Marriage in Las Vegas - how do i do it? & legally recognised?

[ed_dhall]

I made the following post in the Expat in UK forum but feel that parts of it might be addressed by those in the know who read this forum, so I hope nobody minds but I'm going to copy the post below and hopefully we can all learn from the situation I'm facing

Bit of curly one where I've struggled to find the correct information (and/or forms) on the Home Office website so any help would be appreciated. I've also read through several other threads and picked up bits and pieces of information but nothing that quite answers all my queries.

To quickly explain my background, I was born in California and hold a current US passport. I grew up in Australia so hold an AUS passport and am an Australian citizen. My grandfather was born in England, so I am currently living in the UK based on an Ancestry visa (1 year completed of a possible 5).

My girlfriend is Australian and currently in the UK on a working holiday visa which expires in June 2010. I want to marry my girlfriend of 2 1/2 years and continue living in the Uk for the next 2-3 years and then relocate to the US for another 2-3 year stint.

I understand that to marry in the Uk would require a Certificate of Approval which will take time & money and also mean that our passports are out of action during the application process. None of which is ideal due to already booked travel plans.

Therefore our thoughts are to marry in Las Vegas Oct/Nov 09, and then for her to apply for a spousal visa based on my UK ancestry upon her return to Australia Nov/Dec 09. Thereafter re-settling in the UK Apr 2010.

Does anyone have knowledge of or prior experience in this sort of scenario?

What are the correct application forms for us to use?

Will a US marriage be recognised by the Home Office as legal?

Any advice/guidance or direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and regards,
Ed

I'm hoping someone who reads this might have a bit of knowledge about how 'accepted' Las Vegas weddings are for spousal visa applications (both in the UK & US). Also, what is the process for getting married in Vegas - ie prior approvals, forms, submissions, fees etc?

Thanks for any insights you are able to share.

Ed

[twostep]

Where does the US visa application come into play?
As this is a US form - have you contacted the appropriate UK and Australian authorities?

[Fatbrit]

Your LV marriage will be accepted by the UK.
Marriage license info: Marriage Licenses
You might consider apostilles of the certificate.
Consider carefully gf's entry to the US. Whilst it is perfectly legal to marry as a visitor, she will not be admitted if they believe she has immigrant intent to the US. The onus will be on her to prove she is returning to whence she came and is not going to settle in the US.

[Shipresa]

Hi, I'm a USC and my UK Citizen husband and I married in Las Vegas - because I live there.

The County Clerk's Offfice used to be open 24/7 but now is closed from midnight until 8 AM. Marriage Licenses

The license if $55. Take correct amount, no checks and I don't think they take credit card. You can fill out the form from online (you can't submit online, only print) - or there are gobs of forms at the license bureau. Take a pen.

You need this license to present to a registered officiant or minister. You can use the folks next door (civil ceremony - about $50) or any of the hundreds of chapels around town.

They cracked down the past 6 months or so from folks outside the clerk's office offering wedding packages. If approached, ignore them. Many are not registered with the County.

After the ceremony, County law is that the minister has 10 days to register the wedding with the clerk of Records. From there, you can get your certificate either mailed to you or just go there and they'll print it off.

Most countries of the world, including UK, agreed to no longer use the Apostille methods - I think only Japan is doing this. No Apostille is needed for a UK visa of the marriage, or for a US PR visa. The marriage was recognized in UK.

People think Las Vegas is a joke for weddings, or that they aren't 'real'. They are REAL! And with Vegas you do not need a waiting period (like Cyprus), are cheap (if that is what you need) or as extravagant as you want! Even marrying at the Bellagio requires all the said steps above.

As for going there on a tourist visa, of course your gf can get married while in US on a tourist visa. And if you both are arriving with return tickets, any agent can't be concerned. Virgin and BMI flight straight to Vegas anyhow, and thousands of people get married every year in Vegas from UK. Its not 'questionable' in the least, and we in Vegas take this business as seriously as a church in Iowa.

Enjoy a wedding in Vegas. Elvis drive thrus, Ceremony in the sky, or the gardens at Lake Las Vegas. All the same. It is a wedding!

[Fatbrit]

Originally Posted by Shipresa

As for going there on a tourist visa, of course your gf can get married while in US on a tourist visa. And if you both are arriving with return tickets, any agent can't be concerned. Virgin and BMI flight straight to Vegas anyhow, and thousands of people get married every year in Vegas from UK. Its not 'questionable' in the least, and we in Vegas take this business as seriously as a church in Iowa.

Most don't have a problem at immigration coming for a wedding as visitors. But relying on a return ticket as proof that you will return to your home country (when a return ticket is a requirement of the VWP anyway!) is misguided where one of the two is a US citizen.

OP should be prepared with additional documentary proof that non-USC will return to the UK -- mortgage/rental agreement, job to return to etc. Folks get refused everyday for this reason -- and the burden of proof is on you. Be prepared to provide additional proof if required, understand what they are concerned about, always tell the truth but don't provide information they don't ask for.

[madisonlee]

I can't answer all your questions, but getting your marriage license is very simple in Vegas, you just go down to the Clark County court house with your spouse to be. There is no waiting period, no blood tests, you just go into the courthouse, fill out two simple forms and pay $60 CASH.

Then go get hitched! There are 100's of places to get married in Vegas, most of them provide and officient. Just bring your license and certificate with you to wherever you get married and the officient signs it and you will also need a witness to sign the marriage certificate (usually done by the maid of honor and best man, but you can have just about anyone do it). Then be sure that the officient files the certificate. And congrats! You're officially married!

[crys]

i got married in vegas and it was pretty simple and straight forward. what you need to do to make sure your marriage is recognised in the UK is when you get home and are settled, go down to your local births deaths and marriages department at the local council (you may need an appointment) and fuill in some forms for marriage overseas. you are then issued with a UK proof of marriage licence and you are fine.

[Cleo Shahateet]

I agree it is very easy to get married in Vegas - not much prior planning needed if you don't want something extravagent and have whatever papers you need with you which I believe is not much from what I remember - I also got married there. Good luck and congratulations!