confusedgal123

Help - I am so confused about my situation.

I met my fiance online and we've met each other once. He is in usa on work permit and I have ILR in UK. we want to get married and he wants to settle in uk.

1) Now initially I was thinking of applying for a fiance visa for him to come to uk and then once we are married in bangladesh (home country) and we registered our marriage in UK he can switch to spouse visa. However I heard that to apply for spouse visa he would still need to leave UK and apply from outside of UK. Is this true? So this way we are having to apply twice and doubling the time

2) Now I am thinking whether it would be easier for us to apply for a spouse visa once we get married in usa. But the problem is we will register our marriage but not live as husband and wife until we had the religious ceremony (which will be in our home country once he gets his spouse visa).

Is this possible? I cannot stay for long in USA. But as long as we are legally married and he submits that along with the pictures of us taken when we last met and this time - would that be sufficient to prove our relationship. I have also proof of the phonecalls and the gifts we have exchanged over the years.

Also wanted to add that for spouse visas they asks for proof of the wedding reception, family and friends photos, hotel bookings etc etc. If we get married in usa it will be a small event - with only me and my fiance and a couple of friends. The full wedding wont take place until we go back home. And we certainly won't be living together until the religious ceremony.

It is slightly complicated and not sure what the best option is. Would have gone for the fiance visa if it meant he can apply for spouse visa from within UK once we are married on his fiance visa in the uk.

any advice would help,

thanks
s

FlyergirlUK

Yes, it is true. If he enters with the fiance visa and leaves the country so you can wed then he will need to apply for his spousal visa before he can come back to live with you in the UK as the fiance visa will no longer be valid.

That is a much easier option. There is no problem with this scenario at all - plenty of couples marry and then have to spend some time apart, for whatever reason, before they are able to live together.

Yes, this is possible.

The proof that is required can be found here with no mention of the evidence you have listed.

confusedgal123

Thanks FlyergirlUK!

confusedgal123

If fiance comes to uk on fiance visa and then once we are married wants to change his status to spouse visa - can he do that while he is in the UK on his fiance visa?

OR does he need to leave UK after the wedding and then apply from his home country (bangladesh) for the spouse visa?

Getting myself pretty stressed here. any clarity on this would be gratefully received

S

Pollyana

Two threads merged as they are asking the same question

FlyergirlUK

As long as he doesn't leave in the time between getting married and then applying for the spousal visa then, no, he doesn't have to leave the country in order to apply.

confusedgal123

Thanks FlyergirlUK!

What proof do I need to show of the wedding for fiance visa - I think I read somewhere that people have to show provisional booking with the register office - does anyone know how I can do that.

Also do I need to hire out catering services/venue hire for the reception party and attach these as proof of the wedding in UK.

Just bit confused - what kind of documentation I need to submit of the marriage taking place. At this stage we were only planning for a small ceremony - where once we are married a few of us go out to eat at a restaurant. But dont want to go ahead and make silly bookings until we know he has his fiance visa?

any help would be great

thanks!

cricket1again

Sorry for asking............you've met each other just once? And now you're getting married? Is he rich, looks like Jude Law or just got other assets?

confusedgal123

lol....no he's not as good looking as jude...and he's not loaded either.

We met once but we've known each other for almost 10 years now. The marriage was not an instant decision. we talk everyday and have been in touch through the web throughout this period.

It took us ages to decide whether to live in UK or usa and since his GreenCard is still processing and might do so for the next century I think we both wanted to move on with our lives.

He's been living in usa almost 10 years now (first on student and now on H1b status) - so would it be a problem if he was to apply for the fiance visa from USA? Also would his greencard application affect the chances of his fiance visa and later spouse visa when he comes to uk?

can he continue his GC application even once he leaves the USA to settle in UK?

thanks

FlyergirlUK

No.

Nope.

AFAIK, no. If he is no longer living or working in the US on what basis would he be gaining his permanent residency? If it was through his work and he wasn't working there any more how would he qualify?

FlyergirlUK

Have a look here for answers to your questions and further information.