USA to UK Visas

Life often prompts us to consider our options –

‘Are there better opportunities for me elsewhere?’, ‘Is it time to be closer to family?’, ‘Would an international degree help my career?’, ‘How can I be where my partner is?’  

The UK may be the answer for you!  Yet with increased immigration regulations, it is harder obtain a visa without assistance, and can be a painful process when it goes wrong.

Many of de Prey Consulting’s clients are traveling from the USA to the UK, for a multitude of reasons – a British partner, a job offer, to study, to work for a charity, or to visit. Some just want to know their options; others have tried to get a visa on their own and failed; others simply don’t know where to start.

At de Prey Consulting, Nikki de Prey is here to help you to whatever extent you wish! From a short phone consultation to the full preparation of a visa application, she will walk with you through the process.

Here are some of the commonly asked questions about coming to the UK from the USA:

I want to move to the UK, how can I do that?

If you have no specific links to the UK, then best to look at studying or working in the UK, either long-term or short-term.

If you have a partner who is British, or who has permanent residency in the UK, you can look at the Settlement options.

Do I have to be in the USA to apply for my visa, or can I apply from the UK?

If you are just visiting the UK you will not be able to apply for any visa from within the UK, you must return to the USA to make your application.

If you are already on a visa in the UK, and wish to switch your visa to a different one, you may be able to apply from within the UK, depending on the visa you are switching from and to.

How long does the visa application process take?

We usually advise our clients to allow 2-4 weeks to prepare their paperwork, longer for a partner visa.  The time it then takes for UK Visas and Immigration to assess your application depends on which visa you are applying for. Anything other than Partner visas usually takes up to 3 weeks.  Partner visas can take up to 12 weeks.

However, there are options to expedite your visa application.

How can you help?

de Prey Consulting can offer as much or as little help as you need, including to:

  • Schedule a phone or video consult to discuss your circumstances and your options
  • Talk you through how to prepare your visa application yourself
  • Conduct a document review once you have prepared the application yourself and before you submit it
  • Or walk you through the whole process from start to finish hand-holding you all the way.

If you have a query about coming from the USA to the UK, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

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About Nikki de Prey

de Prey Consulting is an immigration consultancy based in Edinburgh, UK. Nikki advises clients on the variety of visa applications for entering or remaining in the UK. For more information read about her background in About dPC.