# Moving my boyfriend from US to UK



## Vixen101 (Jul 23, 2013)

My boyfriend lives in America and I'm in the UK. He wants to move here to be with me and I am renting a flat, i have a full time job which pays about 16/17k. 

Now, I know I'm going to get a lot of stick from this but we talk everyday, on the phone and online. We haven't met yet but I'm desperate, I love this guy and I just want him with me. We're so serious about each other, We want to get married and have kids at some point. Honestly, where do I go from here?

I'm scared because I feel like we'll never get to be together. What should I do? Is it impossible? and if it's not.. where do we go from here? what steps do we take now?

is the only option to get married? Please can someone give me clear details on what is required and if you think we'll ever get to be together.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2013)

Why would you think anyone here would give you stick? Advice maybe about ensuring you're doing the right thing but not stick. 

But in your case you couldn't sponsor him as you don't earn enough and would need to be married as unmarried couples need to be living together.


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## Vixen101 (Jul 23, 2013)

I dont know.. its just so depressing. I guess i thought people may think im foolish. 

So if he came over here and we got married, would he be able to stay? Is there any further requirements?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Three main requirements to be allowed to live in UK as your husband are suitable accommodation, finance and genuine, enduring relationship.
I presume you already have a place of your own or can rent a suitable property.
You need to be earning £18,600 in order to sponsor him. As you are up to £2,600 short, one of the ways of meeting the deficit is to have savings to the value of £22,500. Your boyfriend can contribute towards this total.
Relationship will be tricky. You must meet in person in order to get to know at least once before your marriage (not at the same time as your wedding). This means at least one extra trip. You also need convincing evidence that you really are a couple, and your decision to marry and settle in UK is as a result of mature reflection about your future together.

To marry in UK and stay on, he needs a fiancé visa obtained in advance in US.


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## Vixen101 (Jul 23, 2013)

Yes, I am renting a flat here, which is reasonable and would be a suitable home for the both of us. 
The thing is now, I don't earn enough and there's no way between us we will be able to get that amount of money in savings, so I'm pretty much screwed , aren't I? lol 

Just to clarify.. If he gets a fiance visa, I still need to be earning the minumum you mentioned earlier? Or does that not apply then?


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## Leanna (Oct 22, 2012)

Vixen101 said:


> Yes, I am renting a flat here, which is reasonable and would be a suitable home for the both of us.
> The thing is now, I don't earn enough and there's no way between us we will be able to get that amount of money in savings, so I'm pretty much screwed , aren't I? lol
> 
> Just to clarify.. If he gets a fiance visa, I still need to be earning the minumum you mentioned earlier? Or does that not apply then?


The financial requirement of £18,600 applies in both types of applications (fiancee and marriage). If you cannot make up the shortfall in savings, perhaps instead look at picking up extra work on the weekends to make up the difference? The financial requirement is one part of the application where there isn't any wiggle room I'm afraid.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

After marriage he will need to switch to leave to remain as partner (spouse), and you still need to be earning that. He cannot work until he successfully gets the new leave.

If there is no savings, you can get a second job to meet the shortfall, but in that case you need to be working in both jobs for a year if you are working for different employers.


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## HayleyCorrine (Sep 21, 2013)

Hiya, 
I was in the same situation. I had known my boyfriend since I was 14 from a mutual friend but we hadn't met until I turned 18. We decided to move together when I was 19 and it's been very difficult with the changes in immigration and we may end up getting married because it is getting far too expensive to continue to leave the country every 6 months. 
One of the requirements for marriage is that you must have met. He can get a visitors visa, Though since he is from the US he does not need to actually purchase a visa he just needs to have his itinerary together for the visit. He can stay up to six months as long as he has the funds for it. It helps that you have a job because you can be his sponsor. I would say your best bet is to set him up a job over where you are so he can have a work visa or get him over to study and have him work on the work visa and then move on to fiances visa after he's been there for a bit. 
I wish you the best of luck and if you need anyone to talk to about how insanely frustrating it is, I'm here.


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## Guest (Sep 21, 2013)

HayleyCorrine said:


> Hiya,
> I was in the same situation. I had known my boyfriend since I was 14 from a mutual friend but we hadn't met until I turned 18. We decided to move together when I was 19 and it's been very difficult with the changes in immigration and we may end up getting married because it is getting far too expensive to continue to leave the country every 6 months.
> One of the requirements for marriage is that you must have met. He can get a visitors visa, Though since he is from the US he does not need to actually purchase a visa he just needs to have his itinerary together for the visit. He can stay up to six months as long as he has the funds for it. It helps that you have a job because you can be his sponsor. I would say your best bet is to set him up a job over where you are so he can have a work visa or get him over to study and have him work on the work visa and then move on to fiances visa after he's been there for a bit.
> I wish you the best of luck and if you need anyone to talk to about how insanely frustrating it is, I'm here.


 Not that easy I'm afraid. You can't just get sponsored in any old job. The employer needs to be an approved sponsor and there has to be no British or European person who could fill the post. Which means a highly skilled job in a shortage area which has been advertised and not filled with someone who does not need a visa.


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## HayleyCorrine (Sep 21, 2013)

Yeah I probably should have given more detail when explaining, I did find a list on a government website that has the companies who are able to do that. It's still a pain regardless.


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## ALKB (Jan 20, 2012)

HayleyCorrine said:


> Yeah I probably should have given more detail when explaining, I did find a list on a government website that has the companies who are able to do that. It's still a pain regardless.


It's not only that. Just because a company has a sponsor license does not mean they are actually willing to sponsor.

A former employer of mine is on that list and I know for a fact that they got the license years ago to sponsor one specific person vital to the success of the business and have no intention of sponsoring anybody again.

Would you be willing to relocate to another EU country?

Do a search on Surinder Singh UKBA and have a read.

You would have to get married for that, though.

Good luck!


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