umarried partners visa...can we marry?

Hi all

Its been a while, since i used this site!

Anyway I was hoping that somone can be as helpful as the last time i was here.

Basically I applied for the Unmarried visa and was granted this about a year ago now.

However since then me and my partner ( who is a BC) have decided to get married as we are expecting our first child in 3 months time.

Unfortunately I have been told that i first have to get approval for marriage!!!

what i cant understand is
1) all the same questions are being asked, etc how long we have ben living together, when we met etc etc. what is the point of that??
2) surely when we applied i was told then that my visa status was the same as a married partners ( after all we had to prove our relationship was 'akin to marriage')

Just wondering if anybody could shed some light on this as we really want to get married before the baby is born ( i have been told the marriage ceritifcate can take upto 16 weeks to process!!) and this application cost as ever alot of money.......

p.s my background. From kazakhstan. on student visa since 2001. got unmarried partner visa for around 1 year now. Partner BC.

THANKS FOR ANY ADVICE

See also Marriages, Documentation required and Application forms:

Certificate of approval

Form COA (version 04/2007) (80 Kb)

COA guidance (version 04/2007) (55 Kb)

This application form and guidance for completing this application form are likely to be updated shortly. You should read the latest guidance in relation to the certificate of approval scheme before applying for one so that you are aware of the most up to date information which may be relevant to your application.

If you are downloading the new form, please make sure that you also download the separate guidance notes.

Use form COA to apply for a certificate of approval for marriage or civil partnership if you wish to marry or register a civil partnership in the UK. The certificate will allow foreign nationals with limited leave to remain in the UK to notify a registrar that they intend to marry in the UK.

If your application for a COA is granted, this does not give you leave to remain in the UK.

For more information please see important information regarding certificate of approval (COA) for marriage or civil partnership applications.

Or, if you are christians, you could marry in an anglican church without a COA.

But once married you do not need to change your visa status.

Victoria