Questions about FRL/ILR and Naturalization

Hi again 

I'm coming up with different answers to my questions and I figured I might as well just ask and see if someone here can clarify things for me. Ok. this post is really nothing _but_ questions....

My honey and I got my fiancee visa on april 12th.
It is dated to become active July 6th (the day we plan on flying over to the UK).
We've set our wedding date for Oct 21st.

After we get married, what exactly _is_ the next step?

I know that at some point I am supposed to apply for FLR, but does that clock start the moment I enter the UK, or does it only start after our wedding is done (it's a civil ceremony).  (the fiancee visa is at the 6 month point in january 07)

Is FLR the same as a marriage visa?
Do I apply for one of those once we've got the marriage license?

And how long do I have to apply for it? (and am I correct in thinking it's in Croydon if we want to do it in person?) Do I apply immediately? 

After I apply (and am hopefully approved for FLR) how long do I wait to apply for ILR?
And if I want to naturalize after that, is the 3 years from the time I am married, the time I am granted FLR, or the ILR?

And also, I know that part of the supporting documents to apply need to include my name as well as my DH's name on them.
Can these be council tax bills? Water bills?
Can there be correspondence that only have my name on them?
What is the best kind of correspondence and papers to save/use/collect for this purpose?
Will it matter that until we are married (oct) that for the first few months any correspondence will have my maiden name on it?)

I'm trying to forestall any problems.

I'm sorry if these have been asked a million times. 

thanks
 

You should apply for your FLR as soon as possible after the wedding, and definitely before the visa expiration date in January 2007. (If you haven't applied for FLR when the visa expires- 6 months after it becomes active- you become an illegal overstayer.) You can apply in person at several offices around the country, not just Croydon.

You can apply for ILR 28 days before the expiration of your FLR, which will be probably late 2008 (depending on when you apply for FLR).

Three years residence for naturalization purposes is three years from the date you enter the UK on your fiancee visa (so July 6, 2009.)

Is FLR the same as a marriage visa?
Do I apply for one of those once we've got the marriage license?

And how long do I have to apply for it? (and am I correct in thinking it's in Croydon if we want to do it in person?) Do I apply immediately? 

Not all FLRs are Marriage Visas.  FLR-M is the appropriate type of visa to apply for, but generally people use them interchangably.  FLR just means you have a fixed time period you are allowed to stay in the country.

Yes, apply as soon as possible and DO NOT LEAVE THE COUNTRY before obtaining your FLR/spousal visa.  This is because you would be attempting to re-enter the country under a fiancee visa, which is no longer true, because you are now married.  They are getting a bit tougher about enforcing this so the best thing to do is pop off to Croyden before the honeymoon, or honeymoon in the UK.

You should apply for your FLR as soon as possible after the wedding, and definitely before the visa expiration date in January 2007. (If you haven't applied for FLR when the visa expires- 6 months after it becomes active- you become an illegal overstayer.) You can apply in person at several offices around the country, not just Croydon.

You can apply for ILR 28 days before the expiration of your FLR, which will be probably late 2008 (depending on when you apply for FLR).

Three years residence for naturalization purposes is three years from the date you enter the UK on your fiancee visa (so July 6, 2009.)

Thank you for the information! 

Not all FLRs are Marriage Visas.  FLR-M is the appropriate type of visa to apply for, but generally people use them interchangably.  FLR just means you have a fixed time period you are allowed to stay in the country.

Yes, apply as soon as possible and DO NOT LEAVE THE COUNTRY before obtaining your FLR/spousal visa.  This is because you would be attempting to re-enter the country under a fiancee visa, which is no longer true, because you are now married.  They are getting a bit tougher about enforcing this so the best thing to do is pop off to Croyden before the honeymoon, or honeymoon in the UK.

FLR-M! Ok! thank you for that.  And I thought that leaving the country prior to getting the FLR /Spousal visa might be a problem--thank you for confirming that for me.
Little by little it's all filtering through my brain!