end stages of my spousal visa...am I doing this right?

good day everyone, I'm completely new to this, and haven't a clue where i should begin.
I am from the usa, my son and i are going to be moving to the UK aug 22nd, providing my visa gets approved. My fiance is coming over aug 14 and we are gettin married during that week between the 14th and the 22nd, also visiting the consulate with my visa application etc.
The HUGE questions I have are:
a) what do I put down for my permanent address, since i've sold my home and no longet intend to reside in the usa, and
b) if i'm applying for this visa after I've wed, and there isn't time to change my drivers license and social security cards...do I put on my application my married name, even tho it doesn't match my passport and such or do I put down my maiden name?
This has all got me so confused ...I've busted my behind getting everything in order, all the supporting info etc that they require for my application, and now, I'm down to a few , what should be simple questions, on my visa, and I am starting to get frustrated...
can anyone help me out as to what information I should be listing in these boxes, and advise me as to anything i might want to enclose with my visa application when attending the consulate, other than what they list as requirements, that may support my application?
any info is greatly appreciated....

You might want to check out the Visa section of the forum - most of your questions will be answered there.

As for name change on your passport and SS card - you can get them amended through the American Embassy when you get to the UK, so don't worry about that.  Do make sure that any airline reservations are in your maiden name, though, as the name on your passport and the name on the reservation HAVE to match now.

check out my site (below) for a run-down of my spousal visa experience...

On the application form, I listed the address on my NC driver's license as my permanent address (my brother still lives at that address so I could get any correspondence from him).  I'd suggest you use your driver's license address or your most recent US address.

Don't worry about the name change.  It's easiest to keep everything in your maiden name while you're going through the visa process (and so many other processes once you get over to the UK!).  Just put your maiden name on your application, since that's the name in your passport.  Your spousal visa will list you as Aacchhoo Maiden Name, spouse of Husband Married Name, so it's not really a big deal.

Good luck!   

lolabola,
my gawd, what a coincidence!!! I actually came across your website, and your visa experience, and printed it out, and we basically have done everything accordint to what the immigration laws state, the consulate requires, and the helpful hints that you had added in your story!!!!
We've been contemplating e-mailing you via ur addy from ur site, but we hadn't actually gotten to that point. This is sooo exciting to actually be able to communicate with you and by pure coincidence that it happened in this manner!!!!
I do have 2 questions for you though, what sort of affadavit were you talking about that your husband had to have when you applied for your marriage cert? because I talked with the county clerk here and they said I only needed a few things, and never mentioned an affadavit??
Also, are you working yet? I have a job offer on the table over in the UK, they are waiting for me to get there...can you give me a rough idea of how soon after I've gotten there I'll be able to work??
Gosh soooo nice to run into you, take care.
Any advice, once again, is appreciated.

Hi babe

love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you love you



*smoochies*

Ok, aacchhoo, I cant offer any advice, as I'm not yet going through the spousal visa, I just want to say

...love you love you love you love you love you love you love you...

That is so sweet!   What a wonderful guy you have.  Hugs to you both.

lolabola,
my gawd, what a coincidence!!! I actually came across your website, and your visa experience, and printed it out, and we basically have done everything accordint to what the immigration laws state, the consulate requires, and the helpful hints that you had added in your story!!!!
We've been contemplating e-mailing you via ur addy from ur site, but we hadn't actually gotten to that point. This is sooo exciting to actually be able to communicate with you and by pure coincidence that it happened in this manner!!!!
I do have 2 questions for you though, what sort of affadavit were you talking about that your husband had to have when you applied for your marriage cert? because I talked with the county clerk here and they said I only needed a few things, and never mentioned an affadavit??
Also, are you working yet? I have a job offer on the table over in the UK, they are waiting for me to get there...can you give me a rough idea of how soon after I've gotten there I'll be able to work??
Gosh soooo nice to run into you, take care.
Any advice, once again, is appreciated.

Yay!  I'm glad you found my site helpful.  I keep meaning to make it more interesting, but I keep forgetting!   

The affadavit my husband had to get notarized (so we could get our marriage license) was just a random requirement of my home county.  The only reason I mentioned it was because it wasn't listed as a requirement on the county's website and was never mentioned to me during my numerous calls to my county's registrar of deeds.  There's a good chance your county may not require your fiance' to have one, but it's a good idea to call ahead and ask about any specific requirements for foreigners.  I think my county required it because of the large number of foreign citizens getting married there (home of a large military base).

I didn't start working until I'd been in the UK for eight months.  I never really felt ready and we moved from Middlesbrough to Newcastle about 3 months after I arrived, so I needed time to readjust to a new city all over again!  I've been working for about a month now and I love it.  It's so nice to see people other than my husband on a daily basis and I feel like I'm more a part of the whole English scene, if you know what I mean.     I started out working part time and I really love it...I still have time to do the housewife thing, which I really love, but now I can get out during the day instead of sitting around watching Trisha and Judge Judy!  Now I just can't wait to get my first English paycheck!  Whoo hoo!

I just realized I haven't answered your question--if you come over on a spousal visa, you can work immediately.  You'll need to apply for a national insurance number (UK equivalent of SSN), but you can work without one for up to a year.  Not a biggie!

Feel free to PM or email me if you have any questions or just wanna talk about the process.  Good luck!

