Further Changes Settlement Applications.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

'Marriage visas: The way forward' also included several other proposals, including :

"We will require those seeking spouse visas to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have fulfilled this commitment.

"We will set a medium-term goal of introducing a pre-entry English test for marriage visa applicants.

"We will seek to revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion where there has been abuse of the marriage route.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.

[Merangue]

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

'Marriage visas: The way forward' also included several other proposals, including :

"We will require those seeking spouse visas to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have fulfilled this commitment.

"We will set a medium-term goal of introducing a pre-entry English test for marriage visa applicants.

"We will seek to revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion where there has been abuse of the marriage route.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.

Sounds a bit Draconian having to pass an english test in order to Marry and apply for a visa. If there were a requirement once in the country i could understand it but not everyone has access to good quality English lessons in their own country.

[ThaiVisaExpress]

And there lies a business opportunity ?

I would think they will use various recommended English language schools.

[kennkate]

That will cut the Thia Embassy workload down for a while

Will give them chance to get on top of things

I take it, It will only apply to Non EU Aplications. If people only knew in the UK just how difficult it is

I am sure people in the Uk think you get married and just walk in to the Embassy for a visa

Come to the UK to get a free house and hand outs at Tax payers expense

Thank the lord my application is in, More red to to cut thro.

[TheFiend]

Any European can walk straight into the UK and doesn't even need to speak English, yet a UK citizen has to jump through loads of hoops, has to pay a fortune just to apply for a visa for the spouse (without a gaurantee that the visa will be granted) and now they want the future spouse to learn English before the marriage......

This is getting ridiculous!!!!

[beano2274]

This is for settlement visas only!!!!!!!!!

What happens to those who have married and want to apply for settlement, will their wives now have to pass an English test before a settlement Visa is approved?

If this applies to Eastern Europeans as well then okay, but I doubt it does, as it must be against some European Law.

I cannot find a way to complain on the UK BA website, it seems to be that they do not have Email systems!!!!!!!

Edited May 24, 2009 by beano2274

[Merangue]

That will cut the Thia Embassy workload down for a while

Will give them chance to get on top of things

I take it, It will only apply to Non EU Aplications. If people only knew in the UK just how difficult it is

I am sure people in the Uk think you get married and just walk in to the Embassy for a visa

Come to the UK to get a free house and hand outs at Tax payers expense

Thank the lord my application is in, More red to to cut thro.

I agree. Thank god our Application is already in. The red tape is getting silly now and it will not realistically help solve the problem of too many people entering the UK.

Any European can walk straight into the UK and doesn't even need to speak English, yet a UK citizen has to jump through loads of hoops, has to pay a fortune just to apply for a visa for the spouse (without a gaurantee that the visa will be granted) and now they want the future spouse to learn English before the marriage......

This is getting ridiculous!!!!

I think the ENglish lessons are prior to the actual Visa application mate. You can get married but then have to wait until your wife can speak good enough english to pass some trumped up test in order to be allowed to live with you as your wife.

Personally i all for people coming to the country long term having to learn the language. It is what i will be doing if i ever got to thailand long term but it should not be a barrier to honest couples simply wanting to live together as Man and wife in whatever country.

The UK government has forgotten that the language of love has no borders.

Edited May 24, 2009 by Merangue

[deprogrammed]

Any begger or tealeaf from a list of EU states (to numerous to list) can walk straight into the nearest housing office and get preferential treatment. 12 months doing any old job and they're made for life - benefits wise.

So the tossers who like to thieve money from the public (MPs) use the same old tactics - attack an easy target

However, a blessing in disguise one thinks. The Uk is a sh*t hole run by thieving scumbags.

[chanthas]

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

'Marriage visas: The way forward' also included several other proposals, including :

"We will require those seeking spouse visas to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have fulfilled this commitment.

"We will set a medium-term goal of introducing a pre-entry English test for marriage visa applicants.

"We will seek to revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion where there has been abuse of the marriage route.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.

