Advice on a partner moving to UK from Taiwan

InsideInsurance

No, applying and being refused or overstaying or breaching terms causes her problems in the future. Alternatively coming for more than 6 months in a year is also a problem. Simply having been a visitor is not a problem.

The issue can be, as per my friends brother, turning up at immigration saying that you are here to visit your partner/ family for 6 months with no other plans and especially if you dont have much money or credit on you as they wont believe that you will leave at the end. Coming for a few weeks, a month or two saying your visiting friends etc is a very different matter.

The requirement for non-UK/EEA citizens to get permission from the Home Office in addition to any visa was removed a while back. If you were cynical you'd probably note that it was removed shortly after charges for it was deemed discriminatory by the courts because if you married in a CoE church you didnt need the said permission or to pay the fees but any other religious or non-religious ceremony did.

Even when it did exist you could never be refused it but it did mean the Home Office knew where and when you'd be somewhere so if they were wanting to arrest you for immigration violations it was an easy way to find you.

The UKBA website says you need proof that the wedding will happen. The friends we have going through the process were told the way to do this was by a booking at the registry office/ church but I dont know if this is the only way it can be done (as we went a different route)

Fire_Fox

sghughes42 wrote: »

I think I need to review the bit about booking the wedding as I'm confused. My understanding (never having been married or even engaged before...) is that we have to apply for permission to marry and only once that has been granted can we book the wedding. I thought we can't apply for permission until she has her visa? We could provide proof of having researched this and even looked at venues for the wedding I guess.

Advice I've had elsewhere suggests that her coming here may affect a future application as a fiancee? Or would that just be if she came for an extended period as a visitor, if she has a holiday here for a few weeks that would be OK? Of course, the costs of a visit would have to be considered but I'll suggest it as a way to increase the amount of proof. The main trouble is that it is a long and expensive flight...

I am planning to go over there early next year to meet her family. She was thinking we could get engaged then, does that sound a viable plan?

I guess something else we can point out is that it isn't really in her best interests to give up a good job and move all the way here unless things are serious between us, especially as she won't be able to work initially.

IMO you are making this more complicated than it needs to be - get some professional advice or follow the guidelines on the government websites to the letter. Problems come when you lie or mislead, for example getting a tourist visa but she is actually here to spend time with you not see the sights of the UK. It's only a holiday if you do normal vacation things which would mean her having an itinerary, probably you have time off work to visit those places with her. A female travelling alone on a tourist visa without a hotel booked could well be flagged up at immigration.

Is it easier to get a visa to visit Taiwan than here? If so have you considered doing that first, so that you build up evidence of your ongoing relationship and have met relatives before applying for a visa for her to visit the UK?

sghughes42

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Problems come when you lie or mislead, for example getting a tourist visa but she is actually here to spend time with you not see the sights of the UK. It's only a holiday if you do normal vacation things which would mean her having an itinerary, probably you have time off work to visit those places with her. A female travelling alone on a tourist visa without a hotel booked could well be flagged up at immigration.

We aren't intending to lie or mislead, just find out the most suitable option for our circumstances. Does the holiday thing have to include an itinerary or can you just be visiting friends - after all, I'm not the only person she knows in this area as she lived here for 5 years as a student. I would guess that a month or two on a visitor visa would probably be OK but going for the full 6 months would ring alarm bells?

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Is it easier to get a visa to visit Taiwan than here? If so have you considered doing that first, so that you build up evidence of your ongoing relationship and have met relatives before applying for a visa for her to visit the UK?

I am planning to visit her anyway before she comes back here. I've not looked in to Taiwanese visas yet but the visit would only be in the region of 3 weeks, a month at most if I can wangle the time off work. I've already met some of her colleagues through the holiday in Turkey so that should be a point in our favour as well. Really, it's a shame this job of hers came when it did otherwise we would have built more of a relationship here and had more to show the UKBA.

sghughes42

I'm not sure if this helps, but neither of us actually need a visa to visit the other's country. I can go to Taiwan for 90 days then apply for another 90 while there without needing a visa, she can come here for 6 months without needing a visa as well as a visitor.

Fire_Fox

sghughes42 wrote: »

We aren't intending to lie or mislead, just find out the most suitable option for our circumstances. Does the holiday thing have to include an itinerary or can you just be visiting friends - after all, I'm not the only person she knows in this area as she lived here for 5 years as a student. I would guess that a month or two on a visitor visa would probably be OK but going for the full 6 months would ring alarm bells?

I am planning to visit her anyway before she comes back here. I've not looked in to Taiwanese visas yet but the visit would only be in the region of 3 weeks, a month at most if I can wangle the time off work. I've already met some of her colleagues through the holiday in Turkey so that should be a point in our favour as well. Really, it's a shame this job of hers came when it did otherwise we would have built more of a relationship here and had more to show the UKBA.

Sorry my last post was badly worded badly, the YOU more meant generic everyone/ people not you personally lying or misleading, you are being honest here. It might be a good thing she took that job, it does make life more complicated but it also means she has that 'out of her system'.

