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Topic: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK  (Read 1433 times)

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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2016, 11:18:36 PM »
Yes, it's still fine, they've just rearranged the US Embassy website a bit and it's on a different page now.

The link is now here: http://london.usembassy.gov/mobile/immigrant-visas/marriage-to-a-u.s.-citizen.html

It's not a grey area and it's a perfectly normal thing to do (people from other countries get married in Vegas every day... If it wasn't allowed, those wedding chapels would lose a lot of business!) so just tell the truth at US immigration.

The US Embassy specifically tells you to marry on the visa waiver if you won't be living in the US after the wedding, and you can always print that page from the website to show the immigration officer if they query it.


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2016, 11:26:00 PM »
Oh thank you so much! You're always giving me helpful advice.

I guess I just need proof I will return so must get a letter from work and take my lease agreement. I will also have half of our UK spousal visa application with me as we hope to at least get the online bit done at the end of my trip if possible so that should be a good evidence. My partner is all for me telling the truth but I just couldn't bear it if I faced any issues as a result when a 2 week holiday would have caused no issues! Especially with friends and family flying over. Has anyone heard of anyone being refused after being honest about a wedding??

I did start a new thread in the end. Maybe I should delete it? Thanks again! :)


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2016, 11:31:13 PM »
Nope, never heard of anyone being refused.

A large number of people on this forum have done exactly what you will be doing, since it's usually easier to marry in the US than to get a fiancé visa for the UK, and in the 9 years I've been on here, I don't recall hearing of anyone having any issues.


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #18 on: February 05, 2016, 07:52:44 PM »
Hello there!  Me again!

So, I am getting geared up to fly over for our wedding (flight is 3 weeks today)

I have decided to definitely be honest and up front about being there for the wedding but the link you shared above has disappeared again.  Can't seem to find anything anywhere.  You don't think the rules have changed do you??!!

Thanking you in advance : )


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #19 on: February 05, 2016, 08:16:21 PM »
Try this:

Please note: if you do not intend taking up indefinite residence but will continue to live and work outside the United States after the marriage ceremony, you should apply for a B-2 visa, or if eligible, travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program.

https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas/fiancee-2/


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #20 on: February 05, 2016, 10:15:51 PM »
I married my US wife in Bessemer, Alabama.

Had a friend that worked for a judge which made it even easier but it was so simple.

Attended office there with my passport and her social security details. Paid $54 and received license to marry. Took it to the court and after a short ceremony with our Judge he signed it.

Had lunch with our friend. Popped back into the office and exchanged the signed license for a marriage certificate. So much easier than the UK system and was advice from this forum that guided us to that route.


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #21 on: February 07, 2016, 09:17:13 AM »
Thank you so much! Apologies for the delay. Had somehow unchecked the notify me of replies.
 Thank you for that link!!

I'm sure it will all be fine it's just so scary to face the chance someone could feasibly not let you in when you are planning a wedding and sorting a visa. Currently trying not to let the visa prep ruin the wedding joy but until I'm in his arms and through the border I don't think I'll be able to relax!

Your wedding sounds really lovely. I'm pretty sure all will go smoothly, I have contacted the office about the licence etc and have all the details so that should be fine.

Did you tell them you were there for your wedding when asked the purpose of your trip?? I seem to see a lot of people who have done this but not so many who said they were there for that purpose. Or those that did say had family and friends with them attending the wedding or were travelling with their fiance. It'll just be me as my friends are coming later. Also, I should add I am totally neurotic. Ha!!

As an aside. We are hoping to do the online application together whilst I'm there. Ideally we want him to get his biometrics done too and then I can bring everything including his passport back with me and post from the UK as I will need my Feb payslip and bank statement before I can submit (these will be issued whilst I'm
In the US) How long do we actually have to get docs in to Sheffield post biometrics? I have read one that said 5 days and one that said 14?! If we can schedule biometrics for my last day there then 5 should be ok at a push but need to gather these last items and then include wedding pics etc.

Is it easy enough to get a return waybill to him
In the states if I'm
Posting from the UK??

Sorry for all the extra questions!!! Thank you 😊


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #22 on: February 07, 2016, 09:41:18 AM »
I'm sure it will all be fine it's just so scary to face the chance someone could feasibly not let you in when you are planning a wedding and sorting a visa. Currently trying not to let the visa prep ruin the wedding joy but until I'm in his arms and through the border I don't think I'll be able to relax!

But the thing is that they can't feasibly not let you in, because you are following their own rules, which explicitly tell you to do exactly what you are doing.

You are doing nothing wrong, but if you start thinking and acting like you are, that's only going to make you look nervous and suspicious at the border. You just need to stay calm and be confident in yourself that you are in the right... which you are.

The only reason they might question it is if the immigration officer isn't familiar with their own rules, in which case, you just show them the page from the US Embassy website to prove that you are allowed to do it.

If you think entering the US to do something you're supposed to is nervewracking, try doing it with a criminal record! I have a DUI from 2007 and have been told by the US Embassy in London that I will need a visa to enter the US for the rest of my life (because there's no such thing as a 'spent' conviction in the US). I got the DUI just before I was due to apply for a student visa to move there and I was so scared that the visa would be refused and that I had just ruined my entire future because of one stupid decision that it was the worst few months of my life.

Turns out I didn't need to worry at all. Since then, I have been successfully granted 3 US visas, I've lived in the US for 8 months and I have been allowed in as a visitor 7 times with no hassle. A couple of times I was asked why I had a visa and had to explain the situation, but other than that, it's been fine. In fact, one US immigration officer was convinced I didn't need a visa at all, since a DUI is not a CIMT (Crime Involving Moral Turpitude)... and that is a valid question (one I have wondered about myself), but since US immigration already know my history and have granted me visas before, I'd rather be safe and continue to apply for visitor visas.

