# British GF, Jamaican BF, trying to work out UK Visas to be together



## Anth102 (Jul 2, 2015)

Hi All! So glad I found this forum, you are all so knowlegeable! I hope you can help me and my BF  

I'm British and he is Jamaican. We have been together for a year and a half. I have been over to JA 3 times to visit in the last 18 months and he has been over here twice. He is here right now on a visitors visa, due to return un August. Outside the Caribbean, the UK is the only country he has visited. he applied for a visitor visa to USA many years ago but was rejected (lack of supporting info)

We want to be together. We both want to live and work in the UK. My questions are around the UK Visa and immigration rules. 

Ideally, we want him to come over and be able to work. We know he needs a settlement visa to join a settled person. Problem is, as we are unmarried, we can't apply for this unless we have been living together. We're in catch 22. How can we prove we've lived together for 2 years when we only ever have visitor visas? The only other option is to get married. But you can't marry in the UK on a visitor visa. Or, he could come over on a Fiancee visa. But then he can't work for 6 months and has to return at the end and re-apply. Can we get married in a different country (JA for example) then apply for a spouse visa? 

It's really tricky! Although we love each other and want to be together, we don't want to get married 'just for a Visa' but this seems the only way! Would it make a difference if I were pregnant or we had a child?! (just exploring options!)

Thanks in advance for your help
Anth


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## HatakeSage (Feb 4, 2015)

" It's really tricky! Although we love each other and want to be together, we don't want to get married 'just for a Visa' but this seems the only way! Would it make a difference if I were pregnant or we had a child?! (just exploring options!)"

Think about this. You don't want to get married just for a visa, but you'd get _pregnant_?
Don't try to bring a child into the world just for visa purposes. I've seen a few people pregnant apply on this forum and they don't care, they just want facts about your visa. You know? You could still be rejected despite being pregnant.

Anyway, you should try and apply for the fiance visa if you want to live in the UK together.
Thats a visa where the applicant comes to the UK (when accepted) in intention to marry and live there afterwards. Once you're married you will apply for another visa, called the further leave to remain, and that will allow him to get work, and live with you and get nhs treatment after paying a fee.

It's not that he can't work for six months, its he can't work until you get married and get the other visa accepted.

If you don't want to do that, definitely look into getting a spouse visa in Jamaica, I've heard it can be easier but each experience is different.


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## Anth102 (Jul 2, 2015)

Thanks for the response! perhaps I should explain a bit more 

I'm 39, he is 37. My 'clock is ticking' and we're talking about having kids. We're not proactively trying for a baby but, if I fell pregnant, it would be welcome news. However, I don't want to be a single Mum and him not to be able to be with me due to Visa problems. Therefore, your advice is very useful, thanks. I suppose I'm digging my heels in about getting married 'for a visa' because it's like I HAVE to get married for him to join me!

I didn't realise you can apply for a Visa to stay once you are married in the UK on a Fiancee Visa. In this case then, could he come over on a Fiancee Visa, get married within a month (for example) then apply for leave to remain visa straight away? so he could, in theory, be able to work in a few months? The reason it's important to us is that he would get bored not working. he has a strong work ethic and wants to contribute to the household

Alternatively, we could get married in JA and apply for a spouse visa? I know the NHS surcharge would be £600 for him

Thanks !


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## salix (Apr 27, 2014)

Yes, after you've gotten married and applied for FLR(M), as soon as it's granted he can work.

We were married on May 30th, and June 20th I had my FLR(M) in hand ...... and I didn't rush to apply.

You can actually have a premium appt. scheduled for the day after your wedding if you want. Just book the appt. in advance, have all your documentation ready. And in your marriage certificate (which you'll receive at the wedding), print out a few photos, add it all to your application and go to your appt. Assuming everything is in order, he could be eligible to work the day after your wedding.

The biggest wait time would be the giving notice period, a little over five weeks from the time he arrives in the UK. That would be the soonest you could marry after he arrives on a fiancé visa.

Or of course, you could marry in Jamaica, apply for a spouse visa and he could arrive eligible.


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## Anth102 (Jul 2, 2015)

Brilliant, thanks Salix 

Looks like I've got a wedding to plan!


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## HatakeSage (Feb 4, 2015)

Good luck.
Usually having children just makes the process more complicated as you have to earn more in the end to show you can provide for each child, and I think its like 2-4k each child extra!

By the way.
If he applied for the American visit visa and was rejected, this might make the process for granting a visa take longer as they'll need to verify why he was rejected. Also you may not be able to get priority for it because of that too. (it warns on the website).

edit: if you apply for fiance visa, you will not need to pay a nhs charge until after you get married and apply for the second one


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## Anth102 (Jul 2, 2015)

Thanks for all your advice - I have a few more questions, this time around the £££ cost. 

If I go for the Fiancee Visa, get married in the UK, then apply for the leave to remain visa, what will the costs be (besides the solicitors fees, if we use one. I've been quoted around £500 to check all our documents and help with the sponsorship form). From my sums, it would be £87 for a Fiancee Visa, £984 for the leave to remain visa, £600 NHS surcharge - is this about right? Minimum £1,670 excluding solicitors fees, flights and a wedding!


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## salix (Apr 27, 2014)

The fiancé visa is £956, more if you want priority. The FLR(M) visa is £649, £400 more if you want priority processing. The NHS surcharge would be £500.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

The fiance visa is £956. (Don't know where you got £87 from.) After you are married you apply for FLR (M) which costs £649 by post and for an extra £400 you can opt for an in person appointment where you application is usually decided on the day. Plus the NHS surcharge which will be £500 when applying from within the UK. FLR (M) is valid for 2.5 years after which you apply to renew it for another 2.5 years. Obviously, fees may increase. After 5 years you apply for ILR which at the moment costs £1500.


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## Anth102 (Jul 2, 2015)

Thanks both. Wow, £2,500 not including any legal fees, wedding, flights etc. I'm going to have to get saving! 

If we apply for FLR (M) and pay the extra £400 for an in-person appt, where would the appt be? Is it for him alone or both of us?

And one more - what does FLR and ILR stand for (indefinite leave to remain?)

Thanks


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## HatakeSage (Feb 4, 2015)

Yeah, our fiance visa is going to cost about £1500 and thats not even paying for flights yet.
I'm sure after everything (the FLR) we'll be in the same boat haha.

I believe its further leave to remain and indefinite leave to remain!


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

FLR is further leave to remain. ILR is indefinite leave to remain. FLR (M) is what a spouse visa that is applied for from within the UK is called. ILR is permanent residence. Once you have permanent residence you can apply to be naturalised as a citizen if you wish. 

There are premium service centres around the UK where you can apply in person. If you opt for that, you'll be able to choose one that suits you.


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