°µÍø½ûÇø

Hi again Jessica.

Congratulations on your engagement.

The requirements are:

For a family visa, you must be able to prove one of the following:

-  you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
-  you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
-  you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving

From what you've said, you won't be able to do that at the moment.

If you are to marry in the UK, you can apply for a marriage visa which will let you travel sooner, but you will need to marry within 6 months, then apply for your residence permit.

There is nothing stopping you travelling over on a short-term holiday visa, then trying to apply for your marriage visa; I would offer a word of caution as the guidance document says:

UK Gov website wrote:

If you’re in the UK

You can apply to extend your stay with your family member if you’re already in the UK on a family visa.

If you came to the UK on a different visa, you might be able to switch to a family visa to stay with your:

    spouse or partner
    child
    parent

The keyword in there is "might", I guess I don't need to explain to you the consequences of someone deciding to use that word.

Hope this helps.

Cynic
°µÍø½ûÇø Team

Thank you! Yes, I have read those things as well. We are looking to marry soon. I have done a lot of research and am just trying to get as much prepared as possible to fill out my Visa application. I have read over the UK website a lot. Just hoping to find more info from someone in the same boat or who has experience. I just want to make things as smooth as possible!

Your advice is appreciated. Thank you!

Hey Jessica, I’ve got quite a lot of experience in all this stuff. I’m not a ‘professional’ but I did ours and have then helped a lot of others so I’m pretty clued up on the requirements, rules and the process etc.

I’ve helped with at least 4 US applications really closely so I know the process u guys have also. I just wanted to jump on and tell u one thing after reading what Cynic wrote; if u come here on a standard visit visa as ur permitted to as a US citizen, you will NOT be permitted to switch onto any kind of settlement visa. U can only do this if u are in the UK on student or employment visas.

See here 👇

When you cannot get a family visa:

In some circumstances you cannot apply for, or switch to, a family visa.

• When you have a visitor visa or a visa for 6 months or less ( This is you Jess)

You’ll usually need to leave the UK to apply for a family visa if either:

• You have permission to be in the UK as a visitor; or,
• Your visa is for 6 months or less

👌

The second thing I wanted to ask is, I’m presuming u mean a Fiancé Visa and not a Marriage Visitor Visa as Cynic said in the comment above??

The Fiancé Visa is a 6 month visa which entitles u Entry Clearance to the UK on the proviso u will marry within the 6 month period. U will then be able to apply for a Family Visa in the form of Further Leave to Remain Marriage - FLRM

Marriage Visitor Visa is just that, it’s a Visa that allows u to come here to marry but u are NOT then allowed to settle 👇

You must apply for a Marriage Visitor visa if:

• You want to get married or register a civil partnership in the UK

• You’re not planning to stay or settle in the UK after your marriage or civil partnership

(Link is here 👇)


It’s for people who want to come here to marry but then leave after, that’s not what ur planning is it?

The two are VERY different in every way so don’t be looking at the requirements for a MVV when u should be looking at Fiancé - ur Fiancé Visa sure isn’t £93 like the MVV 🙈

For the Fiancé u will need to meet the Minimum Income Requirement, (US are exempt from the English Language so that’s one less thing to worry about), u will need to prove ur relationship is genuine and subsisting and that u have adequate accommodation for u and ur partner.

This route is a very expensive way of doing settlement as the initial visa is:
• £1523 application fee as it’s the same as settlement
• Priority service is an extra  £573 if u want to do that.
Plus there will be any currency conversion and bank charges

Then 6 months after u arrive u will need to apply for Further Leave to Remain and here are the costs for that:
• £1033 application fee
• IHS £1000
• British Residents Permit £56
• Biometric Enrolment £19.20

(Link here to the fees 👇)


Financially the cheapest route for u would be to get married first and then apply for settlement as a Spouse, it’s much more sensible all round otherwise u have a hell of a lot of expense in ur first year of u include wedding and relocation costs etc.


So below I’ve just added some stuff to help u get to grips with it al a little more, bookmark all the documents and links as u will need them I promise 🤓

Financial Requirements 👇


Accommodation Requirements 👇 (Accommodation is Section 8 onwards)


Prove ur relationship is genuine 👇


Immigration Health Surcharge Fee 👇


Visa Fees 👇


Some other links for u to have a read of that may help 👇





Hope this helps you Jess and if u need anything else or some more help with it just let me know 👌🤩🤓

Thank you so much!!!! Im