Hi all, I'm new here and would like to know if it is possible for me to marry my girlfriend here in england? If so how do I go about this? Is it better to go to Flipins? Regards, Anthony
Hi and welcome aboard.. In answer to your question.......... Yes, it is perfectly possible to marry your girl friend in the Uk, if she is already here and has a valid visa. If she is still in Pinas, she could come over on a six months Fiancee visa, and use the time to get married here. The downside of this strategy is that it would cost more in visa fees, wedding costs, and she is not allowed to take up employment of any sort....... On the other hand, getting married in the Phil, would cut costs considerably, by taking one lot of exorbitant visa fees out of the equation, and decimate wedding costs by at least 59/60%...........:vhappy: Sounds unbelievable, but it is the truth.............. Spouse visa, or settlement, is easier to get, it allows the wife to take up employment as soon as she arrives, if she wants to, or if there are any jobs left after the polish have picked and chosen the best ones for themselves........ Anyway, the process of marriage is quite simple and straightforward, whichever place you chose. The difference, for a lot of people are the costs involved. The best pro's, for marrying overthere, are the fact that She will be much happier as all her family and close frinds will be able to share her special day, and believe you me... They are going to make it really special for her there. Price wise, you could get away with 3/4k or less including flights, hotel stay, reception, and all wedding ancillaries. More to follow............ Let you digest this lot first.............
Hi, Thank you for your reply So if she is on a student visa that is ending in april 2012. And I want to marry her here, what would we need to do in order to get the ball rolling? Thankyou
UPDATED INFORMATION - Please see rest of thread Hi Anthony, welcome to the forum.. So from your last response I take it your partner is a student here in the UK? I guess it is always easier to marry in the Philippines due to recent amendments to the laws and policies of the UK immigration system. If your partner is legally here in the UK on a valid visa then it is possible to marry and then apply for a spouse visa. I believe to get this you need to first apply for a "Certificate of approval". However, the immigration service will take the view that the marriage is solely for the sake of a visa and the right to live in the UK (they always look at things from a negative, it is their job to do so). Therefore, expect to be able to provide evidence of your relationship just like you would if she had been living overseas. Individuals who are subject to immigration control and who wish to marry in the UK will need to obtain permission from the Home Office in the form of a Certificate of Approval. Certificate of Approval Requirements: Three months remaining on a visa that was initially issued for longer than 6 months Conditions of the Certificate of Approval: Successful applicants are granted 3 months or up until the expiry of their visa (whichever is soonest) in which to give notice to marry If you have a ton of pictures, phone calls on your bills, texts, friends who can vouch for the relationship. Then things should be a lot easier. In order to apply for the spouse visa you and your spouse must: Have met Be lawfully married to one another Intend to live together permanently as man and wife Be able to support yourselves and your dependant children, if you have any Also, remember the risks involved here could mean loss of the right for your partner to say in the UK if immigration suspect the relationship is not 100% or that they think you have not provided sufficient evidence of your relationship. Being your wife does not give her automatic rights to stay here, so plan ahead. Like Dom I prefer the getting married in the Philippines option (because I am going over there in just over 3 months to do just that), plus it gives her family a chance to see their little girl get married and start a new life.. But, everyone is different for different reasons. If you choose to marry here in the UK, good luck and keep us posted
Thank you Do you think that because we have only been together a short time (3 months) this will be more of a negitive towards us? I love her and dont want to lose her.
Difficult to say, three months is enough time for a relationship to develop and I was best man at a wedding that was set after about two months of dating. But then that couple didn't need to bother with visas and immigration. It all depends on what evidence of your relationship you can pull out and strictly speaking you don't need to prove you have been together for years. A few months is enough, but a lot more difficult to find evidence if it is required..
