Visa granted, but...

[MargotDarko 0]

That't the civil partnership visa, which requires you to prove that you have cohabited for two years in order to be eligible. That's the one geared to same-sex couples.

It allows for same-sex couples, but heterosexual couples can just as easily use it.

Only if you have had the equivalent of a Civil Partnership, in which case you would be married

I thought the settlement visa for a civil partnership and for unmarried couples was the same process and visa.

I think this has gone off-topic now and I feel kind of bad for contributing to that.

[Captain Oates 910]

A lot of confusion in these posts....

Firstly with dropping a K1 visa ? I did it and subsequently went to the US on visa waiver - the hardest part is convicing dragon lady at manchester airport - She works for the airline. She wanted to stop me because i didnt have the K1 abandonment papers from USCIS as they were sent to my US fiance.

As she couldnt find a supervisor to back up her decision for no fly - she let me go after half and hour but said i might well be refused in chicago - it was really nasty - but it was a piece of cake at US POE

ok 'partners' - the whole point of partner legislation is that male and female are treated the same so hetros having to be married is incorrect.

getting married - you can marry in the UK but AOS is not available the same as US

Getting married in US and then coming to UK - we did that - it took 10 minutes in the UK Consulate in chicago - then wifey got her UK green card and we walked out !

After that - I think that her coming to the UK was much harder than me going to the US - I am taking about national insurance number/tax people /driving licence/getting a bank account etc - I did it in the US and she did it here in the UK - so WE KNOW !!!!

[Lansbury 19]

After that - I think that her coming to the UK was much harder than me going to the US - I am taking about national insurance number/tax people /driving licence/getting a bank account etc - I did it in the US and she did it here in the UK - so WE KNOW !!!!

Have to disagree with that. We have done it both ways and I doubt one way is anymore difficult than the other, both quite straightforward and easy just different.

The only part which stands out was getting her ILR stamp. We needed it for a trip back to the US and so had to go and apply in person. That day at Lunar House in 1998 still lives vividly in my memory. If we had just posted the forms of it would have been very easy.

[Lansbury 19]

The UK visa's is much easier because there are virtually no checks before hand. The US does all or it not all it seems like checks before they even grant the visa. Hence those checks have to be done somewhere and the UK doesn't them later in the process.

Overall I remain of the opinion the process is pretty much on a par between the two.

[Lansbury 19]

The UK driving test isn't that hard, my wife who had never even driven a car before she went for her test in Oregon and then learnt as she went along passed her UK test at the first attempt. Harder than the US one but not a problem if you can drive properly.

[rebeccajo 14]

Just some links regarding civil partnerships and marriage between non-UK citizens (straight from the horses mouth).

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/civilpartnerships/

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/marriage...d-questions/#q1

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/marriage...n--required.asp

Edited August 22, 2007 by rebeccajo

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Don't know how I forgot to include this link before:

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/lawandpol...tionrules/part8

Here is the relavent bit:

Requirements for leave to remain as the unmarried or same-sex partner of a person present and settled in the United Kingdom

295D. The requirements to be met by a person seeking leave to remain as the unmarried or same-sex partner of a person present and settled in the United Kingdom are that:

(i) the applicant has limited leave to remain in the United Kingdom which was given in accordance with any of the provisions of these Rules; and

(ii) any previous marriage or civil partnership (or similar relationship) by either partner has permanently broken down; and

(iii) the applicant is the unmarried or same-sex partner of a person who is present and settled in the United Kingdom; and

(iv) the applicant has not remained in breach of the immigration laws; and

(v) the parties are not involved in a consanguineous relationship with one another; and

(vi) the parties have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership which has subsisted for two years or more; and

(vii) the parties' relationship pre-dates any decision to deport the applicant, recommend him for deportation, give him notice under Section 6(2) of the Immigration Act 1971, or give directions for his removal under section 10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; and

(viii) there will be adequate accommodation for the parties and any dependants without recourse to public funds in accommodation which they own or occupy exclusively; and

(ix) the parties will be able to maintain themselves and any dependants adequately without recourse to public funds; and

(x) the parties intend to live together permanently.

[Captain Oates 910]

(v) the parties are not involved in a consanguineous relationship with one another; and

Which position is that ?

