se7en

I am an American have come over on a fiancee visa to be with my partner, but due to a lot of unavoidable expenses, missed work due to being hospitalized, and time off recovering, we cannot afford to pay for the FLR visa. To my understanding, we have to apply for a second visa after we get married, which is about 800 pounds. My visa runs out at the end of Feb... What can we do? Will I get deported?

Six months isn't much time unless you're well off to afford one visa, a plane ticket to the country, a wedding even if it is a small, private affair with no frills, and yet another visa. What can we do? I literally gave up everything to come here and be with my partner, so getting deported would mean I go back to nothing. I have no family nor friends that can put me up. I phoned the American Embassy and their thoughtful advice was to stay in a homeless shelter until I can find a way on to my feet, but also being deported would mean that I can never return to the country or the chances would be very slim, and our relationship pretty much terminated by default.

SanDiegogirl

Following the wedding you have to apply for an additional visa now that you are married in order to remain in the UK as a spouse.

Looking back on your earlier posts, you knew that you would require to obtain this second visa before you embarked on this venture.

Is it your partner who has been ill? Presume so, since you cannot work until you obtain your spouse visa. Surely she did not lose salary or her job if hospitalised? - employment laws are not that harsh. Also being hospitalised does not incur expenses in the UK for British citizens. Why would you be homeless? Your partner would have had to show accommodation for you when applying for the fiance visa, together with adequate income under the financial requirements. I don't understand why the situation has become so desperate.

I am sorry you have had these problems but if you don't marry (registry office is very inexpensive) and obtain the spouse visa you will be required to leave the country. Don't get deported, leave on your own terms.

The US embassy won't do anything for you.

se7en

I would be homeless upon returning to the states if we cannot afford this FLR visa. The reason we are struggling is, because she missed a lot of work due to being ill and was not entitled to full pay whilst sick. We haven't been able to save enough. What will happen if we are married, but are late applying for the FLR visa? As it is, a plane ticket back to the states, will still cost money we don't have at the moment. The dilemma is if I do return to the states I have nowhere to go.

BritInParis

Can you turn to friends or family to help you out?

se7en

No, I stated in my first post, I do not have family that I can stay with or friends that could put me up til I get back into work. I've had three deaths in the family this year, and the rest I could possibly try to stay with are violent and have been violent towards me.

BritInParis

I meant helping you out with the visa fee which seems to be the pressing issue. If that's not an option then perhaps you might need to consider putting it on a credit card or taking out a small bank loan. Not a great solution but it doesn't sound like you have a lot of options. Once you get your visa you'll also be able to work.

SanDiegogirl

Here are some options and "things to think about":

- get your would-be wedding friends and UK relatives and friends to group together to buy you and your partner the visa. Put any money which you would have spend on a small wedding towards the visa.

- get married in a registry office - very cheap.

- get married before the 6 months is up and apply for the visa. Even if the process takes you over the 6 months you are unlikely to be deported while it is being processed.

- get the money for the visa, and get married as soon as possible because once you have the spouse visa you can then work and get yourselves out of this financial crisis.


However, having said all that, and taking into account about what you have said regarding your partner's work situation - her having lost income because she could not work - has she got the financial requirements in order to sponsor you for the spouse visa?

The financial requirements for the spouse visa are the same as for the fiance visa. Income of 18,600 per annum shown by 6 month of payslips.

If she cannot show this income, no point in going for the spouse visa and wasting another 800 pounds. If it comes to this then you will need to return to the US, get a job and save up for both visas before applying again.

se7en

She meets the financial requirements, but like I said, we just haven't been able to save up with one thing after another. We are going to see about getting some money loaned from her family or by other means. Neither of us have credit cards, nor am I even sure if I can apply for one at the moment being an American in the UK, but it is something we could look into. Could someone kindly share a link to a detailed step-by-step instruction of applying for the FLR visa?

Also... when I first arrived here, I did something incredibly stupid. After being on a plane for ages, I wasn't thinking and washed my passport. When I phoned the registry office, I told them what I had done and they said as long as they can see the number on my visa it would be okay. Do I need to send off my passport again for FLR or should I report it missing to receive another? If I do get a replacement, what does that mean about my visa? It is just a sticker on one of the pages, but will I get a new one? Surely there has to be some kind of database where I am registered or something. If anyone could shed some light, I would really appreciate it... And before I get flamed for doing something so stupid, trust me, I know.

SanDiegogirl

Here is the link for visa to remain in the UK as partner of UK settled person:

https://www.gov.uk/remain-in-uk-family

Yes, you do need to send your current passport.

Not sure what you do about the passport - the American Embassy will assist you in getting a new passport - but its the UKBA which issues the visa. Sounds like it is a two step process. If the visa can still be read in your current passport then I would go with that.

You are not going to get a credit card - you don't have any income.

se7en

It can kinda be read, but who can say... The number can be seen and they've got to have my info on file. It is worth a shot. About replacing the visa... is there any way to go about that that you know of?

BritInParis

If you're applying for a new visa then you'll get a new vignette in your replacement passport.

se7en

I guess I will contact the embassy about getting a replacement. I wonder how the UKBA would respond if I explained I cannot provide my old passport, but present the new one... It might be better than trying to use my current one in the state it is in. Is there any chance I could get a replacement passport for free or at least pay it back once I am able to work? I've been thinking about taking some babysitting and cleaning jobs, but I don't know if that technically violates my visa.

SanDiegogirl

Taking any job is in violation of your fiance visa. They will charge for a replacement passport.

Didn't you have any savings when you arrived in the UK?