Can I convert a tourist visa into remain in the UK?

[acidjiles]

I am married to a Peruvian, our marriage is not registered in the UK yet. My wife cannot do the English test in Peru and therefore will do it once she is in the UK. Therefore she will need to come on a tourist visa, do the test and then can apply for leave to remain either in Peru or the UK.

Is a marriage visa required to get our marriage registered in the UK?
Is registration of the marriage here required before we can apply for her leave to remain?
Can a visitor or marriage visa be converted into a leave to remain or will she have to return home and apply for the "join a family member visa"?
She has already been here once twice on a tourist visa and returned to Peru both times, she won't have a compelling reason to return to Peru this time but will do so if necessary, how will this sit with the application process?

Many thanks

[member]

I am married to a Peruvian, our marriage is not registered in the UK yet. My wife cannot do the English test in Peru and therefore will do it once she is in the UK. Therefore she will need to come on a tourist visa, do the test and then can apply for leave to remain either in Peru or the UK.

Is a marriage visa required to get our marriage registered in the UK?
Is registration of the marriage here required before we can apply for her leave to remain?
Can a visitor or marriage visa be converted into a leave to remain or will she have to return home and apply for the "join a family member visa"?
She has already been here once twice on a tourist visa and returned to Peru both times, she won't have a compelling reason to return to Peru this time but will do so if necessary, how will this sit with the application process?

Many thanks

Where do you want to get your marriage registered in the UK?

[acidjiles]

I am married to a Peruvian, our marriage is not registered in the UK yet. My wife cannot do the English test in Peru and therefore will do it once she is in the UK. Therefore she will need to come on a tourist visa, do the test and then can apply for leave to remain either in Peru or the UK.

Is a marriage visa required to get our marriage registered in the UK?
Is registration of the marriage here required before we can apply for her leave to remain?
Can a visitor or marriage visa be converted into a leave to remain or will she have to return home and apply for the "join a family member visa"?
She has already been here once twice on a tourist visa and returned to Peru both times, she won't have a compelling reason to return to Peru this time but will do so if necessary, how will this sit with the application process?

Many thanks

Where do you want to get your marriage registered in the UK?

Well I followed the process suggested on the gov.uk so maybe I don't need to register the marriage as I just informed them before the marriage and to be able to provide proof I wasn't married in the UK to the Peruvian Authorities.

For me the most important bit is, can I change a visitor or family visa for my wife into a leave to remain? Thanks

[CR001]

For me the most important bit is, can I change a visitor or family visa for my wife into a leave to remain? Thanks

No, you can't. A person on a visit visa is not able to switch to any other category from within the UK.

She will have to leave the UK to apply for a spouse visa.

Can she not travel to Colombia or Brazil to do the test? There are 8 test centres in Colombia and 4 in Brazil.

[acidjiles]

For me the most important bit is, can I change a visitor or family visa for my wife into a leave to remain? Thanks

No, you can't. A person on a visit visa is not able to switch to any other category from within the UK.

She will have to leave the UK to apply for a spouse visa.

Can she not travel to Colombia or Brazil to do the test? There are 8 test centres in Colombia and 4 in Brazil.

No, it would additional expense and then 3 months of waiting for the "join a settled person visa". When you say spouse visa what do you mean as they don't seem to exist? Do you just mean the join a settled person visa?

[Casa]

A Spouse visa falls under the 'Join settled person' category. CR001 is absolutely correct that this can't be applied for from within the UK while on a visitor visa.

[Peruvianchick]

You can do the exam in Lima,

Follow this link

http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/locations/peru

[syriuss]

How about trying to convert 2 years family visit visa to settlement while you are out of the UK within 2 years ?
Many thanks

[CR001]

How about trying to convert 2 years family visit visa to settlement while you are out of the UK within 2 years ?
Many thanks

No you cannot change a visit visa to ANY other visa, no matter where in the world you are.