Greetings, I come in peace!

Greetings all!

A little about me...here goes!

My name is Siobhan and I am a 29 year old woman who currently lives in Canton, Texas USA.  I will be traveling to England for my first ever trip out of Texas, let alone out of the country, so it's a nerve-wracking thing to take on, but I'm hoping for the best, reading up voraciously about what I'll need for the trip and so on.

The reason for my trip is to meet a man who lives there in the UK that I met through, of all places, Facebook (I've put myself on dozens of dating sites, but I only made a Facebook page to get in contact with former classmates, and there's where I find my guy.  Go figure!) What's even more exciting than just the visit is that, if the visit goes as well as we both expect it should, he may invite me to move in with him which would be, like, my biggest dream come true ever.

The reason I joined this site was to get some answers to questions I have that I've not been able to find answers for on other sites.  I thank all of you who  me in advance for taking the time to help someone who's a horrible novice at traveling.

Welcome to the UKY......don't get discouraged if someone doesn't answer your posts right away as it is almost 4 am here in the UK and probably all sleeping.....unlike me the gaming granny      I made a similar trip here in 2009 but can't give much advice as to what you should do as I got married.....anyway hang in there I am sure someone will be along later to post info for you here.

Hello and Welcome!

  I read your other post, and short of either being sponsored by your work or going to university there really isn't a "Just cause I want to move" visa.  You can try doing what I did, which was to stay 6 months on a visitors visa (which means you can't work or have access to the NHS save for emergencies) to see if you two click as a couple and take your cues from there.  Otherwise the only other way to spend a long period of time with your guy would be a fiance visa- but you have said you guys are meeting for the first time so I assume you aren't ready for that. 

 My husband and I did the long distance thing for a little over a year, we made a few trips back and forth before I came to stay with him for 6 months straight and we decided to get married then. So that's how we made it happen. Whatever you decide this forum is great for information and support. Good Luck! 

Hi
Welcome to UKY!

Good luck with your visit to the UK and your 'first' meeting!!  Quite exciting and I hope it goes well. It is tough though for us folks who fall for people outside our country. There is no easy way to be together 'permanently' and a lot of us have had the 'backwards forwards' visits to UK/US for some time before actually being in a position to apply for a particular visa.

I remember when I flew out to the US for the first time to meet my (now) hubby  (I am the UK citizen in our marriage  ) That was back in 2007 and we had been talking for about a year before that. We just got married this year in the US in April and managed to get the spouse visa. So, from May this year he has been here in the UK as my hubster.  So that is about 5 years from the first contact ion the internet to getting married and getting hubby here. I have seen some people at if for longer and some for less.

It is difficult but worth it in the end. I would advise to take one step at a time - coming over here is a big step in itself! Culture shock maybe!  
And meeting your chap an even bigger one! Exciting... If it works out well, I am sure you will both be able to find a way to be together.

I flew out to the USA 6 times in our long distance relationship and hubster came out here twice - for a few months at a time on the visa waiver. We did spend a year apart after then (with only 2 week visit to the US from me) and it was hard although in a strange way you get use to the emails/webcam etc communication and I miss some of this if I am honest!! But we were planning on his next visit to the UK being the 'permanent' one - and it was (barring the Indefinite Leave of Remain application in 2 years time).

Anyway, what I am trying to say in my long winded way is...enjoy and look forward to your UK visit, if it goes well make plans for your next meeting (him to Texas??).  Always be planning something ahead as we found it does help and often things find a way and fall into place when you least expect it.

I shall be quiet now!

Siobhan, you might possibly be able to pursue Irish citizenship.  I'm assuming based on your name you're of Irish extraction.  If you have a parent or grandparent born in Ireland you could use this to gain Irish citizenship and thus live anywhere in the EU.  

http://www.londonelegance.com/transpondia/usuk/hibi.html

OK, I totally "met" my now husband through a friend on facebook... We made friends because I had a spare room, and he was coming for a holiday and needed a place to stay in Manhattan, and I had a room for rent... So, his good friend, who was my good friend, put us in touch!
And... Now, we are MARRIED! So, ya never know how you will meet the love of your life... And neither of us were even LOOKING... And, I had never even considered living in England... So, yeah. Facebook... LOL.
GOOD LUCK!!!!!
XOXOXO