ray4you

hi all:

im a new member just needed some info im a foreign student studying in uk my girlfriend is a us citizen who is coming to uk and we plan to get married does she need any special permission to get married to a foreigner in the uk since mericans dont requie a visa to come to uk as tourists.any info will be highly apprciated

Noorah101

Yes, your USC girlfriend will need a special visa to enter the UK with marriage intent. She can't come to the UK as a tourist and get married there. Do a search around in this forum for the link to a site with more details about getting married in the UK.

Edit to add....the visa she will need only takes a couple of weeks to obtain. Nothing difficult.

Best Wishes,
Rene

Folinskyinla

Hi:

His fact situation is a tad different than most people traveling to the UK to get married. I wonder if the fact that the poster is temporarily in the UK makes a difference? I really don't know and I think the question is a fair one.

Noorah101

Good point.

augigi

Google told me that:

"International students (visa nationals) wishing to get married or enter into a civil partnership in the UK need to apply to the Border and Immigration Agency for a Certificate of Approval for Marriage or Civil Partnership before they can get married.

To download the Certificate of Approval Marriage/Civil Partnership application form and guidance notes please visit the Border and Immigration Agency's website.

thedudeabides

Hi there,
Don't know if this is helpful, probably more of an example of how not to go about it..but anyway I married my wife (US citizen) in UK and she had no visa, just entered as a tourist. Once we had the marriage certificate we applied for UK residency. She got it with no problems other than it took a few months to process.
Good luck anyway, hope it works out for you both.

Noorah101

Dude, how long ago was your experience?

Rene

thedudeabides

Yeah true, it was 1999 to be fair. They might have tightened things up since then.

Although I seem to remember at the time people were saying she needs a fiance visa and what not, but it didn't stop us from being able to get married in UK and then once we had the certificate, the UK immigration said everything was cool.

But you're right...probably best to go through the correct channels

Marocco

Unless they plan to get married in an Anglican church.

Marocco

It doesn't, unfortunately. See here.

The new rules were introduced in February 2005.

ian-mstm

It sounds like both of them will need a COA to get married in the UK.

Ian

Bob

yes, it's tightened up, need to get a visa in the UK for the last few years now...