Originally Posted by brownie_89

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I just went through the exact sitution and I am now living in the UK with my husband on a spousal visa.

The marriage thing is easy if you just want a quiet ceremony. This is what my husband and I did. Since time was and issue. He came to visit me in the US while there we went to the county courthouse and applied for a marriage lisence. There is a 24 hour waiting period. Then the following day we were married by the judge. Eventully we will do the big wedding but this takes care it enough for the visa. Your GF will then apply online for a settlement visa as you wife. You need to have plenty of evidence for your relationship. My husband and I put together a 70 page book for the entry clearance officer. You will need to write a letter to the entry clearance office asking to be her sponsor and that you can support her without means of public aide. You will both need to include copies of your passport and birth certificates to establish your identity. Your evidence should include a section on your relationship-photos, email, phone bills, plane tickets, etc. Then you will need to have a section on your wedding-photos, ring reciepts (and your rings can be 29.99 from argos they dont care as long as there is proof), and the official copy of the marriage certificate, You will also need a section on your home- photos of every room, bills, mortgage statements etc. You have to be able to show that your home can acomodate both of you. Lastly you need to have your finances-6months of payslips and bank statements for both of you, a letter from your employer, p45 and anything else that shows you can support her until you get it done.
She will then need to send all the evidence, application, passport and biometrics into the British Consulate in her area. We got married on the 21 of November, I had my biometrics taken on the 2nd of Dec. The application was opened on the 5th and the visa was approved on the 20 and it was delivered on the 26th.
She can then come and live in the UK and work just like everyone else. The first visa will be for two years then you apply for indefintie leave to remain.
Hope this helps.
This is the cheaper way to go as you are only paying for the settlement visa, and not a fiance and then a settlement.