Looking for advice for US partner

[Igiri]

Hi everyone, I've been sent around in circles by various agencies trying to find a definitive answer so hopefully, you guys can help me out.

I've been in a relationship for 2 years or so with a US citizen who is living in the US. I've managed to fly over to see them on a few occasions but we'd really like to be able to move in together and have been thinking about it for a really long time. We've already discussed all the plans and what things they'd be leaving behind if they do leave the US so we're fully aware of all that, I'm just looking for visa help.

The obvious route would be the spousal route but we ideally don't want to jump that far ahead of ourselves before at least living together for a while.

What kind of options are available? The 6 months standard visa isn't ideal as they'd likely have to quit their job and move out permanently from the US and having to jump back and forth twice a year will be costly and frustrating (we do plan on regular trips though so maybe not impossible) but I'm also concerned about the legality of constantly renewing a visitor visa and the dangers of it being denied and them being stuck in the US with nowhere to stay.

Any help would be greatly appreciated because the information I'm finding online has been really convoluted and the various 'help agencies' I've spoken to have been no help at all.

Thanks!

[Wanderer]

Marriage is your only realistic option. Also residing on visit visas for extended periods is a no-no and sooner or later will result in disaster.

Other than that there's Student Visa (expensive), Work Permit (need to be highly skilled) or Entrepreneur visa (need money and business acumen).

For anything unmarried or de facto you'd need to have lived as man and wife for 2 years, ie cohabitation all provable in the same household, internet relationship isn't enough.

[Igiri]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I presumed that was the case. Slightly disappointing but I guess it's not supposed to be easy for any old Tom, Dick, and Harry to move over

I'm dumbfounded by how they expect people to qualify for the unmarried partner visa when it requires you to have lived together for 2 years. Kinda hard to do without a visa. I imagine it's for those that stay over here on something like the student/work visas like you mentioned and then want to get the unmarried partner visa.

I guess I'll keep exploring the options. Worse comes to worst, I'll have to pop the question once we're 100% confident we want to go ahead with it. The original plan was to get married in the states and get them over on a spousal visa and perhaps get remarried in the future for a more meaningful marriage. I just have the realistic concerns that getting married to someone you've not had the chance to live with is quite the risk. Of course I'm confident everything will be fine but thinking realistically I can't really know until we do live together.

Really appreciate the help.
Out of curiosity, do you know anything about these 'long term visit visas' I've been reading about? What exactly qualifies you for them?

[Casa]

A long term visitor visa is issued for 2, 5 or 10 years and although this is for someone who can prove the need for frequent visit, it still only allows a maximum visit duration of 180 days and doesn't permit anyone to spend more time in the UK in a 12 month rolling period than they are spending in their home country.

An unmarried partner visa was original a concession for couples who were unable to divorce, due their national law; the Philippines for example. It was later extended to all couples who could show they had been living together in a relationship 'akin to marriage' for at least 2 years.

[Wanderer]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I presumed that was the case. Slightly disappointing but I guess it's not supposed to be easy for any old Tom, Dick, and Harry to move over

I'm dumbfounded by how they expect people to qualify for the unmarried partner visa when it requires you to have lived together for 2 years. Kinda hard to do without a visa. I imagine it's for those that stay over here on something like the student/work visas like you mentioned and then want to get the unmarried partner visa.

I guess I'll keep exploring the options. Worse comes to worst, I'll have to pop the question once we're 100% confident we want to go ahead with it. The original plan was to get married in the states and get them over on a spousal visa and perhaps get remarried in the future for a more meaningful marriage. I just have the realistic concerns that getting married to someone you've not had the chance to live with is quite the risk. Of course I'm confident everything will be fine but thinking realistically I can't really know until we do live together.

Really appreciate the help.
Out of curiosity, do you know anything about these 'long term visit visas' I've been reading about? What exactly qualifies you for them?

There is no long term non-residential visa, only visit visa. So that's basically Work, Student or Marriage.

The marriage visa has financial tests applied to it too, basically £18,600 pa earnings...

[Igiri]

Thanks for the help guys.

You've cleared up a few questions that I've had and it's been extremely helpful.

It's looking like the spousal route may be the only option. I've checked all the requirements and we meet them without any issues. Guess I'll just have to elope in the states

I'll keep exploring the different options, perhaps a student visa will work but I believe their educational background might hinder their ability to qualify for that as well as our financials; despite me earning comfortably, footing the bill for a college/uni course might be a little out of my reach.