Unmarried / Partner Visa General Questions

Hi all,

New to this forum and seeking advice on the process, timing and steps of the unmarried / partner visa.

I am 33yr old male British, girlfriend is 28 yr old American. We have been together for 7 years, 4 of which have been living together in USA in the same apartment. We are not married. I have secured a new job in the UK (starting November 2022) and we want to move to the UK by mid October 2022. We are also looking to quit work in August 2022 and take circa 2months off to travel being moving back to start new jobs (note; therefore not having a permanent address for the months leading up to our move).

We feel the unmarried/partner visa is easiest for us, as we have proof of living together for nearly 4 years. However also considering marriage if it makes the process easier / simpler.

We have spent hours reading the UK Gov website and various forums, however we have the following questions unanswered. If anyone could provide a response to one or multiple questions, it would be greatly appreciated (thank you in advance!):

1. Once the application is approved, how is it verified (email or post) and is there a certain time window we would need to be in the UK by? (we have read within 30days from approval).

2. Is the unmarried and married visa application / process the same? On the UK Gov website it seems like it is same application form and response times.

3. Do we need to apply for the visa here in the US? It seems we cannot apply for the visa once in the UK, unless my girlfriend has a approved visa over 6 months duration (not sure how we would get this anyway).

4. Is it possible to obtain a fiancé visa, then once in the UK to transfer over to a partner visa?

5. Will my girlfriend need to send her physical passport with the original application? If not, will they require this to be sent during any other step of the process? Asking this question because we wish to take time off and travel internationally whilst the application is in process.

6. Is the current approval timeline 12 weeks or 24 weeks? It would be great if anyone has recent timeline experience here to share seeing as the expedited service is understandably being used to assist the Ukraine refugees.

7. Once approved, will she be able to work in the UK right away or are there any further steps to obtain a work permit?

Thank you very much for reading and any advice, guidance or thoughts would be very helpful!

Thanks again.
Ben

Welcome to the forum

We feel the unmarried/partner visa is easiest for us, as we have proof of living together for nearly 4 years. However also considering marriage if it makes the process easier / simpler.

As you have been living together in the US for 4 years, there is no need to get married unless you particularly want to.

- For the Unmarried Partner visa you have to provide evidence of living together in the US for the 24 months immediately before applying for the visa, such as rental agreements or mortgage statements, utility bills, bank statements etc. for each month.

- If you are married, there is no requirement to have lived together, but you still need to show evidence of the entire length of your relationship, including the 4 years of living together

1. Once the application is approved, how is it verified (email or post) and is there a certain time window we would need to be in the UK by? (we have read within 30days from approval).

You have 30 days from the start date printed on her visa sticker to enter the UK.

When you apply for the visa, you upload your supporting documents to the VFS Global website and then mail her passport to New York for processing.

Once the visa has been approved, which can take up to 6 months at the moment, they will put the 30-day visa sticker in her passport and mail it back to you.

2. Is the unmarried and married visa application / process the same? On the UK Gov website it seems like it is same application form and response times.

Yep, it’s exactly the same. You just select the relevant visa type on the online application.

3. Do we need to apply for the visa here in the US? It seems we cannot apply for the visa once in the UK, unless my girlfriend has a approved visa over 6 months duration (not sure how we would get this anyway).

Yes, it must be applied for from the country where she is legally resident. She does not currently live in the U.K. on a different visa so she cannot apply from the U.K.

4. Is it possible to obtain a fiancé visa, then once in the UK to transfer over to a partner visa?

No need to do that since you already qualify for a partner visa without needing to get a fiancé visa first.

If you do want to get married It’s much cheaper, quicker and easier to marry in the US and apply directly for a spousal visa from the US. Doing a fiancé visa first will mean an extra £1000 in visa fees, an extra visa application, plus she cannot work in the U.K. on a fiancé visa and will not be eligible for free NHS treatment either.

