# Visitor for Marriage visa



## shonashonz11 (Sep 7, 2012)

Hope someone out there can help! 

I'm a UK Citizen working and living in UK 

fiancé is American living in America 

Getting married in UK March 2013, once married he will go back to America to finish up his job and then apply for visa to move over to the UK 

What i need to know is- 

Can he apply for Visitor for Marriage Visa instead of Fiancé Visa? The problem is a don't earn £18,000 for the fiancé visa. 

Is the visitor for marriage for visa just for two foreigners to marry in UK? Or can it be just one of us? And can I still say in UK when he goes back to states? Says on Home Office we both have to leave but cause I'm British I can stay right?? 

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

shonashonz11 said:


> Hope someone out there can help!
> 
> I'm a UK Citizen working and living in UK
> 
> ...


How long do you intend to stay in US, and does it involve any work? For a visit up to 3 months, you don't need a visa, just ESTA/visa waiver. But getting a work visa for US is very difficult and will take a long time. 
Then your new spouse has to apply for a spouse visa for UK. You either need to return to UK, get a job and work for 6 months earning £18,600 minimum. Or between you there are savings of £62,500 untouched for 6 months. Or a combination of the two. If you have other unearned income like rents and investment, that can be added too.



> What i need to know is-
> 
> Can he apply for Visitor for Marriage Visa instead of Fiancé Visa? The problem is a don't earn £18,000 for the fiancé visa.


Yes. 



> Is the visitor for marriage for visa just for two foreigners to marry in UK? Or can it be just one of us? And can I still stay in UK when he goes back to states? Says on Home Office we both have to leave but cause I'm British I can stay right??


It's applicable to your situation. Yes, you can stay behind while your new spouse returns to US.


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## shonashonz11 (Sep 7, 2012)

Thank you sooo much for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate it. 

I will never be going to the US, not for a good while anyway. He will just come over to be married in UK and he will then return home to finish up with his job and apply for spousal. 

You have helped me out alought. I will get him to apply for Visitor for Marriage visa as apposed to the Fiancé. 

I just didn't want to apply for fiancé and have it declined due to my low income!


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## Crawford (Jan 23, 2011)

shonashonz11 said:


> Thank you sooo much for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate it.
> 
> I will never be going to the US, not for a good while anyway. He will just come over to be married in UK and he will then return home to finish up with his job and apply for spousal.
> 
> ...


Once you are married, he has returned to the US to finish up his job and is now ready to apply for his spouse visa to return to the UK, how are you going to sponsor him if you are still under the minimum financial requirement of 18,600 per annum?

These financial requirements are still in force for the spouse visa.


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## shonashonz11 (Sep 7, 2012)

My parents are willing to help with the savings aspect as apposed to the income. 

But my main issue is unanswered. 

I need to know if he should apply for 'visitor for marriage visa' or Fiancé visa? 

I'd prefer the visitor for marriage visa as we tick all the boxes BUT does it does it jist apply to two non UK citizens coming to UK?? No can seem to tell me, I can't even find a number to call the Home Office


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

shonashonz11 said:


> My parents are willing to help with the savings aspect as opposed to the income.


It must be a genuine gift of money, which stays in your account untoucjed for 6 months. You must also disclose the origin of the gift, with a letter from your parents. 



> But my main issue is unanswered.
> 
> I need to know if he should apply for 'visitor for marriage visa' or Fiancé visa?
> 
> I'd prefer the visitor for marriage visa as we tick all the boxes BUT does it does it jist apply to two non UK citizens coming to UK?? No can seem to tell me, I can't even find a number to call the Home Office


Yes, your fiancé can apply for marriage visitor visa, and yes, it's for someone in your situation, a non-EEA citizen marrying someone settled in UK and then leaving. As stated, he will then have to apply for a spouse visa in US, once you can satisfy the financial requirement.


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## shonashonz11 (Sep 7, 2012)

Hi Joppa. Thanks again. It's not that I dont want believe you, it's just I still find it hard as on the Home Office website It states that we must leave after the ceremony, that the 'visitor for marriage' only applies to nationals of countries outside Europ' that's the sticking bit. Do we both have to be foreign. Doesn't say only one of us. My understanding was that it was for instance two foreigner coming because they want to get married at say Loch Lomond as the area beautiful and then return home. 

I don't want to apply for this visa for them 2 months down the line say I applied for wrong visa. 

I am so grateful you giving me your insight, I do appreciate it as its driving me banana's!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

shonashonz11 said:


> Hi Joppa. Thanks again. It's not that I dont want believe you, it's just I still find it hard as on the Home Office website It states that we must leave after the ceremony, that the 'visitor for marriage' only applies to nationals of countries outside Europ' that's the sticking bit. Do we both have to be foreign. Doesn't say only one of us. My understanding was that it was for instance two foreigner coming because they want to get married at say Loch Lomond as the area beautiful and then return home.
> 
> I don't want to apply for this visa for them 2 months down the line say I applied for wrong visa.
> 
> I am so grateful you giving me your insight, I do appreciate it as its driving me banana's!


Only the non-EEA citizen marrying in England but leaving shortly afterwards needs this visa. The other party who is either settled in UK or EEA citizen (including UK) doesn't need it. In case of two non-EEA citizens, yes they both need the marriage visitor visa.
Just take my word for it!