[rebeccajo 14]

Don't know how I forgot to include this link before:

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/lawandpol...tionrules/part8

Here is the relavent bit:

Requirements for leave to remain as the unmarried or same-sex partner of a person present and settled in the United Kingdom

295D. The requirements to be met by a person seeking leave to remain as the unmarried or same-sex partner of a person present and settled in the United Kingdom are that:

(i) the applicant has limited leave to remain in the United Kingdom which was given in accordance with any of the provisions of these Rules; and

(ii) any previous marriage or civil partnership (or similar relationship) by either partner has permanently broken down; and

(iii) the applicant is the unmarried or same-sex partner of a person who is present and settled in the United Kingdom; and

(iv) the applicant has not remained in breach of the immigration laws; and

(v) the parties are not involved in a consanguineous relationship with one another; and

(vi) the parties have been living together in a relationship akin to marriage or civil partnership which has subsisted for two years or more; and

(vii) the parties' relationship pre-dates any decision to deport the applicant, recommend him for deportation, give him notice under Section 6(2) of the Immigration Act 1971, or give directions for his removal under section 10 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; and

(viii) there will be adequate accommodation for the parties and any dependants without recourse to public funds in accommodation which they own or occupy exclusively; and

(ix) the parties will be able to maintain themselves and any dependants adequately without recourse to public funds; and

(x) the parties intend to live together permanently.

And if I have read all these links properly, what this boils down to is that you cannot come to the UK as a visitor, marry a UK citizen, and remain in the country - as can be done by a UK citizen in the US?

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

The UK government in it's eternal understanding and compassion of all the people who wish to live here requires you to have either entered the country on a fiance (or proposed civil partner) visa, you must get a COA, the eloquently titled Certificate of Approval (of your marriage) for ANYONE who is subject to immigration control. Further Leave to Remain is not good enough, it has to be Indefinate Leave to Remain.

That means that you shell out £300 for one COA if you are a UK citizen marrying a 'immigration controlled' person. If you are both subject to control, both people need the COA. And they do not accept applications in person, so it takes minimum 6 weeks. Nice. Now remind me why I want to leave the UK again?

The funny thing is that I qualify for a loophole. Being an Irish citizen my US Citizen partner is here on an EEA Family Permit, and technically he can stay here as long as he likes, provided he remains my partner, cos I have a right to movement, and a right to family life, so we do not need a COA.

HOWEVER, I still think that once you are actually married, the visa process is simpler. They don't ask for paperwork in dribs and drabs, it all goes in together, and you are all sorted out much more quickly. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other, no?

[Captain Oates 910]

HOWEVER, I still think that once you are actually married, the visa process is simpler. They don't ask for paperwork in dribs and drabs, it all goes in together, and you are all sorted out much more quickly. 6 of one, half a dozen of the other, no?

Still can't believe how FAST it was for my USC wife to get 'Further leave to remain' (conditional green card equivalent). We went to the UK consulate in chicago and we were out in 10 minutes - we went for a stroll and a sandwich, returned, and there it WAS !

She came into Manchester, got a job, and that was that.

At the time I had abandoned my US K1 fiance visa/AOS procedure, we were married, and I was in the US on visa waiver for 3 weeks...

Now we have lived through the most horrible 'summer' since the ice age in the most horrible drug using, drunken, ignorant, deprived, litter throwing, non-english speaking county in England (Lancashire) and we are packing for St Petersburg, Florida - lemme out !

[Rubycon 0]

Being an Irish citizen

Lots of things seem possible when you're Irish! One of my colleagues here at work has a British Citizen son who lives in Malaysia and is married with kids to a Malaysian woman. His children were refused British passports by the British consulate in Malaysia as they were not born in the UK. So, as he has an Irish mother, he went to the Irish consulate, claimed Irish ancestry for the children, and got them Irish passports. Thus although the children aren't UK citizens, their Irish passports are European - so they can enter without visas and work freely in the UK should they desire.

Sorry, a little off topic.

Any Americans out there who have claimed Irish citizenship through ancestry?

[Captain Oates 910]

Being an Irish citizen

Lots of things seem possible when you're Irish! One of my colleagues here at work has a British Citizen son who lives in Malaysia and is married with kids to a Malaysian woman. His children were refused British passports by the British consulate in Malaysia as they were not born in the UK. So, as he has an Irish mother, he went to the Irish consulate, claimed Irish ancestry for the children, and got them Irish passports. Thus although the children aren't UK citizens, their Irish passports are European - so they can enter without visas and work freely in the UK should they desire.

Sorry, a little off topic.

Any Americans out there who have claimed Irish citizenship through ancestry?

excellent post ! My granny's dad was Michael Casson who fled Ireland when he was on a sheep stealing charge....and his son opened the first topless bar in the UK.....good job i don't need an Irish passport...

Edited August 23, 2007 by saywhat

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

And if I have read all these links properly, what this boils down to is that you cannot come to the UK as a visitor, marry a UK citizen, and remain in the country - as can be done by a UK citizen in the US?

That's correct Rebecca. You must enter on a fiance visa or be in the country on a valid non-tourist visa. They changed that in 2005.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

I really wish there was a US equivilent to the Unmarried Partner Visa. I would be there already if there were. For now I have to stay in this depressing rain soaked place

I like London really, but this summer is wearing me down :bonk: