Help!
I am just beginning the immigration process, and all the information I can find is so damned wordy and complicated that I always end up hopelessly confused and overwhelmed. I flatter myself that I am a reasonably intelligent individual, and I can do this. It is not impossible. But I need some help from you lovely people.

The Facts:
We are both in our late 20's.
Neither of us has been married before, or has any children.
We have known one another for five years.
We have been dating (mostly long distance) for almost three years.
We have been engaged since April of this year.
I am a US citizen, born and raised in the US.
I am currently living and working in the US.
My fiance is a UK citizen, born and raised in the UK.
He is currently studying in Wales (due to graduate in 2009), and has no full-time job.
We will be married in Scotland in September of next year, and plan to settle in the UK.

Can anyone please tell me of any websites, pamphlets or publications which lay out in simple language the steps we will need to take 1) for me to get my fiancee visa, 2) for us to obtain permission to marry in the UK, 3) for us to apply for a spouse visa? Alternately, if someone here has a little spare time, could you please explain these steps to me (along with any useful web links)? Any help you can provide would be a huge relief and much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

Current Mood: hopeful

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quick introduction
Hello! I'm Jan (pron. "Yahn"--it's a Dutch handmedown from generations of New York State forebears). I lived in London as a student in the mid-1980s and I've visited the UK a few times since then. I just got back from a week touring in Scotland, and I'm trying to deal with the realization that there's really nothing I want to do so much as move to the UK (Scotland for choice) and that for a variety of reasons I'm at a point in my life where I can actually make that choice.

Of course, making the choice and actually being able to do it are miles apart. A friend of mine recently moved to England, but she had the supreme advantage of having a lovely English chap who she was getting married to. I've talked to an OISC-accredited advisor, and he's putting together some options for me, but this doesn't look like it will be easy. One option would be getting a master's degree at a Scottish uni and then taking advantage of the Fresh Talent scheme to work for a couple more years, hopefully wangling indefinite leave to remain at some point.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi. If anyone has pointers or words of encouragement, I'm all ears. :-)

Current Mood: cheerful

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I have been doing a little research on moving permanently to the UK, London in particular. But it seems almost impossible unless I marry a Brit or am rich enough to not have a job. Work visas are so hard to come by, it seems. Any suggestions? I am in love with everything British and in London. The city really felt like home when I visited, and I would love to have the opportunity to call it home!

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hi.

i'm seriously thinking about moving to the UK within the next 5 years and thought this might be a good community to join.

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One passport, hold the chip
( Privacy, safety and the new US passportsCollapse )

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Hello!! Stumbled across this journal and though I just had to join - hope others soon follow!!

I've just spent the most amazing five months of my life living in the small seaside town of Aberystwyth in west Wales. I never want to leave. Britain is amazing, and I can't wait to come back...permenently.

I have to return to the states in four days, but I plan to return as soon as possible with the full intent of being able to stay - I want to get my masters here and then find a job, etc.

Anyway, just thought, if there were others out there that felt the same, I should share! Here's my little 'heartstrings' tale:

Came over here on a study abroad, loved Britain, but also took advantage to go travel in Europe - Rome. While in Britain, I was never once homesick for the states - not once. But I went to Rome, and Rome was amazing and beautiful, but I started feeling homesick there....for Britain. I cried when the plane flew into Stansted, I was that happy to be back. So I think that's a sign.

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