getting married in the uk

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum, hope I have posted my question in the right place.
I am a British Citizen living in the UK. My girlfriend is a US citizen living in Savannah, GA. My girlfriend is divorced, and I will be too (decree absolute, in a few weeks).
We plan to marry in the UK this summer and then, after my application is complete (I am finding out about that LONG bit on other forums & websites!) I will move to the USA.

My questions are about marrying in the uk.
I read the guidelines on http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visitingtheuk/gettingmarried/documents/ [nofollow] but I am really confused.  Does my girlfriend need a certificate of approval?
If so how long does this application take?
Does the wedding need to be booked first as evidence?
Should she not book flights yet?

Anyway advice from someone who has been through this would be appreciated!
Cheers in advance
Andy
 

If you are not settling in the UK, she can come here on a marriage visit visa, which is dead cheap, and then she will not need a CoA. She will then go back to the US after the wedding and you can start your US process.

she needs a marriage visitor visa- it's just like a normal visitor visa (6 months, can't work) but you can also get married in the UK on it.  If she has that visa, she won't need a CoA.  The application process shouldn't take more than a few weeks.

Don't book flights until you have the visa in hand.

xposted with superl99

wow thanks both of you for the quick responses! Neither of us have applied for any visas before so it is very confusing. Am I right that she needs to apply online because she is in the US.
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/wheretoapply/unitedstates [nofollow]

thanks
 
Andy

Online visa application site: http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/Welcome.htm

hi, it's me again, before filling in the online application for the Marriage Visitor Visa should my girlfriend wait until my decree absolute (a few weeks ago) or go ahead?
Also once she has filled in the approximate dates of her visit, can these be changed at all? or should we leave them open for a longer time period to cover all angles?
 
thanks
Andy

I know with a fiancee visa that there is no problem in applying before the decree absolute is through, as long as it is clear that you will still both be free to marry within six months.  I assume that the marriage visit visa is the same.

Vicky

Hi, I just spoke to a register office in Gloucester and to marry my American fiancee who has an American Divorce I was told that it could take 3 months to get clearance from register general in London. Is this true?
She was only coming to the UK to get married to me and cannot be here for this length of time because the kids go back to school & work etc...
Can anyone shed light on this please?

That is rubbish.  If she has the marriage visit visa it can get done in 16 days.  You need to speak to someone else.  Is that office a designated register office which can deal with marriages of overseas nationals?

Vicky

Update.. I spoke to someone higher up in the registration service for England & Wales... they told me the scenario is like this, so please tell me about your experiences if it was quicker or if it's quicker in Scotland too:
Day 1 Fiancee arrives in UK
Day 9 Register intent to marry at Register Office
We bring:
letter confirming Fiancee is residing with me for the 8 days or more etc...
plane ticket & boarding cards as evidence
2 x passports
1 x UK divorce decree
1 x US divorce decree (which gets referred to Register General Office)
Day 23 Can legally marry in England & Wales
Register Office gives the OK with M83 document?

thanks 

It's not quicker in Scotland.

You still need to register your intent at least a fortnight ahead of the wedding.

I had thought that there was no residency requirement in Scotland, so they could register intent the day she lands, thereby knocking 7 days of the timeline?

Vicky

Vicky is right, there's no residency requirement in Scotland. The notice period is 15 days.

That's right Vicky.