Post
by secret.simon » Thu Feb 05, 2015 11:32 am
How long have you known her for? If it has been for more than two years and you have documentary proof (phone call logs, Skype logs, photographs of vacations together, etc),she could stay as an unmarried partner of a British citizen. It is harder than the marriage route, but something that you would want to explore before going down the marriage route, given your relative youth.
What has she studied? Is she likely to be able to get a Tier 2 sponsorship in her field? She should start exploring that now, though as Wanderer said, given that UK/EU citizens do not need sponsorship, she would need to be amazing in her field to get a sponsored job.
If you are feeling adventurous and have good job prospects, you may want to move with her (as unmarried partner) to Ireland or another part of the EEA for atleast 3-6 months and exercise treaty rights (i.e. get a job or study). It is called the Surinder Singh route. It has been heavily amended by EU case law and is frowned upon by the Home Office, but perfectly legal. Google Surinder Singh route for more information.
Apart from giving her the right to vote (I believe), being a BNO does not give her any special rights in the UK. It was a category created specially for HK people not to flood into the UK when HK reverted to Chinese rule.
<sarcasm>Don't diss the UK Immigration laws; it is after all the will of the British people, such as yourself, voiced through their duly elected representatives </sarcasm>.
Seriously though, I hope you would appreciate now that it is not that easy for immigrants in the UK, regardless of what the Daily Wail or the Torygraph say. I also hope that you make your friends aware and vote responsibly in the forthcoming elections.
