Can We Get Married On A Uk Visitor Visa?

[brian272727]

GF is coming in November and we have discussed just biting the bullet and getting married over here.

Obviously she will need to go back home after 6 months expires until we get a settlement visa but this is not a huge problem.

So can we get married?

[VisasPlus]

It would be useful to know if your girlfriend already has a visa ? If she doesn't then she will need to apply for one - either a "marriage visit" visa or a "fiancee" visa, depending on whether she intends to remain in the UK or not after you are married. If she already has a visa, either used or unused, then the circumastances are very different, and you would be wise to seek advice.

[gotlost]

To the OP. Your are Thai and she is British?

[7by7]

If she has a marriage visit visa then she can get married while in the UK; if she has any other type of visit visa then she will need to obtain a certificate of approval from the Home Office in order to marry in the UK.

Neither will allow her to remain in the UK once her visa expires.

As said, if she intends to remain in the UK after the marriage then she needs a fiance visa. This means that after the marriage she can apply for 2 years further leave to remain. However, if the intention is to settle in the UK then it would be cheaper to marry in Thailand and apply for a 27 month spouse visa instead.

See What documents do I need to get married or register a civil partnership? and the relevant links from that page.

[Quan]

I would strongly advice that you either apply for a fiancé visa or a holiday visa longer than 6 months. Reason being if she comes in on a holiday visa and applies for a COA it will take over 6 months for the application to be approved, by which time she will have no leave to remain. Plus the fact is it will be construed as misleading the entry clearance officer by applying for a holiday and then planning to get married, you will have to prove that you had no previous plans of getting married until she got into the country. I'm speaking from personal experience, it's not worth it, the COA will take 6 months + (if you're lucky) then you have to apply for a FLR(m) and God knows how long that will take. - another 6 to 12 months- in the meantime your gf won't be allowed to work.

I say, follow the procedure, honestly.

[bkk_mike]

I thought the government lost the court case about foreigners getting married in the UK needing permission, or is it still under appeal.

(Basically, it contravened EU law on discrimination as there was an exemption for CofE weddings being done in a Church. I remember it was taken to the EU by a Catholic woman).

Edit:

Just googled it - and it is apparently being abolished late 2010/early 2011, so you could just either get married in an Anglican church (as they're exempt anyway - hence the breaking of laws on discrimination) or wait for the abolition before getting married.

At least they stopped charging for the form now that it's been deemed illegal under EU law.

Edited September 9, 2010 by bkk_mike

[VisasPlus]

If she has a marriage visit visa then she can get married while in the UK; if she has any other type of visit visa then she will need to obtain a certificate of approval from the Home Office in order to marry in the UK.

Neither will allow her to remain in the UK once her visa expires.

As said, if she intends to remain in the UK after the marriage then she needs a fiance visa. This means that after the marriage she can apply for 2 years further leave to remain. However, if the intention is to settle in the UK then it would be cheaper to marry in Thailand and apply for a 27 month spouse visa instead.

See What documents do I need to get married or register a civil partnership? and the relevant links from that page.

7 x 7, the point I was trying to make concerning whether she already holds a visa is that, if she does, and she arrives in UK stating that she intends to marry, then she may have a problem as I doubt that the visa was issued for that purpose. If she does already hold a visa then she should seek advice before traveling.

Edited September 10, 2010 by VisasPlus

[ThaiVisaExpress]

Changes to the certificate of approval scheme .

Applying in the UK - certificate of approval

Is this the information you require ?

Edited September 10, 2010 by ThaiVisaExpress

[brian272727]

Thanks guys...

For clarification I am a UK Citizen and she is a Thai Citizen.

She DOESN'T currently hold any visa, we plan to apply for one next month when she is back from Australia.

We don't have any plans to marry per se. Its more an option thing. She might come over here and we decide we can't be together, alternatively we may feel a desire to get married.

I have no issue in her going back to Thailand after 6 months expires, indeed this would be desirable as I would like a few months to save some cash for her coming over on a permanant basis.

I think I will continue down the visitor visa route and if the urge takes us we may go to the COA route.

Thanks again for the advice guys, invaluable as ever.

[elliss]

my tuppence worth .. NO .

and the goal posts will be moved ,

further away , by the new UK. goverment.

p.s. rumanian/ polish brides velcome :jap:

[PattayaParent]

A mate of mine married his TGF when she was over in UK on a visit visa.

Don't know what paperwork they needed but it was all sorted at that end.

So it is possible.

Edit: There was no intention to stay on, or even return, after the marriage. They live in Thailand, it was just a spur of the moment thing.

Edited September 10, 2010 by PattayaParent

[Eff1n2ret]

If the lady's visa commences in November, the Certificate of Approval requirement may be close to abolition by then, and quite possibly will have lapsed within the 6 months of her visa. The obvious thing to do therefore, and the OP has pretty much arrived at this conclusion, is to get the visit visa, and, if it becomes legally possible and they want to do it, to get married before she leaves. She's not obliged to mention this possibility either when applying for the visa or on arrival in the UK (unless directly asked about it, in which case she must tell the truth), as long as it is clearly understood that she must leave the UK before her visa expires.

Oh, and as for "A mate of mine married his TGF when she was over in UK on a visit visa." - the CoA requirement has only been in place for a few years. If the quoted incident took place a few years ago, it's quite possibly correct.

