# UK Fiance Visa/Biometrics question



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

Hello,

My fiance will be applying for a UK fiance visa later this month, but she's worried about the biometrics. She lives in Mexico, just on the border to the US (next to California). She read on the application website that once she applies, she will be asked to book her biometrics at her "nearest" testing place (which presumably will be given in the same country, since it goes by her home address on the application). The only place in Mexico that takes biometrics is in Mexico City, which is 1800 miles from where she lives. She has a visa that allows her to cross the border into the US (within a certain number of miles) to see family, and she goes several times a year. I know that Los Angeles has a place that takes biometrics, and since this is only 130 miles away from where she lives it would make sense if she could have it done there. Is there any way she can have them done in Los Angeles even though she lives in Mexico? If this is possible, who would we contact to arrange this? Or is this question pointless and is the list of places given when you complete the form done on physical distance and not country?

Many thanks for you help.


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

sk2 said:


> Hello,
> 
> My fiance will be applying for a UK fiance visa later this month, but she's worried about the biometrics. She lives in Mexico, just on the border to the US (next to California). She read on the application website that once she applies, she will be asked to book her biometrics at her "nearest" testing place (which presumably will be given in the same country, since it goes by her home address on the application). The only place in Mexico that takes biometrics is in Mexico City, which is 1800 miles from where she lives. She has a visa that allows her to cross the border into the US (within a certain number of miles) to see family, and she goes several times a year. I know that Los Angeles has a place that takes biometrics, and since this is only 130 miles away from where she lives it would make sense if she could have it done there. Is there any way she can have them done in Los Angeles even though she lives in Mexico? If this is possible, who would we contact to arrange this? Or is this question pointless and is the list of places given when you complete the form done on physical distance and not country?
> 
> Many thanks for you help.


Reading the visa application guide at WorldBridge site, it seems you have no choice but to apply to the British consulate in Mexico City and have your biometrics taken there. Trouble is that each biometric testing centre has an electronic link to the visa office processing your application, so the LA office is unlikely to be able to accommodate you. 
If it's possible for your fiancée to transfer her residency to the US temporarily, she may be able to apply in US, but I don't know if it's allowed.


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

Thank you for such a quick reply.

I don't think she would be able to apply from within the US though, because I assume that would bring up all sorts of problems within the application process (you probably know what the US can be like). It just seems so silly for them to expect her to take a few days off work to travel 1800 miles to spend three minutes giving fingerprints when she could just take the morning off and hop over the border.

The visa application centre in Mexico City where she'll be sending the application is in the same building where the biometrics are taken there. Surely all the places are linked and she just needs to get the biometric form stamped (I think I read that this is what happens), put that with the application and the supporting evidence and send that in together?

If she submits the initial application online and pays the fee, how long would she be given to register at a biometrics centre? Do you think it might be worth her applying and then contacting them to question where she can get it done once they've sent the list of suggested places?


----------



## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

sk2 said:


> The visa application centre in Mexico City where she'll be sending the application is in the same building where the biometrics are taken there. Surely all the places are linked and she just needs to get the biometric form stamped (I think I read that this is what happens), put that with the application and the supporting evidence and send that in together?
> 
> If she submits the initial application online and pays the fee, how long would she be given to register at a biometrics centre? Do you think it might be worth her applying and then contacting them to question where she can get it done once they've sent the list of suggested places?


You can always ask the question, but don't be surprised if the answer is "no."

It's common practice these days to require visa applicants to make long journeys for 10 minute "identity" appointments. The US consulate requires an in person appearance in London for everyone applying in the UK for a visa, and the French consulates require visa applicants to show up to the appropriate consulate in the US, no matter the distance. Logic plays very little role in these immigration rules.
Cheers,
Bev


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

sk2 said:


> Thank you for such a quick reply.
> 
> I don't think she would be able to apply from within the US though, because I assume that would bring up all sorts of problems within the application process (you probably know what the US can be like). It just seems so silly for them to expect her to take a few days off work to travel 1800 miles to spend three minutes giving fingerprints when she could just take the morning off and hop over the border.
> 
> ...


No, that's not how it works. The fingerprint scan and digital photo are sent by secure connection to the consulate that the particular biometric centre is linked to, even if in the same building. They don't stamp the card and you put it in your supporting document pack. It's all done electronically. There is no way LA office can send the bio data to Mexico City.

