Not sure about how to get the marriage certificate any faster however, I do know that you, the UK spouse cannot apply for your wife's Spousal Visa in-person from within the UK. There is no way around this rule.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but your wife will have to lodge the application from Canada and wait for it to be processed. If she was in the UK on a visa of 6 months or more (we had discussed with you the option of her possibly applying for a Tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa earlier this summer) then she could do an in person application.

Priority processing is available but the only thing that that offers is that the application will be put to the front of the line as opposed to the back of the line with all of the other non-priority applications received at the same time as your wife's.

Priority processing does not guarantee a faster processing time in any way shape or form. I'm sure you've seen the pages-long discussion about how fast the UKVI is currently moving at this point in time over on the UK branch, so you have a general idea about just how good things are in Sheffield at the minute (to say it's a gong show would be generous).

I know that this is not the news that you wanted to hear (especially with Christmas just around the corner) but unfortunately, you've got no other option but to wait for a response to be sent back to Canada.

 

I looked into the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Visa and was advised that the applican had to be sponsored by a company for the visa to be legible. Not sure how true that is but I was faced with a lot of grey areas so I avoided it and flew into Canada to marry this girl instead - hoping to apply for her visa once I return.

Strange. I don't understand why I cannot send the application from the UK. Technically, she is the applicant and I am the sponsor so I don't see the problem. I'm starting to panic now, but isn't that how it works?... She fills and prints the form in Canada then sends me all the documents for me to hand them in at UKVI in Sheffield? She then goes for her biometrics appointment and waits for her visa approval to come here as my wife. Please tell me I'm on the right page.

Gah! :Cry:

 

Whomever told you that a T5 YMS visa requires a job doesn't know what the heck they're talking about and really needs to go and review their knowledge of that visa class. A T2 (General) visa requires specific work sponsorship, a T5 YMS visa does not - the whole point of the T5 is for young people to come to the UK as a holiday maker and work, as much or as little as they choose (if they choose to work at all) while they're here.

According to the Official Home Office Guidance, all your wife needed was to be aged 18 to 30, have £1,890 in savings, and be able to show proof of Canadian citizenship. There is no mention of a required job offer.

Now, in regards to the Spouse Visa process, you've got part of the process correct.

Your wife completes the application and attends biometrics in Toronto (I'm assuming that that's where she is at the moment).

From Toronto, your wife sends the application and all supporting documents to Sheffield. The people who do the biometrics should have the facilities available to help her submit everything via courier... when I did my biometrics in Vancouver, the people doing my paperwork had a stash of DHL packaging and waybills to send my application package to the consulate in New York (North American applications were still being handled there in mid-2012.... they were shifted to Sheffield in late 2012/early 2013) and they had extra waybills and packaging that I could purchase to include in my application package in order to have everything sent back to me via courier.... I took note of the waybill tracking number so I could track my package once my stuff was sent back to me.

There is no public access to the Sheffield processing centre so you aren't able to submit the application in-person... mail or courier access only.

There may or may not be communication from the Home Office in regards to the progress of the application... do not worry if your wife doesn't hear from them when they receive her documents or during the processing phase - it's nothing personal against you or your wife... they tell everyone that they'll be notified as their case progresses and, more often than not, they don't follow up on the application's progress.

I know for myself, I didn't receive a "docs received" email but I did receive a "your application is being organised to be sent to an Entry Clearance Officer for consideration" email and then heard nothing back until they notified me that my visa had been approved and my passport was en route back to me. That said, they've changed their tune in regards to the way they notify applicants about how their application is decided. They are deliberately vague and no longer say outright what the decision is during the email - just a "decision has been made" statement. Applicants must then wait for their stuff to come back in order to find out the decision... if no refusal letter is included, the applicant should check every page of their passport to see if there is a vignette attached to one of the blank pages... it won't necessarily be on the first blank page from the front so it's advisable to check the passport to see if they have put in the visa (mine was about 6 pages in... I've got mild OCD so this bothered me a little bit but I was just happy to receive my visa so I was o.k.)

One other word of note... don't bother spending your hard earned ££££ on the pay-per minute "Help" line... it's staffed by a 3rd party company that is wholly unrelated to the Home Office and the call centre can provide very little useful information in regards to specific applications.

 

Man, I should have hired you as my immigration advisor instead of paying thousands to somebody who seems to be doing a half-assed job of my case. I have put my complete faith in this guy simply because he is a professional and I can't afford any risks. Let's hope he doesn't let me down!

