Austin to East Midlands.... as soon as I can..... Hello everyone

For fear of running all the 'regulars' ragged here asking too many questions that I can eventually answer by reading the posts.... I will take a few days to explore them but in the meanwhile.....

This world in so many ways is all new to me..... having scoffed at internet love before... my time has come.... I have developed a relationship with a man from the UK that words cannot describe.  I am tired of reframing every comment I make about him/us... with the words..."honest I'm not crazy!"

I continue to read the websites provided by the British government and feel pretty out of luck for any sort of visa at this point other than a visitor's visa.  I do not have the money to pay the non-EU tuition rate, my undergrad work is not recognized for social care and I only have one semester under my belt on my grad degree.

Rationally speaking... I should wait the three years needed to finish the degree and then move but.... I have lived the first half of my life way too rationally and am ready to try a different approach.

I have two daughters who are well adjusted in their lives living with their father in North Carolina but would possibly join me in the UK within the next three years if I can get there and get settled.

Raj and I have never met in person... we met nine months ago.... and I naively believed that meeting the parents would be the hard part for both of us... the deeper I get into this I see that I am wrong... just getting there may have it's challenges.

I relocated to Austin, TX last year and still feel the financial sting - so I keep waiting to look for even cheaper airfare than what is out there this week.  I would love to go visit him in November and then have him come over for Christmas.

I had originally thought I would go back with him after Christmas but now realize that that might not be as simple as planned.  I hate to plan on a fiancee visa until we have at least met and then....realize that that will involve a whole other process.

If anyone has a step-by-step do's and don'ts list I am all ears.... my understanding at this point is that if I come in November I should either have a visitor visa just in case or definately show a planned stay of a two weeks or less including return ticketing.  The problem with this is that I don't have much saved up for this.... would I be best off to get a visitor visa based on a letter from Raj stating that he will be paying my living expenses for the duration of the stay?

Then..... oh well... I will take it one step at a time... so thankful to have found this website.

Don't have a whole lot of advice- just want to wish you luck. 

If you are planning on such a short visit, you shouldn't have to worry about a visa - you would be going to England on the visa waiver program - buy your round trip ticket, be prepared to fill out a landing card stating how long you'll be in the UK, the purpose of your visit (business or holiday) and where you'll be staying.  Can't remember if they ask the relationship you have to where you are staying...someone else will chime in I'm sure...I've always used my uncle's address (he lives East Midlands area)...I would think that if you are planning a two-week visit, Immigration will treat you just like any other holiday-maker.  I've never been asked to show anything extra on my visits to the UK - just my tickets, my passport and my landing card.

Julie

Hello and welcome.
I live in the West Midlands and met my husband on the net also. Very common now! Ironically I divorced my ex-husbeast while we lived in NC. We have two young sons that I brought with me after we found a house here.
I had it very easy because I worked for American Airlines so I could pop back and forth from US to UK on my days off and very little cost.
Im not sure if things changed but when you get your passport stamped into the UK you can stay as a visitor for 6 months. Thats what we did. We got married after 5 months and then applied for a spouse visa which was very simple and very low cost. I know THAT part is different now but Im sure you can still stay for 6 months with just an entry stamp in your passport.
If you are thinking of bringing your children PLEASE get their fathers permission first. I got a letter from him that was signed and notorized stating he gives me permission to take the kids to reside in the UK. I have heard of a few other people on here that are having a lot of difficulty bringing their kids over here because they dont have permission from their father. Please be careful!
I have been here for about 4 years. If you have any questions please feel free to ask or message me.
Good luck!
Pebs 

I'm originally from San Antonio (mostly, former Army brat here) and live in the Midlands...it doesn't stay as hot as central TX for very long, and there's a lot more rain (but not as many thunderstorms, bummer about that). Good luck with everything and welcome to the forum...

The first time I went to visit was only for 10 days..there was a casual question about how I knew the person I was staying with..but not too much more....

the second time I went I felt really like I got the thrid degree...and they agent only seemed reassurec when I explained I was on my Easter Break from work...


I didnt have a Visa either time...and wasn't ready for the question about how I knew the person I was staying with...I don't think you need a Visa...just be prepared to answer....briefly but honestly..don't volunteer a lot..and have proof of your return ticket..and employment you will be returning too..for a short visit they didnt ask me anything at all about my finances.
Hope this helps a bit.
Helena

I too had the same situation at the airport (sorry I am normally a lurker, but had to throw in my 2 cents).  They asked if I was visiting anyone--I answered honestly, "yes," but I was there for sight-seeing also. Well, that brought on several questions, which caught me off-guard, as I had never been asked them before.  He asked how I knew my friend (who is male and an English citizen), and he asked me if it was romantic (we're just friends, and I have visited before, and have traveled pretty extensively, so i was surprised), and he asked me where I would be staying (with my friend or a hotel--I was staying at a hotel), and how much money I had allotted for my visit, where I worked and what my job was, etc.  I travel in and out of Germany once a year, and I never get any questions--barely a passing glance (and i am visiting friends-not business), but maybe he was just curious/cautious.  But I had never been asked those questions entering the UK before, and I was a bit embarrassed.  He was pleasant, but direct!

Just my experience-katy

 Thank you... thank you.  I can't tell you what a godsend this forum has been for me.  I had hoped to find good cut and dried answers to my lingering visa questions but instead I found so much more.  Thank you all for your replies - I am much more encouraged and... anxious to explore all the posts.  Thanks again.