Visit to marry visa??

HannahD · #1 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 02:12 PM

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can help me understand the Visit to Marry Visa.

I am a UK citizen and my fiance is a US citizen, he is coming here in december (when we planned to give notice of our marriage) and again in April (when we plan to get married) He will then go back to the states and we will apply for a Spouse Visa after about 6-8 months. Anyway, I'm really confused about when he needs the Visit to Marry visa, does he need it when we give notice or just for the actual marriage?

When looking at the visa guidance on UKBA it says he will need "Evidence to show that arrangements have been made for the marriage or civil partnership to take place during your visit or if not, that you have given the appropriate notification".

This will be easy to do as long as the visa is not needed to actually give notice, everything seems to be contradictory. I'd be really grateful if somebody could help me understand this!

Also, one more question, sorry...but on the visa application form it asks for information about parents, I can understand this, but one of his paretns doesnt work and the other owes money to the IRS, will they penalise my fiance for this :/ ?

Thank you so much

Rndebidee · #2 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HannahD

Hello, I'm wondering if anyone can help me understand the Visit to Marry Visa.

I am a UK citizen and my fiance is a US citizen, he is coming here in december (when we planned to give notice of our marriage) and again in April (when we plan to get married) He will then go back to the states and we will apply for a Spouse Visa after about 6-8 months. Anyway, I'm really confused about when he needs the Visit to Marry visa, does he need it when we give notice or just for the actual marriage?

When looking at the visa guidance on UKBA it says he will need "Evidence to show that arrangements have been made for the marriage or civil partnership to take place during your visit or if not, that you have given the appropriate notification".

This will be easy to do as long as the visa is not needed to actually give notice, everything seems to be contradictory. I'd be really grateful if somebody could help me understand this!

Also, one more question, sorry...but on the visa application form it asks for information about parents, I can understand this, but one of his paretns doesnt work and the other owes money to the IRS, will they penalise my fiance for this :/ ?

Thank you so much

The visit to marry visa is just that...a visa to enter the country, get married then leave to live elsewhere.

From my understanding in reading the many threads on this forum is that when he visits in December he could just come over as a visitor without a visa if his stay is less than 6 months (providing of course he shows intent on returning back to the states with a return ticket, notice from employment with his expected return date, etc). He will need a fiance visa for your wedding in April, then return back to the States where he would then apply for a spousal visa.

I'm sorry but I'm not familiar with the forms so I can't offer any advice on them, but in my opinion I can't see how his parents debt could penalize your fiance if he is not responsible for any of it.

Good luck to you both

HannahD · #3 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rndebidee

The visit to marry visa is just that...a visa to enter the country, get married then leave to live elsewhere.

From my understanding in reading the many threads on this forum is that when he visits in December he could just come over as a visitor without a visa if his stay is less than 6 months (providing of course he shows intent on returning back to the states with a return ticket, notice from employment with his expected return date, etc). He will need a fiance visa for your wedding in April, then return back to the States where he would then apply for a spousal visa.

I'm sorry but I'm not familiar with the forms so I can't offer any advice on them, but in my opinion I can't see how his parents debt could penalize your fiance if he is not responsible for any of it.

Good luck to you both

Thank you for that

so is it ok for us to give notice of our marriage with no visa? And when we do marry wouldn't we have to use the Visit for Marriage Visa because he will be returning back to the US afterwards. Sorry to be annoying!!

Rndebidee · #4 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HannahD

Thank you for that

so is it ok for us to give notice of our marriage with no visa? And when we do marry wouldn't we have to use the Visit for Marriage Visa because he will be returning back to the US afterwards. Sorry to be annoying!!

I'm not 100% sure on that now. If your fiance needs to be there when you register your intent on getting married then I would think it would be best to apply for his fiance visa, which I believe gives you time to register in December and then get married in April. I'm not sure if when he leaves the UK after registering your intent to marry if that would null the fiance visa or if he could just come back and get married with the existing fiance visa in April.

I think the visit for Marriage visa is strictly for people just visiting the country to get married with no intentions on returning to make the UK their permanent place of residence.

The fiance visa is a visa for I think up to 6 months to register a marriage, get married then return back to the country you originate from, in your fiance case, back to the US, where he then can apply for his spousal visa to join you later in the UK.

I thought I would be able to help you out a bit but now I may have confused you more as I am now confused myself. Joppa surely is the real expert in all this visa details, but their are so many more people on this forum that have gone through what you are going through and I'm sure they will be along in no time to point you in the right direction.

Not sure if what I previously advised is incorrect or not, and if it is I'm sorry as I know from what I have read here from others experiencing this roller coaster ride, it is a very daunting and stressful time in your life and it would be best dealt with by having the correct information to start with.

