Letter adressed to Scottish Govt -Marriage@g​ro-scotlandâ€

[creativethinker2009]

I am an foreign national, currently a resident of UK on a Tier1 visa since Nov 2008 valid until Nov 2011. My fiance is also of the same foreign national currently living abroad(not in UK). We are contemplating getting married in the beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland before the end of the year as opposed to having it in our country of origin.
- Is this at all possible for two foreign nationals belonging to the same country to register a civil marriage in Scotland.
- What kind of visa would be required of my fiance to come to Scotland, as I believe I do not require a VISA to enter scotland.
- Do I need to contact the foreign embassy in Scotland / UK to register the marriage.
- Do I need to get a COA ?

Please advise.

Thanks and Regards

____________________________________________________________


If your fiancé is visiting the UK to be married and he is a citizen of a country that is not a member of the European Economic Area, he will need to apply for a marriage or fiancé visit visa before he travels. If he does not get a visa the Registrar will not be able to accept his notice of marriage and he will not be able to marry in the UK. . For more information please visit the UK Visas website at:-

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en

or your fiancé should contact his nearest British Embassy, Consulate or High Commission for advice as the visa is a requirement under UK immigration law (governed by the Home Office UK Border Agency) and not our marriage law which is separate.

As you are already in the UK, and you are a citizen of a country that is not a member of the European Economic Area, you will need the approval of the Home Secretary to be married here. This will be provided in the form of a certificate of approval. For more information visit the Home Office website at

http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk

or call the UK Border Agency on 0870 606 7766, or write to UK Border Agency, Lunar House, 40 Wellesley Road, Croydon, CR9 2BY or e-mail: indpublicenquiries@ind.homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk

All relevant forms and information for marriage in Scotland as well as a list of registrars who can conduct a civil marriage can be accessed and downloaded from our website at the following address:

http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk

The legal preliminaries to marriage in Scotland are the same for both religious and civil ceremonies. Both parties will require to complete a marriage notice form each and send them with the fees and other documents to the Registrar of the district where the marriage is to take place, preferably 4-6 weeks before the wedding date. The minimum period of notice that must be given is 14 clear days i.e. the Registrar must receive both notices at least 15 days and no more than 3 months before the date of the proposed marriage.

As you are wanting to have a civil wedding ceremony in Edinburgh you should contact the Registrar at Edinburgh Central Registrars Office in order to book your date and to discuss the arrangements. The contact details are as follows:

The Registrar
City of Edinburgh Council
Lothian Chambers
59-63 George IV Bridge
Edinburgh
EH1 1RN
Telephone Number: 0131 529 2600
Email: registrars.lothian.chambers@edinburgh.gov.uk

XXX nationals are not required to produce a certificate of no impediment. You will both be required to submit your birth certificates, copy of passports, and, if either of you have been married before, your divorce decree. Divorce documents must relate to a final decree, should have an original certification from the issuing authority and if a foreign divorce is submitted it should be accompanied by the answers to the list of questions on our website.

If any document is in a language other than English, you must also provide a certified translation into English.

There is no residential requirement to marry in Scotland.

I hope you find our website both useful and interesting. If you require further assistance the Registrar in Edinburgh will be happy to help.

Yours sincerely

Mrs Lynne Rodgers

_________________________________________________________

According to this letter I received from Mrs Lynne Rodgers -
my fiance can come to the UK using Fiance or Marriage VISA ?
Is my understanding right.????

[Wanderer]

1. Yes

2. Marriage Visit Visa, Scotland is part of UK so no other visa is required to enter.

3. No

4. Yes

The advice from Mrs Lynne Rodgers is wrong since as you do not have at least ILR/PR fiancee/marriage visas do not apply to you.

[vinny]

If she gets a Marriage/Civil partnership visit visa, then a COA shouldn't be required.

After marriage, she may apply for a Tier 1 dependant visa from her country of residence.

[John]

I agree with all Vinny has posted and would merely add that creativethinker2009 will need to get a CoA.

But if the marriage is delayed into 2011 then CoAs will have been abolished, so that need will have disappeared.

[creativethinker2009]

Thanks all for your posts -

To clarify, I need to get a COA , if it is before 2010 and if it is in 2011, then no need for a COA .

My fiance , needs to come here on a Marriage Visit Visa.

The advice from Mrs Lynne Rodgers is wrong since as you do not have at least ILR/PR fiancee/marriage visas do not apply to you.

Does this matter, as I am currently residing in UK on a Tier 1 Visa valid from Nov 2008 until Nov 2011.

[John]

Just to clarify, yes CoAs are going to be abolished, but the exact date has yet to be announced. It will be early 20011 but not necessarily the very beginning of 2011,

Once they are abolished I would expect the Marriage Visitor Visa category also to disappear, given it was only introduced as part of the CoA arrangements. After CoAs are abolished there is no reason why the holder of a mere Visitor visa cannot marry in the UK.

Does this matter, as I am currently residing in UK on a Tier 1 Visa valid from Nov 2008 until Nov 2011.

The advice was wrong because it is impossible for your fiancée to get a fiancée visa, given your current visa status.

[vinny]

To clarify, I need to get a COA , if it is before 2010 and if it is in 2011, then no need for a COA .

When the COA is scrapped, then no one will need it.