Want to marry canadian citizen who is in UK

[miketon]

Hi all
I am British citizen and want to marry my Canadian fiance who is in UK at the moment on visit.

what steps I need to apply for her to stay in uk.

Do we need CAO before wedding here?
Can she apply from within UK on FLR(M) form?

thanks for your comments.

Mike

[ElenaW]

She can't switch from visitor to spousal. She needs to go back to canada and apply for a fiance visa.

[Casa]

Under current regulations she would also have to apply for a COA (which takes time), unless a vicar of the Church of England (Anglican) is willing to marry you without one. Rare these days.
As Elena has advised, in any event she can't switch from visitor to spouse from within the UK.

[miketon]

thanks.
Could please give me a bit of details of the process?
So far I have gathered from the forum post and UKba site..

• She is visitor here so needs to go back and apply in Canada for Fiancée visa.
  She will get 6 month entry clearance visa to UK (which FORM?).
  Once she gets here we can marry. (We do not need CAO)
  After marrying she can apply for spouse visa FLR (M) from within UK and will get 2 years visa.
  After 2 year she can apply for settlement SET(M)

[Casa]

Form VAF4(a).
Under current regulations FLR(M) after the marriage will grant a 2 year visa, but ILR is due to be replaced next year with Probationary Citizenship...unless the current Government decide to withdraw this.
I'm assuming you're both over 21?

[ElenaW]

thanks.
Could please give me a bit of details of the process?
So far I have gathered from the forum post and UKba site..

• She is visitor here so needs to go back and apply in Canada for Fiancée visa.
  She will get 6 month entry clearance visa to UK (which FORM?).
  Once she gets here we can marry. (We do not need CAO)
  After marrying she can apply for spouse visa FLR (M) from within UK and will get 2 years visa.
  After 2 year she can apply for settlement SET(M)

You've got a good outline here except for the last part. Rumor has it, under the new rules, it will take about 3-5 years to get permanent residency. However, nobody really knows at the current time (like Casa said) if ILR will be in place or won't be.

[miketon]

thanks guys for the heads up..

the hard part is where to start from once spouse visa is granted then I am sure it won't matter if takes 3 or 5 years for citizenship.. as it is not an issue at the moment.

wish us good luck and will update this thread from time to time...

[John]

miketon, when are you hoping to marry? The relevance of that question is that CoAs are due to be abolished either at the end of this year, or early in 2011.

But as already said, it will be necessary for her to return to Canada, to apply for a spouse visa.

[miketon]

hi again.
we plan to marry before Christmas if everything goes according to the plan( getting fiancee visa from Canada) so I am sure will need to apply for coa and as you said there are abolishing it soon so might get response quick..

Mike

[John]

No, no, armed with a fiancée visa, issued in Canada, there is no need to get a CoA.