Marry in US under VWP then settle in UK?

[joeyd1230]

I have a girlfriend in the UK. The topic of marriage has recently came up, which has got me thinking about what our options are.

She is still a student in the UK (she's 21), but we'd like to get married in the US over the summer. After being married, I plan on moving to the UK with her for at least two years.

Since we have no immediate intentions of permanently staying in the US once we're married, can she enter the US under the Visa Waiver Program, marry me, then I apply for a UK Spouse Visa? She wouldn't be staying in the US any longer than the allowed 90 days and wouldn't be returning to the US for any period more than 1-2 months per year, so we can visit my family and friends.

However, if, at some point in the future, we decide we want to settle in the US, will the fact that we married in the US without the proper visa be an issue?

We'd like to avoid having to wait for US Fiancee Visa processing times and applications if we can legally get married without having to file for all of that, so long as she isn't intending on staying longer than the VWP allows.

I just want to make sure that us marrying while she is visiting under the VWP won't cause any future troubles for us when we visit the US in the years after being married and if we decide to settle in the US after living in the UK for a period of time.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[Kristi]

What you were thinking is correct.  She can enter under VWP and marry you.  Then you apply for a spousal visa at one of the 3 British consulates that process settlement visas.  There are loads of people on the board who have done this.

You won't have issues later on as she's not attempting to marry and settle.  She's marrying you and returning to her home country.

[bookgrl]

It's fine, can you imagine what would happen to Vegas if it wasn't? 

[Petunia]

Are you also at least 21 years old?  Both parties of a marriage must be 21 to apply for a UK spouse visa.