vikki85

I live in the UK but have a Bajan boyfriend. We have been together for 4 years and in that time I have visited Barbados 14 times (1 of those times for 6 months last year) and he has come here 3 times for a few months at a time. We have decided that I will move there are he doesnt think he could live here - don't blame him!!

Now, we have come across the following (common, I imagine) problems:

I don't have much money and so can only support myself for 6-9 months before I would need to work. I have written to many companies in Barbados for work but no one seems interested as they know they will struggle to get a work permit (I work in tourism in the UK and have sent my cv to hotels, tour op's etc...). We have discussed getting married, but are unsure if this will make the employment problems for me disappear?

Has anyone been in the same situation or got any advice???

pgtips

I would have thought getting married would sort your status in Barbados soon enough. Your boyfriend can then support you whilst your permits get sorted.

Foxy_fromCanada

Getting married will make you eligible for citizenship, but that takes a long time (there are plenty of folks on this forum who can attest to that). Getting citizenship erases the need for a work permit, but you may find yourself in limbo while waiting for the citizenship - you may not be able to work while waiting, and I don't think Immigration is allowing those waiting for citizenship to get work permits. Bit of a vicious cycle.

It's hard to say which would be easier - getting a job and therefore a work permit, or getting married and applying for citizenship.

Bimchick was through this process recently, and I know Zanne has done it as well (as have others). Perhaps they'll share their stories with you.

Good luck to you,
Foxy

zanne

Hi Vikki-- yes, Foxy is right--although I was married to my husband for 4 years before we applied for citizenship 2.5 years ago. Honestly I waited until the absolute last moment before coming here for good for the reasons that you describe, and unfortunately now the waiting period is much longer for citizenship via marriage. We waited from August 2006 to May 2008. Plain and simple the policies at immigration do not help your situation-- even the fact that we had a child and our family was apart didn't move the process along.

Being married with an application on file will help but you won't be able to work.

Hope this is of help.

vikki85

Thanks for this. Although these were the answers I expected, they were not the answers I really wanted lol. When my boyfriend spoke to immagration in the summer about me coming over, they said 'tell her to write off for jobs and the company will apply for her work permitt' - they made it sound so easy.

I am confused on what will be the right thing to do - the plan was for me to come out June 2009 for 6 months, look for work. If unsuccessful (which I KNOW I will be, but want to go thru the motions), we were going to get married early 2010. If we get married and don't apply for citizenship, will I be able to get a work permitt?? I would love to get citizenship, but neither of us have much money, so me being able to work out there would be the most important thing for us at the moment. Also, is there any benefit to being 'engaged'? I know that it can make things easier for people coming to the UK if they are engaged to an english person?

Thanks for your help

shines

You will only get a work permit if an employer wants to give you a job and gains a permit for you.

If you are married you will still require a work permit if you want/need to work until your citizenship comes through.

Once you get your citizenship you will no longer require a work permit. Citizenship for newly married couples takes up to 3 yrs (and very possibly longer)

It may be best for you guys to get married now and start the application process for citizenship whilst you continue to work in the UK...

Being engaged will give you no rights what so ever...

HTH

S

vikki85

I realise that that is the option that makes the most sense, but we have been together for over 4 years and while we are apart, both of our lives are on hold as we are saving up for the next trip. I will talk about it with my boyfriend and see what he thinks about it...............

Foxy_fromCanada

I know what you mean... lots of us have been there. Unfortunately, Immigration doesn't see it the same way. We have no choice but to play by their rules - unless you want to risk being sent out of the country.

It won't hurt to continue applying for jobs in the meantime, while you decide what to do.

Good luck.

Serendipidy

I think Shines has given you the best advice - i think if you married in the UK you might actually be able to make your application for citizenship there ??which might be faster and then you could come here for 6 months and by the time you go back and get ready to come back again who knows you could be sorted. Try ringing the Barbados High Commision in Totteham court road and ask if you can process an application for citizenship from within the UK.

Barbados is so small they are now really reigning in the "foreigners" these include many others not just english and canadian but guyanese, jamaican etc and have to be seen to be doing it across the board. Due to the economic constraints that the government is gearing up towards happening they do not want people here working doing jobs that locals should be having the chance to apply for and since the change in government last year (now similar to our UK labour party) they are much more focussed on wats going on locally than foreign investment.

I have heard no new work permits are being granted and if you are in the tourism industry then Barbados already has a surplus of home grown supply for their demand so i think you should start to go down the only route you have left to be together sooner rather than later.

Sorry that the news is not what you want to hear but this is the way it is now and you would be kidding yourself to think that everything will work out just fine by hoping.

Dipidy

vikki85

Thanks for your advice. I totally understand why the government are making it difficult to move over - wish the UK would do the same!! We have decided (I think) that when I am over in March I am going to give my CV out again and see if I get any bites. If not, I have seen some evening courses advertised in the Nation for things like hair/beauty etc and will do this when I go (hopefully) for 6 months in the summer to add more strings to my bow. We wont make our minds up about getting hitched in 2009 until we see each other again in March - that is defo something that will need to be discussed face to face, as it would mean getting married earlier than originally planned.

vikki85

Just a thought - If I write to companies for work and offer to pay for the process of the application for the permit, do you think it is more likely that the company will apply for me. I only ask as some of the hotels/tour ops I have written off to have said no as they don't want to pay out for something they may not get.........................

Serendipidy

I sent you a private pm on that vicki

Dipidy

vikki85

Will it make any difference to immagration if we get married in the UK or Barbados?

To the people that are married to bajan - did you get married in Barbados or Uk?

Sunniebgi

we got married in the US.. that's were my family is. all the immigration process was done in Barbados (as there isn't an embassy in North Carolina and it was easier to have my hubby do it all once he got back after the honeymoon).

bimchick

My husband and i were married in Canada, and it makes no difference to the, where you wre married. however, when you apply for citizenship you need the marriage liscence that states that you and your husband were not married on the day you were married. i.e to someone else. Seems a little silly but without this they will not process your application.

The wait for citizenship is currently 5 years, and unless you have a work permit you can't work on the meantime. Honestly, I might get married, and have your husband stay with you in the uk for the 5 years while your citizenship is processed in Barbados. Seems only fair.