I seem to have found where I stand in all of this, but there are still too many issues including a massive plot twist - her father is pushing her to get married elsewhere by the end of this year. She is now my wife so I have no choice but to fight for her. If her father doesn't agree, I will have no choice but to bring her home against his will. My solicitor is well aware of my situation and he was the one who advised me to get married to her in Toronto so we can apply for her spouse visa (which was, according to him, the quickest route).

You've seen all my cards, my only question now is this... If things get dirty, would it be practical for me to bring her to the UK on a 6 month tourist visa, then send her back to Toronto in April 2018 for 2 weeks so she can submit the application and hopefully get her approval whilst she is there? I'm sure there is a premium/priority service that speeds up the process, even if it does only put the application to the front of the queue. What do you think?

 

Man, I should have hired you as my immigration advisor instead of paying thousands to somebody who seems to be doing a half-assed job of my case. I have put my complete faith in this guy simply because he is a professional and I can't afford any risks.

Why pay someone for something you can do yourself? And just because someone gets paid to do something, that does not mean that they are competent.

I seem to have found where I stand in all of this, but there are still too many issues including a massive plot twist - her father is pushing her to get married elsewhere by the end of this year. She is now my wife so I have no choice but to fight for her. If her father doesn't agree, I will have no choice but to bring her home against his will.

 

NOT A good idea.

Since you are married, the agents at the border will want to know why she’s there and with whom she is staying. They will ask about you and the relationship and she must answer truthfully or else she will be refused entry and be returned to Canada, as she will be seen as an overstay risk.

Even if she were to be admitted, there is no guarantee that she can stay for 6 months... that’s the maximum amount of leave that can be granted and is not a guaranteed grant... all entry grants to the UK are at the discretion of the border agent as far as length of stay is concerned.

As far as having a priority application decided in 2 weeks: not going to happen.

When I applied for a Fiancée Visa back in 2012, before the rules changed and everything was shifted to Sheffield, Priority processing was under a week then it increased to a 2-3 weeks and then, after some time, it slowly began to work it’s way up a couple of months and now it’s a nightmare for current applicants.

So, you’ve got little choice at this time. I’d say cut your losses and accept that you’ll not be spending your first Christmas together in the UK and have your wife apppy now and anticipate her visa being processed in the new year.

While you’re waiting, you’re welcome to come to Canada to see your wife... she can’t leave Canada as her passport will be in the UK but as you will still have yours, you can travel to see her.

 

Also, even if she was granted a full 6 month tourist visa and stays for the whole 6 months, she’ll not be able to return to the UK until she’s either been granted a visa (Spousal/work/student etc) or had been away from the UK for 6 months or more - the general rule of thumb regarding tourist visas is that non-EU/EEA arrivals can only stay in the UK for 6 months in every 12 month period and cannot renew the 6 month validity by doing a so-called ‘Visa run’ by exiting the UK and then returning within a few days for a new leave of 6 months.

 

I am well aware that she won't be able to re-enter until she has her spouse visa, and there will be no 'Visa runs' happening either. My plan was simple: initially bring her home on a tourist visa, then send her back after a few months to apply for her spouse visa. She can wait in Canada for however long until her visa arrives - I'll make arrangements for her accommodation.

Also:
If, whilst entering UK, they ask her questions about where and who she is staying with, can she not mention a friend's name and address? The border officers don't have to know the details of our situation, do they?

This is a real bummer. I've overcooked my brain trying to come up with the best solution for this. Nothing seems legit. If I have to wait then I have to wait, but before I give in, I need to know that I've entertained every possible/legal solution to bring her home asap.

 

You guys are right - I can't make her lie and she probably wouldn't do it anyway. I'm just hopelessly throwing suggestions.

In the end, I guess it's just a waiting game for us both. Wish us luck!

 

We wish you all of the luck in the world!

I know what it's like to be separated from your wife - I cried buckets when I had to leave London when I visited my husband in the spring before we applied for my visa; the 3 months I had to wait between when my visa was approved in late July and my arrival in London were the longest 3 months in my life to that point... my husband was in Vancouver when the visa was approved (it took 3 weeks back in those days) and it was very hard to have him leave when his visit was over.

Incidentally, if you have any further questions about the application process, it would be faster for you if you returned to the UK branch to ask them. While I do have knowledge about how that process works, I don't have much familiarity with how the most recent initial application process works, as the rules change so very quickly; there are others on the UK branch (I'm thinking Joppa, the "go to" guy for info on all things UKBA over there) who can give you concise information.