getting married while on a work permit

[joe777]

my friend is from outside europe, but working here in the uk on a work permit, she's about to marry her b/f who's is british, they have a COA, but what the next steps after they are married.

does she need to go back to her country before her work permit expires and apply for a spouse visa?

or can see apply for a spouse visa from inside the uk?

and if she is granted a spouse visa i take it her work permit is cancelled ?

if she needs to go back to her country to apply for a spouse visa, would it be better if she extended her work permit instead, until shes been here 5 years and apply for ILR that way instead of thru a spouse visa ?? saving the cost of a spouse visa ??

i've search on here and on the web but can find very little on this subject, help please

[sakura]

She can marry in the UK and apply for a spouse visa in-country - no need to go back home (as long as her stay in the UK is still legal - on the work permit). The spouse visa will cancel her work permit, but on a spouse visa she can work with any employer she likes - i.e. no need to ask the HO for a new work permit everytime she changes employment! She can work as many (or as little) hours as she likes on the spouse visa. So, it gives her more flexibility.

How long has she been in the UK?

[joe777]

thanks sakura, i think 3 years, so 2 more years on a work permit or apply for a spouse visa, might as well apply for the spouse visa?

[sakura]

thanks sakura, i think 3 years, so 2 more years on a work permit or apply for a spouse visa, might as well apply for the spouse visa?

Well if her work permit is valid for another 2 years, then she can stay on that route. I think her ILR time would be faster under the work permit (assuming the permit is still valid for another 2 years?), so she can apply for ILR under that route, then once granted, she can apply for naturalisation as the spouse of a British citizen immediately after obtaining ILR.