# unique spouse visa query



## bilberryhill (Sep 23, 2009)

Hi guys,

I am aware that there are lots of other threads about getting a spouse visa but i believe my "problem" is unique so I am really hoping one of you guys can help/advise me??

I am coming to Dubai in august to start work with an agreed contract including acc. etc My wife is accompanying me and i will need to get her a residence visa once my employer has sorted my visa. 

I am earning more than the 10,000 minimum
We have 2 bed accomodation provided by my employer and will both have health insurance provided.
My wife is a British citizen
However, we were married in Peru in South America and as such our marriage certificate is in spanish. I have had a certified translation done, a copy has been notarised by a UK solicitor and by the FCO and a copy legalised by the Peru Embassy in London. However the UAE embassy in London will NOT attest the marriage certificate as it is in spanish and the Peru Embassy stamp is in spanish! There is no UAE embassy in Peru so I can not get it attested there either!!

When it comes to presenting documents at the immigration centre in dubai will they accept our marriage certificate from Peru without the UAE Embassy attestation? If not, can i get it attested in Dubai? If no, what can i do?

your help would be really appreciated!!


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## Free_Spirit (Aug 30, 2009)

Unfortunately can't help you particularly but all I can comment is that both UK embassy in Dubai and Dubai immigrations are EXTREMELY strict since one of the Hammas leaders was murdered by Islaelis holding fakes European passports, including UK passports. Even if anyone has a previous experience, today it can be very different from what it was yesterday. 

I deal a lot with both and each time I get new requirements for different papers!!! I suggest you to get contact of Dubai Immigrations from the web site and try to check with them otherwise why don't you ask your employer to do it? What's your agreement with employer? You have to do your wife's visa yourself or they arrange it? If it's their responsibility, they can check with concerned departments.

Otherwise either check with Immigrations or you can get tourist visa for your wife, check everything and apply for residential visa... She will probably have to exit the country first though...


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

This may be a crazy question, but cant you just renew your marriage in a uk court? And then have a uk marriage certificate? Just wondering.


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## bilberryhill (Sep 23, 2009)

Thanks for the ideas - in reply:

Ella - unfortunately, I have to arrange my wife's visa. My employer will pay for her flights, medical insurance etc etc but i have to sort out her visa. she will enter on a tourist visa but I want to have everything ready to convert that to a residence visa when we are in Dubai. My understanding was that as long as we do that within the duration of the tourist visa she won't have to leave the country?

Jynxgirl - I had thought of that but not sure about the legality of it as we are already married and have the same surname etc in our passports so wouldn't have thought we could marry again in the UK??


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## Longhorn (May 7, 2008)

You could just get re-married here and get the visa without going through all that mess of attestation etc. I know of a few people that have done this and it was quick and fairly painless from what I have heard.


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## bilberryhill (Sep 23, 2009)

Ok - i've looked into this a bit further now:

We can't re-marry in the UK - that would be illegal as we are already married - we could only renew vows and that won't get us a UK marriage certificate.

Longhorn, For the same reason, i'd have thought we can't marry in Dubai.

I have been advised by an agency that the problem at the UAE embassy was that I was trying to get the Peruvian marriage certificate itself attested, whereas I should have been getting the translation attested! I had got the certificate signed by a solicitor then legalised by the FCO but I need to have the translation signed by a solicitor, legalised by the FCO then attested by the UAE Embassy (apparently they will attest the translation as it is a UK document!) and then just attach the original marriage certificate to the attested translation after all is done!! phew! 

Bit of a long shot but has anyone else done this with a foreign marriage certificate and gone through the applying for spouse residence visa process in Dubai?

Also, could anyone who's converting a spouses visit visa to residence visa please advise me as to the total cost of converting my wifes visit visa to a residence visa when we're in dubai - i've read on here all about the process - waiting for my residence visa first, sponsoring her, medical etc etc but how much does it all cost, including maybe an extra 30 day renewal to her visit visa to buy us the time to do it?


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## Longhorn (May 7, 2008)

I don't think that it's illegal to re-marry your current wife in another country as its simply a piece of paper saying you are legally married here and neither Peru or UAE are going to honor each others marriage license or care you got married in both places, I'd imagine its only illegal if its a different woman...and un-wise as the current wife would kill you dead. 

I'll check though...I have an attorney in the family (my wife)


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## bilberryhill (Sep 23, 2009)

thanks Longhorn - it's certainly illegal here in the UK as i asked the local registrar but I think getting the translation attested is the solution anyway, although i suppose getting married again in dubai could be a fall back solution should they not accept the documents in dubai when we apply for her residence visa!


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