[La Torche]

Hi,

My partner has been offered a position in HK that we want to take but I am confused about my visa req. We have a 21 month old daughter and I am 8 months pregnant.

I am a british citizen and my partner is french. My daughter has an english passport but my second child will be born in France!!!

I do not plan to work straight away maybe after the six months if possible but its not vital to us that I work. The position would start in May 2008.

Thanks for your help.

[PDLM]

The easiest solution would be to get married. And if you want to work then you would need a Dependant Visa (which requires you to be married) or be sponsored in your own right for an Employment Visa. However, for clearly established relationships then some people have reported success in getting Extended Visit Visas for unmarried partners, which do not allow you to work. As a British citizen you would get 6 months per visit as a visitor anyway, although after one or two back-to-back renewals of that you might start to have some questions from immigration. I'm not exactly sure how visas for the kids work, but I guess they follow from the mother's.

On the basis of what you have told us, my advice would be to look very seriously at getting married - the process is absolutely trivial in HK - at its simplest, you have to give 2 weeks notice and then go to a solicitor's office (or anywhere else you choose) with 2 witnesses and do a 10 minute ceremony and form signing. Costs less than HK$4000 all in. If you prefer, no-one except the solicitor, the witnesses and Immigration need know that you are married (no requirement to change names or anything) and you can do a "public wedding" (with no legal significance, but the one that "counts" socially) any time you want in the future (or not).

[HKChigger]

Actually the cheapest wedding ceremony you can do at the moment would be at the marriage registry. Just register and give 3 weeks notice and then you go down. Say your vows etc. (you don't even require rings if you don't want, although good idea) It costs around $1400 ish on a weekday or Saturday.

[clip_my_wings]

Originally Posted by HKChigger

Actually the cheapest wedding ceremony you can do at the moment would be at the marriage registry. Just register and give 3 weeks notice and then you go down. Say your vows etc. (you don't even require rings if you don't want, although good idea) It costs around $1400 ish on a weekday or Saturday.

sounds very romantic

[PDLM]

You can do the romantic version later any time you want - if you're living "as man and wife" anyway then the legal marriage is purely a device for the purposes of getting a visa. The romantic version for the purposes of of making a commitment in front of your social circle need not be linked in any way to the legal paperwork.

[ontheroad]

Or you can do it in France, while you're still there, for free, at your local "mairie".

[rani]

I would get married too. The children will also have dependent visas, and will be able to use the Gov't clinics for vaccinations and hospitals for emergencies, which are free.