Living in the Edinburgh/East Lothian area

Hello, i am visiting for the month and staying in the Edinburgh/East Lothian area. I am going back to Toronto June 2 but moving back here to teach the beginning of August. My boyfriend is here so I will be living with him. Just wondering if there are any other Canadians in the area. It would be nice to meet up with a bunch of people.

*sigh*.I can only wish.I love Edinburgh.

Hi!
I'm a Quebecer and I live in Edinburgh. I've been living here for nearly 2 years. It would be cool to meet up!

HI There.
What are you doing in Edinburgh? I'm hoping to teach when i return in August but i've had no luck with jobs as of yet.

It would be cool to meet up but not until August. I'm leaving next Saturday to go back home (Toronto). We are going to Glasgow on Saturday for the cup finals and then to Spain for 4 days which takes me to the time i have to leave.

Keep in touch on this!
Beth

Hi,

I'm here on a Working Holidaymaker visa and I'm living with my boyfriend, who's Scottish. My visa's expiring in July, so I'm going to apply for an Unmarried Partner visa then. I'm not working at the moment because I was only allowed to work for 1 year with this visa. Can't WAIT to be allowed to work again!

Enjoy Spain and the cup finals!

Maybe see you in August!

Catherine

Hi Catherine.

Back in Toronto It's been a kinda rough first day back but only 6 weeks until I see my boyfriend again. I am applying for the holidaymaker and then when it expires, switch it over but it depends on the status of our relationship. It might be moving forward by then.

Enjoyed the cup finals and Spain.

Keep in touch and i do hope to meet up in August.

Beth

HI Catherine.

On your working holidaymaker visa, did you put that your boyfriend was in Scotland? I hear that you shouldn't bc they will think that the only reason you are there is to marry. So, i didn't put it on, just that he is a friend.

Any input on this? You are the expert!
B

Hi Beth,

When I applied that's what I did too, I just put that my boyfriend was a friend. To be honest, I was extremely worried when I applied for it but then I found there had been no reason to be. I got the answer after less than 2 weeks if I remember right, and it was really easy. But now I am really worried because I'm applying for an Unmarried Partner visa in less than a month. I think that is quite a bit more difficult to get and, unfortunately, much more expensive.

Good luck with your application, and I'm sure you will be back here before you know it!

Cath

Should i apply now for August or do i wait. How long does it take for the whole process? How much does the working holidaymaker visa cost! Sorry for all the questions.i'm new!

GOod luck with yours. I know that i will be doing that i'm sure in a couple of years, or before. I am going to reassess things i think after 1 year. Because teaching is on the short list of professions in Scotland, i can try to get a work permit but it's hard for primary teachers. However, if i get a fiancee permit, i can't work for 6 months and within those 6 months, we have to get married then apply for marriage visa. Ugh, it's so complicated! It shouldn't be seeing we are part of the commonweath.

I'm just going on and on here. I'm still not used to being back in Canada yet. I'm waking up at wierd hours in the morning. I'm off to bed now.

Thanks for all your responses. It helps to know that someone is or was in my position.

Take care.
B

Hi Beth,

I reckon you should apply now. When I applied, I applied in April and was leaving in July. It says on the British High Commission website "You should submit your application well in advance of your travel date, however, it should not be longer than 3 months before your date of departure". I applied online here http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk ... 7296808637
and it was really easy. You just apply online and then send the documents they need separately (they send you an email afterwards stating everything you need to send and where). Hand written application forms are not accepted in Ottawa.
When I applied, I applied on the 8th of April and I got an email saying it was approved and the visa was issued, on the 14th of April. It does say here
http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk ... 6397393933 that it's meant to take about 10 days.
I found the visa fee here http://www.britishhighcommission.gov.uk ... 7295215820
but I can hardly believe that it now costs 480$CAD to apply, plus 15$CAD postage.
When I applied a couple of years ago it was 86$CAD plus 12$CAD for postage. I still have the email they sent me to prove it! This is unbelievable.

I know all about the fiancee visa. This is what I will have to apply for if I'm refused the Unmarried Partner visa. I will have to go back to Canada and apply from there, and then if I get it I will come back to Edinburgh, then I will have to get a certificate of approval to get married, then my bf and I will have to get married, and THEN I will have to apply for a spouse visa. How complicated is that?! I would rather not have to do that (well, we do want to get married at one point but would rather not do it in those circumstances), but it will be our only option if I'm refused the U.P. Crazy what you have to do sometimes just to get that wretched piece of evidence in your passport, just to be able to stay with the one you love! And it's so easy for people in the EU to just come here and live and work as much as they want. Grr!

Well, I hope this will help. Do not hesitate to ask if you need more help.

Cath