US marrying UK citizen in California, then moving to UK

[rambosocks 0]

Hello,

I hope I'm not asking for a topic that's already been discussed, I apologize if I'm asking for something that's already been answered. I'm a US citizen and my fiancee is a UK citizen. We are both flying to LA, California this coming June 'til July planning to have a civil ceremony there, then fly back to London where we plan on living for awhile. Since we don't plan on living in CA, does my British fiancee still need to apply for a fiancee visa? Will we still need to provide documents to prove we can support each other when re-entering into the UK? - our concern about this is, we will both be graduates in May and don't earn very much at the moment. We've thought of getting married in the UK, but a few immigration lawyers have advised that getting married in CA would be a lot easier.

The problem I am having is being able to find out exactly what paperwork needs to be filed in what order. I've tried speaking to the Home Office in London and they've advised I contact the UK Embassy in Los Angeles. I tried calling them there but there was no way of getting through to a customer service representative. The number I dialled directed me to an automated message with no option to speak to someone live (had the same problem trying to get through to someone at USCIS) and none of their automated messages answered my questions. My fiancee and I are trying really hard to avoid paying expensive fees to hire a lawyer to sort out our paperwork. We think with a little help, we can do it ourselves. I know immigration laws in both countries are quite strict so we want to be careful. We would also like to start some of the paperwork now so when we get to California this summer, we don't have to end up waiting around for months to get everything processed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thank you.

[imaisha 1]

getting married in california would definitely be easier- your lawyer is right. i (USC) got married in the UK and had to apply for a fiancee visa at the UK embassy here in new york (sure i got it the same day i applied but i payed dearly for that service) and then after being in england for 10 days i think we had to go down and give notice and then two weeks later we had to go back and pick up more papers and then go to another office to be married. it was a whole hullabaloo since i wasn't planning on staying there or anything.

http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathm...eneralinfo.aspx

check that website for info. each county may have different rules about whether you'll receive your license immediately after applying but your fiancee will NOT need a visa. he should just come over on the VWP as he's just coming for a holiday and going back.

as for your situation when you go back to england, that might be a different story. if you've got leave to remain currently then that won't change i don't think. plus should you decide to come over here eventually then depending on how long you've been in the UK you may be able to go for direct consular filing which is speedier than other routes.

Hello,

I hope I'm not asking for a topic that's already been discussed, I apologize if I'm asking for something that's already been answered. I'm a US citizen and my fiancee is a UK citizen. We are both flying to LA, California this coming June 'til July planning to have a civil ceremony there, then fly back to London where we plan on living for awhile. Since we don't plan on living in CA, does my British fiancee still need to apply for a fiancee visa? Will we still need to provide documents to prove we can support each other when re-entering into the UK? - our concern about this is, we will both be graduates in May and don't earn very much at the moment. We've thought of getting married in the UK, but a few immigration lawyers have advised that getting married in CA would be a lot easier.

The problem I am having is being able to find out exactly what paperwork needs to be filed in what order. I've tried speaking to the Home Office in London and they've advised I contact the UK Embassy in Los Angeles. I tried calling them there but there was no way of getting through to a customer service representative. The number I dialled directed me to an automated message with no option to speak to someone live (had the same problem trying to get through to someone at USCIS) and none of their automated messages answered my questions. My fiancee and I are trying really hard to avoid paying expensive fees to hire a lawyer to sort out our paperwork. We think with a little help, we can do it ourselves. I know immigration laws in both countries are quite strict so we want to be careful. We would also like to start some of the paperwork now so when we get to California this summer, we don't have to end up waiting around for months to get everything processed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thank you.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Hello,

I hope I'm not asking for a topic that's already been discussed, I apologize if I'm asking for something that's already been answered. I'm a US citizen and my fiancee is a UK citizen. We are both flying to LA, California this coming June 'til July planning to have a civil ceremony there, then fly back to London where we plan on living for awhile. Since we don't plan on living in CA, does my British fiancee still need to apply for a fiancee visa? Will we still need to provide documents to prove we can support each other when re-entering into the UK? - our concern about this is, we will both be graduates in May and don't earn very much at the moment. We've thought of getting married in the UK, but a few immigration lawyers have advised that getting married in CA would be a lot easier.

The problem I am having is being able to find out exactly what paperwork needs to be filed in what order. I've tried speaking to the Home Office in London and they've advised I contact the UK Embassy in Los Angeles. I tried calling them there but there was no way of getting through to a customer service representative. The number I dialled directed me to an automated message with no option to speak to someone live (had the same problem trying to get through to someone at USCIS) and none of their automated messages answered my questions. My fiancee and I are trying really hard to avoid paying expensive fees to hire a lawyer to sort out our paperwork. We think with a little help, we can do it ourselves. I know immigration laws in both countries are quite strict so we want to be careful. We would also like to start some of the paperwork now so when we get to California this summer, we don't have to end up waiting around for months to get everything processed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thank you.

