Marriage Visas are EASY! :)

YAAAAAAAAAAY...!!![/b]  

i just returned from the states.  (i was there for most of December...)  and i got my marriage visa!!!!!  

i had checked a ton of sites online that dealt with the visa issue, and did lots of research on the application process etc.   they all recommended that i bring a ton of paperwork, documentation, lots pictures of my husband and i, emails, letters, MSN convos, phone bills, plane ticket stubs, etc. (to prove that i had "met my sponsor"), and ALSO that i get there 1-2 hours before the British Consulate opens.

i had to apply in Chicago.  i drove down the night before from Wisconsin in a blizzard.  i got to the Consulate about 1 1/2 hours before they opened the next morning.  the door guy said that they weren't open until 9 am, so i would just have to wait.  my friend and i sat on the white marble floor of the entryway, disappointed that we didn't have any sort of "waiting room" to sit comfortably. but i was customer #1, so i was 1st in line.

a man from upstairs at the British Consulate came down, saw us there, and told us to come on upstairs anyway.  (we were the only people there at this time...)

we went upstairs, and i spoke to a nice British lady.  she told us that they have been really busy for the past few weeks, and that they had all decided to come in a bit earlier that week, as to take care of everyone.

the normal drill, is that you arrive early, drop off your documents around 9 am, interview or whatever, and then come back between 4 and 4:30 pm to pick up your papers and your visa (IF they give it to you...   they also state that if they refuse your application, that they keep the entire $455 as well.   lame. ).

so, this lady tells the other guy that, "today we are going to do this a little different.  instead of taking all of the applications at once, let's just do them one at a time..."

she asked for each document, and i had everything organised in labeled envelopes and folders, so that part went quickly for me.  i asked if she needed the photo albums that i worked so hard on.  i included pictures of my husband and i, our families, vacations, plane tickets, pages and pages of emails and MSN convos, etc.   she said she didn't need any of that.  she said, "well, you two are already married, so that won't be necessary..."

(i guess that would be more necessary for a fiancé visa, to have all that extra stuff.)

she took my documents, and returned 10 minutes later with my marriage visa, and i was free to go!!!

i turned to look at the clock on the way out, and it was 8:55 am.  they don't even "officially open" until 9 am, and i was already DONE!!!     sweet.

the people there were all very friendly, and not at all intimidating like i had expected.  and now i have a cool $455 sticker in my passport that lets me work and stuff...  

yay for me!  

Ahhh... I remember that cold marble floor well from getting my fiancee visa!
Congratulations on such a speedy, great process!!

 Much Congrats luv!!

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[color=ff33ff]   thank yoooooooooooooooooou...!!!  

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Congratulations!!!  I recall going to Chicago for my spouse visa as well.  When we went back in the afternoon it was snowing (it was January 2 years ago we went!) and we were scooping snow off the cement and throwing snowballs into the river.  Ah yes....the memories! lol

Gee I hope it is that easy in Croyden.  I am a bit nervous but my fiance says it is gonna be easy.  Hope he is right. Going next week will be glad to get it over with.  Oh and by the way what do I have to do to get my number so I can go to work?

You can work without an NI Number, just use your temporary number which is your date of birth day/month/year with TN at the front and F for female on the end (M is male). So mine would be TN040964F. You should apply for the proper NI # though as soon as you have proof that you have a job.

You can work without an NI Number, just use your temporary number which is your date of birth day/month/year with TN at the front and F for female on the end (M is male). So mine would be TN040964F. You should apply for the proper NI # though as soon as you have proof that you have a job.

I would be careful about giving yourself a temporary number, these should be assigned by DWP, I would advise against it. I was assigned a temp number before receiving my permanent number and it was this format OO 00 11 22, the OO being the first two digits. A NIN is not a right everyone has, you have to prove entitled to have one. I found visa & immigration process simpler than getting the NIN.

Wow, Lost_Angel, what a smiley! Congrats on getting your visa.

I work in a university payroll office and they employ a lot of foreign nationals. HR always assign the temporary number to these staff until they can obtain their proper NI #.

What do I have to do to get a proper NI#?  Is there a form to fill out and can I get it online?

You have to call your local Department for Work and Pensions or Job Centre and make an appointment.  You have to interview for it.  You have a right to the interview if you are looking for work - but a lot of people have found it impossible to get an interview until after they already have a job.

I work in a university payroll office and they employ a lot of foreign nationals. HR always assign the temporary number to these staff until they can obtain their proper NI #.

That's interesting. They don't have to co-ordinate with DWP at all in doing this? or do they just send the employees P46 with this temporary number on it? I do payroll as well (I did not start paying myself until I got my NIN), and the employers guide says:

Employees with no NI number-
If your employee has never had an NI number
*keep a record of their full name, address, dob, sex and

*tell them to contact their nearest Department for Work and Pensions office.

Your employee must arrange an interview with the DWP to complete an application....

Nothing about assigning a temp number. Understandably, the University doing so much employment of foreign nationals may have been told by the DWP to assign the temp numbers, but it is not standard procedure in the Inland Revenue guides.

Sorry Squirrel, I just don't want anyone to get into any trouble. I'm not trying to be difficult, honestly.

The temporary # is just that-- something to use until they get a proper NI#. Having said that, we have people that leave having never had a proper NI#! There is a long wait to get one in this part of London, so we cannot really withhold their pay for months on end, yet we must use something, hence the temporary #.
It is really in the employee's interest to get an NI # though, as if they tried to claim Job Seekers Allowance they would find it hard to prove they had paid NI for 2 years without the money going to their correct NI account (obviously a lot of people have the same DOB).

I know that the spousal visa is good for two years when issued through the British Consulate here in the States then you file for ILR on that side, but it used to be that you had to travel to the U.K within 90 days upon issuance. Can anyone that's recently received theirs tell me if that's still the case?