BeeMan038

I know I am not the first to pave what I think should be a relatively easy path. However I am nothing but confused as to what all of this VISA stuff is about. You would think, having an MBA from a good college, and being a CPA, that I had the smarts to know about VISAS, but EVERYTHING I read actually makes me MORE concerned and MORE confused. Some stuff to note:

1. I have a job in the US - I make six figures, I don't ever intend on leaving it. MORE IMPORTANTLY, this job is one where I telecommute (I work for a CPA firm that is essentially paperless) and they have NO problem with me living in or visiting the UK and working from there. So, I have both a JOB and I can EASILY support myself...I have come to realize that a LOT of the reason the UK refuses people is because they are a risk to the system, and I completely agree with that thinking, but I am also seeing a LOT about how my income will "not count"...Maybe this is situational.

2. I have a girlfriend I met online that I intend to meet in the next couple of months. We've been together awhile and have not met. She is a UK citizen - I am putting this out there as a fact. I really don't need advice on my relationship or the risk of the relationship, other than how it would relate to what I am trying to achieve.

So, my intention is to visit her on my regular passport (I am a US Citizen)...If things go well, I want to move out there, be with her and her kids so I can get to know all of them, spend time with them as a family, get married to her in the UK, and continue to work with my US firm, making MORE than enough money to support ALL of us, and then for us ALL to move back to the US (I'll leave THIS portion of the question for another forum) in two years.

The above is not difficult...I think it should be easy enough to do...I make good money, have a good career, and can easily support myself and continue to support myself. How should I plan on doing things? I would be there for approximately two years with her before we would all make the trek back to the US. What are the names of the forms/visas I should look up and look to apply for in order to make the above happen. I know there are MANY in the US who fall in love with someone in another country, and want to do this.

Any guidance on this would be great. I think it is really great that people come together in the form of this forum to help others and give advice.

BeeMan038

I’ve done some general research – I have more specific questions that possibly relate to the above:
1) General Visitor Visa – It says I can stay in the UK for up to 6 months with a General Visitor Visa, but says I cannot “take paid or unpaid work” – I wouldn’t be “taking” any work because I already have a job in the US which I would like to keep and continue to work at while in the UK. Am I being too literal in my interpretation…Maybe the intent under this VISA is that I am truly there for “tourist” reasons? My intent to work is to support myself and not be a tax to the system.

2) General Visitor Visa – Assuming I could still apply based on the above, it says I cannot live in the UK for long period of time through frequent visits. If I was to stay with my girlfriend in her place for six STRAIGHT months (making only ONE visit to do this), is this not in the spirit of what the visa is for? I am visiting her to get to know her and would stay with her, but it sounds like this might be against the spirit of this particular VISA.

3) When I see things that say I cannot “work or carry out any business”, does this include a situation where I still work for my US firm while in the UK? The way I see it is I am being responsible by working and being able to pay my way so as not to be a tax to the system. I do understand the UK, however, wanting to make sure I am not trying to live there by coming on frequent visits. The truth, however, is that my intention is to be out there with my girlfriend and her kids, eventually get married, and come back to the US, but I intend on supporting ALL of them (which, if anything else, HELPS the UK since she is NOW on public funds herself) since I have a job that I make good money with. I am lucky enough to be able to telecommute so I can work, really, from almost anywhere in the world, but I don’t want to be punished for this just because others coming into the UK will be assumed to “lose” their US job.

4) Apply To Join Family Living Permanently In The UK – Here is something I feel like I would be doing, but at the same time, I don’t yet consider this person to be my Family Member since we would not be engaged or married when I am out there until we decide to do both of those things. Now when I read in further, it does mention “partner” and that we must prove we are genuine….Here’s where I run into a serious issue. We are not married or civil partners, so that’s out. While we have been in a relationship for a few years, we have not “lived together”, and we are not engaged to be married or become civil partners since I do want to spend at least some time getting to know her and the kids PROPERLY (not on the internet like it has been up to this point). So am I out of luck for this particular requirement? If so, I guess I need to see what VISA would work for us.

rebeccajo

You can't work in the UK on your tourist visa. Full stop.

It's not a family visa until you are family or in a civil partnership.

The money you make doesn't matter. It's what she makes.

Read the link in my signature.

SanDiegogirl

First things first. You cannot work (not even telecommute) while on a visitor visa - period.

