BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi. I’m Katie a newbie on BnA. I'm 20 years old and I live in London, England. I am very happily taken by an American man, and we are currently living the through the ups and downs of a long distance romance. He is 22 years old and living in Missouri, USA. At present we are both at University in our own countries, but travel a ridiculous amount to be together as often as possible. My partner is due to graduate from Business school this summer and our hopes are for him to come over to England and join me here for a year so I can graduate myself. Finding work for an American citizen in the UK is beginning to become somewhat of a nightmare. I am hoping that maybe some of you guys could have the answers we are looking for. Perhaps have been or are in the same situation as us.
I am interested in speaking to anyone that has taken part in a Bunac programme. Ideally either American or British citizens as I understand the rules vary greatly. If there are any Americans out there that have found work in London I would so greatly appreciate you getting in touch with any of your experiences on how we can go about making this happen. Thanks.

Hi Katie,

I've done the BUNAC thing and received a six-month work visa, although I only used up four months of it. Enrolling in the program was pretty easy and well documented. When I entered the UK I presented my visa (which has to be arranged weeks if not months in advance) and they stamped me with the correct working-visa stamp. The BUNAC office in central London was somewhat supportive, with job boards and assistance with the follow-on paperwork (NHS number, tax information, police registration, etc.)

At the time, I was a 28-year-old student just finishing up school. I was able to find an internship relevant to my degree, which was nice. I'm not sure how your bf would do as it is up to the employer. I did spend a lot of time pre-trip writing to agencies and candidate employers with absolutely no luck. Once I was on the ground in London it was much easier to get people to take me seriously. I would expect your bf to have similar issues.

Mind you, this was nearly ten years ago, I was studying Comp Sci, and it was the Dot-Con years. YMMV.

My advice? Focus on the paperwork for now, and get the visa. Once your bf shows up, then he can get to work finding a job. He should be prepared for the UK biz environment, though. Short hair, sharp suite, avoiding stereotypical behavior, and all that. (Worst case? He ends up pouring you free pints every night at a pub in Kensington. )

If any potential employers are skeptical about hiring him for six months, he could tell them you two are engaged and he'll be a permanent rez soon. As an MBA, he's got to practice those lying-for-my-own-benefit skills, anyway! (Har, har...I crack myself up.)

It all worked out for me in the end: after finishing school, the very same employer hired me on permanently and sorted out the visas (for the most part...but that is another story.)

Side note: A Brit's experiance in the US is going to be very different, so I'd not get too involved with how their stories worked out.

Good luck and keep us informed how things turn out!

Stoo