The visa struggle via gifs (UK version)

Hello everyone, I'm back, that's right, twice within the span of a week.

Impressive, I know!!!

Today I wanted to share a struggle that all international couples

have faced, will face or are currently facing...The visa struggle.

There is forum upon forum of couples explaining their visa process.

Some of them are wonderful stories full of hope while others

are pits of deep, dark despair that make you cry yourself to sleep.

Seriously!

Because with visa's it will either end well or end terribly, terribly bad.

Meaning you either get the visa or you don't and if you don't it's basically

the other country telling you that they're breaking up with you but you're

not even together yet...it's hurtful, i'm sure.

I can only speculate since it hasn't happened to Tom or myself...yet...and hopefully it never will.

We will be looking at visa's in the near future and so I just wanted to

share how terrifying the visa process is with all of you people's who will

never have to worry about getting one.

It will give you an inside look at what we have to do to be together.

This will be the UK Visa version, I'll do a US one next time.

And I'll use GIF's because they make everything better...

So you've found love, he/she is British, you're not and it's so amazing and you want to be together

forever and ever but you can't...not yet...because you need a VISA!!

via GIPHY

Yes, a Visa, but don't worry it's not bad, it's just basically the UK government

judging you and deciding if you're fit to live in their society...
No biggie..

 

via GIPHY

 But it's totally worth it because you get to be together!!! Hooray!!

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 Yes, get happy and get your wallet ready because it's about

$1500 to apply for the visa, plus another $200 if you want the process rushed..
but don't rush too much because your UK partner has to be making some serious money
6 months before you can even apply for the visa.
Then it takes another 3 or so months to get the visa...
Unless you rush it, if rushed it can take less time..
but they make no promises, you could pay extra
for the rush and it take just as much time as the regular way.

via GIPHY

So before you can apply for a visa in the UK

you're partner has to be making £18,600 a year ($30,000)...we know jobs are
scarce but you can do it...right??? Right, that's the spirit!!!
*(Average jobs in the UK make around £14-£17,000 annually)

via GIPHY

Also, don't forget that you have to reapply for that visa every 30 months

until you've lived there for 5 years AND THEN you can apply for another

visa to remain long term in that country...and then 10 years later...you apply again.

 And you pay every time...but it will be ok because your
spouse is making £18,600 or more. 

But keep in mind you could be sent back

to your home country if during the first five years abroad your spouse is making less than £18,600 6 months prior to you re-applying for the visa...
even if you're married...or have kids...you have to go go go...
Oh and if you have kids in the first 5 years abroad
then the amount you have to earn yearly gets increased per child...
So no kids for the next 5 years...noted!!

via GIPHY

No, no, don't cry...you get to be together, remember...where's that happy face??

via GIPHY

 But in order to be happy you have to leave your home, your family and friends...

via GIPHY

 Which leaves you feeling a little bit crazy...
Happy to be together, sad to be leaving...
happysadhappysadhappysad

via GIPHY

But listen, it's hard to leave but it doesn't mean you'll be gone forever.

The perk to being with someone from another country is you now

get to call two amazing places home. Plus all of the people that know you

now get a free place to stay if they come to the UK.

via GIPHY

So it's going to be hard and it's going to take time and patience

but at the end of it all you're taking a leap that many, many people

never get the chance to take and it's weird and new and scary but

it's also incredible and a huge blessing to be able to get a piece of

paper that let's you roam the earth with the one you love.
The money will be scarce and the wait will be hard but
man oh man how exciting it will be when you nestle
into that new adventure with your person.

via GIPHY

 USA Visa Struggle via GIFS will come atcha next time!!
And since this was fun maybe i'll do a post on the different types
of visa's and why they're all so terribly confusing!! 

Have a great day everyone!

An update on life/love

Hey blog land.

I owe you guys a pretty lengthy update don't I?

I'm not sure this will be lengthy but it will work for now.

Ok so Tom went home about a month ago.

The 6 months was up and so was his visa.

So he hopped on two planes and made his way back to England.

The 6 months went by so fast.

It's all a blur, a magical blur that was so wonderful.

It was nice having him here for so long and

now we can both say we know more about

each other's homes since we've both been able

to live on opposite sides of the world for 

an extended period of time.

Out of the almost 3 years that we've been together

we have spent a little over 1 full year together.

Which in the long distance world is pretty incredible.

Thanks to both of our parents for being so hospitable.

So here's a little bit of what's been happening since he left.

Tom has been looking for work, he's gone to multiple interviews

and he's currently in possession of one job. woohoo!

He is looking for full time work though so he's

still pounding the pavement, he had two interviews today

so he's doing really well!!

I'm still nannying/babysitting...whatever you want to call it.

I'm part time so I was looking for some work too.

I'm currently waiting to hear back from a Soccer Coaching

position for little kids that I can add to my load to give me full time status.

So this is new territory, we're both in our own countries 

and we're both working.

Usually one of us is here or there and only one of

us has a job while the other one doesn't.

So now we both have jobs because you need money

for the next steps that we are wanting to take.

The flying back in forth to be together phase of

our relationship has to come to an end at some point

because we really need to put down some roots if we're

ever going to both settle into jobs and life.

So as of right now there are no flights booked

and no plans in place.

We have plans, we just have to do a few things

before those plans can come to light.

So we're kind of in a logistical phase right now.

Figuring out the next steps one step at a time.

It's going to be the hardest part of our relationship because

it's possible that months and months may go by before

we're able to get together again and it's pretty heartbreaking.

But our optimism is strong and we're still making time

to skype and we text nonstop so we'll be ok, it will just be hard.

I'll try and keep this space more updated as we

figure things out and move towards bigger and better things!

Hope you all have a great day :)

-Emily-