Hi!

I am currently living in Japan, as is my U.S. boyfriend, who I met here. We love each other very much and want to get married. I have researched it and found that doing this in Japan is a pretty painless process, just filling in a few forms. However, we are thinking about going to the UK together and going back to university to study Masters courses.

The thing is... if he applies for a Masters as an international student, he COULD get a student visa, although the process seems quite complicated and you have to prove that you have a certain amount of money in your account. You also seem to have to prove that you intend to leave the UK once your course is done... which isn't going to be the case. Now, I know that we can come over on a fiance visa, marry in the UK within 6 months and then he can apply for a spouse visa.... OR we can marry outside the UK and he can apply for a spouse visa.

However, I'm wondering about how this would affect any university applications. Would he have to state on his application that he was HOPING to get a spouse visa? Would it be easier for him to come over on a spouse visa and study, than to get a student visa and then change it? If he DOES come over on a spouse visa, what's the deal with money? Does he have to have a certain amount (or do I) first? It seems as if only rich people are allowed to be with their international partners!

 

Thank you... OK, this whole "show that you have enough money to support and accommodate both you" bit... this is what I'm not sure about. Does it mean that *I* have to have enough money for both of us, even though on a spouse visa he'll be allowed to work? Can he secure a job beforehand or will the pending visa status make that difficult? Will they accept us moving in with my parents for a while (not ideal, but we'd need a while to sort out accommodation anyway)? How LONG am I meant to support us for... I mean, how much money am I supposed to have in my account to prove this? Sorry for the amount of questions....

 

Thank you!

Another question, just to be annoying.... obviously it would be easier if we both got jobs once we came over, but both of us want to go to university and study Masters courses. What would happen, then? I mean would we both have to have enough money saved up to fund the courses and our living expenses for that time.... if he wanted to take out a student loan, it would count as claiming benefits of a kind, wouldn't it? He looked into student loans in the USA and it seems that they offer funding for courses done abroad, too, so he could get money from the US... would that be OK?? I'm quite confused!!