Please help

If anyone could give me advice that would be greatly appreciated. My girlfriend is a UK citizen and I am a US citizen. We've been together for a while now and we know that we eventually will marry. My time as a visitor in the UK is up and we are going back to the states for my sister's wedding. We have decided that we would live where ever we can be together (US or UK). How do we go about this and what type of visa would I apply for for the UK and where do I apply. We would rather live in the UK so she could make use of her bachelor of Science degree. If anyone has a similar situation please share.

Welcome. 

The people who run this web site have put helpful information here:
http://www.uk-yankee.com/moving/immigration.php

And the UK government's visa information for you is here:
http://www.britainusa.com/visas/visas.asp

Best wishes for your future plans.

Jim

If you and your girlfriend have lived together for at least two years and want to continue living together in the UK without getting married, you can apply for an unmarried partnership visa.  If you do want to get married, you have a couple of options:

1.  get married in the UK (though do it before Feb as the rules are changing!) on your visitor's visa and return to the US to apply for your spousal visa.

2.  get married in the US (your gf can enter the US to marry you because it is not her intention to reside there after the wedding), then go to the British consulate in NYC, LA, or Chicago to apply for your spousal visa (or apply by post -- you don't have to go in person)

3.  apply for a UK fiance visa (from the US, either in-person or by post), get married in the UK, and adjust your status to spouse from within the UK