Advice on LDR- do the 6 months all at once? or in chunks?

My boyfriend is headed off to the UK for a 3 year transfer.  I tried all avenues to get my company (based in UK and US) to sponsor my visa, but they won't as they really need me to stay in the US though the end of the calendar year.  And they'd give me a bonus to stay. 

So I'm trying to figure out how I'd like to use the six months per year on a visitor visa.  Looking for advice on whether it is easier to go for the full six months and then six months off.  Or maybe space it out throughout the year, 2 months on, 1 month off.  How hard is it to not work for 6 months while your partner goes to work everyday?  I've never not had a job.  At least if I go off for a month out of the country, I could do odd jobs back in the US or elsewhere- waitress or whatnot.

Either way, by Fall 2012 I'd get married, find a company to support a T2 visa, or start school.

So I'm trying to figure out how I'd like to use the six months per year on a visitor visa.  Looking for advice on whether it is easier to go for the full six months and then six months off.  Or maybe space it out throughout the year, 2 months on, 1 month off.  How hard is it to not work for 6 months while your partner goes to work everyday?  I've never not had a job.  At least if I go off for a month out of the country, I could do odd jobs back in the US or elsewhere- waitress or whatnot.

Just to note that you aren't guaranteed 6 months at a time in the UK, or 6 months in a year - that is just the maximum time that visitors may be permitted to stay when they visit the UK. However, it is up to the Immigration Officer at the airport as to whether they let you into the UK or not and every time you try to enter the UK, there is a chance that they won't let you in or will only let you in for a certain number of days or weeks. Ideally, you want to try to spend as much time out of the UK between visits as you spent in the UK (i.e. if you spend 2 months in the UK, you should spend at least 2 months in the US before coming back to the UK).

In order to give yourself the best chance of being let into the UK, you need to prove that you are a genuine visitor, have ties in the US that you must return to and you have no intention of trying to live in the UK - you will need to prove this every time you come over. The more often you travel to the UK/the longer you try to stay here, the less likely that you will be considered a genuine visitor and that you will be let in.

You can show you are a genuine visitor by having:
- a return ticket back to the US (this is essential)
- evidence of a job in the US to return to (a letter from your employer stating what date you will be returning to work)
- evidence of a home in the US to return to (a tenancy/rental agreement or evidence of homeownership)
- evidence of family/other ties you need to be back in the US for after your trip
- enough money to support yourself in the UK for the entire length of your trip without working (bank statements etc.)

If you are a visitor in the UK, you won't be entitled to 'free' NHS treatment so you will need to pay for any medical treatment you have in the UK (it's best to purchase travel/health insurance to cover you) and you will not be allowed to work in any capacity (paid or unpaid, for a UK or US company, in person or online).

How hard is it to not work for 6 months while your partner goes to work everyday?  I've never not had a job.

It's been really tough for me personally, especially by the 2nd and 3rd months.  I came over here on a student visa, but I haven't been able to find steady work since I graduated.  Luckily I had the ability to volunteer a couple of times a month, and I had established friends, so I at least had something to get me out of the house, but it still gets tough from time to time.  I've always worked, ever since I was 15, and I'm just not used to not working.  It makes me feel lazy and like a bit of a leach on my BF, even though I know he doesn't see it that way.

As a visitor, you won't even be able to volunteer, so just make sure you have stuff planned for yourself, like sightseeing or something.

I've always worked, ever since I was 15, and I'm just not used to not working.  It makes me feel lazy and like a bit of a leach on my BF, even though I know he doesn't see it that way.

As a visitor, you won't even be able to volunteer, so just make sure you have stuff planned for yourself, like sightseeing or something.

Thanks for your thoughts, Nose/Tail.  Not being able to volunteer is such unknown territory for me.  I've also had one or more jobs since I was 15.  Even before that I was reffing soccer and babysitting- earning income. 

I'm pretty good at meeting people.  But how else do visitors pass the time without getting depressed?

Ideally, you want to try to spend as much time out of the UK between visits as you spent in the UK (i.e. if you spend 2 months in the UK, you should spend at least 2 months in the US before coming back to the UK).

In order to give yourself the best chance of being let into the UK, you need to prove that you are a genuine visitor, have ties in the US that you must return to and you have no intention of trying to live in the UK - you will need to prove this every time you come over. The more often you travel to the UK/the longer you try to stay here, the less likely that you will be considered a genuine visitor and that you will be let in.

You can show you are a genuine visitor by having:
- a return ticket back to the US (this is essential)
- evidence of a job in the US to return to (a letter from your employer stating what date you will be returning to work)
- evidence of a home in the US to return to (a tenancy/rental agreement or evidence of homeownership)
- evidence of family/other ties you need to be back in the US for after your trip
- enough money to support yourself in the UK for the entire length of your trip without working (bank statements etc.)

If you are a visitor in the UK, you won't be entitled to 'free' NHS treatment so you will need to pay for any medical treatment you have in the UK (it's best to purchase travel/health insurance to cover you) and you will not be allowed to work in any capacity (paid or unpaid, for a UK or US company, in person or online).

 

Thanks for the tips, ksand24.  My job will be making me redundant at the end of 2011, so that's out for evidence on my intentions to return.  My severance will give me plenty of money, and a return ticket is no problem.   

If I come for a few multi-week stays and after a few of those, my bf and I go back to the states to get hitched, am I in danger of being denied a dependent visa?

Looks like I should move some of these thoughts to the visa forum.

I'm pretty good at meeting people.  But how else do visitors pass the time without getting depressed?
 

Well that's the thing- visitors are supposed to be visiting- i.e. siteseeing and taking in the sights and sounds and spending lots of £££££ and then going home. They're not supposed to be 'living'.   Though I can appreciate the predicament this puts you in   
LDRs are hard - I don't know how anyone is able to stand cross-contintent ones- I had an in-country (USA) one at one time and that was hard enough.

Well that's the thing- visitors are supposed to be visiting- i.e. siteseeing and taking in the sights and sounds and spending lots of £££££ and then going home. They're not supposed to be 'living'.   Though I can appreciate the predicament this puts you in   

That simply is not true. As long as they obey the laws concerning their visitor visa (don't work, don't seek private health treatment, etc.) they can do whatever they want.

What they CAN'T do is try to establish residency in the U.K. For example going about setting up bank accounts and renting flats.

If what you said were true, that would mean anybody going to visit their significant other and family on a visit visa is breaking the law by lounging about the house living family life.