intro/visiting boyfriend stationed in UK

hello all.  this will be my intro thread and question thread, to avoid posting two separate threads.   

i am a U.S. citizen and my boyfriend, who is in U.S. Air Force, is currently stationed in the UK.  he asked me to come visit and stay with him for 6 months to a year.  i realize i need to have a visa in order to stay that long.  however, i would like to perhaps have a part time job while staying there so that he won't have to be solely responsible for supporting me, though he said he has no problem doing so.

do i apply for a visitor visa first?
if he will be supporting me/my trip for the most part will his bank statements be sufficient as evidence that i will not need UK assistance?

i am currently employed but was planning on quitting my current job and applying to graduate school while in the UK and attend school upon return to the states.  do you think that will have an adverse effect on my visa application?

i'm very worried about the application process, which i've already begun by completing an online application and submitting an online application fee.

i apologize if this is a repost, i searched for information about visiting U.S. military in the UK but found nothing.  i know i definitely would not permanently remain in the UK because my boyfriend will return to the states in two years.  my sole reason for going is to live with him and maybe even get engaged, in which case we'd return to the U.S. and get married!   

any advice would be grateful.

If you've been in university in the past six months (i think) you could do a BUNAC (www.bunac.org) visa. Do you need to work while you're in the UK or are you just wanting to go to school?

US citizens do not need to apply for a visa to come to the UK as a visitor for up to 6 months. However, you cannot work here unless you have a work permit or other visa which allows you to do so, such as a student visa or spouse visa.

well i graduated in May 2005 which was JUST over 6 months ago.  i will not be studying while in the UK.  i'd prefer to stay longer than 6 months, more like a year.  working would only be to help pay rent.  i'm not too concerned with working because as i mentioned, my boyfriend said he could support me during my stay.

how hard is it to get a visitor visa for a 1 to 2 year stay in such a circumstance?  i.e. him not being a fiance.

it's going to be really hard to come over here legally for a year if you're not coming for a specific reason (ie as a student or on a work permit.)  As a visitor, you can stay for 6 months without a visa (make sure you have enough money if you're coming for that long!) but that's about it. It's illegal to work as a visitor.  Also if you do come as a visitor, you can't stay for six months, leave the country for a day or two and come back for another six- that'll send up red flags to the immigration officers and it'll look like you're trying to live here rather than just visiting.  Is there any way you can claim citizenship in an EU or Commonwealth country through your parents (possibly grandparents?) That would give you some more options, but as a US citizen (especially since you've been out of school more than a semester), coming over as a visitor seems to be your only option. (unless you'd like to go to grad school in the UK!)

My only other idea- since you graduated in May 2005, you may still be eligible to a BUNAC permit to Ireland (have to get there by mid-February- or at least that's what it says on the website!)  That would give you four months in Ireland (and you'd be able to work), which is just a *little* closer to the UK   Then you can go over to the UK as a visitor and stay for up to six months.  That might work if you've got lots of financial support.

Good luck and welcome to UK-Y!

it's going to be really hard to come over here legally for a year if you're not coming for a specific reason (ie as a student or on a work permit.)  As a visitor, you can stay for 6 months without a visa (make sure you have enough money if you're coming for that long!) but that's about it. It's illegal to work as a visitor.  Also if you do come as a visitor, you can't stay for six months, leave the country for a day or two and come back for another six- that'll send up red flags to the immigration officers and it'll look like you're trying to live here rather than just visiting.  Is there any way you can claim citizenship in an EU or Commonwealth country through your parents (possibly grandparents?) That would give you some more options, but as a US citizen (especially since you've been out of school more than a semester), coming over as a visitor seems to be your only option. (unless you'd like to go to grad school in the UK!)

My only other idea- since you graduated in May 2005, you may still be eligible to a BUNAC permit to Ireland (have to get there by mid-February- or at least that's what it says on the website!)  That would give you four months in Ireland (and you'd be able to work), which is just a *little* closer to the UK   Then you can go over to the UK as a visitor and stay for up to six months.  That might work if you've got lots of financial support.

Good luck and welcome to UK-Y!

thanks for all the ideas.
well, i think i'll talk to my boyfriend and see if he knows anyone over there who has done this.  i really don't need to stay a year but i'd like to have the option of doing so if things "work out" with my boyfriend.   

once again, thanks again.  i think i'll peruse this site more it seems like there are a lot of knowledgable people on here.   

My husband was stationed in the airforce in the UK, and the easiest thing to do would be to either apply for a fiance visa or marry him while he is still in the Uk. Then you can live together either on or off base, you guys can then be together wherever he gets stationed. Ask your bf to go to his commander and ask his advice. Hope all goes well with you.