marriage/spousal visa question -

hi :

my first question (no doubt of many) is this:
(i think its fairly an easy one, but i'm going to ask anyway )-

i currently live in the US and my partner in england,
we are currently in the process of looking into obtaining
a spousal visa for me -

i know we would have to apply for the visa in the US by
post or in person -
does it matter where we got married?
say if i went over for a visit and we got married there, i
could then return and make my application for the visa.
or is it better if we wed in the US and then applied?

(oooh one more question:)-

is there a length of time between the marriage taking
place and the application that should be observed? (or
can the two take place in quick succession?)

thanks in advance for any help/advice offered..
(no doubt more from me soon)

-trish

hi :

my first question (no doubt of many) is this:
(i think its fairly an easy one, but i'm going to ask anyway )-

i currently live in the US and my partner in england,
we are currently in the process of looking into obtaining
a spousal visa for me -

i know we would have to apply for the visa in the US by
post or in person -
does it matter where we got married?
say if i went over for a visit and we got married there, i
could then return and make my application for the visa.
or is it better if we wed in the US and then applied?

It won't matter where you got married.  You could go get married in Mexico if you want.  Won't matter so long as you have a legal document showing you've gotten married, i.e., marriage certificate, license, whatever.

(oooh one more question:)-

is there a length of time between the marriage taking
place and the application that should be observed? (or
can the two take place in quick succession?)

Nope.  None whatsoever.  You can do it as quickly or as slowly as you like.

thanks in advance for any help/advice offered..
(no doubt more from me soon)

-trish

Best of luck!

It won't matter where you got married.  You could go get married in Mexico if you want.  Won't matter so long as you have a legal document showing you've gotten married, i.e., marriage certificate, license, whatever.

Nope.  None whatsoever.  You can do it as quickly or as slowly as you like.

Best of luck!

thanks for your response.. right now it just seems like i'm sorting out a whole lot of infomation and trying to keep it all straight in my head.. luckily forums like this one make it a lot easier...

take care =)

You do need an actual marriage certificate though. The licence is just what you apply for before you get married.

You do need an actual marriage certificate though. The licence is just what you apply for before you get married.

Keep in mind, though, that on the whole in the US it's called a marriage license and not a certificate.  

I will state my understanding that things vary state to state, but however go on to state that my husband and I were married in Illinois.  We applied for the marriage license.  We received a piece of paper that had our names on it.  The officiant of the ceremony had to sign it and then had to send it back to the county hall or wherever it was (can't remember what it was called! ugh!) where we applied for the license.  The official govt. folks then seal the paper and send us a copy.  

So you see the license is the only piece of paper that goes round to everyone and is the proof of marriage and thus why I say marriage license and not certificate.  How other states do it, I cannot say, but I reckon that they do not issue two pieces of paper (a license and then a separate and different certificate), but only one: the license!  

So, let me get this straight...you have to have the license to apply for the visa, and not the certificate that everyone signs?  How long does it take to get it back if you send it in?  Can you take it to the courthouse/county hall/etc. in person and get it stamped right away?

Sorry about all the questions, but I don't want to wait around for weeks and weeks to get my spousal visa.  If that's the case, then perhaps going the fiance visa is actually the easier route....who knows, it's all so confusing. :'(

So, let me get this straight...you have to have the license to apply for the visa, and not the certificate that everyone signs?  How long does it take to get it back if you send it in?  Can you take it to the courthouse/county hall/etc. in person and get it stamped right away?

Sorry about all the questions, but I don't want to wait around for weeks and weeks to get my spousal visa.  If that's the case, then perhaps going the fiance visa is actually the easier route....who knows, it's all so confusing. :'(

Where do you intend to get married?  

What I was trying to point out is that in the US the license is the same thing as a marriage certificate in the UK.  The license is the piece of paper everyone signs.

Well, we haven't decided where we will get married yet. :-/  I'm confused about the American marriage licenses because of the post Amilioo had in the Spousal Walk-in in New York thread.  She said that she would wait around here in the US for a few weeks after the wedding until the marriage license went through.  From what I understand, you get the marriage license here, then you get married, it's signed, then you have to send it away to the state to get endorsed.  So....is the license only valid after you get back from the state?  Or is it valid once you all sign it?  

What I'm getting at is, can you get married and then go to the embassy a few days later, or are you stuck waiting around for weeks on end till the license shows back up in the mail?  If any of you got married in the States then applied for the spousal visa, what was your timeline and how did you do it?

Thanks for your help.

Well, we haven't decided where we will get married yet. :-/  I'm confused about the American marriage licenses because of the post Amilioo had in the Spousal Walk-in in New York thread.  She said that she would wait around here in the US for a few weeks after the wedding until the marriage license went through.  From what I understand, you get the marriage license here, then you get married, it's signed, then you have to send it away to the state to get endorsed.  So....is the license only valid after you get back from the state?  Or is it valid once you all sign it?  

What I'm getting at is, can you get married and then go to the embassy a few days later, or are you stuck waiting around for weeks on end till the license shows back up in the mail?  If any of you got married in the States then applied for the spousal visa, what was your timeline and how did you do it?

Thanks for your help.

Thing is, it's going to vary state to state.  We had ours back in 3 days tops.  It really shouldn't take that long and I don't think it goes off to the state.  It should just go back to the town hall or wherever it was you applied for the license.  For us, when we applied for the license, we went ahead and paid our fee and asked them to send us the certified copy when they got it.  It was either that or go back again in person a few days after the officiant sent it off to get the certified copy.  

Check with your local county clerk office or wherever it is you apply for the license in your state.  They should be able to explain things to you more clearly if you intend to marry in the US in your town.  

Girl, don't go by what i say!  I'm just a Newbie!  

I know the whole K-1 process (what i thought we were doing) but now that my fiancee  has gotten a new killer job, looks like i'm going over there!



I have to call my town clerk and ask.  It's on my 'to do' list.

I'm late on this one.  I don't come in here much.  But my idea is to get the certificate from the church and submit it myself to the town hall (right on Elle) and wait for it to be signed and stamped and then take my copy and head to New York that same day.  But of course I have to ask the church if they allow this etc.  I will have a meeting with them in March when Chris is here plus we will apply for the license to allow us to marry in my state on the same day.  That is when I'll ask them if we can bring it it and wait for our copy to be signed.  I've heard I can do this.  But want to make doubly sure.  Then its off to New York for a mini honeymooon and to get that spouse visa stamp.  Phew lots of work.

I am new to the site. My wife and kids are in Wales and I need to get a spousal visa. Has anyone filed a VAF4A recently for a marriage visa? Any advice?

I am new to the site. My wife and kids are in Wales and I need to get a spousal visa. Has anyone filed a VAF4A recently for a marriage visa? Any advice?

Start a new thread. This one is 8 years old.

Hi-  I applied and paid online 12 May 2017.  Please note, this is just an extension...I've been on a spousal visa since 2014 but don't meet the 5 years yet, so I'm trying to extend.  Does the fact that I did it all online (sent all documents the very next day) make it go any faster?  Also, does the fact that we've been through this before and ALOT more thoroughly make it any easier for them to approve?   I would think they wouldn't break up an established family...but I'm worried nonetheless.  Just keep hearing nigtmare stories about 6 month waiting tims...REALLY???!!!  Any advice is greatly appreciated.   Thanks!  Kimberly

It takes about 8 weeks by post.  No difference in processing times online or by post.  Everyone who applies FLR(M) has already had a prior visa issued for the U.K.   

So long as you sent all the required documents, you should have your extension granted in a couple of months.