Partnership Based Temporary Visa - Work

[mp51]

Hi guys,

Wondering if there is anyone out there who maybe able to shed some light into my situation.

First up I am a New Zealand Citizen and I wish to return to New Zealand after 4 years or so working abroad with my finance who is Ukrainian.

We met in 2012, as cruise ship employees and started dating etc and have continued to work for the cruise lines together up until March of this year, when we finally decided to try and plant some roots.

Our history with INZ:

We wrongly applied in 2014 for a Partnership Based Visitor Visa while we were in Los Angeles on holiday planning to go to New Zealand for around 1 month (Between contracts with the cruise line). This application was declined, which at the time I was puzzled as to why (not really knowing to much about the visa but I now can see why it was). We then rushed to put together another application this time for just a regular tourist visa, which again was declined based on the first application. With time running out on our holiday from work we decided to stay in the US till our next contract.

Another contract with the cruise line passed by and this time we decided to try for a Partnership Work Visa based on us living together on the cruise ship. So in June 2015 we again sent all the documents away - this time from Montreal, Canada where we were living with my partners sister. A partnership visa was unfortunately declined as the CO suggested that our relationship was not stable and therefore not likely to endure. What they offered instead after agreeing that we were in a relationship, was a 1 month visitor visa to New Zealand, which we took and entered in July.

We left New Zealand at the beginning of August 2015 and set out for another contract for the cruise line.

Current situation:

We are now living together in Ukraine and have rented an apartment with both our names on the agreement. Since we got here (March 2016) we have collected everything we can:
- Delivery receipts with either both or one persons name on them
- A letter from the landlord stating that we are paying for all utilities even though they are in her name (only the owner of the apartment can have the bills in there name) + copies of all bills paid
- We have got some family and friends to send us letters to our address
- Wedding "Save the date" cards we have ordered here in Ukraine to send out to our guests for our wedding we are planning in March 2017
- Letter from my Aunty in New Zealand stating that we will initially be living with them at their home address
- Receipt for engagement ring I purchased in July 2015

Along with all the evidence we have previously collected and submitted:
- Facebook chat and posts between my partner and I + Emails
- Facebook chat between her sister and I and my sister and Aunty from my family
- Letters from previous managers on the ships we have been working together on confirming our living arrangements on the ship
- Payslips and an employment letter from the company that states the dates and names of the ships we were on at the same time
- Travel history including hotel, car, tours etc together
- Bank statements for our joint back account held in the US where we deposit our pay from the cruise line opened since June 2014
- Photos of us from the beginning of our relationship (2012) with friends, family, from around the world in the various places we have visited
- Receipts for photography equipment (Camera, lenses, studio lighting) we have purchased together (we are both photographers )

The problem we face is that I am only allowed to stay legally in Ukraine for 90 days out of 180 and at the end of June my 90 days will be up. What we plan now is to take all the information we have gathered here in Ukraine and travel to London at the end of my Ukrainian visa to apply for a Partnership Based Temporary Work Visa. We will wait there in London till the application has been processed and then if we manage to get the visa, fly to New Zealand from there. This is the only way we are able to legally be together while applying for the visa and is the only amount of time we can live together without additional visa's (baring an attempt by me to get a temporary residents permit here in Ukraine which is a costly process we don't want to take as we don't plan on living here full time + we would need to marry which we don't want to do to just get a visa).

Now knowing our story, is anyone able to shed some light onto the likelihood of my partner being granted the visa this time? Or do you have any other suggestions on how we should go about this?

We have another option, we could apply for the partnership visa from here in Ukraine after we have 3 months living here (June 2016), but I would have to leave before we get an answer on the application and wait for my partner in the UK. This option is more complicated as we would have to send the application to Moscow which is illegal to send passports in the mail in Ukraine so we would have to travel there (which I would need to get a visa to enter)

Thank you for reading, would appreciate any ideas or information anyone has.

[JandM]

It really sounds as though this time you have done things right in collecting evidence. I would add, don't forget to keep on collecting evidence when you move on to the UK, and continue right through the time of processing, since they normally ask for more just before a visa is issued (to make sure they don't grant a partnership visa to someone whose relationship has broken up in the meantime). You will also need copies of all this evidence saved, ready for when you want to apply for Residence later on - it makes it easier on the CO who will deal with THAT application.

Old threads which may give some more ideas. https://www.google.co.uk/#q=site:enz...tnership+proof

[mp51]

Hi JandM, thank you for your response. What I am worried about is if we leave Ukraine and therefore give up our place here will this be a problem? We will be staying with a friend in London as it would only be temporary while we wait for the outcome of the application. Also what address should we put in the application as technically we would not be at the address in Ukraine anymore even though this address would be the majority of our evidence for living together.
We are both quite indecisive in what to do next to get what we want.

[JandM]

if we leave Ukraine and therefore give up our place here will this be a problem?

No.

We will be staying with a friend in London as it would only be temporary while we wait for the outcome of the application.

So you need to start getting evidence of that being the "home" for both of you for the time being, the moment you arrive in London. Get mail sent there. Sign up for e.g. club membership, and the library, with that as your address. Write to e.g. your bank and credit card provider with some question or other, so they will reply to you at that address. Get letters from your friend who is hosting you, and anyone else who has reason to see that you are living there together. It doesn't matter that it isn't a permanent home for you - it is all part of your shared story. (Some people have successfully applied for a partnership-based visa while travelling round the world together, staying in hotels and hostels.)

Also what address should we put in the application

Put the London address where you are living for the time being.