Need advice on the best way to do it.

I think I just need some advice....     I am a US-citizen living in NY.  My boyfriend is a British citizen living in the UK.  He is going to ask me to marry him within the next few months.  I would like to move to the UK as a trial-run before making the big jump across the pond.  But I am really worried about the whole visa/work thing and being a burden on him. 

I know as a tourist, I can stay only 3 months and I cannot work.  So coming as a tourist is out of the question.

To come on a fiancée visa, I know I have up to 6 months to live in the UK, but again I cannot work, and I do not want to be a burden on his finances.  And we also do not want to be married within 6 months.  We would like to marry in the summer of 2006.

I do work for a pleasant international company with an office in NY and an office in London (where my boyfriend currently works).  If all else fails, as a last resort, I am wondering if they would sponsor me for a work visa.  I think the process is quite long and expensive though, and so it makes me doubt if they'd even be willing to go through the trouble for me, especially since they've already done it twice to my knowledge, and it would probably look suspicious to UK Immigration officials that this company keeps submitting work visa applications to import all of their employees' boyfriends/girlfriends/fiancé(e)s from various other offices in other countries around the world.

Another option I can look in to is claiming Italian citizenship.  I qualify for Italian citizenship through my mother.  Then I could get my Italian passport and come to the UK and work.  (Unfortunately though, I don't speak any Italian, so if I were ever questioned about it, I would look pretty silly....)  But as an EU-national, I should be able to find work fairly easily in the UK.  (Right?  I think...?)
I know it seems awful, but <insert stereotypes here>.  I can't help but think that being an Italian and an American, from NY no less,  that I would have a few strikes against me when seeking employment in the UK, even though I am edcuated (B.A. in Interdisciplinary International Studies) and well-spoken (Yo, s'up?)

I don't know.  What do you all think?  Sorry if this is a bit long.  Enough of my rantings.
Would love to hear any and all ideas, feedback, anecdotes, etc... from people who've been through the same/similar thing.  Thank you so much!

   Jeannie

The easiest thing would be to get an Italian passport by registering as an Italian citizen, as you qualify.  No one is going to care or count it against you here when you get here to work.  It's not going to 'look silly' b/c you don't speak Italian.  There are thousands upon thousands of dual citizens here.  All the employer will care about is that you are legal to work in the UK.  And you can live and work as you please for as long as you want - no pressure, no time limits, etc. 

I think I'd agree with the above. No one thinks twice about people with dual citizenship here. It's much more common than in the US and no one will question your proficiency or lack thereof in Italian! Do you have any idea what the time frame is for getting an Italian passport?

All the other options will require more trips back and forth, more money, and more juggling of work/no work, etc.

Good luck!

I should also point out that coming here on a work permit means being tied to the job for which you were sponsored, whereas as an EU national you can work as you wish. 

Wow, I did not realize I would be tied to the job that sponsored me for a work permit.  Yikes!  Thanks for pointing that out.  I do make a very good living, and I do like the company, but that is pretty scary.  I like my independence.  I wonder how UK officials can keep track of all that though. (Guess they're nothing like the INS [or whatever they're called nowadays] here in the USA.)  Ha!

Your employer has to apply to the Home Office for your work permit and they would be your sponsor. The Home Office will then assume that you are employed by them for the duration of your Work Permit. If you stop working for them, the Home Office won't be any the wiser or go looking for you if your employer doesn't notify them. This is how I managed to seek other employment while on a work permit. I resigned from a job, consulted an immigration lawyer who told me the Home Office would not be looking for me until after my work permit expired, got another job and applied for another permit. The Home Office is within its rights to ask you to leave the country and re-enter on a new work permit, but they will often let it slide. I wouldn't advise anyone to do what I did, but I managed to get away with it.

I think the Italian-cum-EU passport is the best option for you.

Yes definitely find out if you are eligible for an Italian passport, that will open up your opportunities much more as you would be here as an EU citizen and not subject to the same immigration controls as someone on a work permit.  No-one here will care if you speak Italian or not, they are more interested in whether you speak English! 

your other options sound better but just so you know, you can stay for six months as a vistor.

The Italian passport sounds like your best option... even if you never come to the UK, having your Italian passport can only be a good thing!

. . . they are more interested in whether you speak English! 

Yeah, I like to think I talk good English