Fiancee / Marriage Visa To Uk

[fastbenz]

Firstly, I am sorry this message doesn't relate to Thailand, but this discussion board seems to be the best one I have found online and the people seem friendliest and most knowledgeable so I am asking the question here. I am engaged to a woman who is from (and still lives in) Tunisia. We want to get married and live together in England (where I come from and live now) probably in September or October this year. I have read a lot of discussions and wondered what the best way of doing this is. As I understand it, if she obtained a fiancee visa, she would be able to come here for 6 months, during which we would have to marry, meaning she could stay for 2 years then hopefully permanently after that. If we married in Tunisia, she would be able to come here for up to 2 years working straight away, and then apply to stay permanently after that time.

What is the easiest / best way of doing things? The financial side of her coming here as a fiancee isn't too much of a problem as I have a good job and own my own house etc. so could support her. My parents would also be able to act as guarantors for this purpose. How long is it best to have known someone before the visa can be successfully applied for? What sort of criteria is the visa assessed against? I would go to Tunisia for the visa interview - can anyone tell me what would be asked at that interview so that we can demonstrate that we love each other, want to be together and have the means to achieve it? She speaks fluent english and works for the British Council in Tunis (considered a very good job there). I have saved all of our emails (we email each other several times a day) and have phone bills to show that we speak every day. What else would be useful?

Any information that you can give to help us in this process would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Aidan

[the scouser]

Aidan,

I'll reply to this before the mods scupper it for being non-Thai related.

I'd suggest that your fiancée shouldn't have too many problems getting a visa, especially as she works for the British Council and may well know the visa officers from the embassy.

Your fiancée should apply for her visa at the embassy, paying the relevant fee (£260 in local currency) and enclosing the supporting documentation. The visa officer will then arrange a date for her interview. Tunis does not feature on the UK Visas website re. waiting times, thus suggesting that it's one of their less busy posts and that she, therefore, shouldn't have to wait too long for an interview. If you are prepared to marry in Tunisia then she can apply for a "spouse" settlement visa which, as you wrote, gives her 2 years and the right to work from the word go, and obviates the need to seek an initial extention from the Home Office at additional cost which she would have to do if she got a fiancée visa.

You should submit evidence of your ability to maintain and accommodate your wife-to-be as well as proof of your relationship; i.e. e-mails, letters, phone bills, photos, greetings cards etc. You will also need to provide a photocopy of your passport showing your entries in to Tunisia.

At interview, the visa officer is most likely to probe your fiancée's knowledge of you in order to test the strength of your relationship. However, that's a worst-case scenario and, from what you've posted, I think it's more likely to be a case of, "Good morning, how are you? When do you want to collect your visa?"

Best wishes,

Scouse.

[fastbenz]

Thanks very much for your help - it is greatly appreciated!

Aidan