Getting a Fiance Visa

How much does it cost to get the finace visa and how long does it take? My boyfriend and I are trying to decide if it is worth going through or if we should just elope in the US.  I would need to leave the UK until it is processed I believe. Has anyone else been through it recently?

You can find the exact cost on the British consulate's website, but I believe the cost is hovering around $500 right now.  You will need to apply from the US and you can get the visa in a matter of hours if you apply in person.  If you apply by post, the waiting time seems to be anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks. 

Alternatively, and I'm not suggesting this--though there are a couple of people on the site who've done it, you can get married in the UK on a visitor's visa.  You'll just need to go back to the US to apply for your spousal visa, which, again, you can get in a couple of hours if you apply in person. 

UNLESS you're currently here on a student visa worth 6 months or more.  In that case, you can marry here and adjust your status to spouse without having to leave the UK.

Thanks for the info. That clears up a few things for me. I was under the impression I wasn't allowed to marry in the UK. If I did marry in the UK would I need to have had a fiance visa first or can we skip that part?

We are in a bit of a situation since I have just about used up my 6 months visitor visa and my work permit was turned down. I have searched all angles for me to be able to stay in the UK with my boyfriend but they all involve risk and months apart. Marriage seems to be the only way.

To get married in the UK you'll have to give notice, which takes 15 days, before you can get married.

And you'll still have to return to the US before your 6 months are up to obtain your Spouse Visa before returning.

You can marry on a visitor's visa, but it's not exactly recommended.  Still, as I said, others have done it and they can tell you better than I can about any problems they faced.  

I would say that it might look suspicious if you get married on a visitor's visa because you've applied for a work permit.  It might look like you're trying to stay in the UK however you can and that you're marrying your boyfriend because "marriage seems to be the only way".  I'm not saying that's what you're doing, but that might be how a consular official sees it.

If you're going to have to go back to the US anyway, I'd suggest you and your boyfriend get married over there and apply for your spousal visa in person (if possible) before heading back to the UK or you go by yourself and get your fiancee' visa so you can marry in the UK without running any risks at all.

I see what you are saying. After gathering all the info I would definitely just go back to the US to get married and get the spousal visa in person with him.

We WILL both make sure marraige is what we really want right now before jumping into it. It helps us figure everything out knowing all processes and what is involved. It's funny how one day marraige is just on your to do list and the next day you're so excited about eloping together- even if it is prompted by the government.

Thanks for your help and imput.

What if you are already over here on a work permit?  What are the guidelines then? (not that this is a current issue but it could be eventually!)

If you are on a work permit that is for longer than 6 months and get married, then you can just change status in the UK without having to return to the US.

For my fiance visa I've decided to use the Fast Track system and one of the questions I encountered on it was that they wanted to know my ex husbands birthdate. I've been divorced for over 9 years and that's not something I really tried to remember! Another one was my brothers birthdate. I haven't seen him in ages and don't even know where he's living. He's 20 years older than me and we've never been close. My sisters don't even remember his birthdate and my parents are deceased so there's no way to find out. At the end of this part of the application it asked if everything I wrote was true and to the best of my knowledge, would guessng these dates be to the best of my knowledge if I truely don't know and if I put a note with the application saying I wasn't sure if the dates were correct and had no way of finding out would they understand? I don't know what to do here.

For my fiance visa I've decided to use the Fast Track system and one of the questions I encountered on it was that they wanted to know my ex husbands birthdate.

This is interesting because my fiance is divorced and I'm not, and they don't ask for his ex-wife's birthdate.

I know, I thought that was very unusual and useless information.
Ok I looked it over again and it says "are you currently single, divorced, in a relationship akin to marriage," etc. I would concider myself currently single because well I'm not currently divorced.

If you are divorced, you are currently divorced unless you have since remarried. Saying you are single implies you have never been married/divorced.  When you marry your fiance your marriage cert will state your status as previous marriage dissolved, then when you apply for your spouse visa, you will be asked why you did not state that on your fiance application.

Thanks for the information. I did find my ex's birthdate on one of my divorce papers. that really saved me alot of trouble, I thought I'd have to track down his brother and ask. whew!

If you are divorced, you are currently divorced unless you have since remarried. Saying you are single implies you have never been married/divorced.  When you marry your fiance your marriage cert will state your status as previous marriage dissolved, then when you apply for your spouse visa, you will be asked why you did not state that on your fiance application.

I would be very careful to state divorced, as if you state you are single and they receive evidence of your prevous marriage, it will sound like you are trying to hide the fact that the marriage took place.