only info I found

https://www.gov.uk/marriage-visa/overview

Thanks. I've tried to find and read everything I can and I haven't found anything that states or implies a Marriage Visitor visa is Single Entry only.

The VFS staff were very friendly and helpful but should they be giving out advice like this?

VFS service is polite and easy but seem to be unaware of many things.I was recently advised to use a Thai debit card to renew a passport, I queried this and asked if it would not be better to use UK card .I was assured that the Thai bank was better because my address was in Thailand, then the card is declined in the UK and all sorts of long expensive phone calls and a week of waiting and calling everyday finally got it all sorted by paying with my UK debit card.Just take what they say/advise with a pinch of salt and deal with UK offices directly not this third party VFS nonsense.

Don't forget in the UK you have to allow 70 days notice to marry an non EU person. Normally it's 28 days but you have to allow 70. I was heading for an early summer wedding in the UK and it will now be a late September one! If she gets the visa.

28 days is the usual minimum notice period in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; it's 29 for some reason in Scotland.

However, the registrar may have to make additional enquiries, such as checking the immigration status of a non EEA national, and this can take up to 70 days in England. Wales and Northern Ireland, 10 to 12 weeks in Scotland.

But this would only happen if that person does not have evidence, such as a valid marriage visit visa, that their immigration status allowed them to marry in the UK.

Another reason for delay is if the registrar is not satisfied that both parties are free to marry and is carrying out checks to confirm that they are.

I submitted a refund request for the unnecessary visa, via the VFS site and it was received on 11 March. Since then I've heard nothing, and have no idea how long the process can be expected to take.

Any idea? I guess the only way to follow it up is through the central email service?

Some good news:

Dear

Ref: Refund request for GWF of Amount: $‎128.00 USD

Please be informed that the above refund request has been authorised and sent to Worldpay for processing. The amount will be credited back to your account that you used for visa payment within 28 working days. Please take no further action during the 28 working day Period. If you submit a chargeback request this is likely to delay the processing of your refund and any future visa application.

If you wish to submit a new application, you will have to generate a new online visa application at the Visa4UK website http://www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk/, pay the appropriate visa fee, then make and attend an appointment to give your biometrics and submit your documents at the Visa Application Centre.

Yours Sincerely,

Refunds Team

Croydon Visa Section

UK Visas and Immigration

Hells Bells! Impressed!

Congrats, great to hear that you had a good end result, there's many including myself that haven't.

Best buy yourself a lotto ticket with 128 for Fridays draw

Best wishes Boycie

Wonders will never cease. Assuming you paid with a non-US dollar card, you'll no doubt end up losing a few pennies on the exchange rate conversion, but I imagine in your shoes we'd all suffer any small cost to have the situation rectified. Not that it should have happened in the first place and they should of course be charging in sterling anyway.

Glad you got it sorted.