Entering UK after wedding abroad

[unioncityblue]

Hi,

I am a UK national getting married later this year in Belarus to my gf who is Belarusian (living in Moscow).

We were planning on just going straight for a spouse visa after we get married, rather than apply for a fiancee visa first. However I am guessing that would mean that she couldn't then come to the UK with me after the wedding/ honeymoon?

If we wanted her to enter UK after the wedding/ honeymoon, would we already have to have a fiancee visa in place, otherwise we would start our married life apart?

Sorry if this is a basic question, but i have searched and i cant quite find an answer to this.

Thanks in advance.

[seagul]

She won't get fiancee visa if you are already married. And there is no requirement to have to have the fiancee visa before applying spouse visa. She should apply spouse visa from her current country of residence

[unioncityblue]

Thanks for the reply.

I mean that if she has a fiancee visa in place prior to the wedding, to allow us to live together in UK for a short time before the wedding, which still has time left on it (eg we get married 4 months into the 6 months of the fiance visa), could she travel back to the UK on this fiance visa after the wedding?

Then could she apply for a spouse visa when we are back in the UK together?

[seagul]

Thanks for the reply.

I mean that if she has a fiancee visa in place prior to the wedding, to allow us to live together in UK for a short time before the wedding, which still has time left on it (eg we get married 4 months into the 6 months of the fiance visa), could she travel back to the UK on this fiance visa after the wedding?

Then could she apply for a spouse visa when we are back in the UK together?

Yes after marriage in uk on fiancee visa she can leave & return to UK provided that she gives satisfactory answers to airport immigration staff. But best way to switch into spouse visa before travelling.

[Frontier Mole]

In simple terms the fiancé visa is to allow marriage in the UK and then a visa spouse application in the UK thereafter.
It is not a get out clause to cover off the suggestion you are proposing. If the marriage is performed outside the UK on a fiancé visa then by default it cancels the visa as she is no longer a fiancé.
You could have a fiancé visa, bring her to the UK and do a simple register wedding and then do the “real” wedding in her home country. Then apply for the spouse visa on your return.