Fiancée Moving to the UK from the USA - Help!

Hi all,

My partner has just been issued a Fiancée Visa and she is due to arrive on 1st February. I have a number of questions that I am finding extremely hard to answer. Any help would be most appreciated. By the way, she is currently a few months into the process of making her pets ready and legal to enter the UK (we will be bringing them back in March).

These are the questions I currently have:

1. Will she get frisked and questioned when she gets here? How long could it take and what documents does she need to get in?
2. Can she leave the UK in March on the Fiancée visa and will there be a problem re-entering the UK?
3. How is Duty paid on goods - including things like a computer, monitor, accessories? How is the duty calculated, how is it paid and does it affect items that are shipped and sent FedEx?
4. Is Duty paid on items in hand luggage or just in large luggage (if any)?
5. If Duty is calculated using a system of "declared value", how does one prove this or calculate it?
6. Is it possible to take out insurance on items being shipped to the UK?
7. What Duty needs to be paid for pets?
8. How soon can she get a NI number and does that allow her to visit the Doctor and get such things as contraception, painkillers etc?
9. What is the next process to go through on arrival - is it to obtain an FLR?
10. How soon can she legally obtain paid work?

We are booked to get married in May and so as soon as she arrives we need to register the wedding formally with a Registrar. I guess we are both just very confused about so many things and want to make sure everything goes well. I was just down in London at the American Embassy getting my B1/2 Visa to enter the States on holiday and I am fully aware of how strict the paperwork process can be.
We have worked so hard to get to this point, we just want to make sure there are as few problems as possible. If you have any other useful information you can provide it would be great to hear it.

I will post this in at least one other board on here if that is ok because of the nature of some of these questions.

Please help if you can.
Many thanks,
Seamus

Morning and welcome to UKY.  As I have a different set of circumstances, I can answer some but not all of your questions.  Hang in there- i'm sure someone will be along soon enough to answer the rest of your questions....

8. How soon can she get a NI number and does that allow her to visit the Doctor and get such things as contraception, painkillers etc?  She does not need a NI number to visit the Doctor in the UK. I would recommend that she visit your surgery soon after her arrival to register.  To be on the safe side, she should bring her passport (with visa stamp) and a visa issuance letter (when i registered i didn't have to show ANYTHING-

10. How soon can she legally obtain paid work?  You finance cannot work until she has her Spousal Visa, or Further Leave to Remain. 

1. Will she get frisked and questioned when she gets here? How long could it take and what documents does she need to get in?

She may be frisked when she goes through security, but I wouldn't think immigration would check her out.  All she really needs is her passport w/ the visa in it, but she may be asked about when the wedding is to take place, etc., and could be asked about funds if you won't be married for a while.

2. Can she leave the UK in March on the Fiancée visa and will there be a problem re-entering the UK?

The fiancee' visa is good for multiple entries so she shouldn't have any problem coming and going.

3. How is Duty paid on goods - including things like a computer, monitor, accessories? How is the duty calculated, how is it paid and does it affect items that are shipped and sent FedEx?

If she's bringing/shipping in personal items that she's had for more than 6 months, there won't be any duties to pay.

8. How soon can she get a NI number and does that allow her to visit the Doctor and get such things as contraception, painkillers etc?

Technically, she can apply for an NIN as soon as she starts looking for work, but many JobCentres won't let you set an appointment until you've actually been offered a job.  The NIN has nothing to do with health care.  She can register with the surgery you attend and they'll arrange for her NHS number to be sent to her.  

9. What is the next process to go through on arrival - is it to obtain an FLR?

She'll apply for FLR once you're married.  She can apply by post (£330) or in person (£500) in Croydon, Birmingham, Liverpool, or Glasgow.

10. How soon can she legally obtain paid work?

Once she's obtained her FLR, she can work.  She can't do any type of work (paid or unpaid) until then.

I think Lola did a great job covering all your questions. I just wanted to add---relax, this is the fun part now---she has her visa, don't worry it will all work out smoothly :-).

Helena