I don't know for sure what is required of an itinerary, but I don't see why that can't be a week staying with each of four people and four weeks with you say. But immigration might expect that some of those people have taken time off work, and that there are at least a couple of weekends away or a good few days out planned because it's normal to do activities when we have guests - most aren't left home alone whilst we work full time. Maybe look at it the other way around, if she can live with you for two to six months what do you envisage she does all day every day? Is there a visa that fits in with that?

Unless she is on a visa that permits working or searching for work be VERY careful about what she carries with her, paper CVs or certificates or anything work related. I've seen TV shows where people get turned away for that: Immigration can even ask to look on laptops or memory sticks. :eek: Thinking about it it might be worth watching some of the UK customs/ airport documentary series.

sghughes42

Fire_Fox wrote: »

I don't know for sure what is required of an itinerary, but I don't see why that can't be a week staying with each of four people and four weeks with you say. But immigration might expect that some of those people have taken time off work, and that there are at least a couple of weekends away or a good few days out planned because it's normal to do activities when we have guests - most aren't left home alone whilst we work full time. Maybe look at it the other way around, if she can live with you for two to six months what do you envisage she does all day every day? Is there a visa that fits in with that?

As I've mentioned, she doesn't actually need a visa to come as a visitor. I'm not sure what the implications of that are, whether it means she doesn't need to submit an itinerary or whether she'll be quizzed on arrival and sent back if the story doesn't sound good enough I don't know.

From what I understand, her friends have sufficiently varied working hours that she could visit them for much of the time I'm at work. As she enjoys studying she would be more than happy to spend more of the time at the various libraries and museums in Manchester. She could also do some trips independently of me and of course I would take time off work as well.

InsideInsurance

She would be quized at immigration and if they dont believe her she'd be refused entry and flown back from whence she came.

The fact she has been here and left when she should will be seen in a good light and coming back to visit friends sounds reasonable. Likewise if she has been to other "developed" countries (western europe, USA, Australia etc) and left when she was supposed to that also helps.

They wouldnt want an itinerary that plans the full time down to the hour but would expect that she has at least a few things planned out and agreed with the people she'd be visiting etc - you dont fly all that way and only when you get here see if people are about etc. Things like what she is going to do whilst you're at work is another likely question.

The other one, that can be more difficult, is the questions about what her ties to her home country are. Job? Owning property? Family? etc

You need to remember that immigration believe this is the land of milk and honey which a professional from the 3rd world would be willing to give up a great career for to live here illegally earning below minimum wage living in rancid conditions.

The ideal would be for you to fly in with her, perhaps meet up in Europe somewhere first and then just do the last leg together? Even though my wife had the permanent right to live here in her passport she would always get stopped if she flew in alone but rarely even a question asked if we flew together and never put into the holding pen.

For the friend who's relative recently visited and took 8 hours going through immigration - the officer even said to them that if they'd come in together (she is now a british citizen) then they'd probably not even stopped them let alone taken 8 hours to make their decision.

sghughes42

InsideInsurance wrote: »

They wouldnt want an itinerary that plans the full time down to the hour but would expect that she has at least a few things planned out and agreed with the people she'd be visiting etc - you dont fly all that way and only when you get here see if people are about etc. Things like what she is going to do whilst you're at work is another likely question.

The ideal would be for you to fly in with her, perhaps meet up in Europe somewhere first and then just do the last leg together? Even though my wife had the permanent right to live here in her passport she would always get stopped if she flew in alone but rarely even a question asked if we flew together and never put into the holding pen.

For the friend who's relative recently visited and took 8 hours going through immigration - the officer even said to them that if they'd come in together (she is now a british citizen) then they'd probably not even stopped them let alone taken 8 hours to make their decision.

Some very useful tips there, thanks a lot. I'll ask her what experiences she's had before coming though immigration. It may be possible to meet her and come back with her for the last leg, it depends on the route she chooses. The options are either a direct flight to Heathrow or fly via Amsterdam to Manchester. There isn't a lot of price difference and if it would help speed things up then I think coming via Amsterdam and me meeting her there would be a very good idea.

The more I hear about her coming for a visit the more I think that anything over 3-4 weeks would most likely be too difficult in terms of convincing immigration. As well as meeting friends and us doing things together she would also be able to visit her ex colleagues at Manchester Uni to pass the time while I'm at work and talk 'shop' but I think even with that, trying to convince them beyond 4 weeks would be tricky. (They may even consider academic discussions to count as work I guess...)

barbarawright

Given that this is very complicated, please get advice from someone qualified. I work in the same building as a register office and I can assure you it's much more common than you might think for weddings to be cancelled on the day because of immigration irregularities. They've even had an arrest this week :eek: RAS' link gives a list of qualified immigration advisors.

jumpedtheshark

When we were going through this with my OH, we found the following forum really useful: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?board=17.0

Whilst it's technically aimed at US expats, the focus is on the UK rules and there are a good number of posters who are quite experienced in immigration matters... though obviously, this is for background research before you find an immigration specialist solicitor.