Hello Everyone!
My name is Annie and I am preparing to move to the UK in the near future. I always thought my situation was a bit crazy and that we were up against an impossible task, but after reading some of these posts I've come to realise that we're not alone!
It's very refreshing and uplifting to see that so many people have gone through this process and have come out with happy endings! Some times the visa application process and the need to be in a long-distance relationship can be very discouraging.. but this site has already brought a lot of positive outlooks!
It's really difficult to keep my story short, so I will leave out the first few years of my intercontinental relationship and tell you about my present situation...
I am from the US and my husband is from the UK. Over the last 5 years we have gone through the visa process in the US and the UK, and are now are in the last few steps of moving our lives to the UK. He is currently living in Cambridge and I am temporarily back in the US while I wait for my marriage visa to come through.
We moved to England together in August 2016, but I had to come home 6 months after due to only having a visitor visa.
While we were apart we began planning our wedding and getting the endless list of visa details sorted out. I think the list of "Visa-To-Do's" was longer than the "Wedding-To-Do's"!!
I returned to England in July 2017 and we were married in October. I went there on a "marriage visitor visa" due to it being significantly cheaper than the fiancee visa, so I was only allowed to stay for 6 months. Having this visa also meant that I couldn't transfer to a Marriage Visa without going back to the US (nor could I work!). I stayed in England until December 2017, and now I'm back in Chicago where I am applying for my marriage visa.. woohoo- The end is in sight!!
Now, I am waiting on my name change and passport renewal to come through before I apply for the actual visa. I'm hoping the visa will only take 3 months to be approved...
Am I right for thinking it can be done in that amount of time?? I also plan to pay the priority fee to get it moved to the front of the queue so hopefully that will help.
Does anyone have any insight as to whether it's worth it or not to pay the priority fee??
This has been an on-going plan for almost 2 years and we are so close to finalising everything and being together indefinitely! I'm excited to start teaching out in England and experience life in a new country and culture. Over the past two years I've gotten a taste of what it's like to live in a foreign country, so I know it's not all bells and whistles. There were many highs and
many lows, but it's an adventure that I'm excited to take on with the man I love.
As soon as I get my passport back with my name change I will be applying for my "Family of a Settled Person" visa, and
I am open to any and all advice that you all might have. I'm happy to part of this group and I look forward utilising the benefits it offers as well as offering my help when needed! Cheers,
Annie P.
