# US Citizen wanting to marry a UK citizen on a visitors visa



## Soft Kitty (Dec 21, 2012)

So, I want to spend the rest of my life with this Yorkshire fellow....

We met online in 2007, in person in 08. Were engaged twice, but we were both young and we split in 2009 so I could go to university and sort myself out. I flew him out to visit in August and he spent three months with me and my family, who adore him. I have a house in Texas that we spent countless hours making into our home, and my parents sponsored him for a student visa. After four years of desperately trying to be together it looked like everything was going well...until his interview at the embassy, the day after i arrived to spend christmas with his family in hull. His visa was denied because his ties to me and my family were stronger than any he had here in the UK. We had no idea what to do, but after stewing on it a bit, we decided we weren't willing to be parted again, and we want to get married while we're here. I know his student visa denial will raise questions when we try to get his spouse visa... But we have no idea what sort of problems we're in for. He has no criminal record, but a three day overstay on the VWP due to an oversight while waiting for his I-20. We're willing to hire a lawyer in America if need be, but my parents have just retired and getting them set up has left things a bit tight. I also have no job, since I've been working full time for my parents getting their house ready to sell, but I have a company to return to when we finally get home. We cant really stay here, as the job market in Hull is nightmarish. What sort of headache are we looking for, and for how long? My parents still need us. =/


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

If YOU the USC is in the UK as a visitor, you cannot get married in the UK since you cannot change from a visitor status to any other.


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## Soft Kitty (Dec 21, 2012)

See, I've seen that, but also the complete opposite in other threads. On the UK immigration site I can't find it referenced at all. It's all very confusing.


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## Soft Kitty (Dec 21, 2012)

It does say that if we are both in the UK we can get married after giving notice at the registers office if one of us is subject to immigration control. I guess in that case the original terms of my visa would still apply since we are not going to live here and definitely don't plan on sticking around till my visa is up... The page is just very succinct, and as such not exceptionally specific. =\


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Take a look at this page:

UK Border Agency | Can you come to the UK as a general visitor?


While you have the privilege of going to the UK under the Visa Waiver program and do not have to go through the process of getting a visitors visa, you are classed as a General Visitor.

Under the conditions of a General visa you will see you cannot:

_marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership_

Also for a more comprehensive view look at this page and scroll down to 'visiting for other reasons'

UK Border Agency | Visiting the UK


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

Soft Kitty said:


> It does say that if we are both in the UK we can get married after giving notice at the registers office if one of us is subject to immigration control. I guess in that case the original terms of my visa would still apply since we are not going to live here and definitely don't plan on sticking around till my visa is up... The page is just very succinct, and as such not exceptionally specific. =\


This pertains to people living permanently in the UK - those that have visas etc which allows them to live in the UK, and therefore allows them to marry etc

You don't live in the UK - you are not a resident there. You don't have a visa if you entered the UK on the VWP


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## Davis1 (Feb 20, 2009)

do it properly 

file for a fiancee visa ... its not rocket science 

K1 Process Flowchart


although your post is confusing where you want to live


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