[techno]

I married my now wife in the UK at Registry Office and l had no problems but my wife had to produce eveidence that she was free to marry from Thai Ministry and also copies of ID,House register etc.She was on a 6 month visitor visa but she only stayed in the UK for 2 weeks I do not think the length of the visa for her stay in the UK to get married came into question. Pay a visit to your local Registry Office to see what documents they require, You will have to place notice of your marriage at the local Registry Office where you are getting married about a month before the event as required by British law. The Registrar of Marriages in the UK are very helpful and will help you. Good luck and you will find it easier than you thought but you will still have to go through the normal channels for her to stay in the UK

[WJChun]

From my experiece you cannot get married in the UK on a visitor visa, you have to apply for a Fiance(e)s and proposed civil partners visa. This visa is also for 6 months but it can be exchanged whilst you are in the UK and after your marriage for a 2 year settlement visa. A visitor visa cannot be extended within the UK. Check out the UK Border Agency website.

When you apply for a fiance visa you should look at 'Rob's Guide To UK Settlement Application Preparation' (Thank you very much Rob for this guide, I am sure it has helped many!)as you should approach the fiance visa in the same way, think school project/dissertation.

I hope this helps. My experience of the UK visa system is the following: I am a UK citizen, I lived and worked in Thailand for 4 years. My husband is Thai first he had a 6 month visitor visa, when we were in the UK on this we researched getting married and the main registry office of the area said we did not have the correct visa therefore couldn't get married at this time. We returned to Thailand and applied for a fiance visa and were refused. Looking back I dont think our application and supporting documents were organised enough. We then married in Thailand and are now living in the UK , my husband has a 2 year settlement visa.

I hope this helps you.

[WJChun]

From my experiece you cannot get married in the UK on a visitor visa, you have to apply for a Fiance(e)s and proposed civil partners visa. This visa is also for 6 months but it can be exchanged whilst you are in the UK and after your marriage for a 2 year settlement visa. A visitor visa cannot be extended within the UK. Check out the UK Border Agency website.

When you apply for a fiance visa you should look at 'Rob's Guide To UK Settlement Application Preparation' (Thank you very much Rob for this guide, I am sure it has helped many!)as you should approach the fiance visa in the same way, think school project/dissertation.

I hope this helps. My experience of the UK visa system is the following: I am a UK citizen, I lived and worked in Thailand for 4 years. My husband is Thai first he had a 6 month visitor visa, when we were in the UK on this we researched getting married and the main registry office of the area said we did not have the correct visa therefore couldn't get married at this time. We returned to Thailand and applied for a fiance visa and were refused. Looking back I dont think our application and supporting documents were organised enough. We then married in Thailand and are now living in the UK , my husband has a 2 year settlement visa.

I hope this helps you.

Also look at 'UK Settlement Visa' by jack31 on this site, also very helpful.

Edited September 10, 2010 by WJChun

[wileycoyote]

1.My advice would be go for the 6 month tourist visa to see if she likes the UK & settles in ....

I think that this is the most important factor ,how your relationship bonds.

2.No,she will not be allowed to stay/marry on this visa.

3.However,even within 3-4 weeks ,you will be able to observe how she is adapting.

Then contact the British Consulate for an appointment in BKK ,to grant a fiancee visa ,when you return to Thailand within 6 months.

Remember for your partner 6 ,months away from her family & ,culture may be long enough at this moment in time.

4.Having gone through the correct process,there will be no problem in granting the finace vise ,which on return to the Uk,will give you another 6 months to get married.

5.Your minister/priest may have to ask for a dispensation from his bishop to marry in an Anglican Church.

It is usually granted after your partner has had a short interview with the priest/minister asking her if she fully understands the "sanctity of marriage " and the importance of the vows she is making.

Good Luck .

[brian272727]

Thanks guys, food for thought. Will probably just go for a visitor visa afterall and discuss options when she gets over here.

As an aside she has been here before, twice, and we have been 'seeing' each other for nearly 2 years. Its not a spur of the moment decision. In the same way I wouldn't jump into marriage with a British girl I wouldn't do it with a Thai girl. Hence the uncertainty. She is pretty sensible as well and wants to suss out job opportunites etc befor committing to a life here.

Thanks again!

[coganp]

I married my now wife in the UK at Registry Office and l had no problems but my wife had to produce eveidence that she was free to marry from Thai Ministry and also copies of ID,House register etc.She was on a 6 month visitor visa but she only stayed in the UK for 2 weeks I do not think the length of the visa for her stay in the UK to get married came into question. Pay a visit to your local Registry Office to see what documents they require, You will have to place notice of your marriage at the local Registry Office where you are getting married about a month before the event as required by British law. The Registrar of Marriages in the UK are very helpful and will help you. Good luck and you will find it easier than you thought but you will still have to go through the normal channels for her to stay in the UK

[coganp]

I married my now wife in the UK at Registry Office and l had no problems but my wife had to produce eveidence that she was free to marry from Thai Ministry and also copies of ID,House register etc.She was on a 6 month visitor visa but she only stayed in the UK for 2 weeks I do not think the length of the visa for her stay in the UK to get married came into question. Pay a visit to your local Registry Office to see what documents they require, You will have to place notice of your marriage at the local Registry Office where you are getting married about a month before the event as required by British law. The Registrar of Marriages in the UK are very helpful and will help you. Good luck and you will find it easier than you thought but you will still have to go through the normal channels for her to stay in the UK

We recently were married in the UK. The marriage registry weere most unhelpful..

They said we could NOT marry on a visitor visa and could marry on our 2 year visa but we needed the Home office document and it took up to 3 months.

They made no mention of the three Thai docs you mention.

But worst of all they never mentioned we could marry in most churches, at a lower cost and with no documents at all except a passport. It took 2 weeks only to be married.

When I returned to put them right they said they did not approve of this route which is why they told nobody!!