Unmarried Partner Question

Hello

Just looking for some answers I can't seem to find anywhere else.  My boyfriend and I lived together for a year in UK, then I had to come back to USA.  I went back to visit for 3 weeks, then he came to live with me for 3 months here.  we are trying to build up the remaining time (9 months) with him visiting me here or him moving here to do an internship (for up to 18 mo).  We have all the documentation, a joint account and will have many letters of support.  We have never let more than 6 months pass between visits/living togther.  We would still be together if it was not for the fact that there is no way for me to stay in the UK other than as a visitor and neither one of us can afford that.  Has anyone else been approved for UP that had their 2 years of living together interupted like we have?  I am sure that if he gets his internship we would be approved, but we have been anging on to the idea of this working for quite some tie now and it only just occured to me that we might not evev be considered for it.  We've been seeing each other for 3 years.  Thank you for any help!

Jackie

Somebody's gotta know something...please!

Sorry. I don't have personal experience with an UP visa, and I can't find anything on the net other than that you need to have lived together for two years, which you know already. 

There are lots of people here who do have UP visas, so hopefully someone can come along and help you with your question.

It's extremely difficult to get through, but you can always try calling the Consulate directly and asking them.

They have been toeing the line on the two year requirement.  It looks like, however, from what you have written, that the CPB will kick in before you have to wait out the full two years.  So people are not much bothered at this point.  If it's any help, there's a sample UP letter (same sex - visa national) at http://www.londonelegance.com/transpondia/sil/sampleUPLetter.pdf  which shows the sorts of things they will need to see if the app is to be successful...

Thank you both, is CPB civil partnership bill?  Wondering if it affects straight coucples as well as gay and lesbian?

I assume Garry was referring to the Civil Partnership Bill (now the CP Act).  That applies only to same-sex couples, though.

You are a woman, right?  If so, you could get a fiancee visa to go over.  Others could give you more information about that.

But if you don't want to get married and want to go the UP route, I'm afraid I can't help.  My gf and I are actually going to be getting an UP visa (for her), but we've lived together continuously for over 2 years, so I haven't done any looking into issues regarding time apart.

Sorry for the delay in my response.

I got an unmarried partner's visa a few weeks ago. I am in a heterosexual relationship with my boyfriend. We lived together since January of 2003 (with a gap of a few weeks between then and March and 5 weeks in December 2004) and got the visa in January this year. My personal thoughts on your application is this. I wouldn't apply until it's closer to the 2 year mark. I feel my interview at the NYC consulate was quite relaxed but that was also due in part that I was VERY prepared. The woman did look at the stamps in my passport equalling the two years as well as have me reiterate the letter I wrote showing where we lived with a timetable over the two years. Though she could have said something about the few small gaps which actually equalled just over 2 months, she didn't because she knew we had everything needed, etc.

I know the feeling about not being able to afford thins, but I am thousands in debt because I HAD to make it work by being a visitor here for the two years. Sacrifices have to be made in these conditions and if you end up ignoring them and applying early, you will pay the consequences....literally. You'll lose your $520 application fee as well as have a mark in your record.

My thoughts to you are to wait the time out and be a visitor or have your bf come stay with you a few more months THEN apply, or go the fiance visa route and marry. Unfortunately, they don't make this process an easy one and mentally it can make you ill.

I am sorry for the harshness here. I am just trying to give the most detailed and honest help as I can. People here did the same for me and I listened and now I finally have a normal life with the man I love. I don't want to see someone who wants the same make a mistake.

If I can be of any help, you can IM me on AOL at music4autobahns

You are a woman, right?

Jackie, if you are hetro, please ignore everything I wrote - including the link to the same-sex letter.  Otherwise it pertains...

Yes I am a woman and it is a hetereosexual relationship, thanks anyways