Don't mention the baby?

 Hey,

 that does indeed make sense. Given that 3 months of bank statements with adequate funds are not available, it may look better if we were married as we would be able to say that the transfer of money from both sets of parents was a wedding gift.

 I guess that one of the benefits of an expediater is that they would double check all the requirements are met before they actually submit your application?

 Thanks again for giving up your time to answer these questions. The voluntary work exclusion is a particularly helpful comment.

 Martin

Cheers for the links, you have been so much more help than the Worldbridge folks? I feel that I shoul;d write to them and ask them to send you the 14 dollars they charged for the call!

WorldBridge does have it's merits, however they aren't immigration advisers. I'm not either. I'm just someone who's been through it, survived and is now trying to help others going through it.

Expediters ARE NOT IMMIGRATION ADVISERS (well I can only think of 1 that actualy is and that is Laura Devine Solicitors), so be wary of what they tell you.

Check this thread: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=53694.0.

Given that 3 months of bank statements with adequate funds are not available, it may look better if we were married as we would be able to say that the transfer of money from both sets of parents was a wedding gift.

You'd still need to provide a minimum of 3 months worth of bank statements & paystubs. You would also need to get letters from those people giving you the money specifically stating that the money is a wedding gift and not a loan that is to be repaid. The ECO will need to be satisfied that you received this money for another reason and not to secure a visa.

 Ok, that all makes sense! Although I have been in my present job for three months, it is sessional with no set hours, so as I was in Bosnia over the summer I didn't earn any cash from them, you are allowed to offer this as an explanation from what I have read there and on the forms themselves?

If you're job just recently started then obviously you wouldn't have 3 months worth of paystubs. You will need to give your other half a letter that you write to the ECO processing the application supporting her application for a visa. In that letter you can describe your situation (living, work etc) and briefly how you met & your relationship. Hopefully that will answer any questions that they may have and your opportunity to explain things in greater detail.

Here's a sample letter: http://www.londonelegance.com/transpondia/usuk/spousal.pdf. As always this is just an example and yours should reflect your situation and using your own words.

 Sorry to keep taking your time here, just another question.

 What would be the benefits of us marrying in the US before she applies?

 For ILR we would have had to have been married 4yrs before this applied. What are the costs benefits and benefits in relation to the chance of having the application accepted? Is it just that she would be able to apply for work on arrival and therefor be more likely to be able to help support us in terms of maintenance

 Cheers Weby......

A benefit to marrying in the US is that the cost of UK visas increase each April. We expect a dramatic increase to happen in the next couple of years, think doubling of the current charges.

It basically allows her to skip a visa (the fiancee visa) and the cost of that visa. Since if she did get the fiancee visa and then come here to get married you would need to apply for ANOTHER visa in a 6 month period. But then you have to weigh that with the cost of your flight to the US.

It also allows her to work right away as opposed to the fiancee visa.

The application requirements are the same for the fiancee visa vs the spousal visa. The only application advantage I can see is if she has a job guarantee with a spousal visa they may take that into consideration in terms of meeting the maintenance requirement and on a fiancee visa since they can't work for 6 months it won't mean squat.

Forget about ILR it will not have anything to do with her visa path at this point, nor will it in the future since after July 2011 it will no longer exist in it's current form.

 Cheers once again Weby, having someone that has gone through this and "survived" is great and I'll be hanging around on the board for sure to offer the same help once we get to the same situation...............
 
 For all the hassle that this is, I just keep thinking that we are lucky compared to some people that maybe wouldn't have the support and the advantages that we have. If you and your hubby are ever in Glasgow, hopefully Michaelina and I will be able to buy you guys a drink!!!!

Thanks for the invite Martin, but we've made our trek to Scotland earlier this year. But, if you're ever down Derbyshire way, lemme know and I'll buy you a coffee 

This community is a godsend. I did my visa in March last year and did it on my own with only the government websites to guide me. In a way I'm kinda glad I didn't know then what I do know now. I think I was blissfully unaware and in a good situation with finances that I didn't have any doubt that my visa would be approved. I guess I was pretty naive back then.

If they want to financially support you that's NOT OK, as third party (anyone other than you & your fiancee) financial support is NOT ALLOWED.

Well 3rd party support is allowed ... it would not be a criminal offence for the parents to pay, or for you to receive, financial support. However, and this is the point, the ECO looking at the visa application would ignore any such financial support when considering whether the financial test is passed, or not.

bhoy, whilst you need to appreciate that such potential benefits cannot be taken into account in assessing whether the visa should be granted or not, thanks to para 3C of the Immigration Rules, once the baby is born, and assuming mum and baby then in the UK, it will be totally OK to claim Child Benefit and Tax Credits.

The fiancee visa does not allow employment or work of any sort. Including volunteer work so she couldn't help out with your organization either. She'd basically have to be a couch potato until you're married & she gets the FLR(M) visa.

I was planning on volunteering once I got to the UK. That's not allowed? Why not? Even for a charitable organization?

I was planning on volunteering once I got to the UK. That's not allowed? Why not? Even for a charitable organization?

No, it's not allowed.

I was planning on volunteering once I got to the UK. That's not allowed? Why not?

Because the immigration law says you can't.

Because the immigration law says you can't.

Well, obviously. I was just wondering what their reasoning was behind their madness.

You could potentially be taking a job away from someone that could be getting paid for it.