend who may not get to Canada.

If you can afford the fees then sure, go for the student visa.  The good thing with this is that third party support is allowed, so both sets of parents can help out.

Vicky

I don't think you understand that it is not that easy to get a work permit. Your potential employers may *think* they can do it, but I suspect even they aren't aware of the actual process. Basically, a UK employer cannot hire a foreign employee if there is a British or EU person who can do the job. They have to prove there is no one else who can do the job. That's my understanding... someone will correct me if I'm wrong I'm sure!

I suppose there may be 'work in the UK' programs (the reverse of what Mindy suggested) but I don't know.

As for the student visa, they are less concerned about the accommodation issue than that he is enrolled in an accredited course and that he can support himself. Having done it twice now for my older son, they barely noticed the accommodation (the first time we listed the YMCA). They are accustomed to students coming over without specific housing and then looking around to find something. But they do not mess around with the finances. We had to provide a letter from my son's grandmother that she would be paying his tuition and bank statements from her. My husband and I also had to provide proof of employment and bank statements. What they do not like is someone showing a budget that requires them to work 20 hours/week. Those jobs are not easily come by for students...and they rightly figure that if you absolutely have to have one to study here then you probably can't afford it. So any budget should show that he has sufficient savings/resources to pay tuition and living expenses. Other ideas are for him to get student loans from the US or have his parents support him while he studies.

I will also add that both the work permit scheme and the financial assessment for student visas have got MUCH harder recently...even in the short time (is it a year?) since Terri did hers.

You guys have a lot of thinking to do.  This isn't going to be nearly as easy as you would like, I'm afraid.

Vicky

As for the student visa, they are less concerned about the accommodation issue than that he is enrolled in an accredited course and that he can support himself. Having done it twice now for my older son, they barely noticed the accommodation (the first time we listed the YMCA). They are accustomed to students coming over without specific housing and then looking around to find something. But they do not mess around with the finances. We had to provide a letter from my son's grandmother that she would be paying his tuition and bank statements from her. My husband and I also had to provide proof of employment and bank statements. What they do not like is someone showing a budget that requires them to work 20 hours/week. Those jobs are not easily come by for students...and they rightly figure that if you absolutely have to have one to study here then you probably can't afford it. So any budget should show that he has sufficient savings/resources to pay tuition and living expenses. Other ideas are for him to get student loans from the US or have his parents support him while he studies.

Can I pay his tuition? If work is so hard to come by guys how the heck to international students live? Terri should we not mention a job and just concentrate on getting him in the course?  What is the 1st step what documentation do we need to gather.  Some referal letters maybe, his grades, a portfolio of work/CV type thing?  Who do we give these things to?  How do we start the ball rolling and do we need to pay the uni fees before applying for the Visa?

 I'm sorry but can someone please address my question idea of him coming over in June but starting his course in Sept coz i'm getting quite anxious and want to at least book his flight out here so I know he can fly out here for the festival and book his flight back when i'm a little clearer on how long he could stay.

I recognise this isn't going to be an easy ride and that's it's going to be hard work but i'm not giving up people keep saying it's going to be hard and we got a long way to go as if trying to put me off and I'm being right put off the student route now i just don't know what else to do though I thought this was the right route at last I'm trying my best here and don't want it to beat us I just need to know the method how to tick all the boxes that's all sorry...

I will also add that both the work permit scheme and the financial assessment for student visas have got MUCH harder recently...even in the short time (is it a year?) since Terri did hers.

Vicky

October 2007 for his extension...and it was anything BUT easy. His grandmother and Paul and I had to provide bank statements, letters of support and proof of income/budgets.

Ah, yes, it was recent, so you know how hard they are now.  We have been finding that people applying for entry clearance for courses of more than a year are having to prove that they already have all the fees and living expenses for the whole duration of the course in advance. Nightmare.

Vicky

If work is so hard to come by guys how the heck to international students live?

Unfortunately, most international students from the US have to take out very large loans. It can be done through the US govt's normal student loan programs as well as through private lenders.

Go look at the Student Lounge section. There should be info on coming over on a student visa there. I'd also suggest you start a separate post there about how to apply if you have questions as there are lots of people who have done the student route that read that section but not this one.

Ah, yes, it was recent, so you know how hard they are now.  We have been finding that people applying for entry clearance for courses of more than a year are having to prove that they already have all the fees and living expenses for the whole duration of the course in advance. Nightmare.

Vicky

I was under the impression that I had to do that when I applied 3 years ago...I used my retirement plan, which was plenty, but I also had to prove that it was available to me to use (it was)...student loans just don't cover that much, at least they didn't for me.

To the OP, I don't suppose much has changed in 3 years in regard to working...there is no problem for him to work for up to 20 hours per week during term time, you just aren't supposed to be using that as a 'must have' to support yourself. 

As suggested, the student lounge here is a good place to look to see how others have done it or are doing it...

If work is so hard to come by guys how the heck to international students live?

We take out humongous loans from an American bank that we'll be paying off for many years. When making my visa application, I had to be able to prove that I could support myself for that year without employment. I showed bank statements and proof of the loans I received.

Best of luck to you. It's an expensive and stressful process!


X-posted with Balmerhon...a fellow former international student with mounds of student loans! 
 

Can I pay his tuition? If work is so hard to come by guys how the heck to international students live?

If you can't afford to support him if he comes over as a fiance/spouse, I can guarantee you can't afford to pay his tuition. Tuition is in the region of £8,000-10,000 per year for international students.

 Regarding your question as to how people can afford it without working- many US citizens get student loans (that's what I did, as well.)  The problem is though that the US government doesn't allow much in student loans for an undergraduate so he'd have to have a credit-worthy co-signer (such as a parent) and get private loans.   You'd just need to prove he has access to funds to get the visa- I had my student loan letters as part of my financial evidence for my visa and that was fine. I didn't pay tuition until a few weeks after I arrived in the UK.

If he *did* get a student visa for a course starting in September, he may or may not be able to come over in June as a student- that's up to the discretion of the ECO, really.  He could always come over for the festival as a visitor and then return home to get a student visa.

To be honest, you are on a short deadline for applying to UK colleges & uni's. Most of them have late spring deadlines for applying for admission especially for international students. You have to have an unconditional offer letter before you can apply for a student visa too. Usually that means part or all of the tuition must be paid. You mentioned one school that you had found with a payment plan...the 1st payment would need to be made for certain and they would have his transcripts to make sure that he meets the admission requirements.

Vicky will correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not believe that you can apply for a student visa from within the UK on a visa waiver. So your idea of him coming over and never going back is not possible. There was a six month visa for being wanting to explore the chance of studying in the UK, but I am not sure that exists anymore or how to qualify. But even then I think you had to return to your own country to apply for the student visa.

In terms of showing financial stability, no we did not budget for our son to work. Our application rested on our ability to support him and his grandmother's promise to pay his full tuition. Like I said, we ALL had to provide proof of that ability. Thankfully my former MIL has a trust fund for the children's education so she could do so easily.

I know how wonderful and scary new love can be, but honestly govts don't care. My husband and I were apart for over two years, he missed his only child's birth and I cried more nights than I can count while we tried to bring him to the US. In the end we got so frustrated at being apart that we moved my family to the UK, but the cost was VERY high. I could not bring one of my sons to the UK and I miss him very day even though we remain very close. I don't usually share that because I have had many people be very judgmental of my choices. I share it with you because I know how difficult these situations are but our choices are limited. Good luck!