Edited to add:  Also, my site doesn't mention the fact that you need to set up an appointment with the consulate (as this wasn't required when I got my visa).  You'll need to go to the consular website to make an appointment...you can make them up to two weeks in advance at this point.

lola,
I am going to the consultae in Chicago, and nowhere on their site does it mention that we need an appointment? Should we call ahead anyhow and schedule one? It only mentions that they take applications from 9-11am...with results between 4-4:30pm same day???
what do you suggest?

lola,
I am going to the consultae in Chicago, and nowhere on their site does it mention that we need an appointment? Should we call ahead anyhow and schedule one? It only mentions that they take applications from 9-11am...with results between 4-4:30pm same day???
what do you suggest?

I'd suggest giving them a ring or sending them an e-mail just to verify.  When I went to the Chicago office 2 1/2 years ago, no appointment was needed.  In fact, I think it was a number basis.  You pulled the little number ticket off and it went that way.  Unless they've changed (always a possibility).....

lola,
I am going to the consultae in Chicago, and nowhere on their site does it mention that we need an appointment? Should we call ahead anyhow and schedule one? It only mentions that they take applications from 9-11am...with results between 4-4:30pm same day???
what do you suggest?

I agree with Elle--give them a ring and ask if they do appts.  I'd just assumed that all 3 consulates accepted appointments, but maybe it's just NY, since it's so busy? 

thank you elle I will definately try that  also thank you lolabola for being so helpful, believe it or not, ur website, when we happened to stumble across it during a google search, was our basic inspiration to go the spousal route instead of fiance route.......but he's really hard pressed about telling them "why yes I am gonna marry while i'm here in the states..however, here is my return itinerary, and my new wife will be returning with me as well".....I can't talk him into just plain not telling them at all.....of course, he will have all the visa support info on his person when he goes thru customs, so I suppose trying to tell them no wouldn't be the smartest thing...

thank you elle I will definately try that  also thank you lolabola for being so helpful, believe it or not, ur website, when we happened to stumble across it during a google search, was our basic inspiration to go the spousal route instead of fiance route.......but he's really hard pressed about telling them "why yes I am gonna marry while i'm here in the states..however, here is my return itinerary, and my new wife will be returning with me as well".....I can't talk him into just plain not telling them at all.....of course, he will have all the visa support info on his person when he goes thru customs, so I suppose trying to tell them no wouldn't be the smartest thing...

When my husband went to the US to marry me, he actually did tell them he was going to get married.  I cringed when he told me that.  I asked him if he got questioned and was surprised when he said no that the guy just laughed at him.  Thing with my husband, the way he says things sometimes, people think he's joking or something.  Go figure.  Best of luck!

thank you elle I will definately try that  also thank you lolabola for being so helpful, believe it or not, ur website, when we happened to stumble across it during a google search, was our basic inspiration to go the spousal route instead of fiance route.......but he's really hard pressed about telling them "why yes I am gonna marry while i'm here in the states..however, here is my return itinerary, and my new wife will be returning with me as well".....I can't talk him into just plain not telling them at all.....of course, he will have all the visa support info on his person when he goes thru customs, so I suppose trying to tell them no wouldn't be the smartest thing...

Well, if your fiance' is dead-set on being 100% honest (meaning he's going to volunteer the fact that he's in the US to get married rather than wait for someone to ask him if he's getting married), there's no harm in that.  The worst that can happen is that he'll be carted off somewhere for an interview.  If everything is on the up and up and he can prove that he's leaving the US after the wedding (and that you're going with him once you have your spousal visa), then things should be just fine.  Most people just don't want to run the risk of being detained for doing something perfectly legal, so it's just easier to say you're visiting someone in the US.  Of course, your fiance may have the same experience as Elle's husband did--he'll just be waived right through!     That's what's so difficult about the process--there's no cut and dry answer for any question and we've all had different experiences, so all we can do is say what we did and hope that'll guide you.  Good luck!

(and under no circumstances should he say that he's NOT getting married...that'd cause a heap of trouble if they decided to interview/search him.  he should either not say anything unless asked or come right out with it, if that's what he chooses to do)

oh, he's not gonna offer up the information, but if they ask him, he is going to tell the truth, and all he really has for proof that he's going to return to UK after the wedding is a letter from his employer, his itinerary (of course) and basically that's it...he's not got my itinerary to prove that i am returning with him tho- i don't know how in the world I'd get him that.....as i've only got a print out of it from the travel agency myself.....
But yeah, he's not gonna lie, and def not gonna say unless he's specifically asked.

oh, he's not gonna offer up the information, but if they ask him, he is going to tell the truth, and all he really has for proof that he's going to return to UK after the wedding is a letter from his employer, his itinerary (of course) and basically that's it...he's not got my itinerary to prove that i am returning with him tho- i don't know how in the world I'd get him that.....as i've only got a print out of it from the travel agency myself.....
But yeah, he's not gonna lie, and def not gonna say unless he's specifically asked.

why not scan your itinerary and email it to him?  if you're picking him up at the airport and he does get interviewed, they'll probably interview you as well...so your stories will match up and you'll be just fine! 

don't get too stressed about this, though.  the odds are good that he'll just be waived through.  it's good that he'll be honest with the IO, though....so many people cause themselves trouble by lying because they think they'll get in trouble if they don't!