Long-term planning for a move...

Well, this is probably a familiar story...

I met my boyfriend while I was doing a junior year abroad program at the University of Exeter last year. We'll officially have been together for a year on January 10th! I had an amazing year in the UK and now I have all the more reason to return. I'm currently finishing up my bachelor's degree in Ohio, and he is in his second year of uni. My current plan is to work for a year while he's finishing his degree, save up as much as possible, and then start a Masters programme in fall 2018. I always planned to do a Masters and I've already found some programs in London that look really great (I'm hoping to do Art History/Museum Studies, and I'm visiting the Goldsmiths art dept in the spring during a UK trip.)

I've got a ways to go before settling permanently, but I already have a bit of experience with the UK visa system as I had a Tier 4 for my year abroad. Of course, that was pre-Brexit. I'm hoping that the transition from Tier 4 to work visa to spouse/partner visa will be a smooth one! Thankfully my family is supportive of my decision--my bf came to visit over the summer and he got the parental stamp of approval. 

I'd love any advice from folks who have been there before. Any tips on what I should be doing now? Lessons you've learned as an American expat in the UK?

Hello and welcome!

The Work Visa is extremely hard to come by and they seem to be making it more difficult with each passing year. I would definitely not depend on that, or your planned transition will be a stressful one! I started as a student here for undergrad, then Masters and thought I would get a job after. I was looking for a year before my boyfriend of three years proposed. It was definitely a stressful time.

Your degree in London sounds really exciting though! I love Art History! Good luck!

Welcome to the forum .

How did you like Exeter? I did my undergrad at Exeter Uni, and spent my third year studying abroad in the US (I'm British) . I also now work for the Met Office, which has its HQ in Exeter (though I live and work in Lincoln... when I'm not working abroad).

Good luck with your plans to move . If you have a degree from a UK university, it should be easier than normal to get sponsored for a Tier 2 work visa afterwards, as you wouldn't need to pass the Resident Labour Market Test...however, as BriKH said, it can be tricky to find a job to sponsor you in the first place.

However, if your boyfriend is able to meet the financial requirement for a spousal visa while you are doing your masters, and you decide to marry then, you could always switch from the Tier 4 visa to a spousal visa without needing to get a Tier 2 work visa first.

I loved Exeter! What a great uni and city. Thankfully my study abroad program allowed us to live with British students, so I got to break out of the "American bubble" and make British friends. Before my year abroad I had only ever seen London, so it was really nice to see a different part of England--I also traveled a ton and got to see lots of places within the UK (Bath, Bristol, the Lake District, Cornwall...)

Doing my research, it looks like the transition might be a bit easier with the spousal visa instead of a work visa, though I am aiming towards Masters programmes that are fairly interdisciplinary and could lend themselves to a variety of positions within the arts. Still, spousal/fiance visa might be the best way to go... never would've imagined myself getting married in my early twenties, but the heart wants what it wants! 

I've seen a few websites for visa assistance services, i.e. immigration lawyers who will help you fill out an ILR or spousal visa application and ensure everything is correct. Still far down the road for us, but I'm thinking it may be useful. My boyfriend was born in New Zealand to British parents and has British citizenship (the family moved back to England when he was 10), so I'm not sure if that could affect the application in some way. Might not hurt to have an expert look at it, but they're not cheap... would anyone recommend these?

I've got a ways to go before settling permanently, but I already have a bit of experience with the UK visa system as I had a Tier 4 for my year abroad. Of course, that was pre-Brexit.

Visas are nothing to do with any Brexit. Visas are UK immigration rules. Changes for visas were announced ages before the Leave/stay EU vote in June.

My boyfriend was born in New Zealand to British parents and has British citizenship (the family moved back to England when he was 10), so I'm not sure if that could affect the application in some way.

If a British citizen parent was born in the UK, then he was born British (by descent) as he inherited his British citizenship from his parent/s.  As a British citizen, he can sponsor you.

I've seen a few websites for visa assistance services, i.e. immigration lawyers who will help you fill out an ILR or spousal visa application and ensure everything is correct. Still far down the road for us, but I'm thinking it may be useful. My boyfriend was born in New Zealand to British parents and has British citizenship (the family moved back to England when he was 10), so I'm not sure if that could affect the application in some way. Might not hurt to have an expert look at it, but they're not cheap... would anyone recommend these?

Through my own experience, and gathering from what seems to be a common theme with immigration attorneys, they are a waste of time unless there is something that would make it difficult such us a previous rejection. A lot of them seem to give the wrong information for whatever reason,.like the "experts" I consulted at the end of my student visa after my now husband proposed. They gave me horrible information. This board literally saved me from what would have been a very difficult visa process to get back and from a 10 year wait for citizenship instead of 5! As long as there are no problems and you meet all the requirements then the process is straightforward and really no need and this board is here for any and all questions, however if you would prefer, this board has recommended two lawyers...both whose details I have forgotten haha! But I'm sure someone here will be able to fill you in on those :-)

Hello!  Your story is rather similar to my own.  Studied abroad (from a university in Ohio, as well), met British guy, liked British guy, came back for Masters degree, married British guy, moved to UK on a spousal visa.

Doing a Masters degree here is probably your easiest way of getting over her at this point and time, especially if you were already planning to do one in the UK.  It can be expensive but, once you are here, you have the chance to switch from a Tier 4 to a Tier 2 or Spousal visa.  It's been a few years since I have done either visa but neither were so complicated to need a lawyer unless you have a history of overstays, criminal record, etc.  This forum is extremely helpful for any questions that you may have.  Have a read-through of the gov.uk site so that you have an idea of the rules and all that.  Good luck!

Nice to know someone's been through it before! Did you switch to a Tier 2 while your Tier 4 was still in effect (i.e. did you get married while your course was still underway?) Because I already had a Tier 4 for my year abroad and had a clean record with that, I figured getting approved for another one should be pretty straightforward. I made a ton of copies of everything when I was applying for that one and I still have the paper trail!

I've been through it before!  Roughly the same story, met my French wife when she was a student, we managed to stay together by her doing graduate degrees and whatever until we married, then moved to Europe.  20 years later, all is good and we've got two kids who have the thickest British accents you can imagine.  When we go home, they are mobbed by people who want them to talk.

Good luck sorting the visas.