# Wording question re: 2 years living together



## kyletg (Dec 31, 2013)

Hey all,

I'm taking the cash savings route to get a partner visa - my scottish girlfriend's parents gifted the ridiculous 62,500 into an account and it has now been 6 months. 
I spoke to an immigration lawyer to make sure my documentation was good, which everything is except for her confusion about the wording of living together in a relationship for 2 years. She seemed to think the 2 years had to be consecutive but I pointed out there was no use of the word consecutive on gov . uk which she agreed and thinks that gives us grounds to dispute if this were the case. 
We have been together for 4 years, have proof of 10 months rental together and have 2 stat decs from both sets of parents stating that we have lived in their households over the course of our relationship which would make up the rest of the 2 years. 
Does anyone have experience in the classification of 2 years? 

Thanks!


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

You need to show that you have lived together continuously in a relationship akin to marriage for at least 2 years. That means showing joint responsibilities over that period. Sounds live you lived together for 10 months and visited each other periodically.


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## kyletg (Dec 31, 2013)

Oh ok, is there anywhere that actually states continuously? 

Our issue is she's been in student accommodation for 3 years of our 4, so I could only ever live with her between those periods in her parents (a years worth of proof). The year she spent in australia in shared accom was up until august this year and I went with her for 3 months to UK following so would that was 15 months consecutive. 

Our big issue is I couldn't live with her in student accommodation so I was hoping we could provide proof of making our relationship work by moving to the same locations. But I guess there's not much leniency even for those of us in 4+ year relationships!


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

https://www.gov.uk/remain-in-uk-family/eligibility


_Partners are 2 people who are 18 or over and in a genuine relationship - you must be able to prove one of the following:

you’re married
you’re in a civil partnership
you’ve been living together in a relationship for 2 years_


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

kyletg said:


> Oh ok, is there anywhere that actually states continuously?
> 
> Our issue is she's been in student accommodation for 3 years of our 4, so I could only ever live with her between those periods in her parents (a years worth of proof). The year she spent in australia in shared accom was up until august this year and I went with her for 3 months to UK following so would that was 15 months consecutive.
> 
> Our big issue is I couldn't live with her in student accommodation so I was hoping we could provide proof of making our relationship work by moving to the same locations. But I guess there's not much leniency even for those of us in 4+ year relationships!


No there isn't. As it stands, your application is likely to be refused. Recently we had someone who was only a week short of 2 years and still got denied.


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## AmyD (Jan 12, 2013)

You're definitely going to be refused. You can try to play word games, but that will be an exercise in futility. Getting married would be easier.


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## clever-octopus (May 17, 2015)

"Continuous" is implied with a partner "who *has been* living with the applicant in a relationship akin to a marriage or civil partnership for at least two years prior to the date of application" (I actually ran this phrase by a legal linguist who confirms); the declaration you must sign also states that you are "still" living together in a relationship akin to marriage. Time spent on tourist visas or visa waivers isn't generally considered living together. You only have ten months of documented shared domicile; letters from parents aren't sufficient evidence that you've been living together. You'd need to provide air-tight evidence that you've been living together for two years in the form of post addressed jointly to you both, or to you individually, which proves that you've been sharing a household and household commitments (utility bills, tenancy agreements, bank accounts, etc). Some gaps in this requirement have occasionally been allowed in the past by UKVI, but as Joppa states, there are people who very recently have been denied on the very smallest of technicalities. I can't in good conscience encourage someone to spend the time and money to apply when they can't prove 100% that they meet the requirements.

Sorry to say but your application is an easy refusal.


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## kyletg (Dec 31, 2013)

Thanks for the advice, appreciate your help. The lady I had the consultation with did recommend the fiance and marriage route for us and I agree with her that this would be our best option, just wanted further confirmation which you've all given me. Thanks for the replies everyone, time to have the big chat to my partner


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## kyletg (Dec 31, 2013)

Just an update here, we went for the partner visa and we got it! 

I covered every point of our relationship thoroughly. It was a very honest and truthful application and we provided extensive documentation. I can see it has gone against the trend of other applications on this forum but I'd see this as a positive thing for those in long term relationships. And no I'm definitely not advising all people to try this route, it was our individual circumstances that got us approved. However it sure has come as a relief to us knowing our relationship is respected as partners and we haven't been forced unnecessarily into strings and rings!


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Am very surprised given your history, but congratulations.


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## cyborg001 (Jan 13, 2016)

Do newly married couples applying for a first spouse visa need to show cohabitation for any period before marriage? Me and my fiancé live 20 mins apart and spend 4-5 days/week together, but haven't officially lived together as we are waiting for until after marriage for cultural reasons.

Also, given the above if we apply for a visa just 7-10 days after the wedding then what proof of cohabitation would we need to show?

It would be a premium appointment and we both have been in UK for a long time.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

cyborg001 said:


> Do newly married couples applying for a first spouse visa need to show cohabitation for any period before marriage? Me and my fiancé live 20 mins apart and spend 4-5 days/week together, but haven't officially lived together as we are waiting for until after marriage for cultural reasons.
> 
> Also, given the above if we apply for a visa just 7-10 days after the wedding then what proof of cohabitation would we need to show?
> 
> It would be a premium appointment and we both have been in UK for a long time.


You are not expected to live together before marriage and if you are newly married they don't expect you to have proof of living together right after marriage. If you have anything, that's great.


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