Again, good luck in this journey of yours.

nyclon · #5 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 07:17 PM

A fiance visa is for those who intend to marry and stay in the UK. If he is returning to the US after the wedding then he needs a marriage visit visa.

Joppa · #6 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 07:29 PM

What your fiancé needs is a marriage visitor visa for both giving notice and marriage. The visa is valid for 6 months and there is no need for him to come in December to give notice for April wedding. Of course he can do that as the visa covers both but all he needs is a week before giving notice and 15 days until he has permission to marry. So coming in Feb or March is ample time.

Rndebidee · #7 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joppa

What your fiancé needs is a marriage visitor visa for both giving notice and marriage. The visa is valid for 6 months and there is no need for him to come in December to give notice for April wedding. Of course he can do that as the visa covers both but all he needs is a week before giving notice and 15 days until he has permission to marry. So coming in Feb or March is ample time.

Well thank you Joppa and Nyclon for clearing that up for both of us. I certainly had it wrong. Just to be sure I have this right in the future.

Marriage visitor visa is good for 6 months but the person then has to leave and apply for a spouse visa until applying for ILR.

Fiance visa is for those intending on marrying and staying in the country and then can apply eventually for ILR from the UK?:

Which one if any do you have to show evidence of a relationship for at least two years?

I have to admit I am sooooooo confused now.

HannahD · #8 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 09:05 PM

Thank you very much for this, but I still don't understand how he will be able to get a Visit for Marriage Visa because it says Evidence to show that arrangements have been made for the marriage or civil partnership to take place during your visit or if not, that you have given the appropriate notification". And he needs to give notice in December because he will not be able to get 21 days off work all at once so we have to do it at separate times

Is it simple to get a Visit to Marry visa? He doesn't have much money but he has been here over 12 times and has always returned back to the States when he was meant to. Thank you for your time and patience.

2farapart · #9 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rndebidee

Marriage visitor visa is good for 6 months but the person then has to leave and apply for a spouse visa until applying for ILR.

Fiance visa is for those intending on marrying and staying in the country and then can apply eventually for ILR from the UK?:

Which one if any do you have to show evidence of a relationship for at least two years?

I have to admit I am sooooooo confused now.

Here are explanations - based on the new rules coming in shortly...

The marriage visitor visa is for people who want to marry in the UK, but then want to live in another country (they have six months in which to make all the arrangements and marry). They're not expecting to settle in the UK and so won't ordinarily apply for a spouse visa later. If they change their minds, they would still have to leave the UK and apply for the 5-year probationary spouse visas from abroad.

The spouse visa is for people who are already married or in a civil union, want to move to and settle permanently in the UK but currently living abroad. Under the new rules it consists of two probationary visas spanning 5 years.

The fiancée visa is for people who want to marry AND settle in the UK. Again, they have six months, but this visa is for people who are seeking entry into the UK with the intention of staying permanently. After 6 months, the newlyweds then apply for the Further Leave to Remain visas from within the UK which like the spouse visas span 5 years.

There is also the Unmarried Partners visa which again will consist of two probationary visas over 5 years (like spouse and FLR) - for people who wish to live together permanently in the UK, but without marrying or becoming civil partners.

After spouse, FLR and Unmarried Partners visas, the applicant can (if meeting all the requirements) apply for the final Indefinite Leave To Remain visa.

Rndebidee · #10 (**permalink**) 21st June 2012, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2farapart

Here are explanations - based on the new rules coming in shortly...

The marriage visitor visa is for people who want to marry in the UK, but then want to live in another country (they have six months in which to make all the arrangements and marry). They're not expecting to settle in the UK and so won't ordinarily apply for a spouse visa later. If they change their minds, they would still have to leave the UK and apply for the 5-year probationary spouse visas from abroad.

The spouse visa is for people who are already married or in a civil union, want to move to and settle permanently in the UK but currently living abroad. Under the new rules it consists of two probationary visas spanning 5 years.

The fiancée visa is for people who want to marry AND settle in the UK. Again, they have six months, but this visa is for people who are seeking entry into the UK with the intention of staying permanently. After 6 months, the newlyweds then apply for the Further Leave to Remain visas from within the UK which like the spouse visas span 5 years.

There is also the Unmarried Partners visa which again will consist of two probationary visas over 5 years (like spouse and FLR) - for people who wish to live together permanently in the UK, but without marrying or becoming civil partners.

After spouse, FLR and Unmarried Partners visas, the applicant can (if meeting all the requirements) apply for the final Indefinite Leave To Remain visa.

2far...Thank you for help clearing this up for me