Advise needed...

[Phatz]

Hi all,

Just found this forum a few hours ago, looks very useful for people in similar situations to me so thought I would ask for some advise.

I'm sure you've heard loads of other cases like mine before, but anyway:

I'm from England and am currently working as a plumber living in the UK. I met my girlfriend 2.5 years ago whilst on holiday. She is from Russia and lives and works in Moscow. Since meeting her we've taken various holidays abroad together, She has visited here several times with tourist visas (without mention of me) and I've done the same to Moscow. We've now reached a stage where we would like to live together on a more permanant basis and are looking at a visa for her to come here.

Our first port of call was HSMP as she would ideally like to work here full time. She has a Masters degree in communication, works a full time job earning good money, she speaks excellent English and is 25 in July. She scored way over 75 points on the online calculator, but because her company pays her "unofficially" she can't provide necessary documents needed to prove her income for the last year.

Just wondered if there was anyone on here that has had similar issues, or if not anyone that can advise us on what the next best thing is. How hard is it for someone working in sales management in Moscow to find work here? Or should we be looking at a student visa?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Wanderer]

Try student visa - costs tho especially if she already has a first degree.

Budget 30/50k over three years, freaking expensive...

[Phatz]

Blimey, that is expensive!!!.....

Is that what you are looking at?

Thanks for a quick reply by the way.

[Wanderer]

Blimey, that is expensive!!!.....

Is that what you are looking at?

Thanks for a quick reply by the way.

Done it and spent it! Was cheaper for us, up in the frozen North but she had a year in Berlin - factor in more flights, flat in Germany etc, etc, it's prolly cost is 20k in actual paid costs, plus more for intangibles like extra food and the fact all Russian women have to have the heating on all night and have two hour showers. I have one once a week whether I'm dirty or not.

Also Topshop, Debenhams, Jane Morgan, posh tea (ASDA 40 bags for 8p no good), calls home, trips home, starts to mount up!

My advice is to get rid and go Thai unless you like cabbages and beetroot for tea for the rest of your natural. Imagine Thai Green curry and a Singha for your tea into eternity (beskonechnost).

That was a joke btw, before a certain few jump on me.....

[Phatz]

If it were as simple as "get rid" I wouldn't be in this situation. At least I know its not just my missus that has to have heating 24/7.

Aside from a student visa, is there no way of getting her over here ona work visa? I'm very new and niave to all this, but I find it bizzare that with her qualifications and previous work experience that it is impossible to achieve!? Would it also benefit if she did an ILETS course for example?

Cheers

[Wanderer]

Does she earn enough 'officially' to claim HSMP? Will her employer give her a letter to that effect. Highly unlikely I know, Russian employers are generally right barstewards when they know someone wants to leave....

Never easy from FSU since the ECO's have their 'dodgy document' antennae on red alert with Russians, diplomas can be bought, letters can be forged...

That leaves work permit but that's gonna be even harder, since she has no UK work experience...

[Phatz]

Seems like we've got a mountain to climb.

Any success stories involving a similar situation are more than welcome for a bit of inspiration.