ayoungh, it has been brought to my attention that the info I provided to you is incorrect about the Certificate of Approval Due to recent changes this year the rules have changed and the certificate is no longer required.. The following is from the UK border Agency Abolition of the Certificate of Approval scheme 07 April 2011 On 4 April 2011 Parliament approved the Remedial Order that will abolish the certificate of approval scheme. This means that the scheme will end on 9 May 2011. At present, any migrant who is already in the UK and is subject to immigration control must apply for a certificate of approval before they can get married or register a civil partnership in this country (unless they are getting married within the Anglican Church). The government is now seeking to remedy the declaration by the UK courts that the scheme is incompatible with Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (read with Article 12). Additionally, changes made following rulings from the courts have weakened the scheme, and it is no longer an effective method of preventing sham marriage. Entering into a sham marriage does not entitle migrants to any right to remain in the UK. The UK Border Agency will continue to investigate suspected abuse and, where possible, disrupt marriages before they take place. If we uncover marriages that are not genuine, we will challenge them and prosecute where possible. Do you still need to apply for a certificate of approval if you want to get married or register a civil partnership?The certificate of approval scheme remains in operation until the Remedial Order comes into force on 9 May. Migrants who are subject to immigration control must follow the current application process until further notice. When will the scheme be abolished? The scheme will end on 9 May 2011. I want to marry in summer 2011. Will I still need a certificate of approval? No. Now that parliament has approved the Remedial Order, the government will end the scheme on 9 May. There will be no legal requirement to obtain a certificate of approval after that date. When will we stop processing certificate of approval applications? We will continue to process applications until the scheme legally ends. When will we return certificate of approval applications and documents such as passports? We will start returning applications and documents as soon as the scheme legally ends. In some cases we may want to retain documents to undertake enforcement activity (if, for example, we find that you have no valid permission to enter or remain in the UK). If your documents are retained, we will notify you by letter. Can you withdraw your application before 9 May? You can withdraw your application at any time, but you should be aware that the scheme remains in force until the abolition date....... more can be found here
Thanks for all the info, So in terms of me marrying the girl of my dreams, What will I now need to do? I was thinking for us to both declare that we would like to get married and set a date. I am just confused what I would need to do thereafter and what would she need to do regarding her student visa etc. Thankyou so much for your advice
After you both marry she needs to apply for a spouse visa which would then give her two years in the UK, giving her the right to work and continue he studies if she wishes. Just make sure you compile as much proof of your relationship as possible to keep the border control people happy.
First off, you need to get married. Anyone with valid and eligible visa (ie 6 months or longer validity) can get married and then apply to the UKBA for 2 years further leave to remain as the spouse or civil partner of a person present and settled in the UK. An example of the application form needed is here. There is a fee of £550 for applications made by post, or £850 for premium service applications made in person at our Public Enquiry Offices. If your application is completely straightforward the premium service applications made in person with decision and visa on the same day then it's well worth the extra. Just be sure that the application is well supported by all needed documents and does not need any additional verification or checking by back-office caseworkers. Happy reading
So if her visa is going to expire in april, i think it willjust be under 6 months, is this oki? Thank you
Sorry if I confused you. I mean a visa that is valid for more than 6 months from date of issue to date of expiry. For example, a tourist visa is issued for 6 months total validity. This visa cannot be used to switch to spouse visa, and the applicant would need to return to their own country and re-apply if a spouse visa was wanted. Normally a student visa has a total validity of more than 6 months. It generally a 'switchable' visa and a spouse visa can be applied for from within the UK. Hope that clears your concerns.
So her current student visa that was originally 2 years is fine even thoe it will expire in less than 6 months?
Based on what you've said about being issued with a student visa of 2 years duration, then yes she can switch to spouse visa. Of course that would be subject to meeting all the usual spouse visa requirements including maintenance (financials), accomodation and English Language etc. Please take a look at the form FLR(M) link I gave you. Your g/f (Fiancee) will also need to demonstrate that she has fully complied with her student visa conditions - the UKBA will require documents proving this. You both need to demonstrate that you have a genuine marriage - the UKBA may or may not have have suspicions, but it really depends on the length of your relationship and the evidence you have about it. They couldn't just say that your application is refused because you married towards the end of your student visa - there would have to be other additional reasons. You need to gather as much evidence as possible about the history of your relationship. You could include letters from friends/family (supported by copy ID documents for each person) - unless you have lived together I suspect that you won't have a great deal of evidence. You will need to work on that. The main thing is to now plan out your actions and timing and be able to get married whilst the current student visa is valid so that an FLR(M) spouse visa application can be submitted before it's expiry. I can't empahsise enough the need to get all requirements completed in a timely manner and avoid overstay without getting married or submitting an application. Do your research, gather the required documentary evidence. Ask any questions you need. Six months sounds quite a time but you will need it, and at this time of year it's all too easy to lose time. Just be sure she can satisfy the English Language requirement.
So would it be a good Idea to give notice of marriage asap and then marry and then fill in and send off the application for spouse visa asap with as much and as detailed evidence as possible? Sorry to ask so many questions, I just want to make sure I understand it aswel as I can. Thanks again
All applications are different so be sure to do your research on what you must do. Try starting here, you will notice that the application form FLR(M) and guidance is available at the upper right hand side of that page.