I would advise getting married in CA and then applying for a DCF in UK after you go back there. I do not know what you will need for the UK

[rebeccajo 14]

Hello,

I hope I'm not asking for a topic that's already been discussed, I apologize if I'm asking for something that's already been answered. I'm a US citizen and my fiancee is a UK citizen. We are both flying to LA, California this coming June 'til July planning to have a civil ceremony there, then fly back to London where we plan on living for awhile. Since we don't plan on living in CA, does my British fiancee still need to apply for a fiancee visa? Will we still need to provide documents to prove we can support each other when re-entering into the UK? - our concern about this is, we will both be graduates in May and don't earn very much at the moment. We've thought of getting married in the UK, but a few immigration lawyers have advised that getting married in CA would be a lot easier.

The problem I am having is being able to find out exactly what paperwork needs to be filed in what order. I've tried speaking to the Home Office in London and they've advised I contact the UK Embassy in Los Angeles. I tried calling them there but there was no way of getting through to a customer service representative. The number I dialled directed me to an automated message with no option to speak to someone live (had the same problem trying to get through to someone at USCIS) and none of their automated messages answered my questions. My fiancee and I are trying really hard to avoid paying expensive fees to hire a lawyer to sort out our paperwork. We think with a little help, we can do it ourselves. I know immigration laws in both countries are quite strict so we want to be careful. We would also like to start some of the paperwork now so when we get to California this summer, we don't have to end up waiting around for months to get everything processed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thank you.

I would advise getting married in CA and then applying for a DCF in UK after you go back there. I do not know what you will need for the UK

Why would they need DCF? It sounds as if they intend on living in the United Kingdom.........

OP...........visit the website uk-yankee.com to learn about US citizens living across the pond.

I believe you will need a spousal visa to enter the UK. You can learn more of the details at uk-yankee.com.

[Marina-Del 10]

Why would they need DCF? It sounds as if they intend on living in the United Kingdom.........

The OP said that they plan on then moving to the UK for A WHILE. So, I think it is a good idea that we advise them about DCF. If you plan on living in the UK for 6 months or more, then if or when you decide to move back to the US together, you can apply DCF (direct consular filing -which when you get to that point you can read more about on this website!) and that will be much faster than applying for a K-3 spousal visa.

As for you getting married here. As others have said, your british fiancee doesn't need a visa. However, if he/she enters the US as a tourist and tells the immigration officer at the border that he/she is coming in to get married, they most likely will not let them in! I know that you are both being totally innocent and plan on moving back to the UK, but the immigration officer doesn't know that and you'll have a hard time convincing them of that. Just a heads up.

[rebeccajo 14]

Why would they need DCF? It sounds as if they intend on living in the United Kingdom.........

The OP said that they plan on then moving to the UK for A WHILE. So, I think it is a good idea that we advise them about DCF.

So they file DCF when they are ready - if ever - to move back. They don't need to move over there and start the process right away. That is how Gary's post reads.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

However, if he/she enters the US as a tourist and tells the immigration officer at the border that he/she is coming in to get married, they most likely will not let them in! I know that you are both being totally innocent and plan on moving back to the UK, but the immigration officer doesn't know that and you'll have a hard time convincing them of that. Just a heads up.

Not necessarily. My husband (then fiance) and I travelled to the East Coast to get married with the intention of returning to the UK afterwards. He was asked what the purpose of his trip was, and he said "To celebrate Christmas and New Year's with my girlfriend's family, marry my girlfriend and then return to London with her as we live there together." He was asked to show a return ticket and he did. Hey presto, you're in. I suppose it's down to who you get on the day.

[rambosocks 0]

getting married in california would definitely be easier- your lawyer is right. i (USC) got married in the UK and had to apply for a fiancee visa at the UK embassy here in new york (sure i got it the same day i applied but i payed dearly for that service) and then after being in england for 10 days i think we had to go down and give notice and then two weeks later we had to go back and pick up more papers and then go to another office to be married. it was a whole hullabaloo since i wasn't planning on staying there or anything.

http://ww2.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/birthdeathm...eneralinfo.aspx

check that website for info. each county may have different rules about whether you'll receive your license immediately after applying but your fiancee will NOT need a visa. he should just come over on the VWP as he's just coming for a holiday and going back.

as for your situation when you go back to england, that might be a different story. if you've got leave to remain currently then that won't change i don't think. plus should you decide to come over here eventually then depending on how long you've been in the UK you may be able to go for direct consular filing which is speedier than other routes.

