# Californian moving to London come August 2012



## JohnnyB5000 (Mar 10, 2012)

hello everyone! I have recently joined the forum and have read through a few threads before posting for the 1st time. I am so excited to be part of expatforum and look forward to growing with the community. 

Johnny


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> hello everyone! I have recently joined the forum and have read through a few threads before posting for the 1st time. I am so excited to be part of expatforum and look forward to growing with the community.
> 
> Johnny


Hello, and welcome to the forum. Your thread title says you are coming to the UK in Aug 2012, are you coming as a student, visitor, spouse or partner?

Nosy, I'm so nosy :lol:


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## JohnnyB5000 (Mar 10, 2012)

My partner was accepted for an internship on Saville Row in September and I am accompanying him.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

What visa will you both be getting?


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

Congrats to your partner on the internship!


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## JohnnyB5000 (Mar 10, 2012)

As far as I know... We are just going to UK with just our passports. I was informed that we don't need a visa for up to 6 months being US citizens. Now this is where I am confused... Do we both need a visa to be hired in the UK with no visa or work permit?


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> As far as I know... We are just going to UK with just our passports. I was informed that we don't need a visa for up to 6 months being US citizens. Now this is where I am confused... Do we both need a visa to be hired in the UK with no visa or work permit?


A visitors visa is just that - you can visit, you cannot work.


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## JohnnyB5000 (Mar 10, 2012)

AnAmericanInScotland said:


> Congrats to your partner on the internship!


Thank you!


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## JohnnyB5000 (Mar 10, 2012)

So does that mean I am not hire-able while I am visiting?

I was told I wouldn't need a visa to find employment in UK and that I could be hired by the employer where they would take care of the sponsoring for me.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> So does that mean I am not hire-able while I am visiting?
> 
> I was told I wouldn't need a visa to find employment in UK and that I could be hired by the employer where they would take care of the sponsoring for me.




Totally and absolutely wrong. As a US citizen, if you want to work in the UK you need a visa and usually a sponsoring company before you arrive.

Your 6 month visitor visa does NOT allow you to work, and you cannot get a work visa while in the UK.


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## mistbound4england (Dec 26, 2011)

I wouldnt try to find ANY type of employment there unless you have the visa saying you can. Disregarding the UK's policies could lead you to having very negative consequences should you try and apply or visit later on and even a ban from the country.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Crawford said:


> Totally and absolutely wrong. As a US citizen, if you want to work in the UK you need a visa and usually a sponsoring company before you arrive.
> 
> Your 6 month visitor visa does NOT allow you to work, and you cannot get a work visa while in the UK.


And if they find out when you arrive at UK border that you've come without a visa, there is a good chance you will be denied entry, detained and put on the next flight home.


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## JohnnyB5000 (Mar 10, 2012)

So what is the best thing to do to bypass all this? What if a company decides to hire me while I am visiting? Is that even possible? Would my best bet be to apply for work now and hope that someone wants to hire me upon arrival?


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> So what is the best thing to do to bypass all this? What if a company decides to hire me while I am visiting? Is that even possible? Would my best bet be to apply for work now and hope that someone wants to hire me upon arrival?


You can't bypass 'all this'.

If you want to work in the UK then you need to find a prospective employer who is willing to go to the effort and cost of sponsoring you by getting you a work visa.

As you have already said, you are supposedly only going for 6 months, so your prospects of getting an employer is minimal to say the least.

Be prepared for the Border Agency to ask how you intend to support yourself for the 6 months you are in the UK with a visitors visa. 

Just like the US Border agency they tend to get suspicious of people who can 'afford' to have 6 months of vacation.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> So what is the best thing to do to bypass all this? What if a company decides to hire me while I am visiting? Is that even possible? Would my best bet be to apply for work now and hope that someone wants to hire me upon arrival?


First of all, neither of you can come to the UK to work or intern without a visa. If you find a sponsor for a job while you are are here on a visitor visa, you will have to return to the US to apply for the proper visa. You cannot switch from a visitor visa to any other visa and your partner cannot just turn up for an internship without a proper visa. And a visitor visa is not the proper visa. You cannot do work of any kind, paid or unpaid on a visitor visa. 

It looks like your partner needs to get the visa situation straightened out.


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## JohnnyB5000 (Mar 10, 2012)

Crawford said:


> You can't bypass 'all this'.
> 
> If you want to work in the UK then you need to find a prospective employer who is willing to go to the effort and cost of sponsoring you by getting you a work visa.
> 
> ...


 I only said I was going for 6 months due to a passport only allowing a "6 month stay" I intend to stay longer and live in the UK and eventually get a flat with partner. We currently have a place to stay with a friend 30 mins away from London.

I understand that I will be questioned upon arrival. 

I appreciate everyone's responses.


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> I only said I was going for 6 months due to a passport only allowing a "6 month stay" I intend to stay longer and live in the UK and eventually get a flat with partner. We currently have a place to stay with a friend 30 mins away from London.
> 
> I understand that I will be questioned upon arrival.
> 
> I appreciate everyone's responses.



As a US citizen you can stay in the UK for up to 6 months as a visitor on the Visa Waiver Program.

