Planning to visit my girlfriend in UK, what should I fill in the relationship status?

I am planning to visit my girlfriend in UK. She left for UK in Sep 2019. I was supposed to visit her during April 2020 but due to Covid-19, could not travel. When I applied for my visa in 2020, I never used the word "girlfriend" anywhere in the application. I simply wrote "friend" throughout the visa application.

I am planning to visit her in upcoming months. While filling the form, I was asked the question - What is your current relationship status.

I am in a relationship with my GF since 2018. Should I submit Single or Unmarried Partner as my response to this question.

Another related question is - should I use "friend" or "girlfriend" word throughout the visa application. Please note that when I applied for visa in 2020, I mentioned that I am planning to visit my "friend". I read somewhere on this site that this could cause issues later on when you are applying for dependent visa. I have also read on various forums that use of the word "girlfriend" has an apparent negative connotation. Please guide me on this.

Note -

She is currently on a Tier-2 health&care work visa since Mar 2021 and I might join her as an dependent in future.
We are both Indian citizens. I do not have any travel history to any country.

visas uk standard-visitor-visas applications

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How can I prove my relationship status?

What documents can you use to prove your relationship?

marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate.

tenancy agreement, utility bills or council tax bills stating that you live at the same address or pay bills together.

a bank statement from a joint bank account, or stating that you live at the same address.

Can I invite my girlfriend to UK?

Your partner can apply for a family visa to come and live with you if they're either: your husband, wife, civil partner, proposed civil partner or fianc\xe9(e) your partner who you've lived with for at least 2 years.

How much bank statement is required for UK visit visa?

You must submit 6 months of bank statements that clearly show your monthly salary and financial commitments. There must not be any large deposits of cash other than your salary. Total savings must be at least twice your proposed UK trip expenses.

Can I apply for a visa for my girlfriend?

A. As a U.S. citizen, you can bring your girlfriend here on a fianc\xe9e or fianc\xe9 visa. The alternative is to marry her abroad and then petition for her to get an immigrant visa. For the fianc\xe9e visa, you must prove that you had a face-to-face meeting in the two years prior to filing the petition.

How to get my girlfriend or boyfriend a visa for the UK

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

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