European Visa specialists for RW?

[rambler]

Hello,
As a US citizen living in London since childhood (indefinite leave to remain in UK) and France (officially only 3m stay without re-entry requirement but owned house there for 10 years) it seems that any future partner from the FSU would need a UK Visitor or Fiance' and a European Schengen Fiancee or Tourist Visa.

Plus if I go to the USA to take her to meet family ... a US visitor Visa of some sort.  Everyone says why don't I get a British passport.... I could but that is not what I want to do as I am moving roots to France, but still work contracts in the UK freelance for several months at a time. I also need work permits to work in European countries but NOT in the UK! (never had one because I work in UK)

Does anyone know of a European Visa lawyer for FSU women?  I have consulted UK and US lawyers already about that side of things but cannot locate a European specialist. I know that RW are visiting boyfriends by booking a tour with a hotel etc.  but that isn't really satisfactory in longer term. I don't think 6 months is a reasonable period for a UK/USA Fiance' visa either - do they get extended?  (sometimes in UK I hear)

Many thanks

Rambler

[GoodOlBoy]

As a US citizen living in London since childhood...................

You are a US citizen?

Why wouldn't you want your wife to become a GoodOl' US citizen (blue passport)?

With a blue (USA) passport and her red (Russian) passport, she could go to almost any country in the world? 


GOB

[BillyB]

Can't speak for England or the rest of Europe but if your lady hasn't been anywhere outside her country, she probably won't get a visa to the USA unless she's got big money and assets.

If she's been to Europe or USA at least once or multiple times and has a history of returning home, she has a much much better chance to get a visa to the USA. Being able to return home is a big factor for a consulate officer before he/she issues out tourist visas to FSU women. It's in their hands and I don't think obtaining an attorney will increase the odds of her getting a tourist visa.

A fiancee visa in the US is good for 3 months if you choose to marry in the USA. Got to make the decision to get married soon once she's here. Little time I agree but the both of you should make sure you want to marry before ever applying for the visa.

[ECOCKS]

Yeah, I don't understand the just get a British passport comment. If you're thinking you love Britain that much then maybe immigration is something to consider but I don't think most Americans feel that things are bad enough to jump from this frying pan down into that fire.

I have never heard of a UK-issued fiance' visa except for when the FSUW is coming to marry a UK citizen. I would ask the Brits if this is something they even do before jumping in and paying lawyers to even tell you if its possible. The second question would be how a newly-married FSUW can get a residency permit when their spouse is not a citizen of the country they will be residing in.

My thought would be to get her a simple tourist visa to either the UK or the States in order to meet the family and get married. Then you'll need the UK residency or long-term visa straightened out.

Another thought would be whether your employer can assist with this issue as part of any services they may offer to expat employees and their dependents who are covered under work visas.

[Aloe]

better not hire any "visa specialists" from Russia or FSU, because VERY often they mess up your paperwork and you end up being refused the visa, because of them, not because of you.
on a side note, i got a 30 day stay, 2 month valid multiple entry schengen visa from french consulate in 2 days in a clean passport without much funds in my account (2k euro) and a paper saying i work in my dads company (and tickets and hotel reservation of course). I hear people with non clean passports get 2 year multiple entry visas nowadays from the french

[Shadow]

There are several answers to your question, and I will try to make an answer for them.

Lets start with the facts.

1. You have a US passport, and a residence permit in the UK for unlimited time.
2. You are at the time not married.
3. You own a residence in France and plan to live there in the future
4. You wonder what are the implications of traveling with a future partner, and getting her to live with you.

Not such a mess as it first sound, is it ?

1. As you have a residence permit in the UK, you are considered a EU citizen. This gives yu rights and burdens.
2. If you wish to marry or start a life together you will have to invite your partner on a fiance visa to the UK. This is not an easy task, as the UK has a lot of immigrant spouses from the middle-asian countries. Once you get married your wife would still require visa for Schengen territories and the US. For Schengen she would, as EU citizen, not have any direct problems. The US has been fpund more difficult what I remember from past member stories.
3. Should you move your residence to France, you have full rights to go there as EU citizen. Also if you get married your wife has fill rights on a residence permit as spouse of a EU citizen, even if she would be without visa.
As Schengen member she would be able to travel in europe, as wife of a British resident she would be able to accompany you (though she would need to apply for visa to stop customs from making a problem).
For the US, same conditions apply.

If you wish to get a lawyer, get one in the UK or France.
I could direct you to a forum about EU laws, however it is intended for Dutch and Belgian people and has only a limited English part.

I hope to have given a short explanation and please ask me if you need more information.

[rambler]

Hello and thank you all for your advice.

GOB yes I'd like to get my future wife a US passport but a US lawyer told me that it takes several years after marriage to be granted a US passport. Is that the case?
 
BilllyB  Yes good point but odds are she will have visited me in UK or France by then so I hope she will not have an empty passport.

Aloe, thank you that is good news, I do know of two Russian women making headway towards their goals in France and it is said to be easier than getting into the UK.

Ecocks, Yes valid points thank you and also to Shadow. I do not have full rights rights of a European citizen e.g., as I need a work permit to get a job in Europe but not in the UK, or so I am told by employers and agencies. Great if they are wrong but UK is not a full member of the EU in every respect.

I have an "indefinite leave to remain in the UK" which can be revoked if the UK Customs and Immigration Officer thinks I reside in France for example.
I don't think it is the same as a right of permanent residence.  A UK passport would allow my spouse to accompany me to the EU.

Anyway it sounds complex and I need to verify several points that you all have raised. Thank you all sincerely for your help.

Are there any UK/ European based guys or more girls with UK or European men on here?

Rambler



 

[Ade]

Are there any UK/ European based guys or more girls with UK or European men on here?

Rambler
  

I'm a UK citizen but live in Norway as a permanent resident; I'm lucky enough to be an EEA citizen resident in a EEA country other than my own and married to a non-EEA citizen. Basically what that means is that I got to marry and bring my wife here without much fuss or waiting around and it was free too. Even so, we still need to apply for a "visitors permit" for my wife when we go to the UK - bizarre to say the least.

Your case sounds like it's a little more complicated as you do not have full EU-citizen rights. To be honest, it may be easier in the long term to get a UK passport and move to France and then you can go down the same route as I did with my wife.

The main problem with living in the UK is that they don't accept the Schengen treaty so getting your prospective other half in for an extended visit can be troublesome. In a proper schengen state like France, visas are easy to get so you can spend considerable time (6 months in every year) on your home turf without the need to be overly hasty with fiancée visas and marriages and the like.  

Of course, there's always a possibility that there are loopholes for people in your particular residency situation that will allow you to do similar things as those of us ex-pats in EEA states - an immigration lawyer should be able to answer those questions for you or maybe a US citizen over on the visa journey or Russian meeting place forums have gone through the same process and can help you out.