Hello! I'm new to this site and these forums and though I'd introduce myself and share, hopefully some folks have advice...
I'm a 31 year-old woman living in the US and looking to immigrate to the Brighton area sometime in the next two years. My partner (a woman) is a UK citizen living in Northern Ireland and we aim to be married on a visit next summer (if I can secure a Marriage Visit Visa), with the goal of settling in Brighton once 1) my current project ends (I'm in telecom with a tech background) and 2) I can secure a Marriage Visa, assuming that the previous visa is granted.
My partner will be taking the task of finding us somewhere to live, and I'm beginning to look at jobs in the area to gauge what kind of job market I'm looking at. I graduated high school with some college coursework (ran out of tuition money), over 12 years of clerical/customer service experience, 5 years of telecom experience and looking to get my A+ and Security+ certs before moving, as well as fluent in French.
Do my odds look good for the UK taking me? I know it's going to be a long, expensive and frustrating process, but there's no option for my partner to move to the US, due to DOMA and my country's stance on same-sex marriages.
Any advice is much appriciated! 
New And Seeking Advice :)
Hi and welcome on board TheOmega!
Thanks for this introduction.
I moved your topic to the Brighton forum for better visibility 
Regards
Armand
Hello there
I dont know a lot about marriage visit visas except that you need to provide as much proof as possible that you intend to return to the US following the wedding (ie that you dont plan to settle in the UK immediately). Your job ties to the US should take care of this, so you will need to get a letter from them stating that you are in the midst of a project and are expected back from the UK on such and such date and the project should finish on such and such date in the future.
You may find that the certificates you mention arent recognized in the UK, so check this out before you bother getting them.
Re: your chances of having your CP (civil partnership) visa approved to allow you to move to the UK - so much of this will depend on your finances as a couple. Most importantly, you and your sponsor (your wife) will need to prove that you can support yourself without access to public funds (ie meet maintenance requirements). Here's all the information you will need: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/partn … partners/. Good luck!
Blog: www.beyondthequeen.blogspot.com
Hello everybody!
My name is Ana, 28 years old, and IŽm Portuguese. IŽm an Environmental Engineer and, at the moment, IŽm in my second year of a PhD in Landscape Architecture and Urban Ecology. Fortunately, at this phase of the studies IŽm able to go abroad again and invest in my professional life. There are so many countries around the world to which I would like to live in, work and experience its culture. However, at the moment, I believe England may be the best choice.
Thank you in advance for any position you may be aware to and let me know.
Good luck to all who are living abroad to those who are seeking good opportunities.
My best regards,
Ana
Hi Omega.
Don't worry too much about your degree etc...
I had way better job in multinational financial company before I started University. After graduation ( Nov lat year ) I needed to step down a level and I am only able to get decent job in finance due to my experience. It sounds as you have got lots and lots of experience. You are also native English speaker which helps a lot ! Brighton is a large city ( as per UK standarts ). You as a US citizen may find it smalliesh. There is tons of different companies so finding work shouldn't at all be a problem.
though....
Recession hit UK very badly and thus it will be much harder to find a job than it would have been few years ago. I would recommend to send your CV etc.. to some recruitment groups like Hays Finance, Hays office support, Office Angels etc... so that at least you could arrange to meet up with someone when you arrive to the UK. Many people now start working as a temps and then if lucky get offer a more perm type of contracts.
As a "fresh UK resident " I was earning around 20k and I would say that's kind of salary you would expect to get in Brighton with your first assignemnt. You may get much more by temping, however you won't get pay for being off sick etc.
Anyway GOOD LUCK and Hey congratulation 
with your marriage !!!
I hope U gals gonna be happy together and U will enjoy living in the UK
ps... Northern Ireland is way way cheaper than Brighton.
I paid well above 120k for 1b flat in South of England. U could buy a nice house in NI for that kind of money. I think something to consider ... but hey ! U hv to pay if u want to live in a UK Gay Capital !
Articles to help you in your expat project in Brighton
London forms part of the top ten most expensive cities to live in for expats. However, the cost of living varies ...
Dating in England is a blend of tradition and modernity, where meeting people in social settings and contemporary ...
Meeting new people in the UK as a newly arrived expat is easy. However, if this is your first experience living ...
The United Kingdom boasts a quality and reliable childcare system managed by national regulations. You can ...
Living and working in a foreign country is an amazing and thrilling thing, but it does not come without its ...
While a majority of British voters have chosen to leave the European Union, a study conducted by the participative ...