If I can be allowed into the US 9 times, with no issues, even with a criminal record, you will have no issues coming into the US to do something that visitors do every day and that US immigration specifically tells you to do.

Quote
As an aside. We are hoping to do the online application together whilst I'm there. Ideally we want him to get his biometrics done too and then I can bring everything including his passport back with me and post from the UK as I will need my Feb payslip and bank statement before I can submit (these will be issued whilst I'm in the US) How long do we actually have to get docs in to Sheffield post biometrics? I have read one that said 5 days and one that said 14?!

It used to be 14 days, but it was reduced to 5 days from September 2015. They must be POSTED within 5 days of the biometrics appointment.

See here for more information about this: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/usa-apply-for-a-uk-visa/apply-for-a-uk-visa-in-the-usa

Quote
Is it easy enough to get a return waybill to him
In the states if I'm
Posting from the UK??

He will need to sort out the waybill himself before you leave the US, and include the information in the package.

He can either:

1) Purchase pre-paid UPS return shipping ($134) through the VFS Global website and include the label with the package (http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/usa/user_pay_services.html#3)
or
2) Set up an online account with either DHL or UPS and include his online account number with the package... the online account will then be charged for the shipping when Sheffield have made a decision

Just be aware that someone last year posted the application from the UK and then had it rejected and returned to them. I think it was just a mistake, but the person who was sorting their application seemed to think they had applied for the wrong visa...  because it had been mailed from inside the UK, they assumed the US citizen was living in the UK and was supposed to be applying for FLR(M) instead... which was incorrect.

The UK spouse had to mail the application back to Sheffield again with a letter of explanation that it was the correct visa and that the US citizen was in the US... it didn't affect the visa outcome, but it added a few weeks onto the whole process because of the faffing around with it.

So, it may actually be more straightforward for him to just mail it from the US using DHL or UPS (or the pre-paid service through VFS Global) instead of you taking back to the UK first.


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #23 on: February 07, 2016, 07:18:03 PM »
I took all my paperwork with me.

Told the US Border guy I was just visiting friends for Thanksgiving. Not a lie as we had nothing planned apart from having a big Thanksgiving (my first). He asked what I did for a living and when I told him I am a Police Officer he asked to see my badge. Thankfully I took my Warrant Card with me and after showing it I passed into the US for the first time with ease.

My wife sent all our docs from the US because that's what they wanted and I didn't want to confuse matters.


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #24 on: February 08, 2016, 11:06:50 AM »
Hiya,  Thank you again for your reassuring message. I'm sure it will all be absolutely fine.  I am a silly worrier that is all and I will have the information to back me up so I'm sure all will be well.

Hmmmm, ok re posting documents from UK.  There really is no other sensible way to do it or else I guess I could take everything else with me then get back and post him the payslip and bank statment as soon as I have them and make him wait to schedule his biometrics until he had everything there. It just seems crazy to post it out there and then have him post it all the way back. Also I want to use my February payslips and i don't get back to the UK until the 15th March.  If I start posting things to him then I'm in danger of being outside my 28 days for the application and we just want to try and get him here as soon as possible.

Do you think if I enclosed a letter explaining or marked the front of the envelope something like UK spousal visa - Applicant documents posted by sponsor from within UK but to be returned to U.S or something??  It would just be so much easier and quicker if I could just post it all.  I guess we can buy the VFS thing anyway and just include the return part and the waybill etc.

If I make it totally explicit in my application that that is what we've done?  And it will say priority on the front??  I can't be the only one who is posting docs from the UK seeing as it's all of the UK sponsors financial information that they need.

Any advice gratefully received!




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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #25 on: February 08, 2016, 11:19:23 AM »
They do have an email process too because I was requested for extra documents. My employers only send references direct to the requester so that couldn't be posted. They also wanted scanned copies of Divorce certificates and a scan of the biometrics page of my UK passport plus more bank statements.

These were all sent to their email address within 24hrs using our application reference number.

So they have capability to live in the modern paperless world but the missing documents may have delayed our application a bit.


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #26 on: February 08, 2016, 01:09:58 PM »
Hi there,  thanks for you response.  Yes, I know they can request things via email and in that case a scan would be acceptable but I wouldn't want to send in an incomplete application without the original relevant payslip and bank statement as my application relies on the income from February (6 months payslips for category A)or send in a scanned copy of my payslip or anything for fear that they might not ask me for extra documents and might just refuse it there and then!!

My plan was do online app together in the US - book his biometrics for as close as possible to my leaving date (14th March), take his passport, the printed app sheet, the priority sheet, everything we need back with me to the UK.  Go and pick up my payslip and bank statement on the 15th when I'm back, print out some wedding pics and sort out the return postage and then post it all off from the UK (I practically live in Sheffield anyway)so we would be within our 5 days.  I hope I can still do that as i really want to do the online app together while I'm there!

Thanks very much


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #27 on: February 08, 2016, 01:32:33 PM »
Sounds like a plan. Maybe I could have done that but I chose to get it sent by my better half from the US to Sheffield as that's what I thought was the process.


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #28 on: February 08, 2016, 02:33:10 PM »
As far as I'm aware it is OK to do it this way.  I know the general protocol is to post from the US but I am worried we will miss our deadline if I have to post payslips to him only to have him post them back here again!!  I have seen people on other forums who have done it this way - I just have to include return shipping as the documents must be returned to my partner in the U.S.  Would be great if anyone had first hand experience.  It might be worth me starting a new thread I wonder?


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Re: Fiance Visa/Getting Married in US or UK
« Reply #29 on: February 08, 2016, 03:15:42 PM »
Maybe an idea because I'm planning to do the same with my step daughter because we'll both be here during her application (fingers crossed)


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