I am a fool in love

Please help! I feel as if I have done something terribly terribly wrong.  I have married, Nov. 1 2004,  and moved in with my British husband, thinking that I could apply for a spouse's visa once I was here.  The reason I waited was that we were married in Mexico and needed to have the wedding recognized with the appropriate trnalastions of the documents here in the UK.  From my research it seems that I have to be outside of the UK in order to apply for a spouses visa, is this correct?  I am on the electirc bill, council taxes, and have two bank accounts in my name already.  I have done all this with the help of my husband and goign to Louds everyday for two weeks. 
My eagerness to marry the man I love has seemed to cloud my usual rational thought patterns.  I assumed, when I should not have.  So, after all that preamble - Can I apply for a spuses visa while living with my husband here in the Uk, and if I can, what form do I need and where should it be sent.  IF you think I am a huge idiot ( and I completely will agree with you if you do) then if you could direct me to the proper information, it would be most appreciated. 
FYI- My husband supports me and I have my own income from previous employment in the USA.  Work and money is not an issue, just a legal visa is needed for me to be recognized as his spouse. 
Thank you so much, and please feel free to chastise me for me stupidity.  kat moore in Bristol

You'll need to leave the UK to apply for your spousal visa.  Head over to www.britainusa.com and look in the visas section.  You can apply by post (from the US -- waiting time 2-4 weeks approx) or in person at the NYC, LA, or Chicago consulates (same day service in most cases).  The fee is around $500 and you'll need to be able to prove that your husband can financially support you and that you have a decent place to live. 

Once you have your spousal visa, you'll have all residency and employment privileges.  Go get your visa!   

If you'll click the link in my signature, you can read about my spousal visa experience.

Kat Moore in Bristol, how long have you been living with your hubz all total?

Kat Moore in Bristol, how long have you been living with your hubz all total?

I have been living with him since Dec 1st and am just now getting the confirmation from the registrar's offcie for the recognition of the marriage.  Why do you ask?

You'll need to leave the UK to apply for your spousal visa.  Head over to www.britainusa.com [nofollow] and look in the visas section.  You can apply by post (from the US -- waiting time 2-4 weeks approx) or in person at the NYC, LA, or Chicago consulates (same day service in most cases).  The fee is around $500 and you'll need to be able to prove that your husband can financially support you and that you have a decent place to live. 

Once you have your spousal visa, you'll have all residency and employment privileges.  Go get your visa!   

If you'll click the link in my signature, you can read about my spousal visa experience.

So, the answer to my question is that we will have to go to NYC or another recoginzed British consulate, together to apply with all the appropriate paperwork that you have listed ( very helpful).  IS there no way to do it from here?  We are not in the position for him to take anymore time off than necessary.  Could not be until next year from his work schedule.  I am sorry to ask if there is any other way....also, we are going to Turkey in March for a belated honeymoon and I am unsure what to say on arrival in immigration on our return, I realize that we will have to go thru seperately, but do I say I am just here visiting??? Once again I thank you in advance for your advice.  Kat 

You need to return to the US - he doesn't need to go with you, but you will need his passport or certified copies of all the pages - and you need to do it as soon as possible.  Especially before the 6 months you were probably stamped with when you entered run out!!

You cannot do it from here.

You *may* run into problems trying to re-enter the UK from Turkey as you do not have the proper visa to be re-entering the UK to reside with your husband.  Lying to the Immigration Officers is never advised.

hey, he doesn't need to go with you to NYC.  You can get a letter of intent from him for you to come over as his spouse.  I took one written by him, and a certified copy of EVERY page of his passport with me as part of my documentation.  The consulate was ok with that.

You're going to need to book an appointment with the NYC consulate and bring all your docs over.  It's fast-as long as you're fully prepared with all documentation.  i did fastrak online as well to save time, and took 2 printed copies with me.

i'm not sure what to say about the turkey trip.  I'd highly suggest NOT lying to immigration, but don't know the proper thing for you to say.

You don't both have to go to apply for your visa -- you can go by yourself and either apply in person at one of the consulates (you'll need to make an appointment at the NYC one) or you can apply by post (maybe stay with family or something?).  As far as I know, there is no way to adjust your status since you're here on the visa waiver programme.  If you'd been married on a fiancee' visa, you could adjust your status from within the UK.

I personally wouldn't suggest that you leave the country and reenter on the VWP -- you know you need a spousal visa, so you should get one.  I think it'd make your case look worse if you failed to get the visa now and then went around the system on your way back in from Turkey.

Work and money is not an issue, just a legal visa is needed for me to be recognized as his spouse.

Actually, it's much more than that.  You have no legal right to even live in the UK without the proper visa.  Right now, you are technically a visitor.  So to have set up residence - getting your name on bills and such - could be considered technical violation of the immigration laws.

I'm not trying to be mean or unsympathetic.  But the fact is that you obviously researched a wedding in Mexico and what was needed to have it recognised.  The ability to apply for FLR / "spouse visa" from within the UK had changed months prior to November.  One trip to the Home Office website would have told you that.   

Also, when you apply for your spousal visa, they look at all of your entry and exit stamps.  If you return to the UK from Turkey, that stamp will have the date (obviously)...any consular officer is sure to notice that that date is several months after your wedding and will want to know how you managed to enter the UK as a spouse without a spousal visa.  Your only answer will be that you lied to an immigration officer and that's not going to help your case at all.

Actually, it's much more than that.  You have no legal right to even live in the UK without the proper visa.  Right now, you are technically a visitor.  So to have set up residence - getting your name on bills and such - could be considered technical violation of the immigration laws.

I'm not trying to be mean or unsympathetic.  But the fact is that you obviously researched a wedding in Mexico and what was needed to have it recognised.  The ability to apply for FLR / "spouse visa" from within the UK had changed months prior to November.  One trip to the Home Office website would have told you that.   

I know that the rules were different before Nov, we were married on Nov 20, I was stupid not to re-check that the laws had changed.  I agree with you on that point, I assumed when I should not have.  I just need some advice as to how to get myself out of the situation I am in and it looks as if going home and applying for a spouses visa seems to be the answer.  I just will have to wait till May when i am booked for a trip home to texas. 

I just will have to wait till May when i am booked for a trip home to texas.

You do realize that by staying here as you are now and traveling to Turkey and not going to Texas until May could make your spousal application very messy. If I were you, I'd get to NYC now. There are really good deals on airfare.

Really, it's so easy to get a spousal visa -- please do it now and avoid what could amount to A LOT of headache in a few months.

And please, if you're going to wait until May, don't leave the UK and attempt to re-enter as a visitor.  You are leaving a trail with every move and it's bound to catch up to you.

Also, when you apply for your spousal visa, they look at all of your entry and exit stamps.  If you return to the UK from Turkey, that stamp will have the date (obviously)...any consular officer is sure to notice that that date is several months after your wedding and will want to know how you managed to enter the UK as a spouse without a spousal visa.  Your only answer will be that you lied to an immigration officer and that's not going to help your case at all.

I know, I have gotten myself into a true situation and am completely stressed about it.....I spent a year and a half away from my husband and do not want anything to happen that could cause anymore seperation from him.  I am going to see if the consualte in houston can see me in May...i am thouroughly upset about this one.  

You do realize that by waiting until May, you are risking being apart from your husband for a very long time.  By then, you'll have lived illegally in the UK for six months and will have attempted to re-enter the country by lying to an immigration officer.  PLEASE don't risk it.  It is sooooo easy to get a spousal visa.  You could literally fly to NYC this afternoon, get the visa tomorrow, and be back here by Thursday.  You'd have a hell of a case of jet lag, but at least you'd be here legally!