chrisd09

Hi, I've emailed a few people but had nothing back yet about help with a visa.
My girlfriend and i are engaged to be married for the 1st of june and we want to apply for a visa for her to come back to the UK with me. She is a U.S citizen and we have been together now for 2 years. However, I want us to get married in america so that her family can come but we want to return to the UK.
I'm stuck as to what visa to get. Do i get a fiance visa for her even though she will technically be my wife when we return or do we get a spouse visa even though she wont be my wife until june the 1st but will be returning as my wife.
We want to get the visa out the way so we have no problems with getting her over here. I cant just bring her over cause she came over as a visitor and was given 1 week temporary leave because the IND wasnt satisfied she was a visitor. We proved everything to them but they said no. I got in touch with the IND and they are willing to give her a more permanant visa but unsure which one.
Can someone help.
Thanks
Chris

MrsLondon

You'll definitely have to get her a spousal visa as you'll be married when she comes over but you can't get it before the wedding. Only the British Consulates in NYC, LA and Chicago issue these visas. If you live near one of these cities you can get the visa in person the same day, but get there VERY early (like 8am)
You can download the form from www.homeoffice.gov.uk. You'll need the completed form, your marriage cert, both passports, 2 passport photos of her (I don't think they're so fussy about size as INS but face on), proof of your fanancial support eg letter from your employer/3 months bank statements or payslips, proof of your accommodation ie your mortgage statement or rental agreement, and a fee which is about $400 I think, in cash. You'll need to go together but you don't need an appointment. We went to the NYC one. You do have an interview but it's not really an interview, just 2 minutes that's all. They did not question our relationship as we had the Fiance visa, but you may want proof that it's genuine eg wedding photos, e-mails you've exchanged, phone bills etc.

chrisd09

Hi, Is there another way or not. We will be getting married in Florida and i know its a long drive to new york. If its what we have to do then we will do it. Also is there nothing i can do before hand because i dont want to turn up at the consular office and tell them where married just in case they think we did it to get her here straight away even though we've been planning this for a long time now. We can proove our validity of our relationship and that we've been together for a number of years and met on several occasions.
Also what are the chances that we could be turned down for the visa to bring her back to the uk if we went to new york? is there a high chance or do they usually accept you if you prove what they want.
Chris

MrsLondon

Hi Chris, I don't think there's much of a chance of being turned down unless you forget some paperwork, they think you're not genuine or that your USC Fiancee might be a burden on the UK taxpayers (ie if you don't have enough money to support her or a place to live for you both). We NEARLY slipped up because we took proof of my salary but not of Mark's savings! Fortunately we found an ATM and Mark got a balance statement for his account and they accepted that, but for a moment our hearts were in our mouths as we'd come up from Boston especially! We should really have taken a proper bank statement showing he had a few hundred dollars. Luckily they accepted the ATM slip but if we'd had a different person they may have been stricter.
As with the people bringing fiances and spouses to live in the US, I'd say check your paperwork several times.
I do not think they'd mind you got married in the US. It's your choice where you get married, and afterall getting married in the bride's hometown is pretty common. We got married in England, but I am the UKC.
You can apply by post, I'm sure you can get the address on the Home Office website, but it has to be NYC, LA or Chicago, depending whereabouts in the US you are (which is nearest). I think it takes about a week. Some people, I believe, pay an agent to stand in line at the consulate to hand in the paperwork in person. If you don't go in person you'd need a letter from the sponsor (you) to say you support your fiancee's application, and you intend to live together permanently as husband and wife.
With the spousal visa, your wife can work as soon as she arrives in the UK.
Where in the UK will you be living? My hubby took a lot of getting used to living here but he's OK now. He goes back to Boston for holidays about 3 times a year and his mom comes here for visits.

chrisd09

Hi, I live in Nottingham and my girlfriend came over and liked it a lot and would prefer to live here. Me myself i would like to stay in america but thats a future plan right now. She came over but cause of the IND problem she only got a week and we packed everything in we could in that week. We spent a lot of time running around getting documents because she was a valid visitor but the stupid IND said otherwise. She's now in america and we want to do things the right way so theres no problems.
Which visa would you recommend as the best. Fiance or spouse.
We could possibly get married over here if it was easier and have a ceramony in america.
I just want things to go ok.
Chris

