Visa for Marriage

[dvrjwh 0]

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and I am so happy to have found this site for guidance as I realise we are just about to enter a hugely complicated process.

We are just finalising our plans to marry in the UK and eventually both live in the US.

My fiance is a US citizen and I'm from the UK.

We want to make an appointment with the Registrar when my fiance visits in July in the UK to book a wedding date for sometime during end December beginning of January 09 when he will be back for the ceremony.

He then intends to return to the USA and apply for me to join him with a Spouse Visa.

As he does not intend to remain and work in the UK, I understand that he needs a Visa for Marriage so that we can meet with the Registrar and arrange a wedding date.

However, these visas only last for 6 months and it's likely that the date we settle on for the wedding ceremony will be just after the visa for marriage expires.

Can anyone clarify whether he will need another one of these Visas to return in December for the ceremony?

I would be really grateful for some help as the website doesn't appear to cater for our particular set of circumstances and they dont reply to emails!

Much love

Debbie

[gwenneh 7]

You would probably be better off asking this initial question over on www.uk-yankee.com in their visas section. They can explain the visa for marriage option to you much better!

Then, when you need help with the US spousal visa, come on back over and you can get some help here.

[Bforbarree 4]

You would probably be better off asking this initial question over on www.uk-yankee.com in their visas section. They can explain the visa for marriage option to you much better!

Then, when you need help with the US spousal visa, come on back over and you can get some help here.

There are loads of people on this site that are applying for Spousal visas...many I am sure were married in the UK and can advise....sit tight.

I have some thoughts but these are by no means answers, more questions then anything....but hopefully some of it is helpful?

And hopefully someone else can advise!!!

If the UK visa for marriage is valid for 6 months, that probably means 6 months from the time he enters the UK AND probably, more specifically means 6 months OR until he leaves the UK[/u]...because by using the visa he is saying he is entering the UK with the intention to marry...not with the intention the meet with the registrar and make wedding arrangements.

So does the visa expire if he enters the UK on it then leaves before marriage takes place?

Once the visa for marriage is granted how much time does he have before he must use the visa to enter the UK?

Can he have a Visa for Marriage in his passport but still enter the UK (in July) on the US to UK Visa Waiver Programme, therefor not yet using the marriage visa? This way you could satisfy the registrar's requirements as the visa will have been granted.

[*Snowdrop* 604]

If the UK visa for marriage is valid for 6 months, that probably means 6 months from the time he enters the UK AND probably, more specifically means 6 months OR until he leaves the UK[/u]...because by using the visa he is saying he is entering the UK with the intention to marry...not with the intention the meet with the registrar and make wedding arrangements.

So does the visa expire if he enters the UK on it then leaves before marriage takes place?

My husband and I got married in the UK and he had to get the marriage visa to do it. He applied for it in February last year. Came over to give notice to the registrar in May. Went home and then came back in July for the wedding. So I know that the visa for marriage does not expire when the foreign citizen leaves after giving notice. However I think the six months does start from the first entry.

Can he have a Visa for Marriage in his passport but still enter the UK (in July) on the US to UK Visa Waiver Programme, therefor not yet using the marriage visa? This way you could satisfy the registrar's requirements as the visa will have been granted.

Unfortunately to give notice the foreign citizen must activate the visa to give notice - the registrar needs to see the stamp on the visa which is given on entry to complete the process of giving notice.

I think you then have six months to get married but he can come and go inbetween. I'm not sure if it's possible to get a second visa - I don't think so. You should call the General Register Office http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/marriages/ they should know.

Can you delay the trip to give notice to nearer your wedding date?

Also are you really set on doing it this way round? I am beginning to wish now that I had gone the fiance K1 route. Being apart for possibly up to a year after the wedding is much harder than I thought it would be. We'd been in a long distance relationship for three years by the time we got married so I thought it would just be a bit more time to wait. However it feels COMPLETLEY different being separated from my husband to my boyfriend/fiance. Much much worse.

I really wanted to get married in the UK and I really wanted to be able to work as soon as I arrived which is why I chose the CR1 BUT now after being married for six months and apart I wish I'd chosen differently.