Guest Post: Love Across the Pond, Not as Easy as it Seems

Photo attribution to Ripley Daniels

Today’s guest post is brought to you by the Ripley Daniels at Without The Stress. Ripley Daniels is an editor at Without The Stress, a passport, travel visa, and immigration advisory firm located in Los Angeles. They specialize in helping to make the visa and immigration process easier for you. What is fascinating about their post is that rarely do we consider the immigration implications when we fall in love. It’s important to know what kinds of options you have if you decide to take the relationship further and live in the same country. To learn more, visit www.withouththestress.com.

Love knows no boundaries. Thanks to the internet people are finding love across international borders every day. But a particularly interesting trend is the number of Americans who meet and fall in love with Brits on dating sites like Match.com and eHarmony and want to relocate to the U.K. However, as much as couples want to relocate, tie the knot, and start their lives together, the UK Border Agency has made the process of settling in the U.K. anything but simple.

Let’s face it, as Americans, we’ve enjoyed the luxury of globetrotting around the planet freely for decades. For those UK/US couples who have decided to take the next step in their relationship towards marriage, there is often a sense of disbelief that the process is so convoluted. The UK demands that all non-British citizens looking to relocate to the UK must apply for a settlement visa which allows them permanent residency and eventually the opportunity to apply for UK citizenship. On the surface, that doesn’t seem so bad.

A closer look at the process reveals something entirely different. Not only does the application cost a non-refundable $1,000, (depending on the prevailing exchange rate), but the application process itself has become exceedingly difficult. The UK government has dramatically tightened up its borders; a policy initiative fueled by the soaring number of illegal immigrants currently residing in the UK.

The justification is that these measures are an effective means of deterring fraudulent cases and other false relationship claims from those who are only seeking to relocate to the country for health care and other social welfare benefits. The UK consulate demands a dizzying list of supporting documentation which proves that your future or current relationship with a UK citizen is both valid and true.

Photo attribution to Ripley Daniels

Those who are serious about relocating across the pond have three ways to get it done:

1. Do it yourself.
2. Hire an immigration attorney.
3. Hire an experienced visa expert.

For Do it Yourself-ers, it is imperative that you do your research regarding the lengthy online application, daunting list of supporting documents, and the vast array of submission policies in order to dramatically improve your chances of obtaining a UK Settlement visa. Total cost: Approximately $1,000. Total time and stress: off the charts.

For those who plan to hire an immigration attorney, you will have much less work to do, and a lot less stress. But you will pay a pretty penny. And “attorneys”, according to former UK entry clearance officer Myra McKelvie, “usually do not guarantee their work” “I’ve seen thousands of applications botched by attorneys. Its a shame too, because having a denial stamp means forfeiture of the entire application fee and a big “DENIED” stamp on your passport; something that only makes it tougher to get in on future attempts”, she added. Total cost: Approximately $3,500. Total time and stress: Tolerable.

“Another viable, but lesser known option is to hire a travel document expediter. These are firms specializing in helping travelers acquire passports and visas in a hurry”. Most people are completely unaware these firms exist”, say McKelvie. These are people with the expertise to advise clients on visa and immigration matters, but because they are not attorneys, they charge a fraction of what attorneys charge for what is, many times, a better result.

You can easily locate the website of the UK Consulate that serves your jurisdiction to find a list of agencies who may employ such experts. These folks specialize in handling UK visa applications for US travelers and US residents. “Some will even guarantee entry (with the exception of fraudulent applications) into the UK for a very reasonable fee”, she concluded. Total cost: Approximately $1,200. Time and stress: Minimal.

Linda Ripoll is a senior editor at Without The Stress, a passport, travel visa, and immigration advisory firm located in Los Angeles. Myra McKelvie is one of the worldís foremost UK Immigration experts. She is currently offering consulting services at UK Immigration Without The Stress. Prior to her current role, she was an entry clearance officer (ECO) at the UK Consulate in Los Angeles for 15 years. Myra is originally from Glasgow, Scotland.