Unless you have the relevant work/study/investment visa you are not allowed to stay any longer.

In your current situation you cannot 'live' in the UK without the necessary visa - that would be illegal.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> I only said I was going for 6 months due to a passport only allowing a "6 month stay" *I intend to stay longer and live in the UK and eventually get a flat with partner*. We currently have a place to stay with a friend 30 mins away from London.
> 
> I understand that I will be questioned upon arrival.
> 
> I appreciate everyone's responses.


If you were to say that to the immigration officer on arrival, I will guarantee they will deny both of you entry and take steps to remove you from UK without your even stepping out of the airport building, or just keep you in a detention centre until your next flight.

So please don't get on a flight to UK without first sorting out your visa!


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

OK wait, I'm confused-I thought the OP's partner has a Tier2 visa and the OP is travelling on it, which would give him both a visa and permission to work, right?


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> So does that mean I am not hire-able while I am visiting?
> 
> I was told I wouldn't need a visa to find employment in UK and that I could be hired by the employer where they would take care of the sponsoring for me.


Sort of - IF you can find a job with an employer who is willing and able to sponsor a foreigner for a job (not just any employer can do so), you'll first have to return to the US to wait for the paperwork to come through before you can apply for the appropriate visa with working privileges.

As you might think, the process is a major PITA for the employer, so it's exceedingly unlikely you'll be considered for most jobs unless you have some sort of unusual qualifications that are in short supply in the UK. 
Cheers,
Bev


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

> OK wait, I'm confused-I thought the OP's partner has a Tier2 visa and the OP is travelling on it, which would give him both a visa and permission to work, right?


The OP has given no indication that either of them will be coming on a visa which allows them to work:



> As far as I know... We are just going to UK with just our passports. I was informed that we don't need a visa for up to 6 months being US citizens. Now this is where I am confused... Do we both need a visa to be hired in the UK with no visa or work permit?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> I only said I was going for 6 months due to a passport only allowing a "6 month stay" I intend to stay longer and live in the UK and eventually get a flat with partner. We currently have a place to stay with a friend 30 mins away from London.
> 
> I understand that I will be questioned upon arrival.
> 
> I appreciate everyone's responses.


At the discretion of the immigration officer, Americans can enter the UK for up to 6 months as a visitor. You are by no means *entitled* to stay for 6 months and the immigration officer can decide to stamp you in for less or as Joppa said, when hearing your plans, send you back to the US. 

If either of you intend to stay for longer than 6 months and live and work in the UK, then you need a visa which gives you the ability to do that. A visitor visa *does not* allow to live and work in the UK and you *cannot* switch to any other visa category from a visitor visa.


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## BailyBanksBiddle (Feb 8, 2012)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> So does that mean I am not hire-able while I am visiting?
> 
> I was told I wouldn't need a visa to find employment in UK and that I could be hired by the employer where they would take care of the sponsoring for me.


Johnny hi
Is your partner a British or EU citizen? If so, you could apply in the spouse/partner section of the family visa category. Also, were you hoping to stay beyond 6 months? If so I wonder if you could apply for a position in your area in the UK, which would then give you the chance to get a visa for 3 years.


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

nyclon said:


> The OP has given no indication that either of them will be coming on a visa which allows them to work:


I went back and checked the OP's reply to my nosy question, which was that his/her partner had been awarded an internship. That indicated to me that there was a visa already, and as the partner, the OP would accompany.


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

AnAmericanInScotland said:


> I went back and checked the OP's reply to my nosy question, which was that his/her partner had been awarded an internship. That indicated to me that there was a visa already, and as the partner, the OP would accompany.


Getting an internship and getting a visa which allows you to accept the internship are 2 different things.


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## AnAmericanInScotland (Feb 8, 2012)

nyclon said:


> Getting an internship and getting a visa which allows you to accept the internship are 2 different things.


See, I know that old saying about assuming, lol, but I really did assume the people offering the internship would have sorted the visa as a part of the offered internship. 

I hope the OP will update us, I'm very curious!


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## wynos25 (Apr 19, 2009)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> hello everyone! I have recently joined the forum and have read through a few threads before posting for the 1st time. I am so excited to be part of expatforum and look forward to growing with the community.
> 
> Johnny


Good luck to you on your move. I've moved recently from the Los Angeles area myself and loving the decision I've made.


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## modernfamilyinlondon (Jun 20, 2012)

Welcome, Johnny! We are newbies here, too, but we have already learned so much from others in this community. 

How are your relo plans going?



JohnnyB5000 said:


> hello everyone! I have recently joined the forum and have read through a few threads before posting for the 1st time. I am so excited to be part of expatforum and look forward to growing with the community.
> 
> Johnny


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## JohnnyB5000 (Mar 10, 2012)

We're in the UK now and it has been an amazing experience! Though some immigration questions have gone unanswered and misconstrued I hope to take care of the issues before its too late. How's everyone? Happy new year!


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

JohnnyB5000 said:


> We're in the UK now and it has been an amazing experience! Though some immigration questions have gone unanswered and misconstrued I hope to take care of the issues before its too late. How's everyone? Happy new year!


Are you on the VWP (Visa Waiver program) or a visa?


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