Ideal Situation?

Member since 29 July 2019

travelinswedeNew member29 July 2019 19:45:51

**EDITED**
Clearly I didn't know how to use the search feature in the forums and have since found lots of similar situations and helpful information. Thanks!

Hello new friends!
I'm an American girl planning to marry and move abroad with my English boyfriend. We're in the beginning stages of working everything out and I've heard some absolute horror stories about immigration and visas.

I was told the "easiest" way would be for him to come to the states, we get married here, apply for a marriage visa and then move back to England together.

Given the different routes we could take here (me getting a work visa, us marrying here or in the uk, etc.) it has me curious...

What would be your "ideal" way to go about this?

Cynic UK/Netherlands Expert

Member since 15 September 2015

CynicUK/Netherlands Expert30 July 2019 09:44:55

8059

Hi and welcome to the Forum.

There are a couple of options and marriage is certainly one of them.

Where to get married? Doesn't really matter, as long as it's legally registered in the country where it happens. The UK offers a fiancee visa, where you can apply and when you get it, can come to the UK and get married - some rules apply (have to get married within 6 months and not being able to work being just 2 examples); you can see the whole thing on the UK Gov website; this link will take you there. You can get married in Vegas, but please remember that there is a State process to go through after Elvis does his stuff, for it to be legally recognised outside of the USA.

Other ways - you haven't told us what you do for a living, but if you qualify for one of the work-related visas; this link will take you to the UK Gov website that lists all of them. In amongst this list is a special visa for what is known as the "shortage occupation list"; these are people with skills that are deemed as being in short supply in the UK and if you can get a job that qualifies and your new employer pays you above a certain salary level, they sponsor your application; this link will take you to the current version of the list. You then qualify to come to the UK and live and work in your own right; what you do when you get here in regards to marriage is entirely up to you.

One thing to remember is that all work-visas are by definition short-term and at the end, while you may apply for an extension, there is a chance it may not be granted and you have to leave the UK. There are similar rules around family visas, but there is no job requirement, the basic requirement is to live together and your husband/partner earns enough to support you - there is a bit more to these things than this, but all the information is in the links I've provided.

So, my advice is to read the links, talk to your boyfriend and explore the options. If you have any further specific questions, then please come back to us.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
Expat Team