"Married," Spouse Visa...now what?

Hello all,

My fiance and I were legally married in June so that I could apply for a spousal visa, but we haven't told anyone like family or friends yet.  We are planning to have our proper wedding in the Church either next summer or the following winter.  We still don't know what country the real wedding will be in.

We've been holding off in changing our statuses on everything to "Married" until the church wedding happens, but I feel like we should be notfiying SOMEONE here of Richard's recent marriage.  We did everything legally in America with an American marriage license and a judge, so I think everything at home should be sorted until I file my taxes.  When I came to the UK I had an appointment for my NI Number and told them that I am married.  All of my GP paperwork, etc., has been filed over here as being married.

As far as Richard goes-- he hasn't told a soul about the "marriage" yet.  He doesn't think he should have to inform anyone until we have the church wedding, but I really think that's wrong.  lol.  Should we be taking our American wedding license somewhere to officially declare that we're married in the UK?  I know he'll have to file his taxes as married now, etc., but is that all, or will we have to also meet with a judge or something here?

Thanks for feedback-- I'm so confused and really was just too relieved when all of the meeting with officials, etc., was over!

xx Brittany

So under what visa status did you come to the UK to get an NIN and register with the GP and stuff?

You can't have another wedding. That would be illegal.

You can have a blessing ceremony in a church, which is what we did, but it sounds different from a wedding and you also can't sign the register.

People will know that it isn't a wedding.

bookgrl: I was told by others who did it this route that the priest was able to make the wedding an actual, Catholic "wedding" as far as the ceremony goes.  I know that it would just be a convalidation ceremony but to the guests, it would look like a wedding.  I've ironed out these details already.  I'm just curious about what we legally need to do now that I'm in the UK.


DrSuperL99: I'm living in the UK now with a UK Spousal Visa, not a fiance visa.

Yes, it's a convalidation, but there's nothing to do with the UK government, as far as I'm aware.  We were married in the US (not UK citizens, mind) and had a convalidation in Scotland.

Do you sign a register in a Catholic church, or only CoE? It might only be CoE since they are the "official" church. 

That's the kind of thing I'm curious about!  I know our marriage is legal and proper in the US, but is there anyone we need to notify here?  Any papers to sign?

At our convalidation, we did not sign anything, although there was a Catholic wedding certificate.  I really don't think there's anyone to notify in the UK.  You are already married, it was conducted legally in the US, and that's that!

Nope. You don't need to inform anyone. 

Do you sign a register in a Catholic church, or only CoE? It might only be CoE since they are the "official" church. 

Well, people sign the register at registry office weddings and those are secular.

I believe Catholics sign the register as well, but this is done behind closed doors with the two witnesses at the end of the service.

I know other people sign it, I just wasn't sure if other people sign it in the actual church. 

All the weddings I have been too (all four to be fair) have had the people sign the book in front of all the guests.  But if you are already married you don't sign. 

I wish we could have.

That's the kind of thing I'm curious about!  I know our marriage is legal and proper in the US, but is there anyone we need to notify here?  Any papers to sign?

If it's legal and proper in the US, then it's legal and proper in the UK too - end of story (so you don't need to do anything in the UK) .

If it's legal and proper in the US, then it's legal and proper in the UK too - end of story (so you don't need to do anything in the UK) .

Exactly. Don't stress.

That's the kind of thing I'm curious about!  I know our marriage is legal and proper in the US, but is there anyone we need to notify here?  Any papers to sign?

Getting your spousal visa to come over was when you informed the British government that you're married   You'll probably want to inform whomever would otherwise be your witnesses that it's not a legal wedding when you enter into the sacrament of marriage so they know they won't sign anything. 

You might want to stick to "legal" or not rather than "real" or not when describing multiple ceremonies as real can imply a value judgement and leads to confusion between people who understand "real" to mean "legally recognized by the government" and people who understand "real" to mean "the one with family and friends and a big party after".  Unsurprisingly, it comes up a lot on this board 

I totally haven't been on here in ages, so I didn't realize you were married!! Congratulations!

Sorry, I have no advice, since I have no idea about this yet.