I am a South African in the UK on a 6 month tourist visa. The reason I came here is to be with my partner. He is English, living and working in the UK.
We have had a long distance relationship on and off for about 10 years and now want to be together. I want to apply for the ILR visa but the application form requires proof of our being together for 2 years. We have not lived together recently and our communication has been mainly telephonic and e-mail. Older e-mails have been deleted.
Any help with answers here will be greatly appreciated.
1) How can you live together for 2 years if you cannot get more than a 6 month tourist visa?
2) Does this e-mail communication count as proof of a relationship?
3) Are there any other S Africans in this position?
4) Has anyone been turned down for the ILR visa? - What reasons were given?
5) If you are turned down for a visa can you apply again at a later date?
i reckon you'd have to get a fiancee visa first as the home office aren't going to grant you IRL straight away.
when my husband moved with me from south africa to uk he first had a spouse visa for a year and then we started the process of IRL
i think with fiancee status you have to prove that you are going to get married within a certain time frame and then you have to remain on that visa for a certain amount of time, again before you start the IRL process.
in the eyes of the british law (or it certainly was when we did this process) basically if you can be married then you ought to be married (if that makes any sense)
the home office can provide you with a list of acceptable documentation to prove being together - that includes utility bills, bank statements, Inland Revenue documents etc that show you were both at that address together
if you have all the documentation in order, it is not a difficult process
are you not entitled to a WHV?
you may indeed have to return to SA to start any visa process.
good luck
trusted partner
