What UK visa does my girl/f need?

Question

Is there a visa which will allow my g/f to come and live with me in uk, shes South African. The only thing i can find is a fiance visa but they expect you to be married in 6months which i think is abit unfair and maybe rushing things a little. She was coming back to go to uni but she had problems with her visa (funds)and they sent her back home now she has missed her uni course start date what can i do? She has work guaranteed over here at her old job but most visas wont allow you to work its stupid

Answer 1

The only other visa outside of a fiance and student visa that will allow her to stay in the United Kingdom for any real length of time is the Working Holidaymakers visa  or obtaining a work permit.

She can stay for two years and can work for 12 months out of those two years. The only restriction on work types is that she can't set herself up in or run a business, or work as a professional sports-person.

However there are financial implications she must show that she can:

- support herself without needing help from public funds.

- show that she has have enough money to pay the cost of at least her journey to the UK, and

- show that she has have enough money for her    accommodation and living expenses for the first two months after she arrives, or for at least one month if you can show that she has arranged a job in advance, and that this job will pay her enough to cover her accommodation and living expenses.

She may also be eligible to switch into work permit employment after the12 months in the UK if her occupation is on the list of ‘shortage occupations’. Working holidaymakers can also apply to stay in the UK as ‘Innovators’ and in the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP).  

For more information on this visa and the list of shortage occupations then visit the two websites below.

Also, you say she as guaranteed work, will her employer not sponsor her for her work permit? Worth looking into. See third link.