Visitor visa ?s

I am in a LDR with a man from the UK, met him online about 5 years ago as aquaintences and in may of this year we started a relationship. We met in the US in sept and spent a month together, and in Nov I went over to the UK but was only granted leave to enter the country for one month. I was told to either get a visitor visa or a fiancee visa if I wanted to come back.

I answered all ther questions honestly, I didnt intend to stay longer than I was allowed, wasnt going to work etc. and I had a sponsor for the trip, and a return ticket. I am now applying for a visitors visa for 2 years and will have a sponsor again for all of it. I am wondering what can help me get the visa approved?

I am not working right now and unfortunately am going through a divorce. I do have permission from my 5 year old sons father to travel with my son, and will have to return him to the US in 6 months so I HAVE to leave the country. I am studying for a degree through KLC in london, it is a distance learning school and I am allowed to study from the US, but Im not sure immigration will like that I am studying in a UK school...

I'm just so worried because I dont have a job that they wont approve me although I WILL have a sponsor who can support me and my son while my son is here. I would never stay over the 6 months, my entire family is in the US, and my ex and I will be sharing physical custody of my son.

I know no one knows exactly what will happen, but I really want this visa to be approved..I wrote the people at ukvisas.gov.uk asking them about my son and they seemed to not like the idea of me staying 2 years off and on in the UK..but I'm applying for the visitor visa for the ability to go in and out of the country for 2 years...so why would they say that?

If they decide to interview me what type of questions will they ask? The nearest consulate is 4 hours away in Chicago..do I have to show up in person or can it be done over the phone?

TIA....I am honestly just so worried about this, I feel like I'll go insane..

I know some of the more experienced people on this forum will answer your questions, but please know most of us also felt nearly "insane" when going through some of these processes.  Especially when tender love is involved. Of course, money, travel and visas are very stressful topics.
Hope all goes well, best of luck and sure someone here will help you with some accurate info!

As far as I know, Americans are unable to apply for the 2year visiting visa. You might want to look into other visas.

I havent seen anything saying a U.S. citizen couldn't get one...and the immigration officer in the UK suggested I do so, and the person from ukvisas.gov.uk said they aren't mandatory.

From what I know of the visa it is to stay longer than 6 months in a one year period, and to be able to go to and from the UK as long as you didnt stay over 6 months. We are mainly doing it to know I wont be denied entry at any point in the next couple of years, since I am hoping to go over for a few months at a time.

If they deny that visa we will  have to consider getting married, but I dont know if its easier/cheaper to get married in the US and then apply for me as a spouse to the UK or to go to the UK as a fiancee and then get married,  I know wed have to pay for my son as well and then the fiancee and spouse fees have to be paid.

US citizens are entitled 6 months "leave to enter" on a regular tourist VISA,  which is how they stamp anyone entering the country...there is no application involved.
Did the IO give you a reason why they only  granted you one month? Were you able  to show proof of return ticket to the States?  Were you able to show that you had funds to support yourself during your stay?

I came on a tourist VISA and altho it was a bit nerve wracking as the IO asked me 20 questions concerning the length of my stay, in the end they stamped me in w/a special "tracking number" so they could find me if I tried to cheat and stay longer, get employment, etc

Unless you are getting married in the near future, I'd think this would be your best bet!

US citizens are entitled 6 months "leave to enter" on a regular tourist VISA,  which is how they stamp anyone entering the country...there is no application involved.

Sorry but no-one is "entitled" to a visa, it is at the immigration officer's discretion.  Whatever the reasons, if you have been told you need to obtain entry clearance before entering the country you must do so.   The main things they will be looking at are your reasons for wanting to visit the UK and your incentives to retun home at the end of your visit.  If your main reason is visiting someone with whom you are in a relationship and you are intending to stay for 6 months then they might suggest you apply for a fiance visa.   What reasons were you given for the limitation on your stay last time etc?

Britwife...to clarify, I meant any US citizen who is coming in as a tourist is generally stamped in for 6 months. 

I was told I was restricted on my stay because they felt I might try to stay past the 6 months, that I had nothing to go home to...my son was there! Of course Id go back to him!!!

I wasnt prepared for a several hour interview either...and I was separated from my ex but unsure of everything regarding that, my house while it DOES belong to me isnt legally in my name, its in my moms, and I didnt have a job, or savings. They also didnt like that I wasnt sure then if my distance learning course could be completed in the states, which it can.

Then my bf was tellng them we were only friends when I was and saying it was a serious relationship, and that we wanted to see each other. This wasnt anything against me I think he was just worried that theyd REALLY not like that were together...also dbf had just moved into a new house and I remembered the address but not the phone number

It had been such a looooooong day I  barely got to my bus in time to get to the airport, then they bumped me up to the next flight, where I spent about 8 hours in Newark and then another 2 or 3 there due to bad weather, and then the flight itself where I couldnt sleep most of the time and then to spend hours more in limbo before they even  interviewed me...I was so tired  I was surprised I could remember my own name
 
SO all in all looking back I can see why things didnt look so great for me...

but unfortunately I still dont have a job or savings...I CAN study in the states through KLC in london, and I am going to get my degree through them...I know all the contact info this tme after having stayed there I will have sponsor letter and proof that he can and will sponsor me with my application...my ex and I are finally able to file for divorce (6 months before we could file where we live) and will have done so by the time I go. We have a custody arrangement which would require me to leave at least every 6 months, although I imagine I'd go back at 4 months or so. I do want to be able to go back and forth more than 6 months out of each of the two years, although thats what the visa is for...

My mom has a home business where she and I make handmade purses and things such as that...I will only make them when I am in the US, but she will be sharing the profits with me, is this enough to satisfy them, or is that somethng they would just laugh at as far as work? It permits me to be a sahm to my son until my degree is finished. Also my son is going to be homeschooled, this is a decision my ex and I came to because of the custody arrangement and its something we've always talked about doing even when we were together. My son would never be in the UK more than 6 months of the year, so Im assuming he wont need to be on the visa?

My dbf and I do plan to marry, but it wont be for 2 years unless they wont allow me into the country any other way...I will not break any mmigration rules, I just hope they see that... its just that we would prefer to get to wait 2 years to get married when/how we want rather than doing it just to be together.

Does anyone know how to find out if a school can be considered for a student visa? I'm trying to think of any options I have just in case this visa isnt approved...the school I am enrolled in does have actual classes, but london is quite far from where dbf lives.

And one more..I know Im really going on and on and on...but if we needed fiancee visa instead, and my divorce isnt final at the time of application but would be within the 6 months, would they allow that?