Imasha

Hi Team ,

This is my first post so HI to everyone and hope all is well with you .

I been running for months now but couldn't get any right answer until i landed in this great forum being with all of you great people and now i hope i will get my answer

My situation is as such :
I married my1st wife 5 years ago which is not a British citizen in a country which allows polygamous marriage and have 2 lovely kids and then recently i have married my 2nd wife which is British citizen and married outside British

Now my first wife wouldn't be coming to UK due the fact that she is very happy with my parents and she has no home and no parents and i am happy with her

My second wife is returning back to UK to make me sponsorship paper but i am worried is this considered as Polygamy ? As i love my second wife and want to live with her and be a helpful hand to her . I don't want to be out of law or illegal .

Please be aware that i want to live with my second wife in UK and my first wife wouldn't be coming to UK at all . I want to register my marriage to my second wife in UK as per the rules and since my first wife wouldn't be coming to UK

I thank each and everyone for taking time reading this and i apologies taking your time

God Bless you all
Imasha

Pulaski

That's an unusual question for BE, for sure!

The immigration rules for the UK are obviously only for monogamous relationships, but are applied cognizant of the fact that some countries allow polygamy. I believe that the rules applied in the UK allow immigration of polygamously married parties, but obviously only one of the wives. Polygamous relationships do not prevent individuals and one wife entering the UK.

That said, it is likely that your visa application will attract additional scrutiny if it is noted that you have two wives, so I would strongly recommend that you consult an experienced immigration lawyer.

not2old

interesting to say the least

Did you marry both your first as well as your second wife in a religious marriage outside of the UK - if so, for sponsorship purposes the UK government want to see a legalised civil marriage certificate to recognise that marriage for sponsorship purposes.

If the marriage was registered in your country then an official in English translation will be required to accompany the application that you make.

After all the proof is together, having met, (that this is not a sham) the financial requirements etc - what about getting married in the UK in a civil marriage within 6 months of getting the visa?

https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/eligibility

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not2old

for your reference, see post#20 in the link below

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citiz.../#post11859471

Shirtback

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...arriages-set14

Pay particular attention to this note:

not2old

good find Shirtback

Shirtback

Thank you, see my edit. Can't really take much credit - it's been in my bookmarks for a while from a paid research project .

Pulaski

Under UK law.

It is perfectly possible for someone to go overseas and enter into a polygamous marriage, subject to local legal requirements, but that marriage will be entirely ignored under UK law.

Things can get very messy when it comes to the legal treatment off offspring under a marriage which is void under UK law.

not2old

for the OP in addition to what has been posted so far.

Related to the Polygamy, Married, Sponsorship, financial, Residence & Domicile requirements

https://www.gov.uk/government/public.../spouses-set03

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...domicile-set15

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Nafeesa

Hi

I am/was in a similar position.

i recieved many conflicting answers so i checked with the General Registers Office and got the official answer.

Nafeesa

not2old

would you kindly share the 'details' of the question you had as well as the response you received from the 'General Registry Office'?

Or, what this it in the link below?

http://britishexpats.com/forum/citiz.../#post11858933

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Shirtback

Would you mind sharing the official answer?

Nafeesa

Opps sorry - The email went to a different account:

"..However generally speaking a marriage contracted abroad will be recognised here, provided that it complied with the law of the country where it took place, the couple were free to marry and the couple had the capacity to marry under their law(s) of domicile."

So although the marriage was legal in Pakistan but my domicile is UK and hence under the UK law I was not able to marry as my decree absolute had come after my Pakistani wedding. The only alternatives are:
a. Go thru the finance route, or
b. Civil marriage

To strengthen my case I would volunteer the full information to the ECO and to prove the duration of my new marriage

Imasha

Thank you all for all your help . I believe my case looks different but not sure what will be the outcome .

But what i feel since i am not registering my first wife in UK then it shouldnt be matter ...I might be wrong

Pulaski

I think you are wrong.

The law in the UK states that British citizens lack the capacity to enter in to polygamous marriages.

If the British citizen had been your first wife, you might have been OK, but I suspect problem you face is that your second marriage is not recognized under UK law and this would not change even if you divorced your first wife because the second marriage was void from the outset under UK law.