As Bev says, I am 99% certain your fiancée has to make a long journey to Mexico City, or she won't get her visa.


----------



## littlequesadilla (May 17, 2011)

Hi, this is so strange, my husband lives in London and I live in Tijuana, "just on the border to the US (next to California)", is your lady from Tijuana too? 

Anyway, my appointment is next monday in Mexico city and I thought the biometrics were taken right away, like right after I give away my documents... did you find out how this work? you got me a little worried here.. I mean if I have to travel I will, but flights aren't cheap at all right now.....

please let me know!!



sk2 said:


> Hello,
> 
> My fiance will be applying for a UK fiance visa later this month, but she's worried about the biometrics. She lives in Mexico, just on the border to the US (next to California). She read on the application website that once she applies, she will be asked to book her biometrics at her "nearest" testing place (which presumably will be given in the same country, since it goes by her home address on the application). The only place in Mexico that takes biometrics is in Mexico City, which is 1800 miles from where she lives. She has a visa that allows her to cross the border into the US (within a certain number of miles) to see family, and she goes several times a year. I know that Los Angeles has a place that takes biometrics, and since this is only 130 miles away from where she lives it would make sense if she could have it done there. Is there any way she can have them done in Los Angeles even though she lives in Mexico? If this is possible, who would we contact to arrange this? Or is this question pointless and is the list of places given when you complete the form done on physical distance and not country?
> 
> Many thanks for you help.


----------



## littlequesadilla (May 17, 2011)

Hey, yeah the biometrics are taken the same day of the appointment.. I called worldbrige a couple of days ago to ask a silly question, and they send me some more info, don't know if you speak spanish.. but it says

"Concurra a la cita programada en la Embajada para registrar sus datos biométricos y para enviar su solicitud y documentos de respaldo."




sk2 said:


> Hello,
> 
> My fiance will be applying for a UK fiance visa later this month, but she's worried about the biometrics. She lives in Mexico, just on the border to the US (next to California). She read on the application website that once she applies, she will be asked to book her biometrics at her "nearest" testing place (which presumably will be given in the same country, since it goes by her home address on the application). The only place in Mexico that takes biometrics is in Mexico City, which is 1800 miles from where she lives. She has a visa that allows her to cross the border into the US (within a certain number of miles) to see family, and she goes several times a year. I know that Los Angeles has a place that takes biometrics, and since this is only 130 miles away from where she lives it would make sense if she could have it done there. Is there any way she can have them done in Los Angeles even though she lives in Mexico? If this is possible, who would we contact to arrange this? Or is this question pointless and is the list of places given when you complete the form done on physical distance and not country?
> 
> Many thanks for you help.


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

I was just wondering... if my fiancee's application is successful, will they mail her passport back to her or will she need to collect it from the embassy? Also, once she's here and we get married, will she have to apply for the spouse visa from Mexico or can she apply from the UK?


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

sk2 said:


> I was just wondering... if my fiancee's application is successful, will they mail her passport back to her or will she need to collect it from the embassy? Also, once she's here and we get married, will she have to apply for the spouse visa from Mexico or can she apply from the UK?


Passport is usually Fedexed or sent by other safe delivery method, as it comes back from NY consulate.
She will apply for further leave to remain as wife in the UK.


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

Thanks again 

I've just heard on here and elsewhere that people travel back to their original country to apply from there, so I thought it was required :/


----------



## littlequesadilla (May 17, 2011)

*my two pesos*

I was going to apply for fiance visa at the beginning, but we asked for advice in an agency and they said its easier to get approval for the spouse visa, and its even easier if you get married in Mexico than if you do it in the UK, this way you're not asking for permission to marry her, but you want your wife to live with you...

so we had our official registration here in MX in January (its easier and quicker that it seems), i did the IELTS test, and applied for the spouse visa, this way i wont have to come back to mexico, and pay AGAIN (and another flight to mexico city)!! cause the spouse and fiance visas are 1337 dlls... If you and ur gf need any guidance feel free to ask... my appt is on Monday wish me luck 




sk2 said:


> Thanks again
> 
> I've just heard on here and elsewhere that people travel back to their original country to apply from there, so I thought it was required :/


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

sk2 said:


> Thanks again
> 
> I've just heard on here and elsewhere that people travel back to their original country to apply from there, so I thought it was required :/


Only if they didn't get a fiancé(s) visa that allows them to stay on in UK after marriage. If you are on a marriage visitor visa, you must go home first and apply for a spouse visa. Also if you are already in UK on a long-stay visa such as work or study, you can marry and apply for further leave to remain as spouse within UK.


