Need Help with Fiance Visa Process (US Male, UK Female Citizen)

Everything Rick said.  Absolutely.  This is an incredible community.

It's a tick-box visa, as long as you tick the boxes to show you meet each requirement, and provide all the documents they can't refuse the visa.

I called the Register of Deeds and the process of getting the marriage license and getting married is incredibly straightforward.  I think we are going this route.  Sorry to bug you, but my fiancee was wondering what she should tell the US border forces when they ask the purpose of her trip? Would she be denied entry if she said the purpose of her trip was to get married?

And she wants me to check once more that this option (getting married in US, spousal visa, etc.) isn't going to upset UKVI or anything like that.  Just giving her peace of mind, I think she's sold on this option.

I was reading what was required for the spousal visa, and it said that I needed to give proof of my finances.  I can do this but I am confused because I thought it was only meant to be proof of her finances.  Is this different because it's a spousal visa instead of a fiance visa?

I called the Register of Deeds and the process of getting the marriage license and getting married is incredibly straightforward.  I think we are going this route.  Sorry to bug you, but my fiancee was wondering what she should tell the US border forces when they ask the purpose of her trip? Would she be denied entry if she said the purpose of her trip was to get married?

And she wants me to check once more that this option (getting married in US, spousal visa, etc.) isn't going to upset UKVI or anything like that.  Just giving her peace of mind, I think she's sold on this option.

I was reading what was required for the spousal visa, and it said that I needed to give proof of my finances.  I can do this but I am confused because I thought it was only meant to be proof of her finances.  Is this different because it's a spousal visa instead of a fiance visa?

She just tells the truth at the border, people have destination weddings all the time. UKVI see it every day of the week!

The financial requirements are exactly the same for the finance or the spouse visa.

She just tells the truth at the border, people have destination weddings all the time. UKVI see it every day of the week!

The financial requirements are exactly the same for the finance or the spouse visa.

So I don't submit my finances, only she does (for the most recent 6 months) correct?

So I don't submit my finances, only she does (for the most recent 6 months) correct?

That is correct.

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Let me have this settle your fears.

I was living and working in the UK when I met my now husband (I'm the American, he's the Brit).  We looked into getting married in the UK and HATED all the rules and how long it was going to take.  So one Sunday we just decided to get married and forget all the wedding crap.  We flew to NYC (no connection there) on Wednesday and got our marriage license (24 hour wait in NYC).  Friday morning we married and had a photographer as our witness.  Went and had fun photos around the city.  Sunday we flew back to the UK.

We married October 5th and I changed my status on October 12th from a work visa to FLR(M).  No issue whatsoever.  People have destination weddings ALL.  THE.  TIME.  UKVI do not care where you marry.  Just that the marriage is legal and not a sham.   

Let me have this settle your fears.

I was living and working in the UK when I met my now husband (I'm the American, he's the Brit).  We looked into getting married in the UK and HATED all the rules and how long it was going to take.  So one Sunday we just decided to get married and forget all the wedding crap.  We flew to NYC (no connection there) on Wednesday and got our marriage license (24 hour wait in NYC).  Friday morning we married and had a photographer as our witness.  Went and had fun photos around the city.  Sunday we flew back to the UK.

We married October 5th and I changed my status on October 12th from a work visa to FLR(M).  No issue whatsoever.  People have destination weddings ALL.  THE.  TIME.  UKVI do not care where you marry.  Just that the marriage is legal and not a sham.   

Thank you so much. Congratulations and blessings to your marriage. I appreciate everyone's help so far!

Just a note regarding a slight difference with the fiance visa validity and the spousal visa validity:

Fiance visa:
- valid 6 months
- issued as a 6-month sticker in your passport
- the 6 months will usually start from the Intended Travel Date you list on the application form.
- you can enter the UK at any time during the 6 months

Spousal visa:
- valid 33 months
- issued in two parts:
Part 1: a 30-day vignette sticker in your passport that is valid for 1 entry into the UK 
Part 2: a 33-month BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) ID card which you pick up from a designated UK Post Office within 10 days of arriving in the UK
- the 30-day vignette will usually start from the Intended Travel Date you list on the application form, or from 7 days before that date
- if you can't enter within the 30 days, you'll have to submit an application for a replacement 30-day vignette which costs about £200

So, on the spousal visa application form, you'll want to put the earliest possible date you will be able to travel to the UK within 30 days of.

If the travel date passes before the visa is issued, it will just be issued from the date the visa is decided instead. But, if you put a date quite far out and the visa is approved much earlier (i.e. you put a date in June, but the visa is decided in April), you'll still have to wait until that date in June to be able to enter the UK on the visa.