5. Will my girlfriend need to send her physical passport with the original application? If not, will they require this to be sent during any other step of the process? Asking this question because we wish to take time off and travel internationally whilst the application is in process.

Yes, her passport will need to be mailed to New York for processing.

There is a normally Settlement Premium Service where she could keep her passport, but it costs an extra £1200 to do so and it doesn’t get the visa processed any faster.
However, I believe this service is currently suspended due to focusing on Ukraine applications.

6. Is the current approval timeline 12 weeks or 24 weeks? It would be great if anyone has recent timeline experience here to share seeing as the expedited service is understandably being used to assist the Ukraine refugees.

Applicants have been informed in the last few days that the standard processing time has been extended from 12 weeks to 24 weeks due to the increase in applications from Ukraine. Also, the priority processing service (giving faster processing) has been suspended because of this too.

7. Once approved, will she be able to work in the UK right away or are there any further steps to obtain a work permit?

Yes, as long as she has either an Unmarried Partner visa or a Spousal visa, she will have an unrestricted right to work from day 1.

If she has a fiancé visa, she cannot work until you are married and she has switched to the  FLR spousal visa.


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Hi all,

New to this forum and seeking advice on the process, timing and steps of the unmarried / partner visa.

I am 33yr old male British, girlfriend is 28 yr old American. We have been together for 7 years, 4 of which have been living together in USA in the same apartment. We are not married. I have secured a new job in the UK (starting November 2022) and we want to move to the UK by mid October 2022. We are also looking to quit work in August 2022 and take circa 2months off to travel being moving back to start new jobs (note; therefore not having a permanent address for the months leading up to our move).

We feel the unmarried/partner visa is easiest for us, as we have proof of living together for nearly 4 years. However also considering marriage if it makes the process easier / simpler.

We have spent hours reading the UK Gov website and various forums, however we have the following questions unanswered. If anyone could provide a response to one or multiple questions, it would be greatly appreciated (thank you in advance!):

1. Once the application is approved, how is it verified (email or post) and is there a certain time window we would need to be in the UK by? (we have read within 30days from approval).

2. Is the unmarried and married visa application / process the same? On the UK Gov website it seems like it is same application form and response times.

3. Do we need to apply for the visa here in the US? It seems we cannot apply for the visa once in the UK, unless my girlfriend has a approved visa over 6 months duration (not sure how we would get this anyway).

4. Is it possible to obtain a fiancé visa, then once in the UK to transfer over to a partner visa?

5. Will my girlfriend need to send her physical passport with the original application? If not, will they require this to be sent during any other step of the process? Asking this question because we wish to take time off and travel internationally whilst the application is in process.

6. Is the current approval timeline 12 weeks or 24 weeks? It would be great if anyone has recent timeline experience here to share seeing as the expedited service is understandably being used to assist the Ukraine refugees.

7. Once approved, will she be able to work in the UK right away or are there any further steps to obtain a work permit?

Thank you very much for reading and any advice, guidance or thoughts would be very helpful!

Thanks again.
Ben

During the application, you have the opportunity to nominate a date you wish to travel to the UK. The visa should be made valid from around that date, or at the time of the approval if that date has passed. You have 30 days to enter from the date they give you.

The unmarried partner, fiancee and spouse visas all have the same requirements and the process is the same in the main.
Except- with the UP, you need proof of cohabitation. The fiancee visa needs proof of intent to marry and you have 6 months to enter the UK and marry. No work or free use of NHS until the next visa (FLR) has been approved.

The USC has to apply from a country they have permission to live in, so the US unless she has any other nationalities.

You could go with a fiancee visa from the US but you are then committed to move, to the UK, marry and apply for FLR within 6 months.

There is a keep your passport option during processing, it's expensive though. You would be able to travel but not to the UK.

If you go for the unmarried partner or spouse (if you marry first in the UK) she can work right away. If fiancee, no work until after FLR (further leave to remain visa) is approved.