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

Joppa said:


> Only if they didn't get a fiancé(s) visa that allows them to stay on in UK after marriage. If you are on a marriage visitor visa, you must go home first and apply for a spouse visa. Also if you are already in UK on a long-stay visa such as work or study, you can marry and apply for further leave to remain as spouse within UK.


What's the difference between a marriage visitor visa and a fiance visa? And why would someone choose to apply for the marriage visitor one over the fiance one if that means that they have to leave and apply from their home country afterwards?

My fiance is planning to join me in the UK permanently after we marry, so are we doing the right thing by her applying for the fiance visa from Mexico and then once we get married, she applies for the spouse visa from the UK? We haven't applied for anything yet (it won't be until July) but I'm worried now that we have not understood the process properly 

I know of one couple where last year one partner (also from Mexico) came to the UK, they got married, and then she left for Mexico to apply for a permanent visa here. Why would they do that if they could have applied from within the UK? Do you think they just did the wrong thing?


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

littlequesadilla said:


> I was going to apply for fiance visa at the beginning, but we asked for advice in an agency and they said its easier to get approval for the spouse visa, and its even easier if you get married in Mexico than if you do it in the UK, this way you're not asking for permission to marry her, but you want your wife to live with you...
> 
> so we had our official registration here in MX in January (its easier and quicker that it seems), i did the IELTS test, and applied for the spouse visa, this way i wont have to come back to mexico, and pay AGAIN (and another flight to mexico city)!! cause the spouse and fiance visas are 1337 dlls... If you and ur gf need any guidance feel free to ask... my appt is on Monday wish me luck


This is related to my questions to Joppa, but why would you need to go back to Mexico after you got married in the UK if you can apply for the spouse visa from there?

I did think about getting married in Mexico and then we just apply for the spouse visa, but it would probably cost the same for flights/transport for me to get over there to marry her as it would for the price of a visa application. Also if the spouse application was denied for any reason, it would probably be a lot more stressful to be separated from my wife like that than from my fiance, if you get hat I mean.


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

sk2 said:


> What's the difference between a marriage visitor visa and a fiance visa? And why would someone choose to apply for the marriage visitor one over the fiance one if that means that they have to leave and apply from their home country afterwards?
> 
> My fiance is planning to join me in the UK permanently after we marry, so are we doing the right thing by her applying for the fiance visa from Mexico and then once we get married, she applies for the spouse visa from the UK? We haven't applied for anything yet (it won't be until July) but I'm worried now that we have not understood the process properly
> 
> I know of one couple where last year one partner (also from Mexico) came to the UK, they got married, and then she left for Mexico to apply for a permanent visa here. Why would they do that if they could have applied from within the UK? Do you think they just did the wrong thing?


As the name implies. a marriage VISITOR visa is for those who just want to get married in UK but will live somewhere else, like their home country. Fiancé(e) visa is for those who want to settle in UK afterwards. Marriage visitor visa costs a lot less (£76), easy to apply (no reams of supporting documents), so those who have no intention to settle in UK go for it. Also those who need to return home for some other reasons, such as sorting out their business affairs, looking after sick relative etc get a visitor's visa and then apply for spouse visa when they are ready. But even for them, it would probably be easier to wait until these things are sorted before travelling to UK to get married and settle with a fiancé(e) visa.

So you are doing right by getting a fiancé(e) visa.


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

Thanks for clearing that up... it's a weight off my mind 

I hope you don't mind so many questions (I guess you don't, otherwise you wouldn't be on here answering them all), but I have another. When we send the supporting evidence, do we get all the stuff back, or is it ok to send photocopies of everything? Cos I don't want to risk losing birthday/Valentine's/Christmas cards, letters, etc.


