gdwink

I hope someone can help with this...if my UK boyfriend comes here to US and we marry, is there any difficulty in our returning to UK together to live? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

FlyergirlUK

You will need the correct visa to enter the UK as a spouse of a UK citizen in order to live there. Have a look here for details and the application form you will need.

For further help and information on the process you might want to look at uk-yankee.com.

gdwink

Thank you for the links...I've read a lot of information, but still can't seem to come up with the process for applying for a spouse visa - as in do we do it whist he's still here in the U.S. or if he has to go back alone and then apply for one for me to enter the UK. It's quite confusing.

meauxna

Visas are documents for getting *into* a country---does that help?

If you prepare your other documents ahead of time, you should be able to apply while you are both in the US, as soon as you get your marriage certificate.

If you read the link FlyergirlUK posted and visit the other forum, all will come clear. Don't expect to 'get' it in a day or two; it takes some reading and time but it will come.

gdwink

Thanks very much - don't mean to appear thick, but my head is about spinning with all the legal jargon on the UK / US gov't sites and trying to decipher it all.

meauxna

Exactly. That's why you have to give yourself some time to learn the new lingo.

gdwink

...and go back and read it again with a clear head...thanks again for your help and understanding...

lansbury

In 1996 I came over on the VWP to the US and married my now wife. After the visit I returned to the UK and my wife got together all the documents and applied for her spouse visa to come to the UK.

She applied to the Consulate in San Fransisco and got the visa back in 7 days.

While that was some time ago I don't think the systems has changed much if at all in that time.

gdwink

Thanks so much for your reply and for the encouraging time line. Our hope is to be able to have the whole thing sorted whilst he's here so that we can return to the UK together. I've found the list of required documentation and it all seems pretty straight-forward - fingers crossed - I'm keeping positive thoughts that it will be a worry-free process.

BritishGuy36

I did it in 2000 and my wife and I drove to the British Consulate in Chicago with the correct paperwork and our marriage license, applied at 10am and picked up her pasport with the visa in it at 4pm.

Flew back the next day. Total time from wedding to flight home was 5 days....but we could have done it in 2 if we really needed to.

FlyergirlUK

No, it hasn't changed too much but there is an additional requirement these days of biometrics before the paper documents can be sent off to the Consulate.

Pre-biometrics, in 2006, my husband got his visa from the Consulate in New York in just 5 days - still infinitely faster than getting a US spousal visa!

FlyergirlUK

Unfortunately applying in person can't be done anymore - it's mail or courier only.

meauxna

What's that 'apply online business' about? I haven't seen anyone post that they have done that, but I've been curious.

FlyergirlUK

You apply online, initially, and then send in your supporting documents - very simple!

gdwink

Thank you again for your help and replies, you've been a wealth of valuable information. You're a star!