Immigrationboards.com

Hi there,

My partner and I are looking to enter the UK through EEA law seeing as she's an Irish national and I'm a non-EEA member (New Zealand). We've already got tickets booked to go back there in June (we left last year thinking it would be relatively easy to get back, how wrong we were). We haven't lived together for the 24 months required to go back in, so we're looking at getting married quite soon to help. What we're scared of though is a border agent seeing the short length of time between us getting married and us landing in the UK, making it look like a marriage of convenience.

My question basically boils down to this: Is there a length of time necessary to be married for, or is the marriage certificate in itself enough? Any guidance notes I've pored over just seem to say that each case should be based on its own merits, but it's difficult defining what those merits should be.

We have other things to back it up: tickets over to Ireland together to see her parents, tickets over here together and a lease showing us living together, a few photos together, etc. If necessary we can also obtain letters from family and friends backing us up.

Thanks in advance for any help given.

There is no minimum required but as you said the IO might have some doubt so expect to be asked some questions in the airport. In any case, even if they suspect the relationship, they need to let you in with in-country appeal.

Well, I'm am on the same situation, I'm swiss and will be marrying my girlfriend, in switzweralnd, she's non-EEA member, I have been living in the uk for the last 20 years. I will be flying to her country, then, fly to switzerland, get married there, and I intend to bring her back the UK a couple of days later with me.

And considering, all the research I have done, we will covered by european law, on the context of EEA and their familiy members.

Once you get married to her, under european law, you became a family member, and they do not have a choice, they have to stamp a visa on the spot, provide you can prove you are a family member, so a marriage certificate is all that you need, to prove it. Just you need to find out if you need an apostille in your marriage certificate, to make it legal over here.

according to EU law there is no minimum or maximum time applies as marriage is marriage as far as its valid and recognized .
according to ukba if there is child in relationship they wont suspect it as marriage of convince or shame marriage.
for anything else they can raise red flags .
or they might not depends on immigration officer no set rules though.

you will try to provide evidences that you know each other before marriage and were in contact. For example phone calls/sms records, Letters with envelops, Photos, and copy of your tickets and visa on your passport. If you can provide all evidences, It will not be a problem even you apply for visa next day after marriage I think.

Wish you best of luck. cheers

just go ahead you will be fine. nothing to worries about if relationship is genuine