Okay, I'm American (born & raised in Mid-Michigan), my fiancee is a British citizen. What would we have to do to get married here, but him not moving here? He wants me to move there to England eventually, but it will take a while to do that yet. Do we still need to get him a visa and such to just get married here? I can't find any FAQs that fit our scenario, and thought maybe someone else might know. Thanks so very much!

Julie

It's fine to marry in the US while is visiting on the VWP or a tourist visa. But he has to return home in the allotted amount of time and then you can work out the scenario for you to live there. If down the road you want to petition for him to come to the US, you can do it directly through the US Embassy in London.

Probably the biggest issue with your post is the fact that the US and the UK recognize marriage reciprocally. Which means you need to get married one place or the other.

If you are going to be living in the UK apply for the visa there, it is about $1000.00 and you can apply via the British Embassy.

As far as having a service here, I am not really sure how that would work.

As mentioned, you're fine to marry here, without any paperwork (well, immigration paperwork, marriage licences, etc, that's all up to you and your state), so long as he's going to leave.

I would advise, however, that when he arrives in the US and they ask why, he says "to visit fiance" or family or whatever, and not volunteer "here for my wedding." That wouldn't be lying to them - it would just be not shooting himself in the foot. If he's leaving anyway, no need to create headaches and a possible refusal. You'll most likely be fine.

In my opinion, he should clearly state that he's there to get married and then return to the UK. There's no reason to hide the truth in this situation. That's what my husband did. He brought our UK lease agreement, and a letter from his uni. She didn't ask to see them though. He also had his return ticket that showed a return date of just two weeks later.

I agree - but take a lot more proof. A return ticket can be purchased and thrown away so that's not worth a whole lot. Things that prove ties i.e. lease agreement, work contract, bank accounts, letter from employer/school indicating when he has to return, etc. are always advised by the consulate.

Okay, we had thought about doing that but wasn't sure if it would be "illegal" or anything. I told him about your advice, and he asked me to pose the question the other way. What about me going to the UK to get married? I wouldn't be able to move there right off as I have to tie up lose ends here in the US first. But can we do the same thing? Just me going to visit and us quietly getting married there? Or would that violate a law or something? Anyone know? Thanks to you all for your invaluable advice as this is so new to the both of us!!

Hugs,

Julie

Is there a visajourney.co.uk?

People might get you a good answer - but few here will claim to be experts on other countries' laws.

What you described isn't illegal. And there are associated pitfalls and ways to prepare to avoid them. And I still think my advice is sound and not a gamble. Usually, the questions at the border for VWP are not going to be invasive or time consuming. Use your noodle and answer exactly what is asked. If the question isn't specific enough, don't offer an overly specific question. If the question is "business or pleasure?" you needn't answer "I'm here to get married," because that wasn't what was asked.

Preparation helps, but common sense keeps you out of that interview room to begin with.

We went over to Vermont (via a couple of weeks in CT) to get married, then came back to London together to do the filing. No probs at the POE -- they asked him why he was visiting and he said "to visit my fiancee's parents, get married to said fiancee and then come back to London." Didn't ask to see any proof or anything! Still, it's always a good idea to have something to back up an assertion like that beyond a return ticket.

This scenario would fall under even more scrutiny than telling the truth, though.



nope, but there's a uk-yankee.com. Tell TerriO we all say hey, lol

It says on the US London Consulate web site that you can use the VWP to marry in the US and leave.

UK requires a specific Visa.

Just wondering which countries would not recognise a US or UK marriage.

uk yankee is one site, or for official info britainusa

Not quite the same demand as an awful lot simpler and quicker going to the UK.

My wife just recently visited from the UK and actually got a lot of hassel at customs in Chicago. She was very honest and told them she was visiting her husband and we were in the process of getting her a green card. They were very friendly and nice until they asked where we got married. When she said we were married in LasVegas they got very upset and told her it was an illegal marriage, that she cannot come into the US on a tourist visa to get married. They then took her to a backroom where after a little wait just let her pass through no more questions asked?! Funny they didn't say anything about the marriage being illegal at the CSC when they approved our I-130? The problem may have been that it appeared like they were training a new customs agent and the person that was the supervisor was making some kind of a "point" of my wife. Still, since they had no problem with her entry to the US I don't feel they needed to be so rude about it.

That's quite funny.

Wonder what the minimum education requirements are.

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pa...d=1106654124706

In a nutshell...yes, you do need a fiance visa to get married in the UK. The registrar is supposed to turn you away if you don't have one; I had to show mine when I got married in the UK (I'm a USC).

I wouldn't worry, though; fiance visas are easy to get. Mine was processed and on its way back to me less than 24 hours after the packet arrived at the UK Embassy.

UK fiancee visas are fast and easy to get for a legit couple, but expensive - the fee is now $1,000. In my opinion, the money would be better spent on a plane ticket for your future hubby to the states. Then you could pay $1,000 for a UK spousal visa that's good for two years, instead of $1,000 for the UK fiancee visa and then another $1,000 (i believe) to get the spousal visa in the UK after the wedding. Also, you can work straight away on the UK spousal visa but with the UK fiancee route, you couldn't work until after the wedding and obtaining further leave to remain.

That is really crazy about the hassle bevray's wife had in Chicago. It's perfectly legal for a UK citizen to marry a US citizen in the states on the visa wavier programme and then return to the UK. It's even spelled out on an official US govt webpage somewhere.

Oh, and I should add, I'm from Michigan too and Detroit was where my husband went through on the trip for our wedding. It was easy peasy.

Cripes! When I got my UK spousal visa in 1996 it only cost about $250... how's that for inflation.

I can't remember how much mine was but it was nowhere near $1000.