Sarah_Jayne

and even then it ain't easy and you better not tell them you are coming into the country to get married - especially if you met on the 'net as many do these days.

Lets see, first I came over on a student work visa which was valid for 6 months. I got a stamp at the airport in my passport ordering me to go to my local police department and register. I had to get a job with in a certain amount of time but the people I got the job with had to show why a Brit couldn't do the job. So, I ended up as a 'north american travel specialist' at a travel agency.

The police department gave me a green booklet that I had to get my boss to fill in and then I had to take it back to the police station and register my job. If I had changed my job in that 6 months I would of had to go back and register the change.

I also ( the order is bit faded in my mind) had to go to jupiter house in London and get some more paperwork that give me solid permission to stay for six months. I had to basiclly give them bits of my liver to prove I wasn't going to break the law. Meanwhile two guys next to me at the row of desks were from Turkey. The guy who was being interviewed, didn't speak English AND came over on his BROTHER''s passport and was allowed in.

After six months I married my british husband and then it was off to Lunar house in Croydon ( I HATE this place) to register our marriage and apply for permanent stay. This place is insane. It is where all the assylum cases go as soon as they land/arrive in London which means everyone from Heathrow and Gatwick. The line starts outside the building, we got there at 6:30am - they didn't open until 9am - and there were already 500 people in the line. Apparently the first person had lined up at 10pm the night before.

Once in there we had to 'prove we loved each other' and provide a zillion banks statements (to show I had my own means of support) and letters coming to the house with my name on it, etc. About five hours after walking in the door they gave me temporary residence and said I had to come back a year later when they could grant permenant residency.

This time, the woman next to me was from Iran. She was black and blue all over her face. She said she had been married but she tried to get a divorce. Her husband stole her passport and went back to Iran. She showed them letters from his family saying that if she returned to Iran they would kill her. I watched her cry as they said she had to go back.

Then a year into our marriage we went back and the line outside Lunar House was still long but luckily we got in that day. We were seen at the window three hours after being let in and we were told that our case was good BUT that I only brought two bankstatements and apparently now I needed three. Oh, I could go get them but they were closing in two hours.

Well, we don't drive and this is on the otherside of London. I jumped on a train, ran into the house - I don't run - found another statement and luckily as I ran out of the house my mother in law's car drove past the door. I threw myself into her path and begged her to drive me to Croydon. She sped all the way to Croydon, I ran down the hill to Lunar House, they wouldn't let me back in because they were about to close but I was allowed to hand my husand the statement through the door.

Next I saw him he had my passport in hand with my tressured green card that grants me residency forever. This means that I can live and work here and own a buisness, etc. Also, after five years had passed (It is now a bit over 7 for me) I was allowed to vote and if I needed to draw benefits I could.

All of that and it was only that EASY because my husband was British and I managed to come in on a student Visa