Can anyone Help me re: fiancé visas

I am new to this and haven't got a clue by the way! Just being honest.

as a new member I need to talk to someone who has gone through the same thing as me and my fiancé are going through. I am english, and he is US citizen, from Just outside of Philly. We have been together since March 2005 and we are getting married in England on the 1st July 2007. We are at a loss right now as to what we need to get the visa. Vince, my fiancé needs his visa, if possible for the 28th March 2007 so that we can give notice to marry here and sign all the legal forms etc. Can anyone tell me the best way to go about it, what paperwork you had to do, what documents you needed etc. Also, could you specify when you needed your visa to start and why or was it just a bit of pot luck? I have been given different info from different sources, and have gotten nowhere. I Just need to head in the right direction with some good pointers from someone who has been through this nightmare of an experience!

If anyone can help I would really appreciate it! Thanx xxx

Why not start with these web sites?

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1006977149953

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/

The process is relatively straightforward.  The fiance' visa is good for six months, meaning you have to get married within the six month time frame of the visa.  Since you've indicated only about a 3-month time window between when he needs the visa & the date of your marriage, you should be fine.  Why not peruse the official links (which tell you what documentation you need, etc) and then if you have questions, post again?

My fiancee' visa was dated 20 Feb 04 to 19 Aug 04.  I got here on 28 Mar 04, we married on 14 Aug 04 -- then applied for my spousal visa immediately following.  (We opted to live permanently in the UK.)

thanks
we have the application form downloaded etc, which tells us what we ned, but the only thing we need to know about is the can we specify a date that we need it to start on etc. My wedding co-ordinator is sending the contract to me and the receipts that we have paid for the deposit etc as evidence for us to go along with it all, so we are on the way document wise.

Did you specify a date you needed it to start or did you just wait til you got it and then decide to marry? how long didit take you to get the visa from the date of application?
K xx

Well, we had a date set up for our wedding in England.  I'm from the US, but my time was at a premium too.  I had to leave a job but couldn't do it until about a month before the wedding, so we were crunched for when we could declare our notice to marry.  I applied at the end of April and even though I was not flying out until the begining of June, my visa was started from the day I was approved.  I applied before summer, and was approved in just over a week.  I would probably wait to apply until you are closer to the 6 month time frame for the wedding.  This is just my opinion though. 

Well, we had a date set up for our wedding in England.  I'm from the US, but my time was at a premium too.  I had to leave a job but couldn't do it until about a month before the wedding, so we were crunched for when we could declare our notice to marry.  I applied at the end of April and even though I was not flying out until the begining of June, my visa was started from the day I was approved.  I applied before summer, and was approved in just over a week.  I would probably wait to apply until you are closer to the 6 month time frame for the wedding.  This is just my opinion though. 

wow. it seems everyone is having different experiences with this too. i just wish there was someone who we could get a definite answer from. So did you do all of this in person or through the mail? Is there any other advice/hep you can give me?

My fiance visa was post dated. I applied via mail on October 11, 2005 and requested to have my visa start on November 18 and it was done with no problems.

They will only post date visas 3 months from your application date. You can't make an application now for a visa you want to start in March 2007.

My fiance visa was post dated. I applied via mail on October 11, 2005 and requested to have my visa start on November 18 and it was done with no problems.

They will only post date visas 3 months from your application date. You can't make an application now for a visa you want to start in March 2007.

so you would suggest waitinguntil the end of december to apply? there is no way around it? and did you go in person to do this or did you do it through the mail?

so you would suggest waitinguntil the end of december to apply? there is no way around it? and did you go in person to do this or did you do it through the mail?

Those are the rules and there is no way around it. I did my fiance visa application by mail via the Chicago consulate. I would suggest you browse through the Visas & Citizenship section and read the "Share your visa stories here!" thread to see how others did it.

we have the application form downloaded etc, which tells us what we need... 

Then you're already on the right track!

...but the only thing we need to know about is the can we specify a date that we need it to start on etc....  Did you specify a date you needed it to start or did you just wait til you got it and then decide to marry? how long didit take you to get the visa from the date of application?   

Tanis summed it up pretty well here.  It took less than two weeks for my visa to arrive through the post (from the date I sent off the paperwork).  I think you're overly worried about this, Kaz1410 - relax!  It'll be alright.

wow. it seems everyone is having different experiences with this too. i just wish there was someone who we could get a definite answer from. So did you do all of this in person or through the mail? Is there any other advice/hep you can give me?

I did my by mail.  This was my experience, but also, I was flying out in a month, and my wedding was a month after I flew out.  Seeing everything so close together may have made a difference.  They do seem to do a case by case basis though.  I would honestly wait until at least December.  But, if you go in person, you two may be able to talk to them about what date you need the visa for if it's within the 3 months they will post date it!