Fiance Visa and Wedding

[Wayfarer]

Hi All,

I am a British looking to apply for a family of settled person visa (i.e. fiancé visa) in the near future for my fiancé who is a Canadian citizen. We’ve visited each other and travelled together several times, we were engaged last year and later in the year had a formal ‘wedding’ party - but not an official ‘marriage’ ceremony with registration.

This ‘wedding’ was done on a standard visitor visa, so although we didn’t get legally married (which is not allowed) we did have a ‘wedding’. When we come to apply for the fiancé visa is it a problem that we had a ‘wedding’ on her standard visitor visa? Or can we use the wedding event, receipts and expenses to support our application that we have a genuine and continuing relationship?

Thanks

[Casa]

It appears from your post that you had a party. The Entry Clearance Office won't recognise this as a 'wedding' and if you submit evidence of this and call it a 'wedding' in your application, it may cause confusion and result in a refusal

[Wayfarer]

Hi Casa,

Thanks for your input.

I am happy to call it an engagement party/reception but on appearance (i.e. photos etc) both bride and groom were dressed as one would be on a wedding (i.e. wedding dress etc). Does that matter?

Also, as part of proving a 'subsiding and continuing relationship' it's generally advised to book a 'wedding venue' etc. Obviously we've done that already and will not be having another event. Will the 'engagement reception' we already had fulfil this need?

Thanks

[seagul]

Hi Casa,

Thanks for your input.

I am happy to call it an engagement party/reception but on appearance (i.e. photos etc) both bride and groom were dressed as one would be on a wedding (i.e. wedding dress etc). Does that matter?

Also, as part of proving a 'subsiding and continuing relationship' it's generally advised to book a 'wedding venue' etc. Obviously we've done that already and will not be having another event. Will the 'engagement reception' we already had fulfil this need?

Thanks

On one hand that private engagement reception might boost the subsisting relationship evidence but on other hand may annoy caseworker because it was done on visitor visa. But still its just private without being officially recognized so it might be ignored harmlessly because any visitor can held or participate in private party which isn't restricted by visitor visa.