Just something to be aware of when you are deciding which 'Intended Travel Date' to put on the form.

We are both worried that it will look like we were playing the system and because of this, the ECO would refuse our application because we went through a loophole.  We are willing to get married in the US if we can work everything out and if we aren't refused because we "tried to play the system."

I believe we could get all of the documents needed before then and that we could get it in time, we were hoping to get our fiance visa done before then so I'm sure we would be able to get the spousal visa done with a little more time.

What would she need to bring in order for us to get married?  I read that the people applying both need Social Security Numbers, but I would be the only one with that.  What would she need?

My husband and I are in the same boat. We got married in the US last March 7th in a civil ceremony at the county courthouse and doing the spouse visa process. Overall it's definitely cheaper than the fiance route. As mentioned by the others, we will do a "blessing ceremony" in the UK when we're all settled.

We got married in California and we didn't need to provide our SSN's. We only showed our DL's.

Spousal visa:
- valid 33 months
- issued in two parts:
Part 1: a 30-day vignette sticker in your passport that is valid for 1 entry into the UK 
Part 2: a 33-month BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) ID card which you pick up from a designated UK Post Office within 10 days of arriving in the UK
- the 30-day vignette will usually start from the Intended Travel Date you list on the application form, or from 7 days before that date
- if you can't enter within the 30 days, you'll have to submit an application for a replacement 30-day vignette which costs about £200

If the travel date passes before the visa is issued, it will just be issued from the date the visa is decided instead. But, if you put a date quite far out and the visa is approved much earlier (i.e. you put a date in June, but the visa is decided in April), you'll still have to wait until that date in June to be able to enter the UK on the visa.

Thank you for the tips.  This may be a stupid question but what would we apply for after the spousal visa is up? Should I wait to start the spousal visa application until my fiancee arrives in the US?  She will likely arrive a couple days before Easter but we wouldn't be able to get married until April 2 at the earliest.  Or is it okay to start it now and just continue to save it?

Thank you for the tips.  This may be a stupid question but what would we apply for after the spousal visa is up? Should I wait to start the spousal visa application until my fiancee arrives in the US?  She will likely arrive a couple days before Easter but we wouldn't be able to get married until April 2 at the earliest.  Or is it okay to start it now and just continue to save it?

After the spousal visa is up - actually, after you have been in the U.K. for 30 months - you apply for FLR(M), which is valid for another 30 months. After that’s it’s ILR (after 5 years in the UK). Once you have ILR, you can qualify for U.K. citizenship.

So, for spousal visas, the immigration path is:
- 30 months on the spousal visa
- 30 months on FLR(M)
- ILR after 60 months in the UK
- citizenship once you have ILR.

While for a fiancé visa, it’s:
- up to 6 months on fiancé visa
- 30 months on first FLR(M)
- 30 months on second FLR(M)
- ILR after 60 months on FLR(M)
- citizenship once you have ILR

So another plus for the spousal visa route is that you can qualify for ILR and citizenship sooner.

If you enter the U.K. on a spousal visa in May 2018, you can qualify for ILR in May 2023.

But if you enter the U.K. on a fiancé visa in May 2018, but your first FLR(M) isn’t granted until, say, November 2018, you won’t qualify for ILR until November 2023.


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After the spousal visa is up - actually, after you have been in the U.K. for 30 months - you apply for FLR(M), which is valid for another 30 months. After that’s it’s ILR (after 5 years in the UK). Once you have ILR, you can qualify for U.K. citizenship.

So, for spousal visas, the immigration path is:
- 30 months on the spousal visa
- 30 months on FLR(M)
- ILR after 60 months in the UK
- citizenship once you have ILR.
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Is it okay to start the spousal visa application?  I want to see what all there is and to start filling it out.

Is it okay to start the spousal visa application?  I want to see what all there is and to start filling it out.

Yes.

Yes.

Is it okay if all the documents my fiancee has are in her current name?  How would her maiden name be held in terms of the process?  Can we do everything with her name as is?

Just from glancing at your document list, it's easy to tell you've been working with a dodgey lawyer.  Glad you are rid of them!  We'll help you get your visa approved and save a bundle.

Where will you be living when you move over?  At her parents or in your own place?

I know this is from way earlier, but since we're on track to do a spousal visa now, does this change what we need to do in regards to the location I put down where I will be staying?  She is renting out her flat until June, so though we will be married (getting legally married in US, spousal visa route) is it okay to say I will be living at her parents house until June? Do we still just put I'm at her parents, that it won't be overcrowded, etc.?