Wife In Uk On Settlement Visa

[baannambua]

Hi. My wife and I are now living in the UK together after getting married in Thailand. I'd recieved a letter when I arrived home about how to get our Marriage certifacte in the UK. Do I need to get this before my wife can start working or is it nothing to do with it? Also I take it my wife will need a national insurance card and number before she is legal to work. How do I go about this. Also will it be illegal for her to work before recieving a national insurance card?

Edited June 26, 2010 by baannambua

[7by7]

Assuming that you legally married in Thailand, that is you registered the marriage at an ampur, then your Thai marriage certificates issued by the ampur are legal in the UK; though you may want to have an English translation made.

I do not know what the letter you received is, I have never heard of such a letter before and my wife and I certainly did not receive such a letter, but she did arrive nearly 10 years ago, things may have changed. Can you elaborate? Who is it from? What does it actually say?

Assuming your wife is in the UK with a 27 month settlement visa, then she can legally work. She will obviously need a NI number, but can start work before she receives this; employers will use a temporary number based upon her date of birth until she receives her proper one. See Applying for a National Insurance number

Remember that you wife can, and should, register with a GP and obtain an NHS number as well. See Am I entitled to NHS treatment when I move to England?

[jasonr3255]

Assuming that you legally married in Thailand, that is you registered the marriage at an ampur, then your Thai marriage certificates issued by the ampur are legal in the UK; though you may want to have an English translation made.

I do not know what the letter you received is, I have never heard of such a letter before and my wife and I certainly did not receive such a letter, but she did arrive nearly 10 years ago, things may have changed. Can you elaborate? Who is it from? What does it actually say?

Assuming your wife is in the UK with a 27 month settlement visa, then she can legally work. She will obviously need a NI number, but can start work before she receives this; employers will use a temporary number based upon her date of birth until she receives her proper one. See Applying for a National Insurance number

Remember that you wife can, and should, register with a GP and obtain an NHS number as well. See Am I entitled to NHS treatment when I move to England?

I think the letter may be info on how you can deposit your marriage certificate with the Birth deaths and marriages Dept, This is done via sending the original plus certified copies to the Foreign commonwealth office who in turn then send it back to Thailand crazy as it may seem. Once all is done you can ask for deposited copies of the original which the BDM will hold. This is always useful for legal issues but bear in mind you will not be able to keep the original as it will be kept by BDM. Also your marriage will then be recorded in the UK but not registered.You are still legally married in the UK but it means it was not registered here that's all...!

[7by7]

If that's the case, Jason, then it's the same as using the embassy service in Bangkok to deposit a copy.

My opinion is that it is not worth the time nor money.

It confers no legal status on the marriage that it does not have already.

It will not mean you will get a UK style marriage certificate.

It does not mean that your marriage will be entered on the UK register.

All it does mean is that the GRO will hold a copy of the Thai certificate and you can later ask them for a copy of this. Useful if you ever lose your Thai certificate, but that's it!

We didn't bother, and I don't know personally anyone who has. Individual choice, though.

[jasonr3255]

If that's the case, Jason, then it's the same as using the embassy service in Bangkok to deposit a copy.

My opinion is that it is not worth the time nor money.

It confers no legal status on the marriage that it does not have already.

It will not mean you will get a UK style marriage certificate.

It does not mean that your marriage will be entered on the UK register.

All it does mean is that the GRO will hold a copy of the Thai certificate and you can later ask them for a copy of this. Useful if you ever lose your Thai certificate, but that's it!

We didn't bother, and I don't know personally anyone who has. Individual choice, though.

Most certainly true, the same as getting it done in Bangkok, however I didn't bother getting it done in Bangkok through personal choice however decided to go down the FCO route back home more hassle in deed. Mind you, should you ever need a copy of your marriage certificate in the UK one that has the GRO seal of approval certified copy, will satisfy more who should require it than not..!