Hello,

I hope I'm not asking for a topic that's already been discussed, I apologize if I'm asking for something that's already been answered. I'm a US citizen and my fiancee is a UK citizen. We are both flying to LA, California this coming June 'til July planning to have a civil ceremony there, then fly back to London where we plan on living for awhile. Since we don't plan on living in CA, does my British fiancee still need to apply for a fiancee visa? Will we still need to provide documents to prove we can support each other when re-entering into the UK? - our concern about this is, we will both be graduates in May and don't earn very much at the moment. We've thought of getting married in the UK, but a few immigration lawyers have advised that getting married in CA would be a lot easier.

The problem I am having is being able to find out exactly what paperwork needs to be filed in what order. I've tried speaking to the Home Office in London and they've advised I contact the UK Embassy in Los Angeles. I tried calling them there but there was no way of getting through to a customer service representative. The number I dialled directed me to an automated message with no option to speak to someone live (had the same problem trying to get through to someone at USCIS) and none of their automated messages answered my questions. My fiancee and I are trying really hard to avoid paying expensive fees to hire a lawyer to sort out our paperwork. We think with a little help, we can do it ourselves. I know immigration laws in both countries are quite strict so we want to be careful. We would also like to start some of the paperwork now so when we get to California this summer, we don't have to end up waiting around for months to get everything processed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thank you.

thanks for your response, yeah we did get the run down of what we would need to do to get married in the UK. we're both very well aware of the disgustingly long process of getting married in the UK. my other concern which i just read about earlier tonight is my current financial status. do i still need to meet the financial requirements to get married if we plan on living in the UK??

thanks so much, sorry i've taken so long to read these, i'm new here and i've been trying to read all kinds of different websites.

[rambosocks 0]

Why would they need DCF? It sounds as if they intend on living in the United Kingdom.........

The OP said that they plan on then moving to the UK for A WHILE. So, I think it is a good idea that we advise them about DCF. If you plan on living in the UK for 6 months or more, then if or when you decide to move back to the US together, you can apply DCF (direct consular filing -which when you get to that point you can read more about on this website!) and that will be much faster than applying for a K-3 spousal visa.

As for you getting married here. As others have said, your british fiancee doesn't need a visa. However, if he/she enters the US as a tourist and tells the immigration officer at the border that he/she is coming in to get married, they most likely will not let them in! I know that you are both being totally innocent and plan on moving back to the UK, but the immigration officer doesn't know that and you'll have a hard time convincing them of that. Just a heads up.

thanks, this is really good info! that's actually exactly what we wanted to know, if my british fiancee needs the fiancee visa to enter the U.S. to get married. so when our passports are reviewed when we apply for a marriage license in CA, they won't penalize or deny us because he doesn't have a fiancee visa?

i contacted an american lawyer last week and he responded saying we didn't have enough time to get a fiancee or spousal visa processed in time to get married in june. it would be so helpful if we really don't need it.

[rambosocks 0]

Hello,

I hope I'm not asking for a topic that's already been discussed, I apologize if I'm asking for something that's already been answered. I'm a US citizen and my fiancee is a UK citizen. We are both flying to LA, California this coming June 'til July planning to have a civil ceremony there, then fly back to London where we plan on living for awhile. Since we don't plan on living in CA, does my British fiancee still need to apply for a fiancee visa? Will we still need to provide documents to prove we can support each other when re-entering into the UK? - our concern about this is, we will both be graduates in May and don't earn very much at the moment. We've thought of getting married in the UK, but a few immigration lawyers have advised that getting married in CA would be a lot easier.

The problem I am having is being able to find out exactly what paperwork needs to be filed in what order. I've tried speaking to the Home Office in London and they've advised I contact the UK Embassy in Los Angeles. I tried calling them there but there was no way of getting through to a customer service representative. The number I dialled directed me to an automated message with no option to speak to someone live (had the same problem trying to get through to someone at USCIS) and none of their automated messages answered my questions. My fiancee and I are trying really hard to avoid paying expensive fees to hire a lawyer to sort out our paperwork. We think with a little help, we can do it ourselves. I know immigration laws in both countries are quite strict so we want to be careful. We would also like to start some of the paperwork now so when we get to California this summer, we don't have to end up waiting around for months to get everything processed.

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thank you.

I would advise getting married in CA and then applying for a DCF in UK after you go back there. I do not know what you will need for the UK

Why would they need DCF? It sounds as if they intend on living in the United Kingdom.........

OP...........visit the website uk-yankee.com to learn about US citizens living across the pond.

I believe you will need a spousal visa to enter the UK. You can learn more of the details at uk-yankee.com.

thanks for the website! another helping hand, thanks for everyone's responses! i really didn't know what to expect when i posted here. i'm so grateful for all your answers.