Help i need advice on marriage applications...

[cher44]

I hope you can help with some advice!!!
I am British born n bred and my Husband is Cameroonian.
My Husband originally entered the UK in 2001 (he was then only 16 years old) from the Cameroons, at which time he made an Asylum application to the Home Office.

Whilst this was being processed he was given a Travel Document, and permission to live and work in the UK until his application had been decided upon.

We became a couple in Jan 2003, moved in together in October 2003 and got engaged. We had informed the Home Office of this.

In Dec 2003 his asylum application was refused due to lack of evidence, and he was advised by his solicitor to make an appeal, as we were due to get married in May 2004.

We got married (in church) on 7th May 2004 and submitted our marriage application and at the same time withdrew the appeal for asylum application (which he was due to attend court re the asylum application)

We received a letter back informing us that our application was valid, they returned my passport and stated that the application would take approx 6 weeks to process.

Two months later we received a further letter stating that our application has been passed on to another department for more detailed consideration. However since this letter we have heard nothing from the IND.

I sent two urgent letters of complaint in June 2006, but again I have heard nothing.

We have our own house, we both work full time, have never recd public funds, we have submitted evidence of all this but it seems nothing has been done. We have loads of evidence that we are a 'legit' married couple - photos, cards etc etc.

Currently Patrick has no ID, he has never even had a passport (even a cameroonian one) so he can't travel abroad.

To confuse us even more, last year we were told that our application may not be valid as Patrick did not have entry clearance when we submitted the marriage application and therefore he would have to return to Cameroons and re-apply from there as a spouse as you can not submit an application when you have an appeal going through even tho he withdrew the appeal?

Now we just want to get thing sorted as its been almost 3 years and nothing has been done.

Would it be best if we both went to the Cameroons and he re-applied. But would there be problems with processing the app as he was here before as an asylum seeker which got refused.

I would really appreciate it if you could give me some advice on this as we are totally confused and depressed about this whole situation.

I look forward to hearing from you with your thoughts.
And hear if anyone else has had the same experience as us.

Thanks!