Hi all,
First off many many thanks for all your replies. I'm grateful I can be heard be people who are like minded (that being open minded).
To aimipants. It's disgusting isn't it? Me and my girlfriend have been preparing and waiting since July last year for this day. Everywhere, the UKBA website and the VFS Japan site were saying words to the effect of "Applications for the 2011 YMS Visa will start from Jan 2011". As far as I'm aware this is technically a few seconds after midnight on the 31st December, no earlier, something VFS and the UKBA failed to mention by opening the bookings system a day early. But what can we do? The UKBA won't listen, they don't care and who am I to say to the people in Japan who were lucky enough to get theirs early that they shouldn't get it?
Casa - I think the option of marrying in Japan is out of the question. It's just too costly, I've only just arrived back from Japan a week ago. No annual leave at work to take
I think the Fiance visa is probably our only option. We can prove that our relationship is real. I have savings to cover us for years to come. I'm certain we can tick all the requirements with no problem.
Actually, one more thing. Let's say that she did get the YMS (Working Holiday) visa and could stay here for 2 years. What would have our options been then? Would we have been able to get married whilst she has that visa or would we have still had to apply for the Fiance visa or get married in Japan and apply for marriage visa? If we couldn't then isn't what we're about to do now kind of bringing the difficult bits we would have had to do forward?
Thanks everyone, I'm a positive person and believe that things always work out. So thank you for your encouragement and advice.
Dev