Ksand24 & larrabee  thank you both very much. Extremely helpful after some frustrating hours yesterday googling those unanswered questions!

Was not aware of mailing the passport for 12-24weeks. I assumed it would be a photo copy then a visit to the embassy for a stamp once approved. This will certainly restrict our travel plans to the US only.

Is there any issue with us not having a permanent address for the months leading up to approval? Could we simply provide her mums home/US address if anything needs to be mailed to us? Or is all communication done via email or phone calls thought the process if they need supplemental questions / info? 

She mailed here passport for a renewal a few weeks ago since it was sub 12 months from expiration, therefore we will get going with collating paperwork over the next few weeks and submit once we have her new passport - to get the clock ticking.

Just to confirm regarding the actual application process; the main part of the application is completed on the UK gov website and then we have to upload all supporting info / documentation (statements, rental agreements etc etc) to the VFS website?

Any other key tips or lessons learnt please let us know.

Thanks again for your help. 

Ben.

Ksand24 & larrabee  thank you both very much. Extremely helpful after some frustrating hours yesterday googling those unanswered questions!

Was not aware of mailing the passport for 12-24weeks. I assumed it would be a photo copy then a visit to the embassy for a stamp once approved. This will certainly restrict our travel plans to the US only.

Is there any issue with us not having a permanent address for the months leading up to approval? Could we simply provide her mums home/US address if anything needs to be mailed to us? Or is all communication done via email or phone calls thought the process if they need supplemental questions / info? 

She mailed here passport for a renewal a few weeks ago since it was sub 12 months from expiration, therefore we will get going with collating paperwork over the next few weeks and submit once we have her new passport - to get the clock ticking.

Just to confirm regarding the actual application process; the main part of the application is completed on the UK gov website and then we have to upload all supporting info / documentation (statements, rental agreements etc etc) to the VFS website?

Any other key tips or lessons learnt please let us know.

Thanks again for your help. 

Ben.

Yes, other people have put the address of a parent on the application, that's fine. They won't call you it'll be email/ post.

Don't rely on them getting in touch if they have questions, make sure your application and evidence are bullet proof before you submit. Once you've decided which route you're going to take, post a list of your documents and we'll check it over for you.

Hi Ksand24 & larrabee / All

We have dug a little deeper into the documents required and would like to know if we need to include the following: (Many thanks in advance!)

- Number of photos and how long in between each photo for a 7 year relationship? We see advice of no more than 4 photos with captions, is that correct?

- Accommodation evidence; as a sponsor it looks like I need to provide evidence of where we will live in the UK. As we are still living in the US and won't have a rented apartment before arriving, is its ok to include my mother's house address and provide the necessary back up (i.e. house title, Mums house living, her passport copy, letter with permission etc). Is this correct?

- My only concern with the above is the my secured job in the UK and mother's house address is 100miles apart. Does this matter?

- Relationship evidence... we see the following evidence needs to be provided; 3 pages of text screen shots, call logs, emails. Do they need to be spanned over our 7 year relationship or just in the last 2 years.

- I see feedback that my (as a sponsor) I need to provide a P60 (A form showing my tax paid from my salary over a given years, its a UK document).Do I need to provide the US equivalent, being my W-2?

- Finally, on the process it self and steps, how does the process work? Do we complete the online form via the UK Gov website, get her Biometrics, then compile all printed paperwork and send to a confirmed address?   

Thanks again for all your help / support.

Ben.

Hi Ksand24 & larrabee / All

We have dug a little deeper into the documents required and would like to know if we need to include the following: (Many thanks in advance!)

- Number of photos and how long in between each photo for a 7 year relationship? We see advice of no more than 4 photos with captions, is that correct?