MrsLondon

The fiancee visa would be for if you intend to marry in the UK. If you marry in the US, you get the spouse visa.
I think if you fly into a country and say you're visiting a boyfriend, alarm bells go off in the immigration officer's head. Not right but it's a fact. Same would probably have happened if you came to US and said you were visiting your girlfriend. We always said just 'friend/penpal.' Not telling the truth but not exactly lying either.
IMHO there is nothing wrong in you marrying in the US. You have valid reasons ie her family attending so there's no reason why you should be turned down for the spouse visa provided you have all the paperwork in order. As you are in Florida, I'd apply by post. It should only take a few days, and she can work right away (not with the fiancee visa).
The spouse visa is for 1 year. After one year she can apply for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) which is permanent residence. With ILR, you can leave Britain for up to 2 years, come back and not have to apply for ILR again.
Nottingham is a nice place, my sister lives there. Not too expensive either. We're in London and have just a 1 bed flat. But we like it here!

chrisd09

Hiya, Thanks for your help. I have more of an idea of what i can do now. Before i was just going round in circles trying to find out what was needed etc. So you say i can apply by post for the spouse visa, That seems better. The only thing is how long will it take for her to be able to return to the UK. We're willing to travel up to new york if we have to and do the visa that way but it will be a push to get up there and back because i work and cant stay off too long seeing as i have to support her until she gets herself sorted and dont want to lose my job. If i have to stay until its sorted then the job can come second.
All we know now is we are getting married on june the 1st and that we're living in England, how it happens and whether it happens that way is a mystery but we live in hope.
Chris

MrsLondon

Hi Chris,
I think it takes about a week by post, I'm not 100% sure. But she can travel on it immediately.
If you are really worried about not getting the fiancee visa, you cld get married in England in a registry office with a reception in FL, but I don't think getting married in the US shld be a problem.
Good luck!

simon bland

Why not come over to Florida to get married, fly up to NY, stay overnight, get your Visa and then fly to London from New York. That way there is no waiting, and there are plent of cheap flights from Florida to NY

Good Luck

Zeus

chrisd09 probably used two fingers to
type... news:[email protected]:

    > All we know now is we are getting married on june the 1st and that we're
    > living in England, how it happens and whether it happens that way is a
    > mystery but we live in hope.
    > Chris
    >

Good luck Chris... I hope it all goes ok for the both of you.

Regards etc...

(somebody in almost the same boat as you... but not quite).

Srzia27

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web...mmigration.htm

MrsLondon

Chris, I found out there is a British Consulate in Miami that issues visas, but I don't know if that includes spousal visas. The phone # is 001 305 374 1522.

MrsLondon

Chris,
I found out from the very useful www.britain-info.org that the New Yprk Consulate IS the issuing spouse visas for FL. The address is
The British Consulate General
845 Third Avenue
New York
NY 10022

Tel no is 001 212 745 0200

Current fee is $429 but it fluctuates depending on the exchange rate (probably £250) so best to call and check.

Squire

In article , MrsLondon
writes
    >Hi Chris,
    >I think it takes about a week by post, I'm not 100% sure. But she can
    >travel on it immediately.
    >If you are really worried about not getting the fiancee visa, you cld
    >get married in England in a registry office with a reception in FL, but
    >I don't think getting married in the US shld be a problem.

I understand that (unlike in UK) marriage certificates in USA are often
available some days after the actual ceremony. The British mission
handling a spousal visa application would insist upon seeing the
certificate. Perhaps the Florida resident can make enquiries in advance
regarding this.

They may also care to check that there are no silly local rules like
requiring the UK fiance having to have a SS# or that, if divorced, the
foreign decree absolute bears a signature (rather than just a seal).



--
squire
Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others. (Groucho)

MrsLondon

I doubt either party needs a SSN to get married in FL. British couples do it all the times (both British) as it is very popular to get married there as a sort of wedding/honeymoon in one. Lots of travel companies here have brochures on it.