Forum Immigration UK

[catbeef]

Hello there, stumbled upon this forum in the continuing adventure to discover a better understand of the whole process in which we are soon about to undertake.

I am a British citizen, born and raised or something fancy like that, my lovely fiancée is a fine upstanding American (also born and raised or something fancy like that).

So this is a very brief run down of what we think the process involves:

Apply online for the VAF4 Settlement (fiancée) visa,
Fiancée enters UK, marry,
Apply for right to stay.

It seems very simple having written it down like that, which worries me and which is why I have come here to make sure we actually understand the process.

Questions also, when my fiancée is approved the initial visa, does the 6 months right to stay in the UK begin the date it is issued or from the date she enters the UK? If the latter how long does she have to enter the UK?

Certificate of Approval, the UK Border Agency website states;

Your fiance, fiancee or proposed civil partner may need to apply for a certificate of approval of marriage from the Home Office and give notice to a registrar of your intention to marry or register your civil partnership.

Will this be needed? Would it be safer to get one anyway? Would it annoy people if we got one without needing it?

And finally after marriage, I can't find what the "right to stay" process is for this, the Border Agency website just says "After marriage, you may apply for right to stay in the UK" which doesn't offer any help to which how this is achieved.

I apologise if this is long, badly formatted, misinformed or a mixture of all three, and I thank you in advance for any advice, help, support and encouragement

[kittybeef]

Could someone please advise on this?

Unless the specifics aren't clear enough, in which case I'll try to clarify.
Your help would be much appreciated, as we're not exactly sure of the what/when/etc.

my foremost concern (since it's first step to undertake) is this:

1.When I send off my application for the visa with the check for 500GBP or whatever it was, when can I exect to receive the acceptance? A window will do; I just want to know if it's 4-6 weeks versus 4-6 months.

2. When I do receive the acceptance (hopefully) back in the mail, does that mean I have 6th months starting from that very day to pack my bags, fly to London, marry, and do more rubbish paperwork?

Please let us know!

-Catbeefs' fiancee

[KimDoug]

Hi I already replied but I'm new to this site and can't see where its gone so I'm sorry if I'm repeating but here I go again!?

Me and my husband applied for the Certificate of Approval whilst he was in the UK on holiday (btw I'm british and he's American and we met online and in person many times before applying!) they told us at the time that this was the correct one to apply for! Wrong!

It took 14 week to come through and when it finally did we had 3 weeks left on his visitors visa to put in our bands and prepare and get married (we did it!) but they didn't tell us that if his visitors visa ran out before they came to a decision they wouldn't give him any extensions and he would have to leave the country!

Also because we applied for the CoA in the UK my husband had to apply for the VAF4 visa in his home country, the USA (we are waiting to be approved as we speak!)

So in my personal opinion your doing it the correct way. As I understand it by applying in the USA before getting married in the UK you can then apply in the UK for Futher Leave to Remain or it could be Indefinate Leave to Remain, sorry unsure of the correct technical terms?

As for the times it depends where you are applying?? here is the link thats used as a guidelines http://www.vfs-uk-my.com/processingtimescustomers.pdf

I hope any of this has been helpful. Good luck and congrats..

PS. Feel free (if I've helped any) to contact me

Kim

[KimDoug]

ps when you fill in the VAF4 form it ask what date you want on the visa and I believe its six months from that date