[GreekGranny]

I am a 60 year old woman who has, like-family, in Bristol England, wanting me to relocate from the US, to the UK enabling me to live close to those who might help me get on. I have my own income of $2000 each month and would reside with a member of this family pemanently. Realizing that there are many restrictions on length of stay, I am contacting the forum to see if I can come up with an answer that might suit my needs for more than a 6 month Visa stay. What I was attempting to decipher, is whether or not there is any type of a 5 years stay that I might qualify for, or something along those lines? I am retired and worked as both a nurse and master's level therapist prior to my retirements. I have no criminal history of any sort nor any negative aspects that should impinge on the Visa process. My biggest concern is that being handicapped, it would be too difficult for me to come and go out of the country in order to maintain 6 month Visa's. I need something more long term. Can anyone out there help me?

 

[nyclon]

I am a 60 year old woman who has, like-family, in Bristol England, wanting me to relocate from the US, to the UK enabling me to live close to those who might help me get on. I have my own income of $2000 each month and would reside with a member of this family pemanently. Realizing that there are many restrictions on length of stay, I am contacting the forum to see if I can come up with an answer that might suit my needs for more than a 6 month Visa stay. What I was attempting to decipher, is whether or not there is any type of a 5 years stay that I might qualify for, or something along those lines? I am retired and worked as both a nurse and master's level therapist prior to my retirements. I have no criminal history of any sort nor any negative aspects that should impinge on the Visa process. My biggest concern is that being handicapped, it would be too difficult for me to come and go out of the country in order to maintain 6 month Visa's. I need something more long term. Can anyone out there help me?

There is no visa option for an extended stay as you suggest.

The current visa options are: You can marry or form a civil partnership, be sponsored for a work visa, enroll in an advanced degree program and come as a student (for the length of the program) or if you have a lot of money you can invest a substantial amount in a UK business or start a UK business.

 

[Joppa]

Can you qualify for a Greek passport by descent? I hear Greece has fairly generous provision for those with Greek ancestry, similar to Ireland.

 

[GreekGranny]

There is no visa option for an extended stay as you suggest.

The current visa options are: You can marry or form a civil partnership, be sponsored for a work visa, enroll in an advanced degree program and come as a student (for the length of the program) or if you have a lot of money you can invest a substantial amount in a UK business or start a UK business.

I am aware of those options, but I am seeing many other alternatives throughout the forum and that is what I am looking for. I know if you have family, and how are other's obtaining long-term visa's. Stars move over there all the time and are not working, not are they starting a business. I believe there are a few more options that what has been listed above and it is those that I am interested in. Anyone out there with some ideas?

 

[nyclon]

I am aware of those options, but I am seeing many other alternatives throughout the forum and that is what I am looking for. I know if you have family, and how are other's obtaining long-term visa's. Stars move over there all the time and are not working, not are they starting a business. I believe there are a few more options that what has been listed above and it is those that I am interested in. Anyone out there with some ideas?

Can you provide any links to options you have seen on the forum? What stars are you referring to? Perhaps they have married a UK citizen or perhaps they have citizenship in another EU country. Having an EU passport allows you to live and work in any EU country which is why Joppa suggested you look into Greek citizenship if that applies. Rules are subject to change every 6 months, so any information you have seen that is more than 6 month's old is no longer likely to be valid.

 

[GreekGranny]

Can you provide any links to options you have seen on the forum? What stars are you referring to? Perhaps they have married a UK citizen or perhaps they have citizenship in another EU country. Having an EU passport allows you to live and work in any EU country which is why Joppa suggested you look into Greek citizenship if that applies. Rules are subject to change every 6 months, so any information you have seen that is more than 6 month's old is no longer likely to be valid.

I would have to go back. However, for instance, I know and have researched a retired person's options to stay in the UK with quite liberal statisfactions to qualify.

 

[nyclon]

I would have to go back. However, for instance, I know and have researched a retired person's options to stay in the UK with quite liberal statisfactions to qualify.

Yes. Well, as I said, anything more than 6 months old is unlikely to still be valid. There used to be an option called Retired Person of Independent Means. It was discontinued several years ago so obviously, it is no longer an option. It's best not to go back further then 6 months when researching.

 

[GreekGranny]

Yes. Well, as I said, anything more than 6 months old is unlikely to still be valid. There used to be an option called Retired Person of Independent Means. It was discontinued several years ago so obviously, it is no longer an option. It's best not to go back further then 6 months when researching.

I made sure that I researched changes that had taken place. The only one is that you can no longer apply for the retired visa from the US, but must be in the UK on a 6 month Visa at the time you apply.

 

[GreekGranny]

I made sure that I researched changes that had taken place. The only one is that you can no longer apply for the retired visa from the US, but must be in the UK on a 6 month Visa at the time you apply.

That was not my understanding if you are already in the UK on a 6 month visitors Visa. What has been discontinued, is that ability to apply for a retirement Visa from the US. You must first be in the UK on a 6 month Visitors Visa and apply for a retirement Visa at that point. Has that option also been eliminated?

 

[GreekGranny]

That was not my understanding if you are already in the UK on a 6 month visitors Visa. What has been discontinued, is that ability to apply for a retirement Visa from the US. You must first be in the UK on a 6 month Visitors Visa and apply for a retirement Visa at that point. Has that option also been eliminated?

Here is a link that is current in 2012 that still lists the Retirement Visa, which is in jeopardy of being loss, simply due to underuse! It has not been eliminated, to the best of my knowledge, and there are several others as well, that you do not mention, that remain in tact as of 2012 that forum members may wish to look at and consider. I hope this is helpful to everyone:

Other UK immigration visa categories

 

[nyclon]

Here is a link that is current in 2012 that still lists the Retirement Visa, which is in jeopardy of being loss, simply due to underuse! It has not been eliminated, to the best of my knowledge, and there are several others as well, that you do not mention, that remain in tact as of 2012 that forum members may wish to look at and consider. I hope this is helpful to everyone:

Other UK immigration visa categories

Unfortunately, that's link is not to an official, government site. They are merely a visa preparation service or something similar. There information is likely to be very out of date and inaccurate.

Additionally, you cannot apply for any other visa while in the UK on a tourist visa.

I suggest that you take a look at the UKBA-UK Border Agency website for accurate and up to date visa information so you avoid inaccurate, out of date and just plain wrong information.

 

[Joppa]

Here is a link that is current in 2012 that still lists the Retirement Visa, which is in jeopardy of being loss, simply due to underuse! It has not been eliminated, to the best of my knowledge, and there are several others as well, that you do not mention, that remain in tact as of 2012 that forum members may wish to look at and consider. I hope this is helpful to everyone:

Other UK immigration visa categories

It's not from the official UK Border Agency site, but from a commercial organisation with out-of-date information. For example, Japn Youth Exchange was abolished more than 2 years ago, and Retirement visa in November 2008. Contrary to what you say, the only people who can get their retirement visa extended are those who have been on this visa since before Nov 2008. You cannot switch to this category any more.

I know what I am talking about!

 

[GreekGranny]

It's not from the official UK Border Agency site, but from a commercial organisation with out-of-date information. For example, Japn Youth Exchange was abolished more than 2 years ago, and Retirement visa in November 2008. Contrary to what you say, the only people who can get their retirement visa extended are those who have been on this visa since before Nov 2008. You cannot switch to this category any more.

I know what I am talking about!

Will do