[Woodstock]

Hello,
I am British and my same-sex partner is from Thailand and has no problem communicating with me. He passed the required, but basic, English test to get an Entry Clearance Visa and arrived in London this week. We have an appointment on the 21st of October to declare our intent to register our CP, which will occur two weeks later.
Does anyone know how difficult the interview is at the intent-to-regiser appointment?
We shall be sitting together but I cannot help him at all. I don't know the depth of the questions.
Secondly, we know no one in the U.K. We will need two witnesses to stand in at our CP signing, which will take fifteen minutes at the Richmond Registry on the 12th of November.
Has anyone done this by just asking strangers to witness? Any success in doing that?
After this is done, we shall apply for a FLR Visa and will be set for the next two years, where my partner will become much more proficient in English for the Life In The UK Test.
Thank you.

 

[candyann]

Will you definitely be sitting together? I ask because my partner was not allowed to be in the same room with me when we went to declare our intent for a CP. It might be different at your registry office though.

My partner was asked to leave the room, the door was shut, and then I was asked questions to determine whether I was being forced into this against my will, also to see if the relationship was genuine I guess. At Richmond register office, they have a big sign advising about forced marriage and sham marriages being illegal in the UK. I guess they are really intent on stamping this out.

The questioning didn't go on for very long and I imagine they must be used to accommodating people whose English is not very good, but your partner should be able to make it understood that this is a genuine relationship, his own free will, etc.

As for witnesses, I'm not aware of any requirement that the witnesses know you previously, as long as they are willing to sign their names on the official record.

 

[Lizzie_G]

My now husband and I gave our notice of intent to marry a few months ago. The questions were quite basic, e.g. date of birth, addresses, job titles, etc. I actually (embarrassingly!) got my husband's job title wrong but this didn't seem to be an issue, I just think that as mentioned above they want to make sure that it isn't a sham marriage.

We weren't able to sit together for the bulk of it though--we had a bit together at the beginning and end but for the most part we were separated throughout.

 

[Woodstock]

Lizzie

Thank you for responding. This board has so many kind people in support of each other, like you.
Thanks again.