How to apply for Fiancee VISA (northern Ireland)

uhera_maya18 · #1 (**permalink**) 26th October 2009, 03:33 PM

Hi, im a filipina living in the Philippines. I have my boyfriend and he a citizen of Belfast, Ireland. We are planning to get married either here in the Philippines or in Belfast. Iv been told that the guy will be the one to apply for my fiancee visa in UK, but i received an email from UK embassy here in the Philippines that I will be the one to apply for the visa. Can someone please tell me if I should be the one or my boyfriend in Belfast will be the one to apply for the fiancee visa for me. we need to know the easiest and fastest way for me to get there.. coz here in the Philippines, the processing would take time and if my boyfriend can do the same, probably, the processing would be faster than here..

thanks so much in advance!

Joppa · #2 (**permalink**) 26th October 2009, 03:54 PM

As a non-EU citizen needing a visa, it's you who have to apply for your visa - he doesn't need one, but will obviously have to support your application; he cannot apply on your behalf. You need to apply for your fiancée visa in the Philippines, to the British embassy/consulate there. This is assuming you want to settle in UK after your marriage.
BTW, Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Your boyfriend has British citizenship, though if he was born in Northern Ireland, he is eligible to apply for a passport from the Republic of Ireland as well. If it's your intention to settle in the Republic after your marriage, you apply for a relevant visa to the Irish embassy, which may be easier than the detailed requirements imposed by UK.
If you are going to be married in the Philippines, you apply for a marriage (spouse) visa after your wedding, valid 2 years, at the British embassy or consulate.

uhera_maya18 · #3 (**permalink**) 26th October 2009, 04:01 PM

hi! thanks so much for the feedback. well its just that i know people who got married to a foreigner and their fiancee visa has been applied by their husband from their own country. my aunt's niece got married to an american, and the guy was the one who applied for the fiancee visa. i also browsed through the net and found couple of sites wherein they posted the details on how they got their filipina wives there.. and yes, they were the ones who applied for a fiancee visa. another site wherein a filipina married a british and the guy also was the one who applied for the fiancee visa.

he is planning to come here either before xmas or next year of february. if it's gonna be me who will apply, then we will both go to the UK embassy here in Philippines. but i just need to confirm bcoz if my boyfriend can apply the fiancee visa, then it might be easier

Bevdeforges · #4 (**permalink**) 26th October 2009, 04:18 PM

For someone getting married to a US citizen, that's how the visa process works. The fiancé in the US isn't actually applying for the visa for his or her intended, but rather going through a process called "petitioning." Once the petition has been accepted and transmitted to the appropriate consulate, the foreigner can then file their visa application.

You can check with the British consulate in the Philippines, but I don't think the UK visa process works that way.
Cheers,
Bev

Joppa · #5 (**permalink**) 26th October 2009, 04:27 PM

You complete the following application form as a fiancée to a British citizen:
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/resources/.../1903073/vaf4a

uhera_maya18 · #6 (**permalink**) 26th October 2009, 04:28 PM

hi Bev.. thanks! well i did send an email to the british embassy here.. i cant go to them yet coz im too busy with work. they told me i will be the one to apply for it. if that's petition then which would we have to apply first? the petition then the fiancee visa or the petition meant nothing? thanks so much for the help

uhera_maya18 · #7 (**permalink**) 26th October 2009, 04:32 PM

thanks so much! so this will be the form i need to print out and give to the british embassy here? @ joppa

Joppa · #8 (**permalink**) 26th October 2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uhera_maya18

thanks so much! so this will be the form i need to print out and give to the british embassy here? @ joppa

Yes, plus all the documentary evidence asked for and a hefty fee of £585 or 46800 PHP. You apply through the embassy's appointed agent, VFS Global, UK Visa Information - Home Page
There are several threads detailing people's experience of applying for fiance(e) or marriage visa (called settlement visa) here on British Expat Forum, which you will find very helpful.