Our Marriage/settlement plan...any thought/suggestions?

Hi all,

I met my American Fiancee through an internet dating service in late 2004, and after 8 months of letters, emails etc, we finally met in person as I flew out to see her for a weekend! (Couldn't afford to miss College, even though I was seriously jetlagged!).  We were engaged on July 4th 2005, and planned to get married after I finished college in June 2006.  Our initial plan was for me to get a Fiancee Visa for the US, and to get married there in November, however unfortunately we realised that a)  I might not get the Visa in time (we applied in April), and b) I wouldn't be able to work for a few months if I went over on a K1.  So we're now going to get married in the UK sometime in August....and do a thing in the US later on. 

She was going to apply for a UK fiancee visa, come over here on that, and then we would live in my parents house (which is large enough to ensure we have some privacy), while I apply for a CR1/K3 and then move back to the US once that comes through.  Although we had hoped to do Direct Consular Filing, we found that the London Embassy no longer does that.  I will also be working for my Dad whilst we live in the UK, and she is hoping to get a job in the area so we can get some financial security for our eventual move back to the US.  Part of the reason we're keen to get back to the US ASAP is because I'm seriously considering enlisting in the US Military, and I'd need to get the I-551 stamp in my passport to be able to start the process.

My main questions are:

-  How long would it take her to get a work permit after the marriage?
-  Would we be able to leave the UK for a honeymoon in Europe after the marriage, or if not, how long do we have to wait?
-  I'm looking at using this service to get my UK Qualifications "translated" into US Equivalents:  www.wes.org [nofollow] - has anyone heard any good/bad experiences with them?

Any advice or suggestions are more than welcome!

Thanks   

Sounds like you've done your research! (One minor point, though- the US Embassy in London does still do DCF, but they're unlikely to allow it unless the American partner has ILR or has lived in the UK for a substantial period- ie they don't want someone to go over to the UK and get married then file DCF straightaway after the wedding.)

My main questions are:

-  How long would it take her to get a work permit after the marriage?
-  Would we be able to leave the UK for a honeymoon in Europe after the marriage, or if not, how long do we have to wait?
-  I'm looking at using this service to get my UK Qualifications "translated" into US Equivalents:  www.wes.org - has anyone heard any good/bad experiences with them?

Any advice or suggestions are more than welcome!

Thanks   

On the immigration related stuff...

1. She'll be able to work as soon as she switches to FLR after getting married.
2.  If you want a honeymoon abroad, she needs to get her 2 year FLR before you leave.  However, you can get the FLR the same day if you apply in person, so you could technically get married, get FLR a day or two later, then leave on your honeymoon the day after.

i have a similar issue. I am a USC my husband of 8months is UKC , we are presently here in the USA and have been approved for his green card and stamp in his passport. Our plans are to go visit his family for a year but not live there just stay with his family since were buying a home in Florida next july. Since i have a passport in my former married name (tourist visa) also from a previous trip to meet him. Would we still have to buy a settlement visa for me and my daughter to travel back with him or would a simple work visa be ok and a student visa for my daughter? Were not ready to live there as of yet? Any suggestions? or should we just do the settlement visas ? hope I havent confused anyone.

i have a similar issue. I am a USC my husband of 8months is UKC , we are presently here in the USA and have been approved for his green card and stamp in his passport. Our plans are to go visit his family for a year but not live there just stay with his family since were buying a home in Florida next july. Since i have a passport in my former married name (tourist visa) also from a previous trip to meet him. Would we still have to buy a settlement visa for me and my daughter to travel back with him or would a simple work visa be ok and a student visa for my daughter? Were not ready to live there as of yet? Any suggestions? or should we just do the settlement visas ? hope I havent confused anyone.

If you're going to be there for a year, you really need the settlement visa.  There's really no other way to come into the country as a spouse of a British citizen, as far as I'm aware.

i have a similar issue. I am a USC my husband of 8months is UKC , we are presently here in the USA and have been approved for his green card and stamp in his passport. Our plans are to go visit his family for a year but not live there just stay with his family since were buying a home in Florida next july. Since i have a passport in my former married name (tourist visa) also from a previous trip to meet him. Would we still have to buy a settlement visa for me and my daughter to travel back with him or would a simple work visa be ok and a student visa for my daughter? Were not ready to live there as of yet? Any suggestions? or should we just do the settlement visas ? hope I havent confused anyone.

You can't just apply for a work visa for yourself and a student visa wouldn't work as it's intended for university students.  If you intend to settle in the UK for more than 6 months, you'll need to get a settlement visa.

A student visa can be for students on a short term basis, but basically I agree with the others - a settlement visa does seem appropriate.  Howevert, if you don't want to settle, then it could be tricky.  If you are planning on staying for a whole year, it is probably the only option.


Vicky

Thanks for the advice guys - looks like we'll be planning a stop somewhere the day after the marriage to get her FLR, then shooting off for honeymoon.  Now it's back to finding a church&reception venue!