- Accommodation evidence; as a sponsor it looks like I need to provide evidence of where we will live in the UK. As we are still living in the US and won't have a rented apartment before arriving, is its ok to include my mother's house address and provide the necessary back up (i.e. house title, Mums house living, her passport copy, letter with permission etc). Is this correct?

- My only concern with the above is the my secured job in the UK and mother's house address is 100miles apart. Does this matter?

- Relationship evidence... we see the following evidence needs to be provided; 3 pages of text screen shots, call logs, emails. Do they need to be spanned over our 7 year relationship or just in the last 2 years.

- I see feedback that my (as a sponsor) I need to provide a P60 (A form showing my tax paid from my salary over a given years, its a UK document).Do I need to provide the US equivalent, being my W-2?

- Finally, on the process it self and steps, how does the process work? Do we complete the online form via the UK Gov website, get her Biometrics, then compile all printed paperwork and send to a confirmed address?   

Thanks again for all your help / support.

Ben.

Three or four photos would be enough, from early, middle and currently in your timeline.

That's fine for the accommodation too. You can mention that it's temporary until you find a place closer to work if you like but they'll have seen this sort of thing many times before, it's a common scenario.

The relationship evidence needs to cover the whole time you've been together. They also like letters, cards etc.

The call logs and emails are to cover any periods you've lived apart. You'll need evidence of both living at the same address/things in joint names for the time you've lived together. If you proceed with the unmarried partner, you will need rock solid proof of living together for the last 2 years.

For the financial requirement, you’ll provide a letter from your current employer and the last 12 months of payslips showing you currently make more than £18,600 per year (as well as bank statements showing the deposits of pay).

You’ll need a letter from your new employer in the U.K. confirming start date (within 90 days) and salary, if you have a copy of the employment contract, include that.

- Relationship evidence... we see the following evidence needs to be provided; 3 pages of text screen shots, call logs, emails. Do they need to be spanned over our 7 year relationship or just in the last 2 years.

The relationship evidence you need to provide is a bit different if you have been living together compared with if you have been in a long-distance relationship. Most people on the forum are unable to live together before applying for the visa so they can only provide the above evidence.

In your case, because you have been living together, there is no need to provide calls, emails, texts for that period, because you have been living in the same house and you see each other every day.

So, for your relationship evidence you need to provide:

For the entire length of time you have lived together:
- evidence of living together (leases, bills, bank statements etc)… particularly for the last 24 months, as per the visa requirement

For the length of time you lived apart before moving in together:
- evidence of visiting each other (for example boarding passes for flights)
- evidence of regular contact with each other while living apart, to show the relationship was genuine, for example, letters/cards mailed to each other, call logs, email logs, message logs etc.


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Ksand24 & larrabee & KFdancer & ALL

(FINAL DOCUMENT CHECK)

We submitted the online visa application at the weekend, paid the fees and now have a bio metric (via VFS) date for Kelly (my partner / the applicant) for July 1st.  We also added on the ‘value service package with round trip courier’ ($150) from VFS - thus assuming we need to bring / have all our document ready for this appointment on 1st July, and they scan and send it for us.

It would be greatly appreciated if we could have your final guidance / eyes on the list of supporting documentation we have collated for our unmarried partner visa back up application.

See list below and questions against in italics.

Document Checklist:

Contents page for the documents provided.

Application document for sending post Biometrics:

-UPS shipping and envelope to the UKVI in NYC. Assume VFS will do this?

-UPS return shipping label affixed to envelope. Assume VFS will do this?

-Original applicants current Passport

-Stamped Biometrics confirmation/sheets (we understand these need to be dated and signed). Assume VFS will provide this on the day of bio metric appointment?

-The IHS/NHS number/payment receipt.

-Online visa payment receipt number

-copy of completed online visa application

-Global webform number

-one copy of bio page and stamp pages from the Applicant's previous passport. Kelly’s old
passport was sent out for updating as it was expiring, we have a new passport back for her, however the old one has not yet been returned. The biometrics appointment is July 1st, if I don't have that old passport is it a big issue?

