What should I write on my fiance visa application?

By the way, does anyone know if being a teacher's assistant qualifies for the shortlist, or do you have to be a full teacher? I might be able to find a job doing that, since I have experience with kids.

Teacher's assistants do not qualify, I'm afraid. Additionally, only secondary school teachers in the areas of math and science are on the shortlist now.

Here is the shortage list as of September 2008: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/workingwithus/mac/uklist

I remember reading somewhere about an Educator exchange program you might want to do a google on that and see if there might potentionally be an answer there.

Yeah, I figured that wouldn't work. I don't have teaching certification, just a minor in education and a ton of experience with kids. And munkor, I've seen a couple of those but usually you need experience teaching, which I don't actually have (beyond teaching a college recitation for one semester). In that case, I would only be able to get a work visa if I found a job that would pay at least 20k pounds a year, which I'm guessing would be nearly impossible. It's okay, the visitor visa sounds like my best option now. Thank you so much for your help, everyone!

If the only reasons for refusal were intent to return and no date for the wedding, why not just apply for the correct visa this time? 


Vicky

They would refuse me entrance? How long would be safe? He's coming here for 3 weeks in January, but then he has to go back for his job. I don't have a job right now, I just graduated so I'm staying with my mom. I don't think I do have provable "ties" to the US, honestly.

I don't have a regular job to return to in the US, but since I lived with my mom, I had her write a letter stating that she was expecting me back home on x date and how much I contribute to the house as well as copies of my previous month bank statements to show I had access to money.  I also had Tim (my boyfriend) write a letter stating he was inviting me to stay from x to y and would be providing me with room/board for the duration of my visit. In his letter he also mentioned where he worked, that he owned his house/paid council taxes, and was a British citizen with a British passport.  After the I/O saw the letter from Tim, he stamped me and I was on my way.  Of course, your mileage may vary.

I remember reading somewhere about an Educator exchange program you might want to do a google on that and see if there might potentionally be an answer there.

You're probably thinking of VIF (Visiting International Faculty), but they don't take Americans anymore anyway. I have a degree in Education and I checked. They used to allow Americans to participate, but that ended 2-3 years ago.

You're probably thinking of VIF (Visiting International Faculty), but they don't take Americans anymore anyway. I have a degree in Education and I checked. They used to allow Americans to participate, but that ended 2-3 years ago.

A friend at work did that the first year it started and was just outside London. She loved it! Soooooo sad that program has stopped. I have a lot of international friends here who came here on the reverse VIF program, though.

If the only reasons for refusal were intent to return and no date for the wedding, why not just apply for the correct visa this time? 

Vicky

Because I still don't have an expected wedding date, and if the visitor visa is cheaper and doesn't expect marriage then that's a better option for me. We initially wanted to get married in the US anyway, because most of the people we'd want to invite are from the US, and the only thing really holding us back was that the US fiance visa was shorter than the UK one. But now that I know I could do a visitor visa for up to 6 months, and that he won't need a fiance visa to come to the US, I can see that that's a much, much better option. Plus it means we don't have the "we have to get married in 6 months" pressure on us, which is nice because we were only rushing it like that because we thought we HAD to if we wanted to be together.

AnnaOnTheMoon, that is very helpful. I could easily have my mom and boyfriend write letters like that for me. You didn't apply ahead of time for a visa then? I probably will, because I don't want to be turned away at immigration, but that's comforting to know. How long was that visit?

Either way, whether applying for a visa in advance or going directly there as a visitor, be aware that they are going to look at a) can you support yourself without access to fund or work b) are you clearly a visitor.  A visitor is someone who is staying in the UK for a specific amount of time, with a clear intention to return to wherever they came from and has no intention of trying to work or overstay their visa.

