2 Year 'Living together' requirement for the unmarried partner visa

Plus Vicky in my case I have lived with my bf for nearly 4 years before but as I wanted to get a BA, which would have been insanely expensive for me to do in america, the last three and a bit we haven't.

My take on this - all that matters is the last 2 years.  Have you been living together?  if not, you can't qualify.

Tanners disagrees, which is problematic.


Vicky

Plus as i haven't properly lived with my bf for 3 years I think the smart thing would be to live together for a bit first.

This doesn't make sense.  The way it reads is that you want the UP visa to be a type of no-strings 'trial relationship' visa.   

The 'acid test' of a 'relationship akin to marriage' is if you have formed a household, and evidence surrounding that presumption is what they are going to want to see.  But if you don't know what it's like to live with your bf, then you could not have formed a household together.  And that will make putting together a convincing application somewhat difficult.

We are engaged, Garry. You took that totally the wrong way. It's not a test to see if we can live together but a chance to settle down a bit first. We know we want to be together. After so many years I think we have figured out that much.

If I took it the wrong way, an ECO would for sure take it the wrong way.  So be careful in all events.   

I understand that marriage is prob a better solution in your eyes Vicky and Jewlz but it just wasn't how I wanted to do it. I wanted to plan things and do it properly how I envisioned not have to rush and get married now just because we had to. There is nothing romantic about that to me. Plus as i haven't properly lived with my bf for 3 years I think the smart thing would be to live together for a bit first. But if this is the only solution then I guess that is what we will have to do.

Welcome to the reality of international relationships.  I can assure you, the government doesn't care that it's not romantic to get married because that's the only way you can get a visa to be together long term.  Many, many people here have had to get married before it was ideal in order to be with their partners and it's not the end of the world.  Life goes on, and all that.  Not to be harsh, but if you go into your immigration journey thinking that everything in that sphere should be fair and based on common sense, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment!

Welcome to the reality of international relationships.  I can assure you, the government doesn't care that it's not romantic to get married because that's the only way you can get a visa to be together long term.  Many, many people here have had to get married before it was ideal in order to be with their partners and it's not the end of the world.  Life goes on, and all that.  Not to be harsh, but if you go into your immigration journey thinking that everything in that sphere should be fair and based on common sense, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment!

Well put!  As you are engaged, you can also apply for a fiance visa and if approved you can live together for 6 months before you need to get married.

Sometimes, life doesn't go how we plan and envision. 

Yeah, not to pile on, but Vicky and Jewlz and the others here are not suggesting to get married because they are all pro-marriage nutters.  They, like the rest of us, are pragmatic.  They are saying this because the rules are written this way to make it difficult any other way.

We just have to set aside our pre-conceptions about marriage, just like Britney Spears.  We had another thread about "playing the system" and in my opinion, this is how you play the system.  You show up at a registrars office, fill out some paperwork and in the eyes of the law "get married".  If down the road, you want some big to do, you are more then welcome to have it.  The government can't touch what is in your heart, but if as long as you are comfortable living together and getting on with your lives, then let go of your pre-conceptions and crack on with it.

[Edit: too add the rather critical "not"]

Yeah, not to pile on, but Vicky and Jewlz and the others here are suggesting to get married because they are all pro-marriage nutters. 

I take it you missed the crucial 'not' here!

 

Vicky

First I would just like to say I really appreciate your comments. I guess I have been brought down to earth a bit and I have to admit the answer being 'get married' isn't exactly what I wanted to hear. But this may sound like a dumb question but you need to apply for a visa for that before you get married is that correct? Does it matter which country a couple get married in, does that effect which country they can live in?

Thank you for all your advice.

I know that my husband and I got married sooner than we had liked, but with my visitor status expiring, baby on the way and no way for me to qualify for any work type visa, it was our only option. We were married in the US almost 1 year ago and I remarked to my husband that I can't believe the last year has passed so quicky. So we didn't get the romantic wedding in the little Scottish Church but what is most important is we have our life together and our daughter has both her mommy and daddy.

For me it was a no-brainer.

If you want to get married in the UK you'll need a Fiancee visa if you want to live in the UK after that then do a FLR(M) application or a Marriage visit visa if you are going to go back to the states to live. If you get the marriage visit visa you will have to return to the US and get a spousal visa if you change your mind and decide to live in the UK.

We got married in the US only because my visitor status was expiring, he was coming with me to the US anyway and it was inexpensive ($125.00) to have a civil marriage at the County Clerks office with no waiting period/blood tests/residency requirements.

We looked into the UK marriage and just came up on hurdle after hurdle to jump through and for us the US wedding was much more simple.