Just thought you'd like an update, by way of a thank you to those on this forum who have helped us!

The marriage part went well, and we are now into the visa loop.

We had a great day. The details of the registry procedure were pretty much as posted previously, with some surprises. I remembered to take the documents (UK Registrar blue form, Statutory declaration) and for good measure I took a full birth certificate, which they looked at, but I didn't know if it was compulsory. The Chinese registrar sent us to a different room to have translations made (money required). When back at the office, we had to wait for another couple now in front of us, but this didn't take long. We were sent to yet another room for copies to be made (more money!) then back to sign something. At this point they try to sell you some extras, one was a nice velvet-lined box in which to keep your little red books! We politely declined.

Then - they sent us to another room number, and inside was mocked up to be like the inside of a UK church, complete with fake wedding music!! A chinese lade appeared from no-where with a camera, and told us to dress up (there was a wardrobe full of traditional UK wedding clothes) so she could take pictures. We just looked at each other and tried not to laugh. After a long and spirited conversation in Chinese, my other half announced that we had escaped this part of the process, I breathed a sigh of relief. - Some of the beauty of the Chinese process for me was the simplicity and lack of ceremony, they were trying too hard to impress, and make it like UK.

Well, then we were sent to yet another room, and collected our little red books. What a relief.

The visa application is in - they have the red books and her passport, and a huge wad of cash. One word of advice here - the banking system in China is currently in a state of flux, with interest rates on the move, and many people jumping on the stock market bandwagon. Consequently there are huge queues in banks. We went to get the cash, pressed the button for our numbered queueing ticket, and had to wait an hour and forty minutes!

Fingers crossed for the visa.