Family visas and marriages outside the EU

[ukthesis]

I plan to marry, in 2015, my lady friend who lives in Moldova, outside the EU. Now at some stage, if my health gets worse, I may need to return permanently to the UK for medical care. In this case, she would want to accompany me permanently in the UK.

The question is this. We were thinking of marrying in Moldova, because her friends and family live there. However, in terms of her later being able to get into the UK under a "family" visa regime, is is better in practice than we marry here in the UK? Does it improve the chances she will be successful in her application for a family visa to join me here? Or where we marry - does this not make any difference in terms of the family visa and her chances of coming to the UK permanently?

[Casa]

It doesn't matter whether you marry in Moldova or in the UK apart from the fact that if you apply for a fiancee visa to marry in the UK it will require two visa applications (2 fees) instead of just one. Most importantly you will have to meet the financial ruling of minimum annual earnings in the UK of £18,600 or have substantial savings. You could also apply with a confirmed UK job offer meeting the £18,600 minimum to start within 3 months of arrival as long as you can show you were earning the equivalent of this for at least the past 6 months outside of the UK. Your fiancee would also have to pass the pre-entry A1 English test and you would need to show evidence of adequate accommodation available on your arrival.

[vinny]

SET3.14 Assessment of validity of marriage still applies.

But ignore SET3.3 How do spouses qualify?, as Casa is correct.