So, while you can usually stay as a visitor for 6 months, if you say you are going to stay exactly for 6 months they are going to think something is up, especially after they know they rejected you.  They aren't going to understand fully that you made an honest mistake on filling out the wrong visa application.  Keep your visit concise (maybe 2-3 months or whatever you can afford),  clearly state when you plan to leave, ensure that you have sufficient money to pay for you visit and that you can demonstrate that if asked.

AnnaOnTheMoon, that is very helpful. I could easily have my mom and boyfriend write letters like that for me. You didn't apply ahead of time for a visa then? I probably will, because I don't want to be turned away at immigration, but that's comforting to know. How long was that visit?

I arrived on 17th October. Originally, I was leaving on 22 December, but I was invited to stay for the holidays, so will be going home somtime in January.

But, I've been a visitor this whole time, even though I've been staying with my boyfriend - I've gone out weekly to do touristy things, and on weekends have gone places farther away from his house because I am here as a visitor. 

Like everyone else said, you can't just use the waiver to try to live with your boyfriend.  I've got loads of documentation (train ticket stubs, attraction stubs, photos) to prove I've been visiting the UK just in case I need to at some point.

I only WISH it was that easy to just live with him, or I'd just not go home, but unfortunately, there are procedures to follow.  Also remember that if you are there for 6 months as a visitor, then go home to apply for the 6 month fiancee visa you will have spent an entire year not working - and in order to get the fiancee visa, you have to prove funds just like for the visa waiver....so basically, if you aren't made of money don't visit for 6 months. 

I know it sucks how US/UK couples sort of get pushed to marriage if they want to be together, and I wish there was an easier way to do it.  But listen to people like Vicky and garry (and the other knowledgeable folks around here, like kitsonuk). They really know what they are talking about.


Since this is a sort of relevant question to the experts - if you stay 6 months on a visa waiver, can you get a visitor visa to return again before the year is up?

Kitsonuk, money isn't going to be a problem for me. With my savings and the balance from my college account, I can easily demonstrate that I have enough money to support myself for quite some time. I wasn't actually planning on exactly 6 months, maybe 4 or so, since I did figure I'd be less likely to get a visa if I pushed it all the way to 6 months. And I definitely will clearly state when I plan to leave, and I'll get as much documentation of that as I can think of. I refuse to make the same mistake that I made last time!

AnnaOnTheMoon, thank you. I definitely plan to do visitor-y things anyway, since I have friends in London and Bristol and I want to spend time in other places too. But I didn't think of keeping all that documentation too! I definitely will now. I know we wouldn't really be "living together," even though we'd be staying in the same place. He works at a holiday park and lives in a room they provide for him, so I might even be able to get some kind of statement from them stating that I really can't stay permanently. I also really need to talk to him to make sure I even can stay with him there for any length of time. Just knowing that the visitor visa is an option is great though.

so I might even be able to get some kind of statement from them stating that I really can't stay permanently.

This would be most emphatically not recommended.  I suggest focusing on ties to the US.

Since this is a sort of relevant question to the experts - if you stay 6 months on a visa waiver, can you get a visitor visa to return again before the year is up?

While it is not a hard rule, an ECO or IO would not consider you a visitor if you spend more then 6 months during any 12 month period as a visitor and would likely not grant you a visa or refuse you entry to the UK.  This concept is included in the guidance provided to the ECOs and IOs and can be used as a basis for refusal.

As garry has stated before, they would have shortened visitors to 3 months a long time ago if it weren't for some historical reasons, but they seem to be headed the direction of breaking down visitors so they can better manage their time here in the UK.

While it is not a hard rule, an ECO or IO would not consider you a visitor if you spend more then 6 months during any 12 month period as a visitor and would likely not grant you a visa or refuse you entry to the UK.  This concept is included in the guidance provided to the ECOs and IOs and can be used as a basis for refusal.

*nods* It makes sense.  How does that affect people coming over for a fiancee visa if they've visited for 6 months?

They want you to prove you have means of support if you're coming in as a visitor? Is that a new requirement or am I misunderstanding due to flu delirium?