Sounds a bit Draconian having to pass an english test in order to Marry and apply for a visa. If there were a requirement once in the country i could understand it but not everyone has access to good quality English lessons in their own country.

sounds like their trying to follow hollands immagration law, as ido beleve they do this already.

[JimmyGreaves]

Who the f*** wants to settle there anyway, you must be mad!

[Merangue]

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

'Marriage visas: The way forward' also included several other proposals, including :

"We will require those seeking spouse visas to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have fulfilled this commitment.

"We will set a medium-term goal of introducing a pre-entry English test for marriage visa applicants.

"We will seek to revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion where there has been abuse of the marriage route.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.

Sounds a bit Draconian having to pass an english test in order to Marry and apply for a visa. If there were a requirement once in the country i could understand it but not everyone has access to good quality English lessons in their own country.

sounds like their trying to follow hollands immagration law, as ido beleve they do this already.

Good point.

[sumrit]

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

'Marriage visas: The way forward' also included several other proposals, including :

"We will require those seeking spouse visas to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have fulfilled this commitment.

"We will set a medium-term goal of introducing a pre-entry English test for marriage visa applicants.

"We will seek to revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion where there has been abuse of the marriage route.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.

Does that mean that somebody who went to work in Thailand for a year or so, but then met somebody, would have to return to the UK first to declare their intention to get married before returning to Thailand to actually get married?

[Merangue]

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

'Marriage visas: The way forward' also included several other proposals, including :

"We will require those seeking spouse visas to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have fulfilled this commitment.

"We will set a medium-term goal of introducing a pre-entry English test for marriage visa applicants.

"We will seek to revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion where there has been abuse of the marriage route.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.

Does that mean that somebody who went to work in Thailand for a year or so, but then met somebody, would have to return to the UK first to declare their intention to get married before returning to Thailand to actually get married?

That would appear to be the case going by the wording. Not sure if the Embassy is considered UK territory in this case however.

[TheFiend]

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Please sir..... can i get married????

Edited May 24, 2009 by TheFiend

[ThaiVisaExpress]

More obstacles than ever more paperwork to be done etc.

They are also looking at all the non registered agents as well.

[Thewayup]

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

'Marriage visas: The way forward' also included several other proposals, including :

"We will require those seeking spouse visas to enter into an agreement to learn English as part of the visa application process and, once they have arrived in the UK, to show that they have fulfilled this commitment.

"We will set a medium-term goal of introducing a pre-entry English test for marriage visa applicants.

"We will seek to revoke indefinite leave to remain rendering the individual liable to expulsion where there has been abuse of the marriage route.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.

Does that mean that somebody who went to work in Thailand for a year or so, but then met somebody, would have to return to the UK first to declare their intention to get married before returning to Thailand to actually get married?

That would appear to be the case going by the wording. Not sure if the Embassy is considered UK territory in this case however.

I would guess that these changes are largely aimed at British Residents from the Indian Subcontinent and Middle Eastern countries as the arranged marriage culture which is prevalent there gets quite a bad press here in the UK.

It's probably not aimed so much at expatriate workers (or tourists/retirees) who marry foreign nationals, though it does affect them just as much. Hopefully the local Embassies will be able to make allowances.

[sumrit]

UK/BA will be looking to change the way you can apply to marry abroad and apply for settlement in the UK.

"We will introduce a requirement for British citizens and permanent residents who are seeking to sponsor a spouse to come to the UK to first declare their intention before leaving the UK and marrying abroad.

Source UK/BA Website.

Anyone who requires professional help with any application feel free to pm me.[/indent]

Does that mean that somebody who went to work in Thailand for a year or so, but then met somebody, would have to return to the UK first to declare their intention to get married before returning to Thailand to actually get married?

That would appear to be the case going by the wording. Not sure if the Embassy is considered UK territory in this case however.

I would guess that these changes are largely aimed at British Residents from the Indian Subcontinent and Middle Eastern countries as the arranged marriage culture which is prevalent there gets quite a bad press here in the UK.