-Certified Driver's Record. we have retrieved Kelly’s California Drivers Record for the last 1 year in person at the DMV office, but do I also need to get one from the 10 years she was a driver in Florida?  Is this required? Driving record is clean.



Sponsor Documents:

-Certified color photocopy of current passport (must be whole passport / all pages). This scan then to be notarized and signed. Plus receipt of it being notarized.

-Sponsor Letter. Affirms sponsor of the partner from the USA, British citizenship of the UK sponsor, sponsor employment info and rate of pay, accommodation info, relationship history including when the relationship began, how we've communicated, and travel history, as well as when we lived together in the States. Letter closes with statement reaffirming our plans to settle in the UK and at what address. Finally noting that we lived together for more than 2 years.

Financial Evidence (Ben/Sponsor)

-Current Employment letter. On company headed paper with logos. This letter states my employment since March 2021, including, current position, rate of compensation, what the position is (full time). I have also including another letter from my company confirming a pay rise in May 2022.

— 7 months of pay slips. They have been signed or initialed and dated by the manager who wrote the employment letter. (last one within 28 days). DO these need to be signed by my manager to verify that the pay slips are genuine?

— 7 months of bank statements, requested from the bank and printed/stamped by the bank. Payslips have to match what is gone into my bank and same date. Bank statement schedule when will it show on printed statement. (last one within 28 days). Do these need to be signed by anyone, or simply copies & stamped from the branch?

-Original / Current Employment Contract. Do I need to attached my full contract or just my current offer letter?

-NEW Employment Offer Letter and contract from the new company in the UK where I will be employed.  My start date is on or before 7th November 2022. We understand as long as I show an offer letter providing employment within 90 days of when Kelly will start living in the UK, that is fine? I am above the salary threshold required.


Accommodation Evidence:

-Title Register from Land Registry for the house we will live in (sponsors mother house for a short term whilst we find accommodation)

-Color photocopy of the owner's passport bio page, only.

-Signed Letter from the property owner giving permission for us to live there, as well as listing what documents the owner is providing (the Title Register, and a Passport Photocopy)

-No mortgage statement is provided as the house is owned fully. The title register would state if a mortgage is present, which is doesn’t.


Relationship Evidence:

-1 A4 sheet with 4 photos on it with captions (early, middle, current)

-Up to 3 pages of cropped screenshots from text messages

-Boarding passes of visits, grouped and scanned together

-Letters & cards from when we were long distance

-Phone Bill Statement belonging to the Sponsor and or the application showing both Sponsor and Applicant's phone numbers. Is this necessary?

-3no. Shared bills with both sponsor and application jointly listed; 1/Rental agreement in US from 2018-2020. 2/Renters policy 2020-2022. 3/Car insurance policy from 2021. Do we need to provide only one of each document?

-3no. Other bills or letter from both the sponsor and application to show that we are living at the same address. Applicant; 1/ electrical bill. 2/bank statement 3/health insurance. Sponsor; 1/Wifi bill 2/phone bill. 3/bank statement.

Please let us know your thoughts to our questions in Italics or is we are missing any documents.

Thank you so so much! Looking forward to your responses.

Ben & Kelly.

If you don't have the old passport back, no big deal.  Just state that you are awaiting the cancelled passport's return so it's not included.

I didn't think driving record was required.  Is that new?  I've not seen anyone include that before....

As the payslips are already initialed, there's no need to have them signed as well. 

Bank statements received directly from the bank and not printed at home do not need to be signed or stamped.

I would include a copy of both your offer letter and employment contract for the new job, just your contract for your old/current job.

For the relationship evidence, as you've lived together, you really don't need text/emails/cards/boarding passes, etc.  It's the mail that UKVI want to see (which you have).  So I'd do a couple of photos and the mail and call it done. 

No prior marriages or children?  If not, looks like you guys are ready to go!