UK/US marriage 2020
 

Hello all,

New to the forum, but I've been reading some advice on here for the past few weeks. Everyone seems really helpful, but I thought it might be easier to ask some specific questions related to our situation. So here goes. As an aside, apologies if I've inadvertently missed any house rules or anything like that; please let me know if so, so I don't repeat my mistake :)

My partner and I have been together for 5.5 years (met when I did study-abroad for a year and have been doing long distance since, visiting 2-3 times a year). In November I popped the question, to which she thankfully said yes. I'm British and my fiancee is a US citizen. Due to various reasons (mostly financial), we're looking to hold the wedding next Fall in the US. As I am currently in steady employment with good opportunities for advancement, and my fiancee is currently in her last term of university and working a temporary job, the plan right now is that initially she would move to the UK after the wedding. This plan is fluid with potential to change, but for the moment, we are basing everything on that assumption. We would then hopefully move back to the US a ways down the line (not really relevant, but just for info). More immediately, my fiancee is aiming to come over to the UK on a tourist visa in Autumn this year and tentatively job hunt whilst here (we have some friends who may be able to help). The, admittedly hopeful, plan is that if she can get a job we would stay over here until the week of the wedding, and we would then head across to the US, get married there and then come back to the UK. Appreciate how roundabout that sounds, but its largely to do with family reasons.

My questions, then, related to:
1). Is the above plan actually feasible and realistic?
2). What visa's are we going to need to apply for? Presumably my fiancee will initially be on the tourist visa and then will hopefully get a work visa. From that, would we be able to leave the country for the wedding and then come back in on the marriage visa? Or would we come back still on the work visa and then process the marriage visa from the UK? If the former, can we process the paperwork before we leave the UK for the wedding?
3). Aside from the marriage licence in the relevant state, do we need to do anything further to facilitate holding the wedding in the US? (obviously not including planning the day itself)
4). Is there anything glaringly obvious that I appear to be missing?

Thanks in advance for any help or advice :)

Re: UK/US marriage 2020
 

Hi and Welcome to BE! :)

1. Yes.
2. Questions regarding immigration to / working in the UK should be asked in the "Moving Back to the UK" forum, as this forum is only for US immigration. I know it is possible for YOU to visit the USA on the VWP in order to get married, and of course the USC can marry in the USA with no issues. How that all affects her UK work visa or UK spouse visa, I don't know....that's a question for the MBTTUK forum.
3. No.
4. Not at this time.

Rene

Re: UK/US marriage 2020
 

I think your assumption that your fiancée will just "get a work visa" for the UK is rather optimistic, but that is really a question for the MBttUK forum.

Re: UK/US marriage 2020
 

Your fiancée will need to have the right to work in the UK before she can accept employment. She cannot apply for a work visa from within the UK as a visitor and she’s unlikely to be sponsored for a work visa by a UK employer as a new graduate unless she lands herself a highly competitive internship with a multinational or similar. Far better to secure her spouse visa first and then go job hunting.

Re: UK/US marriage 2020
 

Hi all, thanks for advice where given. We're both very aware that it will be very difficult for my fiancee to find work in the UK; believe me, we're not assuming anything on that front. But, she is in a situation where she can stay with some of my family over here at low cost for the duration of the tourist visa time span. The advice we've been given by US friends who have found work over here has generally been that actually being able go to interviews etc does make a difference in the chances of a company being willing to hire. We're aware that were she able to find someone willing to sponsor a work-visa she would have to go back to the US whilst the process was applied for and then hopefully completed to then re-enter on the work visa. We're also looking at internships as well, as we've had these recommended as potentially good avenues for work sponsorship.

I'll move this question over the recommended forum shortly, but briefly (and I will again plead my ignorance here), what sort of time-frames are the average for applying for and then receiving a work visa in the UK? My US friend who is now working in local govt got hers sorted in around 8 weeks, but she was here on the end of a student visa before being transferred to a work visa. Can I also just check whether

While none of this is ideal (what is about long-distance?), I think our viewpoint is that even if no work opportunities come from the 6 month stay on the tourist visa, we would then be considerably closer to the wedding date itself. If we then have to go back to long-distance for a few months then we will, even if it is not remotely an option we like.

Thanks again for all help!

Re: UK/US marriage 2020
 

As previously said obtaining a work visa in the UK is by no means guaranteed - as you have acknowledged; however, being in the UK and being able to go to interviews is an advantage.

The Tier 2 visa (work sponsored visa) is difficult to obtain. Sounds as though your fiance has little work experience and Tier 2 visas are provided for people with work and specific skills.

Read up about Tier 2 visas to see whether your fiance has any chance of getting one:

https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general

Note: Your fiance is not moving to the UK prior to the wedding, she is visiting - as a visitor she is not eligible for the NHS, so make sure she has medical insurance.

Re: UK/US marriage 2020
 

You’ll be looking at 8-12 weeks for a Tier 2 General visa. I do not know what your fiancée studied but I would be prepared to be disappointed if she wishes to secure such a visa as a new graduate.