Hello friends!! Any/all info and help appreciated!!

Hi there!!

As many before me, I've joined this forum for any/all advice on UK spousal visas and with any luck (and LOTS of paperwork) I will hopefully be able to better contribute to the forum in the future from what I learn/experience (as well as post in the Airing Cupboard every so often!).

I attended the University of St Andrews from 2011-2015 and met my future spouse there (I am American and he is British). After MANY years of long distance we thought we might have a commuter relationship (myself in Amsterdam and he in Derby). However, a month before my move to Amsterdam, COVID hit and my move was called off. While I was lucky enough to be able to visit my partner twice over the past year, we finally realized it was time get married in order to start our lives together in the same location. 

We had a very COVID proposal, a family Zoom quiz with an extra question    and now I am back in the U.S. applying for all the visas. I just sent off my marriage visitor visa (our wedding is in June 2021 in Scotland, fingers crossed!) and I would like to start getting together all of the necessary documents for my spousal visa so I can send it off as soon as possible after I return to the U.S. after the wedding.

Additionally, if anyone has worked with an attorney or lawyer that helped with their visas and they recommend them, please pass along their info!

I look forward to diving into the forum and all it has to offer!!

Thank you all in advanced, the info here has already been so helpful 

Hi there!!

As many before me, I've joined this forum for any/all advice on UK spousal visas and with any luck (and LOTS of paperwork) I will hopefully be able to better contribute to the forum in the future from what I learn/experience (as well as post in the Airing Cupboard every so often!).

I attended the University of St Andrews from 2011-2015 and met my future spouse there (I am American and he is British). After MANY years of long distance we thought we might have a commuter relationship (myself in Amsterdam and he in Derby). However, a month before my move to Amsterdam, COVID hit and my move was called off. While I was lucky enough to be able to visit my partner twice over the past year, we finally realized it was time get married in order to start our lives together in the same location. 

We had a very COVID proposal, a family Zoom quiz with an extra question    and now I am back in the U.S. applying for all the visas. I just sent off my marriage visitor visa (our wedding is in June 2021 in Scotland, fingers crossed!) and I would like to start getting together all of the necessary documents for my spousal visa so I can send it off as soon as possible after I return to the U.S. after the wedding.

Additionally, if anyone has worked with an attorney or lawyer that helped with their visas and they recommend them, please pass along their info!

I look forward to diving into the forum and all it has to offer!!

Thank you all in advanced, the info here has already been so helpful 

Welcome to the forum. 

Unless you have a real reason to use a lawyer such as a criminal history or poor immigration record,  it's not usually necessary to use one. If your applications are straightforward, we should be able to help you instead.

St Andrews!!! Gah!! Massive soft spot for that place. You’ve really made me reminisce... even though I know it’s changed a bit since I was there (two supermarkets in town?!?! What!!!!).

Let us know how we can help!! The hive mind here is alive and well! You survived the visa process once (student visa). This one won’t be so bad.

Any reason you’re going the fiancé via route and going for marriage visitor visa instead?


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St Andrews!!! Gah!! Massive soft spot for that place. You’ve really made me reminisce... even though I know it’s changed a bit since I was there (two supermarkets in town?!?! What!!!!).

Let us know how we can help!! The hive mind here is alive and well! You survived the visa process once (student visa). This one won’t be so bad.

Any reason you’re going the fiancé via route and going for marriage visitor visa instead?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

St Andrews!!! Gah!! Massive soft spot for that place. You’ve really made me reminisce... even though I know it’s changed a bit since I was there (two supermarkets in town?!?! What!!!!).

Let us know how we can help!! The hive mind here is alive and well! You survived the visa process once (student visa). This one won’t be so bad.

Any reason you’re going the fiancé via route and going for marriage visitor visa instead?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sounds like they already mailed off the Marriage Visitor Visa so that ship has sailed....  ☹️

Sounds like they already mailed off the Marriage Visitor Visa so that ship has sailed....  ☹️

Validation, variation and withdrawal of applications
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/specified-application-forms-and-procedures

Validation, variation and withdrawal of applications
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/specified-application-forms-and-procedures

She’s not inside the UK.

Welcome to the forum. 

Unless you have a real reason to use a lawyer such as a criminal history or poor immigration record,  it's not usually necessary to use one. If your applications are straightforward, we should be able to help you instead.

It should be fairly straight forward I hope, so that is good to know! I previously applied and received two student visas from the UK, so I am hoping that will help my case as well.

 

St Andrews!!! Gah!! Massive soft spot for that place. You’ve really made me reminisce... even though I know it’s changed a bit since I was there (two supermarkets in town?!?! What!!!!).

Let us know how we can help!! The hive mind here is alive and well! You survived the visa process once (student visa). This one won’t be so bad.

Any reason you’re going the fiancé via route and going for marriage visitor visa instead?

St Andrews is a very special place haha both for its beauty and quirks!

I decided to go the marriage visitor visa route for a few reasons. KFdancer is correct, I am not in the UK. I am currently based in the U.S. With a UK fiancé visa, I am not legally allowed to work in the UK and I need to maintain my job/income while we prepare to get married. The fiancé visa is also much more expensive than the marriage visitor visa. So instead, I opted for a bit more back-and-forth over the coming months, to make sure we follow the immigration rules and I can keep my job.

Welcome to the forum .

It should be fairly straight forward I hope, so that is good to know! I previously applied and received two student visas from the UK, so I am hoping that will help my case as well.

I don't think it will have any bearing on your marriage visitor visa or future spousal visa application, but it will show that you have been granted UK visas and abided by UK immigration rules in the past .

I decided to go the marriage visitor visa route for a few reasons. KFdancer is correct, I am not in the UK. I am currently based in the U.S. With a UK fiancé visa, I am not legally allowed to work in the UK and I need to maintain my job/income while we prepare to get married. The fiancé visa is also much more expensive than the marriage visitor visa. So instead, I opted for a bit more back-and-forth over the coming months, to make sure we follow the immigration rules and I can keep my job.

I imagine you're already aware, but it is also illegal to work in the UK while you are on a marriage visitor visa, so you will need to make sure that while you are in the UK on that visa, you do not carry out any work activities of any kind.

I'm assuming though, you mean that once you are married and have left the UK, you can continue to work back in the US while you are waiting for your spousal visa to be processed.

I imagine you're already aware, but it is also illegal to work in the UK while you are on a marriage visitor visa, so you will need to make sure that while you are in the UK on that visa, you do not carry out any work activities of any kind.

I'm assuming though, you mean that once you are married and have left the UK, you can continue to work back in the US while you are waiting for your spousal visa to be processed.

Yes, exactly. I will return home to the US right after my wedding so I can work while I apply for and await my spousal visa.