While you can visit the UK for 6 months in any 12 months, doing a full 6 month visit and having a girlfriend in the UK with whom you are going to stay will raise some red flags - especially coming from the US where 6 months vacations are unheard of. Better to intend to visit for a much shorter time.

Based on the fact that you have never met this woman I would suggest you visit for a short time and see how it goes.

rebeccajo

Everyone who enters from the US gets 6 months clearance. If the OP hasn't been zooming in and out of the UK frequently and recently, there's no reason to suggest he won't be just another person through immigration.

If he's a first time visitor to the UK (I assume so since he's not met her) all he has to do is enter on a round-trip ticket and carry ties to the US (like a lease or mortgage proof) and he should be fine.

BritInParis

Not everyone gets six months. That's just the maximum normal stay. Some will only be given until the date of the return flight or some won't be allowed in at all depending on whether the IO considers them an overstay risk. The first or second question asked at the UK border will be, "How long are you staying?" and if the OP says "Six months" then that will start raising red flags especially if he'll be staying with a woman he's never met before.

I would do a two week trip and see how it goes. No visa required for a US passport holder. A return ticket and some proof of ties to the US will suffice.

rebeccajo

Oh, I know. Not everyone gets six months.

And I tend to agree about a short visit first. Things can go wrong that a person doesn't anticipate.

OP could always purchase a ticket for a couple of weeks and if the visit is going well, he could change it. (Providing the stamp in his passport allows it).

Edited to add: I'm still of a mind that someone arriving in the UK for the first time, even if their return ticket was six months out, is not going to be regarded as high an overstay risk as someone flying frequently.

BritInParis

Yep, definitely agreed with your second point. Get a return ticket for a two week stay and then just simply bump it forward if things go well.

SanDiegogirl

What a load of nonsense. Plenty of examples on this forum of people stopped at Immigration because they are suspected of risk of overstay, trying to live in the UK based on visitor visa etc etc.

I did not even say that he would not get the full 6 months; just suggested he re-thinks his plan based on his circumstances.

Glad to see you now "know - not everyone gets 6 months"

rebeccajo

People entering for the first time usually don't get turned around for a sixth month stay.

I think it is unfair for you to talk about people trying to live in the UK based upon a visitor visa. The OP is new to all this - I don't get any of his writings to be someone trying to pull a fast one. He asked if he could work while he stayed in the country for six months and has been told 'no'. Your answer to him was accusatory, IMO. I think you should cut the guy a break for honestly asking questions, rather than jumping on him telling him he's sure to get a turn around.

SanDiegogirl

Where do you get the idea that I jumped on the guy telling him he's sure to get a turn around?

My post said his 6 month stay would raise some red flags (what working US citizen visits the UK for 6 months?- the poster was already hoping he could work while in the UK) I suggested that he plans for a shorter visit.

Exactly the same advise that BritInParis gave.

formula

That's not what they say on the uk-yankee forum. They say that entering the UK for the first time and wanting to stay the full 6 months to visit a girl/boyfriend, is a big red flag.

Now that BeeMan knows he isn't allowed to work while on a visitor visa (even remotely) he may not want to visit for 6 months.

There is no visa for what you want to do BeeMan.

Does the firm you work for have a UK office? If they do, would they let you transfer to the UK office for a while on a Tier 2 (ICT - Inter Company Transfer) visa?

rebeccajo

I'd just like to point out that I responded to you, and BIP wrote his response after that.

I tend to disagree with both of you - solely because the guy is talking about a first visit. I think (and it's my opinion only) that a first time visitor to the UK (or someone who doesn't travel there frequently) is less likely to get a grilling than someone else. There ARE USC's who can manage a six month visit. And if that person goes prepared with evidence of their return, and honestly and respectfully tell a Border Officer the intent and purpose of their visit, they are likely to be admitted. This happens more often than a turn around.

I can't help adding that BIP is a little bit nicer with his advice. That kind of caused me to come back to the discussion. I like nice people.

Sally Redux

BeeMan says himself that he wants to continue working while in the UK and "Apply To Join Family Living Permanently In The UK – Here is something I feel like I would be doing".

I don't know why I'm weighing in, maybe because things seem to have got so touchy on the Moving Back part of the site.

formula

That might be another problem (for her) because she will be claiming benefits as a single parent while her boyfriend is staying over.