UK visit visa for girlfriend

[tokyo2019]

Hello,

-Do I need to get involved as a sponsor for my girlfriend to visit me in England? She has a professional job with a capable salary. Her english is excellent. We're currently living in Thailand together. I own my apartment in England but i've rented it out whilst i'm here. We plan to go back together.  Does being a sponsor help her situation in acquiring a visa? I wont have any recent council tax statements etc because i've been here for the past 8 months. I work as an engineer so whilst my annual income has been approx 95k. Past two years its only been approx 40k because i've taken time off and worked remotley.

 

-I want my GF to come live with me, but getting sponsored job for her profession is a bit difficult as theres not much demand [Project manager for IT firms] but she would have no problem if sponsorship was not an issue. I want to try manage a Partnership visa, which requires us to be living together for 2 years. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/immigration/visas-family-and-friends/getting-a-visa-for-your-partner-to-live-in-the-uk/

 - I dont want to get married for the sake of visa, we're quite young and we only met in Jan 2019 and have been living together since June 2019. We will have a full 1 year togther by the time we go to England. Will her 6 months in England count for the 2 years together? I assume international locations apply here? I need to squeeze 6 months extra from somewhere ????

 

Also please note, I actually have an Irish passport but have been living in England for the past 9 years. I have a LTD company registered in England aswell as my property. Not sure if Brexit has much effect on this.

 

Moving forward when we do get married, should I try acquire a British passport so my wife gets it as well? For her to get Irish passport requries me to live in Ireland for 5 years or something strange and I wont be going back there to live.

Edited January 29, 2020 by tokyo2019

[Matzzon]

My best advice! Be careful! This is something you will have to live with for the rest of your life.

[rasg]

Partnership visas are pretty difficult to get unless you have lived in Thailand for a couple of years or more. Time spent on a visit visa doesn't count towards a partnership visa unless the rules have changed since 2016. I thought about that too and in the end we went for settlement and got married.

 

If you choose the marriage route it's not that difficult to do and as you have a good salary you fulfil the financial requirement. You would be her sponsor. I would also advise you to get married in Thailand. It saves around £1500 and a visa. She would also need an English language test and a TB test. If her English is really good she can save two tests and around £300 by going for B1 as it will carry through to Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years.

 

Not sure what the situation would be as far as your Irish passport is concerned. Your girlfriend wouldn't get a British passport just because you get one. She would have to take the settlement route. Typically five years.

Edited January 31, 2020 by rasg

[tokyo2019]

Thanks @rasg turns out that since Dec, opposite sex couples can get into a civil partnership. So gonna go for that. Thanks for the tips!

 

Re the price, even if you're married, the spouce visa price is £1500?

Edited February 8, 2020 by tokyo2019

[rasg]

Marriage or civil partnership. I don't think there's much difference. And the visa prices will be the same.

 

Don't forget that there is also a NHS surcharge to pay of £400 per annum. Fees for 2019 are below and there are always increases every April. Over five years expect a £10,000 bill.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-regulations-revised-table/home-office-immigration-and-nationality-fees-29-march-2019