Marriage VISA, the best route for my girlfriend ??

[simonjang]

Dear all,

i'd like to apply marriage visa for my girlfriend, can anyone advise me that what will be the best route to apply for " Marriage Visa".
My status is ILR (awaiting Naturalisation result) with professional job and annual salary is £30K+. my girlfriend status is T4 (extension Scheme) and valid till 22 Aug 2016.

Please advise me that what is the best way to apply marriage visa for my girlfriend before her visa expired.

NB: we are try to register and marriage at the available council ASAP.

many thanks in advance for your advise.

[CR001]

You don't have enough time to register a marriage as you have to give 28 days notice. Given that her visa expires so soon, HO might think it is a marriage of convenience.

Do you and your girlfriend live together?

[simonjang]

hi CR001,

thank you very much for your prompt reply. yes, we live together but we don't have any address proof for past 2/3 years. because all of my personal details is under my family address in London.
i just swift my driving licence address to my her address last week.
if she can't apply at UK due to her visa validity , so we will try to apply at home country.
if we apply at home country, what documents will be required because we haven't registered as couple neither UK or home country.

many thanks for your advise.

[CR001]

She won't qualify for an Unmarried Partner visa if you have not lived together for 2 years in 'a relationship akin to marriage' and have all the documents to prove it.

If you plan to marry, then she could apply for a fiance visa (£1,195) from her home country. This will be issued for 6 months and you will have to marry in this time. Once married and before her visa expires, she can apply for the spouse visa on FLR(M) - again £811 for postal application or £1,311 for an in person same day decision appointment - and she will also have to pay the £500 immigration health surcharge for the FLR(M) application.

[simonjang]

Hi CR001,
thank you so much for prompt reply.
is "fiance Visa" only solution for girlfriend ?
after she granted fiance visa, so we can marriage in UK and apply FLR(M) application.
could you please advise that what is the requirement of fiance visa?
many thanks in advance.

[noajthan]

Check requirements on Gov UK website.

[Casa]

She won't qualify for an Unmarried Partner visa if you have not lived together for 2 years in 'a relationship akin to marriage' and have all the documents to prove it.

If you plan to marry, then she could apply for a fiance visa (£1,195) from her home country. This will be issued for 6 months and you will have to marry in this time. Once married and before her visa expires, she can apply for the spouse visa on FLR(M) - again £811 for postal application or £1,311 for an in person same day decision appointment - and she will also have to pay the £500 immigration health surcharge for the FLR(M) application.

Are you earning a minimum of £18,600 p.a. or without income, do you have £62,500 in savings held in an accessible account for 6 months?
https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview

[simonjang]

Hi Casa,

thank you for the comments.
My annual salary is more than £18600 but i don't have £62000 at my saving account. is bank saving will be part of requirements ?

many thanks in advance.

[simonjang]

Check requirements on Gov UK website.

thank you so much CR001..

[Casa]

You've misunderstood. You only need savings if you don't have an annual income of £18.600.

[simonjang]

Hi Casa,

thank you for your explanation.

[simonjang]

Hi Casa & CR001,

can you please advise what is the process and requirements for fiance visa ?
as you know, we can't register marriage here at UK, how can i prove to HO that we are going to get marriage after my girlfriend gain fiance visa ?
many thanks in advance.

[CR001]

To get the fiance visa, you should provide evidence of plans for a wedding.

Once she has the visa and is back in the UK, you/she will need to give notice to marry at one of the HO approved Registry offices.

You must get married before her visa expires. If you don't, she will have to leave and cannot apply for FLR(M) spouse visa.

[simonjang]

Hi CR001,

thank you very much for prompt reply.
would you mind explain a bit more details about evidence of plans for wedding? if there any chance, we can give the notice at local council before she left UK ? if so, we can use it as a proof, right ?
regarding fiance visa application at home country, i'm planing to provide our UK bank joint account with her name (recently open) , my bank statement & payslip for 6 months, reference letter from work, pictures we took together since we met, please advise me if i need to provide more documents ?

many thanks in advance.

[CR001]

I don't know if you can give notice now. Given that her visa expires soon, if the notice period is extended to 70 days for HO to investigate and interview both of you, she won't be here.

You need to send what is asked for one the form

Evidence of wedding plans could be quotes for the wedding or reception, plans for invitations, receipt of engagement ring, etc.

[simonjang]

Hi CR001,

thank you so much for your reply and patiently explanation.
thank you very much again.
regards,
soe.

[simonjang]

Hi CR001,

I have one more query, it's that can I use US marriage certificate to apply FLR for my girlfriend in China.
FYI: due to my foreign citizenship can't get marriage in China, so we plan to register marriage in US.
Pls advise , thanks you so much in advance.

[CR001]

Any legal marriage cert would be acceptable.

[Casa]

However, bear in mind that your girlfriend can only submit a fiance visa application from a country in which she is legally resident, not as a visitor.

[simonjang]

Hi CR001& Casa,

Thanks your very much for prompt reply.
So my girlfriend can apply FLR instead of fiancé visa in China with us marriage certificate?
Thanks in advance.

[Casa]

No. FLR(M) can only be applied for from within the UK. She will have to apply for a fiance visa or if married outside of the UK, a spouse settlement visa from China.

[simonjang]

Hi Casa,

Thanks your for the reply and well noted.

[simonjang]

However, bear in mind that your girlfriend can only submit a fiance visa application from a country in which she is legally resident, not as a visitor.

Hi Casa,

I just got result for my girlfriend Fiance Visa application was rejected. the reason is :
-we don't provide proof of single for both of us,
-my annual income is less than £18600 ( my actual income is £28K per year , I provided my six months with application)
- my bank statement is without bank stamp ( statement is issued by bank, so does stamp necessary )

please advise can I appeal or what is the best way ?
many thanks in advance.
regards,
soe

[CR001]

I just got result for my girlfriend Fiance Visa application was rejected. the reason is :
-we don't provide proof of single for both of us, What do you mean??
-my annual income is less than £18600 ( my actual income is £28K per year , I provided my six months with application) Was there a variation in income on the evidence you provided?
- my bank statement is without bank stamp ( statement is issued by bank, so does stamp necessary )

It might be useful if you post the exact refusal wording, taking out any personal details.

[Casa]

Hi CR001& Casa,

Thanks your very much for prompt reply.
So my girlfriend can apply FLR instead of fiancé visa in China with us marriage certificate?
Thanks in advance.

NO.

A FLR(M) application can only be submitted from within the UK. If you marry in the US as CR001 has already advised, your wife will be unable to submit her spouse visa application while in the US as a visitor. She will have to return to China and apply from there.

If you have married it will be a Spouse Settlement visa. Visa fee £1195 + £600 NHS surcharge.