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## shonashonz11 (Sep 7, 2012)

Joppa, decided to go with your advice and get him to apply for the visitor for marriage visa.

Thanks again!


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## wmaid (Nov 26, 2012)

Joppa said:


> Only the non-EEA citizen marrying in England but leaving shortly afterwards needs this visa. The other party who is either settled in UK or EEA citizen (including UK) doesn't need it.
> Just take my word for it!


Visiting this forum every day and the most threads are about applying for spouse visa and its requirements. But couldn’t see much info on marriage visitor or fiancée visa.
Marriage visitor sounds like an easier and less painful way to finally be with the fiancé and start the family. Carefully reading everything what is on UKBA website in this respect, but meanwhile would much appreciate if shonashonz11 put the update on how it goes with her partner’s application – did you start the application process, had you have any problems filling the forms? 
I really want to hope that it can be applied in my situation, so looking forward to receiving any update on this subject.
My fiancé is UK citizen, whereas I am from non-EU country. I was looking at the fiancée visa and its requirements, such as sponsor’s income, savings, etc. But now it looks like there is another option that gives me some hope that my case is not as bad as it seemed at the beginning. 
At the first glance on UKBA website there is no such financial requirement as for the fiancée visa, and the visa fee is only 78GBP. What is more attractive is that I can return back home and continue working/putting money aside for applying as a spouse (currently I earn more than my fiancé, and would probably sound reasonable to keep my job as long as possible.) 
So my question is: - My current visa (business visitor) will expire in April, 2013 and I’m planning to fly to UK in mid-March. Can we give notice to registrar while in the UK on business visitor visa?

Thanks in advance for your response. Answer to this question will/may generate some more, so thank you for your patience as well.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

wmaid said:


> Visiting this forum every day and the most threads are about applying for spouse visa and its requirements. But couldn’t see much info on marriage visitor or fiancée visa.
> Marriage visitor sounds like an easier and less painful way to finally be with the fiancé and start the family. Carefully reading everything what is on UKBA website in this respect, but meanwhile would much appreciate if shonashonz11 put the update on how it goes with her partner’s application – did you start the application process, had you have any problems filling the forms?
> I really want to hope that it can be applied in my situation, so looking forward to receiving any update on this subject.
> My fiancé is UK citizen, whereas I am from non-EU country. I was looking at the fiancée visa and its requirements, such as sponsor’s income, savings, etc. But now it looks like there is another option that gives me some hope that my case is not as bad as it seemed at the beginning.
> ...


Under UK immigration rules, you aren't supposed to give notice of marriage while on a visitor visa (general or business), though under the marriage law, there is no such stipulation.

You can certainly apply for marriage visitor visa in your own country and come over, give notice, get married and leave. Then you can continue in your work. But in order to qualify for a visa - partner settlement visa, it's only your UK partner's income that counts. No matter how much you earn, it doesn't have a direct relevance. The only thing you can do is to save up between the two of you £62,500, which after being in your account(s) for 6 months, can be used to meet the financial requirement. Or if your partner's (sponsor's) income is insufficient, savings can plug the gap, on the basis of 2.5 times the missing amount plus 16,000. So for example if you are £5,000 short on annual income, you need 5000 x 2.5 + 16000 = £28,500 in savings.


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## wmaid (Nov 26, 2012)

Joppa said:


> Under UK immigration rules, you aren't supposed to give notice of marriage while on a visitor visa (general or business), though under the marriage law, there is no such stipulation.
> 
> You can certainly apply for marriage visitor visa in your own country and come over, give notice, get married and leave. Then you can continue in your work. But in order to qualify for a visa - partner settlement visa, it's only your UK partner's income that counts. No matter how much you earn, it doesn't have a direct relevance. The only thing you can do is to save up between the two of you £62,500, which after being in your account(s) for 6 months, can be used to meet the financial requirement. Or if your partner's (sponsor's) income is insufficient, savings can plug the gap, on the basis of 2.5 times the missing amount plus 16,000. So for example if you are £5,000 short on annual income, you need 5000 x 2.5 + 16000 = £28,500 in savings.


Thanks for clarifications, Joppa.
That may be a definitely better way in our case then, as i could cope with my passport being held by UKBA in my home country while i continue working. Especially processing time for settlement visa here is maximum 120 days (which is much less than current processing times in UK for FLR, referring to threads about 9 and more months of waiting). Can't imagine me being in UK and not being to work for such long period of time. 
We wanted to rely on Cat A and D, where majority of savings would come from sale of my flat, so I'd prefer to use this as a savings for settlement visa rather than fiancée visa.
Also I was hoping that the fact that i'm BP (British Petroleum) employee would bring some re-assurance - After i have marriage certificate in hands i would try to get recommendations from here and may be get a job waiting for me in UK when i have my settlement visa issued. 
Will need to discuss this option with fiance, see what he says. Thanks again for your reply (helpful as always)


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## om007 (Oct 23, 2014)

*Visitor Marriage visa*

Hi,

Can someone advise me please? My partner is looking to come to the UK on Visitor Marriage visa, however she doesn't work or has a bank account. She's based in Saudi. What do I need to supply to sponsor her?

Thanks


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