Moving to the UK from US, can someone clarify details?
I'm hoping I might find a bit of guidence.
I'm very close to a girl who is originally from the US, she's been here for a year studying, she now has a 24 month working visa. We're starting to have a relationship and want to know what I can do to keep her here! She wants to stay.
I'm not too sure who to ask advice etc and it's very complicated with visas and wondered if someone had a moment to explain.
Thanks in advance,
Alex
Answer:
I lived in the UK from 94-98 and then returned to the states. When I lived there, as I understood it, the visas worked like this:
A work visa is obtained by a company for an individual. In essence, that company has to prove that (for whatever reason) the job cannot be done by a UK resident. The visa is valid only for that person in that job. The visa holder cannot change jobs without invalidating the visa.
The visas are renewable if the company makes a renewal application. At that time, a 12 month extension on a 24 month visa was common. After that those 36 months it gets a little weirder. In '98, the law was such that any person working for 48 months on a work visa (who had not returned to states for any significant time during that period - don't remember exactly what constitues a "significant time" though) can apply for permanent residency.
If the requirements are met, and that residency granted (it is the rough equivilent of an american "green card"), the person then may seek employment with any other company in the UK. There continues to be limits on travel outisde the UK while on a resident visa, though I can't say exactly what. After a certain abount of time as a permanent resident (4-7 years I think), the person may then apply for citizenship. In '98 the US and UK allowed persons to hold dual citizenship, though I don't know if that has changed, post 9-11.
The upshot of all this is that a further renewal after 36 months, would take a person into that 48 month catagory, so that further renewals after 36 months were much less common.
Of course if one marries a UK resident, all of that goes out of the window, and the spouse may apply immediately for permanent residency. I knew quite a few "marriages of convienience" when I lived there...
As best as I can remember, that is how it worked then. I would certainly check with the appropriate agency in the UK for the current laws and rules. I think that now it is handled by the Home Office - Border and Immigration Agency, I think:
http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/...
Good luck! - Jim
get a green card when you get hear
It shouldn't be a problem - we let any bugger in over here!
she will need to http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis...
and search the site to see if she needs to come back to the US and start the paperwork
tell them you do not want to work and you hate english people. they will give you a house, free medical care and £150.00 per week.
The Immigration information post by website user , MyTend.com not guarantee correctness.
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