From America To Scotland

We are Patrick and Tomi. I am Tomi, from North Carolina in America, Patrick is from here in Scotland. We met online and, rather inadvertently, fell in love. After a nearly year of texts, long distance phone calls and technologically challenging video calls... I made my way to Scotland, so that we could finally meet and find out if this crazy idea could even work. I have spent the last few months living outside Glasgow with Patrick, and we both want nothing more than to make this permanent. I have not only fallen more in love with him, but I have also fallen in love with Scotland and it’s people. I am currently here in the U.K. on a visitor visa that will only allow me to stay through the end of the year. We have consulted with immigration solicitors and friends with experience. We’ve discovered that this process is going to be extremely expensive, in both time and money. The fees to the home office for the necessary visa applications, alone, will be in excess of £2500. There will also be the fees for lawyers to help our case be taken seriously. Not to mention, the U.K. will require that I return to the U.S. to await approval on a settlement visa. This means the cost of trans Atlantic flights and travel expenses. All told, this will cost at least £6000 before it is all said and done. It is a small price to pay to be able to finally be and live together in Scotland, but still a lot of money for us to come up with on our own.I can not legally work in the U.K. until I have been approved. So, we have decided to humbly ask for help, which is not easy for either of us. We know there are more important “causes” out there. Our needs are quite simple. We just want the chance to live a normal life together. Finally. Any help at all is so very appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read this.