where to get married

[123me]

Hi everyone,

My British boyfriend and I would like to get married in the next couple of years. I am Canadian and also hold a Dutch passport. My daughter and I will move to the Uk next year for at least a year or 2. We have know each other since 1976, and are therefore able to prove our relationship if we have to. My question is, which country is the best for us to get married in, so we can live as a couple as easily as possible? After a few years of me and my daughter living in England we do want to come back and live in Canada. So should we get married in England or Canada, so things are easier for us when we all come back to Canada?

Thanking you all in advance,

[jlms]

If you are going to live in Canada I would be inclined to say you should marry there...

[123me]

Originally Posted by jlms

If you are going to live in Canada I would be inclined to say you should marry there...

Right, thank you, that is what we were thinking.

[Costas_GB_and_GR]

....you can always do something different and get married in a beautiful Greek island...like Kefalonia...

[123me]

Originally Posted by Costas_GB_and_GR

....you can always do something different and get married in a beautiful Greek island...like Kefalonia...

Right, of course to get married on an island would be great. Not sure that helps my boyfriend on settling without major issues in Canada. I read posts about people getting married, and spousal visa...etc...so we are trying to get as much information before hand so we can make the best decision. I know a couple who got married in the UK, and then 10 years or so later wanted to move to Canada, as that was their original intention when he retired, and it took them almost 2 years and a lot of heartache before he was allowed to move to Canada. They found out later they should have gotten married in Canada, would have made it easier for him to move over. Now that is one couple's story, I am sure there are many other stories out there.

[Punktlich2]

Originally Posted by 123me

Right, of course to get married on an island would be great. Not sure that helps my boyfriend on settling without major issues in Canada. I read posts about people getting married, and spousal visa...etc...so we are trying to get as much information before hand so we can make the best decision. I know a couple who got married in the UK, and then 10 years or so later wanted to move to Canada, as that was their original intention when he retired, and it took them almost 2 years and a lot of heartache before he was allowed to move to Canada. They found out later they should have gotten married in Canada, would have made it easier for him to move over. Now that is one couple's story, I am sure there are many other stories out there.

There is no legal reason nor any advantage in terms of immigration, to marriage in Canada over marriage in the UK. As a citizen of an EU country you do not need a Certificate of Approval to marry, but you knew that already.

It is hard to imagine what caused a 2-year delay in the issuance of a visa to the spouse of the person you know, unless that person had a criminal conviction in his background. I do not believe that having married in Canada would have made a difference, although my answer would be different if the original marriage was polygamous, tribal or common-law.

I've followed up enough of these anecdotes over the years to know there is always a fact that has been left out.

You probably need to notify the Dutch consular authorities of your marriage after it has taken place. Most civil-law countries keep records of the marital status of their citizens. If your daughter is a Dutch citizen she will need to register with the consular authorities at majority or risk losing Dutch nationality. See the following sites for more information:
Dutch nationality law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lois sur la nationalité des pays européens
Or ask a Dutch consular officer.

Good luck.

[123me]

Originally Posted by Punktlich2

There is no legal reason nor any advantage in terms of immigration, to marriage in Canada over marriage in the UK. As a citizen of an EU country you do not need a Certificate of Approval to marry, but you knew that already.

It is hard to imagine what caused a 2-year delay in the issuance of a visa to the spouse of the person you know, unless that person had a criminal conviction in his background. I do not believe that having married in Canada would have made a difference, although my answer would be different if the original marriage was polygamous, tribal or common-law.

I've followed up enough of these anecdotes over the years to know there is always a fact that has been left out.

You probably need to notify the Dutch consular authorities of your marriage after it has taken place. Most civil-law countries keep records of the marital status of their citizens. If your daughter is a Dutch citizen she will need to register with the consular authorities at majority or risk losing Dutch nationality. See the following sites for more information:
Dutch nationality law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lois sur la nationalité des pays européens
Or ask a Dutch consular officer.

Good luck.

I think my original post is unclear. I am a Canadian Citizen, although I was born in Holland. I am getting my dutch pasport back this summer (I did not say that part earlier, as my parents gave it up when we immigrated in 1966) so I can work in England for starters. My daughter was born in Canada but will also get a dutch passport. So, what you are telling me, it does not matter if we get married in the UK or in Canada? If we get married in Canada, how long before my boyfriend can work here?

I thank you for your reply, and sorry I was a bit unclear.

[Punktlich2]

Originally Posted by 123me

I think my original post is unclear. I am a Canadian Citizen, although I was born in Holland. I am getting my dutch pasport back this summer (I did not say that part earlier, as my parents gave it up when we immigrated in 1966) so I can work in England for starters. My daughter was born in Canada but will also get a dutch passport. So, what you are telling me, it does not matter if we get married in the UK or in Canada? If we get married in Canada, how long before my boyfriend can work here?

I thank you for your reply, and sorry I was a bit unclear.

There are some limits to retention of Dutch nationality by those also holding another nationality and residing outside the EU. These are described, not entirely clearly, in the Wikipedia article I linked to. Just be careful that you and your daughter adhere to them if you leave the EU for ten years.

There is no legal significance to place of marriage and where you marry makes no difference except when your fiance's visa requires or presumes marriage in the country of settlement, as in a British "visa for marriage and settlement" or a US "K" visa. My point was that there must have been another factor that caused the 2-year delay for your friend.

Marriage in Canada without first applying for migrant status is unlikely to speed up anything. Background checks can (but do not always) take forever. You might want to have a look at one of the dedicated forums, such as Canada Immigration Discussion Forum - Delay in spouse Immigration