# Unmarried partner less than 2 years? Help?



## kkss (Dec 17, 2013)

Hello,

I just stumbled on your forum today, and it seems like a good resource. But I have come across posts here saying that unmarried partners needs to show evidence of having lived together for 2 years, and I'm wondering if anyone can help me with this.

My partner and I have gone over the application together, and all the information I can find for the last few weeks, and this was the first I'd heard of such a provision. Tried googling it and sure enough I found the right web-pages.


I'm absolutely furious / panicked / crushed that this information was not referenced at all on the application or any of the guidance or web-pages I've spent hours and days going through.

I'm applying from inside the UK. The application form (FLR-M) mentions needing to show evidence of having lived together for the last 2 years if you are applying for an extension after a *previous* partner visa (ie. round two), and asks if you have been living together if you're married - neither of which is us.

The situation is this: We've been in a long-distance relationship for about 2 1/2 years. I came to the UK last year on a student visa and did my masters in a different city from where he was working (so we couldn't live together anyway), and we visited on weekends, etc. I've since moved in with him. 

If we can't apply for a partner's visa, I can't see any way of staying legally in the UK. If I have to go back to my home country, he would have to give up his job to join me, and that would just be a stupid move, not only financially, but also because we want to settle in the UK, not my home country, for various reasons. 

In other words, if we can't apply for a partner's visa under the circumstances, we would be separated, and it would be impossible for us to spend 2 years living together. Is there any way to work around this, especially as I'm in the UK right now? 

How can you live together 2 years if you can't get the visa in the first place? 

Any help appreciated!


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

If you haven't lived together for 2 years then your only option if you want to stay in the UK is marriage or civil partnership if you are a same sex couple. There is no way around it. It's the main requirement for qualifying for an unmarried partner visa.

What is your nationality? If you're Canadian do you qualify for the youth mobility visa?


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

kkss said:


> Hello,
> 
> I just stumbled on your forum today, and it seems like a good resource. But I have come across posts here saying that unmarried partners needs to show evidence of having lived together for 2 years, and I'm wondering if anyone can help me with this.
> 
> ...


The partner's visa was created for those people who have lived together as man and wife (or same sex partners) say, overseas and who now wish to move to the UK. Or for couples who both legally reside in the UK (one maybe only on a temporary basis) and have lived together and who now wish to gain permanent residency for both in the UK. 

Unfortunately you don't come under either of these categories (I'm sure there are other situations) and you have not lived as man and wife for over two years. The two years period is regarded as enough time to provide proof of co-habitation as a couple - tenancy agreements, bank accounts, life insurance, utility bills etc.

There is no visa for "been living with my boyfriend for a few months"

Either you obtain another visa to remain in the UK - work or marriage perhaps - or you return to Canada and continue your long distance relationship.


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## kkss (Dec 17, 2013)

Crawford said:


> There is no visa for "been living with my boyfriend for a few months"


Ha! Well, thanks for making me laugh! Needed that!

It all makes sense and is pretty logical and sensible as far as rules go, so I can't really argue with it. 

I am Canadian, but don't qualify for the youth mobility.

Just a huge disappointment when we'd been thinking for all this time that it was an option because that specific info wasn't referenced - and I thought I'd found all the relevant info (Why can't they just *link everything* that's relevant to one or two pages, rather than making it a treasure hunt?)

So, we'll have to look into our options: get married in the UK, or get married abroad are about it, right?

Any suggestions on where to start looking for the info on that?


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## nyclon (Apr 3, 2011)

kkss said:


> So, we'll have to look into our options: get married in the UK, or get married abroad are about it, right?
> 
> Any suggestions on where to start looking for the info on that?


You can marry whilst in the UK on your student visa and then apply for FLR (M).

https://www.gov.uk/marriages-civil-partnerships

There is a short residency period 7 days I think, then you give notice and after 14 or 15 days you can marry.

If you choose to marry someplace else, you'll have to meet whatever requirements they have and it will have to be recognized as a marriage in the UK.


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## Joanne_Manchester (Feb 18, 2011)

Is your student visa still valid (are you still studying)?
If yes then you are probably ok to get married in the UK , however if you have finished your study ( and not on another type of visa) you might have to return to Canada as soon as possible.
I'm sure you will get replies from more experienced members soon !


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## kkss (Dec 17, 2013)

Thanks, nyclon and Joanne. People are really quick and helpful here, eh? 

I'm still on my student visa, but my programme is finished - you get a few months afterwards before it expires, and I've still got some time to go. I'll start searching UKBA and see what I can find. 

Honestly, one of my main fears at this point is more "surprises". After going though the student visa process, and then this, I just feel like I can never be sure if there's something I don't know because I didn't happened to stumble across it. I almost didn't get my student visa in time because of conflicting information.

I will do the search myself, but if anyone does happen to know where the info is on that, I'd be grateful for a pointer in the right direction.


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## kkss (Dec 17, 2013)

Oh, oops! nyclon already linked it for me! Sorry, just a bit distracted after that little shock.

Thanks a million, I will follow up on that link. Can I hug you? That's pretty much how it makes me feel!


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

kkss said:


> Thanks, nyclon and Joanne. People are really quick and helpful here, eh?
> 
> I'm still on my student visa, but my programme is finished - you get a few months afterwards before it expires, and I've still got some time to go. I'll start searching UKBA and see what I can find.
> 
> ...


OK one big issue is that your boyfriend/fiance will be your sponsor and with that in mind there is a financial requirement i.e he needs to be able to earn enough money to support you.

Read the following document carefully to find out if he qualifies:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/s...DIs/chp8-annex/section-FM-1.7.pdf?view=Binary


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## kkss (Dec 17, 2013)

Thanks Crawford. We do know about the financial requirement - it is one of the big ones, isn't it? I don't think there's any problem with meeting it, it's more a case of making sure we've got the right documents and can tick all the right boxes for a category. I'm pretty sure the link you provided is the same as the document we've been working off of, but I'll take a look over it again just in case.

And thanks again to everyone who took time to reply!


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