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

sk2 said:


> Thanks for clearing that up... it's a weight off my mind
> 
> I hope you don't mind so many questions (I guess you don't, otherwise you wouldn't be on here answering them all), but I have another. When we send the supporting evidence, do we get all the stuff back, or is it ok to send photocopies of everything? Cos I don't want to risk losing birthday/Valentine's/Christmas cards, letters, etc.


You must send originals, plus photocopy. You will get all the originals back (and they keep the copies).
If you just send photocopies, they won't accept them and your visa will be declined. The only orginal you don't need to send is your UK partner's passport - just the photocopy of bio pages.


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

Oh, I knew that about bank statements, employment contract, pay slips, etc, I just didn't know if it applied for the supporting evidence of the relationship. How about things that I don't necessarily want back, e.g. itemised phone bill with her number highlighted on every page? Cos I have over 50 pages of that so far and I don't really want to have to copy it all


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

sk2 said:


> Oh, I knew that about bank statements, employment contract, pay slips, etc, I just didn't know if it applied for the supporting evidence of the relationship. How about things that I don't necessarily want back, e.g. itemised phone bill with her number highlighted on every page? Cos I have over 50 pages of that so far and I don't really want to have to copy it all


Just be selective. I'd send a selection of pages that indicate you have been in regular touch, plus photocopies. They will send all originals back, even if you don't want them. Just bin them!


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

Hello,

My fiance was wondering what exactly this part means on the list on supporting documents:

"Evidence of your current employment or studies. This could include:

- a letter from your employer on company headed paper – this should list your 
salary and the length of your employment, *confirm that you have been given 
time off work, and state whether this time off is paid or unpaid*"

Is this relating to annual leave or something? To me it sounds like there needs to be a line in the letter confirming that she can leave work (to move to the UK), but that wouldn't really make sense if she's coming here to live. Can anyone explain what this means? Thank you.


----------



## sk2 (May 2, 2011)

Anyone?


----------



## Angelkissedxx (Feb 25, 2011)

By applying for a fiancé visa yes you are allowed to be together sooner, but in the long run all you'll end up having to do is pay for yet another visa that's the exact same price right after you've been married save yourself some money and be patient I know it's not easy, trust me, my UK husbands and mines daughter is almost 7 months old and she's only seen her daddy once so it's frustrating but in the end it'll be rewarding x


----------



## Guest (Jun 2, 2011)

I think the fiance visa is great because it is the visa that can be converted to a settlement visa after the wedding without the expat having to return to their home country to apply.

My husband and I would have gone for it but decided we should try living together and sharing a single bathroom first, lol! That's only a partial joke, though. First, he'd been alone for nearly thirty years, I'd been alone for 13, we're both over 50yo, and I'm an American frankly used to having at least a bath and a half. 

Even growing up in the late 50s and 60s, my family was quite large, and we had multiple bathrooms in the childhood home. I learned how to do plumbing growing up because my dad was always adding another bath, lol!

So the bathroom issue was a biggie-it's the little irritants that can play hell with a marriage.

In our case, I think if we had it all to do again, we would still have used the visitor visa-even knowing I would have to return to the US to apply for my settlement visa. But that's just us, and every relationship is different-Ain't Love grand?!


----------



## Guest (Jun 2, 2011)

sk2 said:


> Hello,
> 
> My fiance was wondering what exactly this part means on the list on supporting documents:
> 
> ...


Hang in there, Joppa or one of the other mods will probably be along in a bit to answer this question. I'm curious myself at what the answer is.


----------



## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

AnAmericanInScotland said:


> Hang in there, Joppa or one of the other mods will probably be along in a bit to answer this question. I'm curious myself at what the answer is.


I haven't replied so far because I too wasn't sure about what it meant (yes, this happens for me too, sometimes!) 
I'd imagine it would relate to time off you have had while you've visited UK to meet your partner. It can't possibly refer to what happens when you finally move over to UK to settle, as you will have given your notice to quit! 
Personally I don't think it's a crucial part of your supporting document - all they really want to know is if you've been in paid employment, with steady income, and your prospect of getting another job after moving to UK.


----------



## Guest (Jun 2, 2011)

Joppa said:


> I haven't replied so far because I too wasn't sure about what it meant (yes, this happens for me too, sometimes!)
> ...


I'm a mod at a current events discussion forum-I know exactly what you mean about the occasional 'stumper', lol!


----------

