ok, i'm really green: here's my latest enquiry

if the lad & i are married in the states, should we go to the british consulate in chicago (after completing the online application & making our payment online) to obtain the final visa immediately after our wedding?

the british consulate in chicago says on their website that most visas are granted the day of the appointment, provided you have all necessary documents.

i'm asking because i'm trying to plan the whole wedding shindig at the same time i'm getting into all the visa paperwork. i just want to make sure i'm not putting the cart before the horse.

there's so much to think about & do--and all i really want is to get to brum & cuddle the boy forever! 

It sounds like you've got it right....

I just got my spousal visal from the Chicago consulate in May.

My British husband was in the states on a visa waiver and we got married on May 6th. I believe we went to the consulate on May 26th to get my visa. We filled out the application and paid online and made our appointment. You are right that visas are almost always issued on the same day. However, I had a little trouble with mine because I had been denied entry to the UK once. Because of this, I had to wait for them to get information from the UK on why I was denied entry. I was a little frustrated since I filled out the application online and it included a section that asked if I'd ever been denied entry, when and why. I wrongly assumed that they would have looked up that information before I got there. However, it seems like they don't look at your application at all until you're there in person.

Overall though, the process really wasn't that difficult. It's just scary.

I can answer any questions you have about the Chicago consulate.

It sounds like you've got it right....

I just got my spousal visal from the Chicago consulate in May.

My British husband was in the states on a visa waiver and we got married on May 6th. I believe we went to the consulate on May 26th to get my visa. We filled out the application and paid online and made our appointment. You are right that visas are almost always issued on the same day. However, I had a little trouble with mine because I had been denied entry to the UK once. Because of this, I had to wait for them to get information from the UK on why I was denied entry. I was a little frustrated since I filled out the application online and it included a section that asked if I'd ever been denied entry, when and why. I wrongly assumed that they would have looked up that information before I got there. However, it seems like they don't look at your application at all until you're there in person.

Overall though, the process really wasn't that difficult. It's just scary.

I can answer any questions you have about the Chicago consulate.

thanks!!!

i may very well take you up on that offer. 

You'll need to check with whomever is marrying you about how long it will take to get your marriage certificate.  Sometimes it can take a week or two.  That's probably the only thing that might keep you from going to the consulate "immediately."

You'll need to check with whomever is marrying you about how long it will take to get your marriage certificate.  Sometimes it can take a week or two.  That's probably the only thing that might keep you from going to the consulate "immediately."

Oh yes! Gosh, I wasn't even thinking about that! We were just getting married at the courthouse so we called around to a few counties to see who would give us certified copies the same day.

Niku2, I don't know where you're at but if you're driving to the Chicago consulate I'm assuming you're somewhere around there. We got married in Illinois and Vermillion county gave us our certified marriage certificate the same day (we just had to ask for it).

You'll need to check with whomever is marrying you about how long it will take to get your marriage certificate.  Sometimes it can take a week or two.  That's probably the only thing that might keep you from going to the consulate "immediately."

ah--good point! thanks for that!