It's probably not aimed so much at expatriate workers (or tourists/retirees) who marry foreign nationals, though it does affect them just as much. Hopefully the local Embassies will be able to make allowances.

I agree thats probably the people the changes are aimed at but it will hardly affect most of them, they will just have to register their intended marriage before they leave the UK, although it will stop parents from sending their daughters 'back home' to an arranged marriage without their consent. Last year they increased the age at which a newly married person could apply for a settlement visa to twenty one, effectively stopping young girls from those countries from having an arranged marriage to a UK national at a young age.

But the sort of person I highlighted in my example will be affected far more through no fault of his/her own. They're changing the law to plug a loophole that affects one group of people without looking at the negative affect it can have on everybody else.

Edited May 25, 2009 by sumrit

[7by7]

Although this declaration before leaving the UK is undoubtedly aimed at arranged marriages from certain countries, there is no way that the government can make it apply only to certain countries. It has to be all or nothing, otherwise any such requirement would be overturned by an appeal to the ECHR.

I am fairly sure, however, that Brits living abroad with a foreign spouse will not have to return to the UK to register their intention to marry before their spouse applies for settlement; with certain provisos about length of the marriage etc. If this is aimed at stopping forced marriages then it should only apply to British residents who travel abroad, marry and then apply.

But knowing how this government treats legitimate immigrants, one cannot be certain.

Beano2274, it is not the UKBA you need to complain to; they are only officials following the instructions given them by the government. Try writing to your MP.

Unfortunately, Kennkate is right. The majority of British people believe that many foreigners use marriage to come to the UK, get a council house and live on benefits. We know this is not true, or possible, but they don't. We are in a minority and our complaints and protests will simply be ignored by the government, as happened with the protests when the current exorbitant fees regime was introduced.

[cuddleypete]

Obversely the goverment running our lives for us agian, and no doubt they will make money out off it, I agree with the friend post Please sir..... can i get married???? What will be the next thing we have to ask the wounderfull british goverment , Seems that if you are british you do as you are told and for everyone else it ok to do what you like, Why would any one want to live in the uk anyway

[sumrit]

Although this declaration before leaving the UK is undoubtedly aimed at arranged marriages from certain countries, there is no way that the government can make it apply only to certain countries. It has to be all or nothing, otherwise any such requirement would be overturned by an appeal to the ECHR.

I am fairly sure, however, that Brits living abroad with a foreign spouse will not have to return to the UK to register their intention to marry before their spouse applies for settlement; with certain provisos about length of the marriage etc. If this is aimed at stopping forced marriages then it should only apply to British residents who travel abroad, marry and then apply.

But knowing how this government treats legitimate immigrants, one cannot be certain.

Beano2274, it is not the UKBA you need to complain to; they are only officials following the instructions given them by the government. Try writing to your MP.

Unfortunately, Kennkate is right. The majority of British people believe that many foreigners use marriage to come to the UK, get a council house and live on benefits. We know this is not true, or possible, but they don't. We are in a minority and our complaints and protests will simply be ignored by the government, as happened with the protests when the current exorbitant fees regime was introduced.

Here in Thailand we have to jump through hoops to prove that our relationship is 'genuine and lasting' but I know from a UK National Pakistani friend who had an arranged marriage with his sixteen year old cousin (who he had only met while on a months holiday in Pakistan ten years earlier when she was six and he was eleven) that this was not a requirement when they applied for her visa. Legislation is already in place if they want to use it, without having to change things that will affect everybody else.

And I'm not just talking about Brits living abroad, there are a lot of people who live and work in the UK but are sent abroad temporarily to work by their company, or people who've been made redundent for example and just take a 'gap year' to see another part of the world. I know two people from both these situations in the past who have ended up getting married whilst abroad.

[Merangue]

Out of interest the wording states UKBA will be looking to implement these changes.

That suggests it is not a part of law yet and may yet be challenged. They are simply proposals.

Perhaps a letter to your MP could swing things if enough were written.

Any idea on the timescales involved?