I need help! (getting married to stay in UK)

Ok, so Im very new to all this. I'll tell you my story and what I need to know.

Im 20, US citizen, in the UK wanting to get married to my long time fiance. Due to circumstanced of crazy family I moved here under a tourist visa 5 months ago. Im traveling to america and back to renew said visa. I can't stay in america due to the fact I have no place to stay, and so Im trying to figure out EXACTLY what I have to do to get a fiance visa to stay here.

I was told that I have to be in america to apply, and that when it arrives I have to go to an embassy for an interview before I would get it to come back to the UK and THEN get married.

I need to know is there a better, whay and Step by step what I need to do. We are desperate. I live with him and his mom, he has a job she has a job. I need to be able to work so we can support ourselves and get our own place, its getting kinda tight cuase she is selling the house sometime in the year, and I need to do this as quick as possible, but I can't go back to america except for short visits to my friends house. I have no way to stay there to get said visa, and all the fourms and phonelines are just stressing me out and I dont know what else to do.


HELP MEEEE

If you have AIM and know exactly what I need to do, please send me a IM at ShadesofAction 

or please just leave a message here. Its urgent, I am really need of knowing what I need and can do.

You have to return to America for your fiance visa, no other way about it. What you do is get all the paper work you need to bring there while you are here. for what to bring. http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk       Then on that same site you make an appointment to the embassay in person once you have all the paperwork, if you go in person you will get ur visa the same day (in most cases) You cant go back to america then come back on a tourist visa because since you have been here for 5 months it will wave red flags at immigrations and you probably wont be aloud back in under as a tourist, Your best option is getting all the paperwork you need from him while you are in the uk, go back to America,make your appointment (which is usually abuot 2 weeks if not sooner) And it will be in New York,California (forgot what city ) or Chicago, which ever is closer to ur American address is the one you have to apply to
 Check out the visa stories section on here as well. It will help.

I was told that I have to be in america to apply, and that when it arrives I have to go to an embassy for an interview before I would get it to come back to the UK and THEN get married

Also, you dont get it before you go to the embassay, you make your appointment,go there for your interview and then if approved you get your visa

Legally you cant get married here on a tourist visa,they stopped that this past February. And please dont think about overstaying your tourist visa, if you do, you not only will be banned as a tourist for awhile,but it will also hurt ur chances of getting ur fiance visa.

Ok, so this is what Im thinking.

I have 2 weeks stay in america. If I get all the paper work togeather, and have an apointment ahead of time. Could I Possibly have my visa in time to come back to the UK?

Well, can't help you from personal experience, but can tell you that some people have married here in the UK and gone back to the US for their spousal visas...I am not condoning this, I am not sure if it is "entirely legal" or not, I am not sure if it is even available now that immigration laws are getting tighter...so my advice is to search through back threads on getting married in the UK while on tourist visa etc...

I feel like I should put some disclaimer like this is my advice not UK-Yankee's...but still, not really my advice either as I wouldn't go that route.  

Legally you cant get married here on a tourist visa,they stopped that this past February. And please dont think about overstaying your tourist visa, if you do, you not only will be banned as a tourist for awhile,but it will also hurt ur chances of getting ur fiance visa.

Why didn't the "red warning" come up showing this posted? Guess we hit the button at the same time. Phew...glad to hear it was stopped in Feb. cause I was really debating whether I should post the info or not...

If you have everything in order,not missing anything,and if the consulate (embassay) isnt fully booked. then yes you could have your visa the same day you have your appointment, when I had my appointment, I had to come back 2 hours later to pick up my visa. The 2 weeks thing isnt set in stone, I just know in my personal expierance they were accepting appointments up to 2 weeks in advance. You have to make your appointment online if you are going to the New York consulate. As for California or Chicago I'm not sure if you need an appointment,but I'm sure someone else here can answer that for you.

Why didn't the "red warning" come up showing this posted? Guess we hit the button at the same time. Phew...glad to hear it was stopped in Feb. cause I was really debating whether I should post the info or not...

lol,I was typing for a long time, I'm surprised tons of people didnt reply before I did

Ok so Im looking for all the paper work I need. Im not great at navigating these sites.

So i need to fill out a fiance visa application, make an appointment, bring birth cirtificates, bankstatements, passport, passport pictures, what else?

# your birth certificate
# your marriage certificate (if you are married)
# your sponsor’s birth certificate
# recent statements or letters from your sponsor’s UK employer, bank, local authority or building society to show what support and accommodation will be available for you in the UK
# letters from you and your sponsor that are relevant to your application
# a divorce certificate or death certificate of your husband's or wife's previous wife or husband (if either of you have been married before), and
# evidence that your sponsor is settled in the UK. (This can be a copy of their passport or registration certificate that has been confirmed as a true copy, in other words certified.)


*is looking into how to set up an appointment now*

Here is a list of everything I brought with me, please remember this should only be used as a guide, You may need more stuff or less stuff then I did,

Carly's List of Documents for Visa
-His full birth certificate(he doesnt have a passport)
-A letter from him stating he will be fully supporting me and our daughter when she is born and that he is supportive of my visa (2 letters)
-A letter from his mum stating will be staying there temporarily and a certified copy of her lease from the council
-His paystubs
-His Bank statements up until late april/early may
-Letter from his employer stating how long employed,that he is a perm employee and his salary
-Phone bills,pictures.
-2 passport size photos of me
-My birth certificate
-My passport
-My flight tickets and return ticket to Uk
-My divorce certficiate
-Printed Application
-Email stating  fee has been paid for online
-My CV
-Letter from my college stating I went there and what degree I earned.
-Copy of appointment date in NYC

Ok great, I can get all those sorts of things. He's just started a job 2 months ago, so I don't know how that will look, he has been a full time worker for a while tho, but dosn't have the pay stubs from last job. He works full time at a bank.

We are staying with his mother. so no dipping into public funds. And do I need to send in fiance visa before? Or fill it out and bring it with me?

Also last question, where do I go to make an appointment with NY or where ever it is I need to go to do this?

you make your appointment online


Also, bring his bank statements,any bank statements you may have and also as a back up have someone in the UK write a letter for you guys stating if neccessary they can help you out financially and their bank statements,this doesnt mean they are legally abiding to give you money,its just so if you do need money,they want to know you are able to get it from somewhere thats not benefits and not you working, You wont be able to work until after you are married and you have your FLR visa. If you are doing this in person then yes you'd need to fill out the fiance application before you make your appointment
Here is a better site to visit http://www.britainusa.com/visas/visas.asp
on that site you make your appointment not the other one,

Do I bring the fiance visa application filled out, with me, or send it in ahead of time?

Both. You complete it online, select you will be applying in person option, this will send a copy to the consulate, then you print out a copy for yourself and bring that with you. you will definatly need it with you at your appointment, its the first thing they ask for. The fee is $494 for the visa,not sure what it is going to be in pounds,the exchange rate changes daily.
heres a link to the application http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/
heres a link to make you appointment http://www.britainusa.com/visas/other_show.asp?SarticleType=25&Other_ID=657
heres a link to everything you need to know about applying for a fiance visa http://www.britainusa.com/visas/other_show.asp?SarticleType=25&Other_ID=320

I just noticed how much I'm posting in this topic,lol. I'm bored today