And, what with Brexit in the offing, what better time is there to relocate than now?
And, what with Brexit in the offing, what better time is there to relocate than now?
"The fruits of peace and tranquility... are the greatest goods... while those of its opposite, strife, are unbearable evils. Hence we ought to wish for peace, to seek it if we do not already have it, to conserve it once it is attained, and to repel with all our strength the strife which is opposed to it. To this end individual[s]... and in even greater degree groups and communities are obliged to help one another... from the bond or law of human society." [Marsilio dei Mainardini (c.1275-1342), Defensor Pacis]
For me this demonstrates your problem. You were either unable or unwilling to make the commitment five years ago, according to your narrative, to put £10K in your boyfriend's account, which would have demonstrated both your commitment to funding him and to your relationship together. You therefore gave an out to the Border Agency in considering the application, but you still don't recognise that there might have been something wrong in your approach.
Now, five years down the line, you are together here now, which is great, but still not able to work out how to have a long term future together.
The rules on bringing a partner to the UK are absolutely draconian and inhumane. Everyone working at the Border Agency will always turn down applications given the opportunity, it's easier. If you want to be successful you have to deny them that opportunity, that excuse. You have to do the hard graft and the research, and then supply all the documents required and also all the others that just might be helpful. Complaining about the cost of notarising a document, when it shouldn't be more than £5 to £10 per page, and for a passport for example it only needs to be two pages, suggests that you aren't willing or able to make the commitment.
My advice doesn't just "appear" workable, it is workable, because I and others have been there and done it. You seem to have such a negative approach to achieving this, that it becomes self fulfilling.
Why bother searching for a third country, as some others have advised above, when the the UK offers a fiancé/fiancée visa specifically for betrothed intending to get hitched within 6 months.
https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse
But as Brad points out, you’ll have to stump up the cash to prove financial stability too, and stop whining about it.
It's not a matter of "whining" MiniMee, it's a matter of finding the best solution to a fairly complex problem.
Nor is is a matter of "stumping up" money (although you'll have noted there's a £993 non-refundable application fee with absolutely no guarantee of success).
I see. Nevertheless, the UK fiancé/fiancée visa seems to be the simplest solution, doesn’t it?
Yes - on the surface - but I'm getting conflicting info from the Immigration lawyer to the effect that it has to be applied for outside the UK whereas the website suggests you can apply whilst IN the UK as long as you have 28 days left on your existing visa.
So i'll need to get clarification
Is your Vietnamese friend still braving the Scottish winter ?
If so, well done to him. Even the English winter is bad enough right now.
He loves the snow in itself but is a little disappointed by the restrictions it causes.
This weekend we are off to Ben Nevis area for a few days and he is going to have a ski-ing lesson or two - that's assuming I can get the car out of my driveway tomorrow!!
Ok, I know you're all fascinated by my ongoing saga - so the latest is that BF's father (who couldn't last 3 weeks in the Scottish weather), hot on the heels and on the strength of his still current UK Visa has now applied for a Schengen Visa to visit Spain.
This could be interesting.