Newbie not sure what visa I need for UK marriage

I'm a US citizen and my fiance lives in Scotland. What we hope to do is get married in Scotland but then he's going to come live with me in the US for a short period so we can make sure it works (reality check!) as the majority of our relationship has been long-distance. I don't think the Marriage Visitor visa applies because he is a UK citizen, and since I don't plan on moving there right away... I'm just confused and not sure if this is even possible. Appreciate any help!

For you to go to the UK just to get married and return to the states afterwards and you don't intend to settle in the UK then a Marriage Visitor Visa is exactly what you need(: because that's exactly what you are doing, visiting to get married and returning to your home country.
Hope that helps!(:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I thought so too but according to Gov.UK, for a Marriage Visitor "both you and your partner are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland" - he is a UK citizen, so doesn't look like that would work.

The Marriage Visitor Visa is the correct visa.  Promise.

I thought so too but according to Gov.UK, for a Marriage Visitor "both you and your partner are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland" - he is a UK citizen, so doesn't look like that would work.

The new website is pretty badly worded and not nearly as detailed as the old website. They seem to have simplified everything so it doesn't have all the information you need anymore. Both you and your partner being from outside the UK is just one scenario for a marriage visitor visa... They have probably only written it that way to discourage people from using the marriage visitor visa to marry then return to the US to apply for a spousal visa to move to the UK instead of paying more for a fiancé visa and then switching to the spousal visa in the UK.

I can assure you that the Marriage Visitor Visa is the correct visa for you. In fact, it's the only possible visa you can apply for in your situation... in order to marry as a visitor in the UK but not live in the UK afterwards, you must have a marriage visitor visa.... It doesn't matter if one of you is a a UK citizen... The other person still needs the visa in order to marry in the UK.

You do realise that your fiancé can only VISIT the USA and not live there without the correct visa? So, using VWP if he is a British citizen, this will be for 90 days?

You do realise that your fiancé can only VISIT the USA and not live there without the correct visa? So, using VWP if he is a British citizen, this will be for 90 days?

Ah, yes - good point. If he goes straight back with you, he can only stay for 90 days, he can't work or legally live in the US and he would need to be able to prove that he is just a visitor, that he does not intend to live in the US and that he has a life (home and a job) to return to in the UK. If you are newly married and are starting a life together, it may look as if he is trying to use a visitor visa to live in the US illegally.

If he is going to live with you in the US, he will need to apply for a US spousal visa, which can take on average 8-10 months to be approved, before he can move to the US to be with you (first you will need to file a visa petition in the US to sponsor his visa which can take about 4 months to be approved, then he will need to attend a medical in London, and a visa interview, and then wait for the visa to be processed, which can take up to another few months).

Thanks very much for the detailed answers. Very helpful

Hi,

I'm going to hop onto this post too as I'm another newbie in a similar situation!

We applied for my fiance's visa via the new visa4uk site and he has his biometrics appt today. The website doesn't seem to give any information on what the next steps will be. I did a bit of searching on the forum and it mentioned that we'd need to post the application to the consulate and something else said that we'd need an appointment to review the application.

It's possible that he'll get detailed next step instructions at his biometrics appointment but I'm thinking unlikely! If anyone has any experience with this that they can share it would be very helpful!

Thanks!

You need to send the application, appendix, and supporting documents to the UKBA in Sheffield, UK and arrange a waybill for the return via FedEx or UPS.

I'm new here and am still waiting to hear if my spouse visa has been approved but thought I would add that my biometrics appt took less then 20 minutes ... Basically they added info into the computer, looked at my passport,  took my finger scans & photograph. I asked them if they had any info about the whole process and sadly was told they had no idea what happens or what needed to be done next ... Sorry I know that's not really what you wanted to hear ... Good luck with everything ...


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Biometrics are taken by US immigration on behalf of UKBA. They have nothing to do with your visa application and they don't know anything about the documents you have to include.

They are just there to check your ID, take your photo and fingerprints, stamp your biometrics sheet and send you on your way. That's it. The whole appointment isn't usually more than about 10 minutes.