URGENTLY Need help for marriage visa / spouse visa!!

[MrsTaylor]

Hi, me and my husband is moving back to England for good. I'm from Malaysia and my husband is British. We wanted to apply the marriage visa before we move back but we've already bought our ticket to go back on December 2010, so we don't have enough time for the procedure to go through the visa.

But my concern is, is it possible for me to apply the marriage visa / spouse visa when i'm back in England on December? I'll be granted for 6 months visitor visa once i touched down in UK, but is it possible for me to apply the marriage visa once i'm there? Please advise me!!! Thanks..

[ElenaW]

No you can't make an in country switch as of 2003. You would have to return and apply from Malaysia.

[MrsTaylor]

So there's no alternate ways that i can actually apply it in UK? Is there any department that i can call and ask? I've been trying to find all the details or number that i can call and ask, but by far, i can't find anything at all. It just seems silly for me to fly back again to Malaysia just to do the visa, i would much prefer to do it properly if possible.

[MPH80]

No really - you can't switch in country.

I would suggest you look at trying for a refund of your ticket and postpone your trip until you have the visa.

[MrsTaylor]

Right. I know i'm asking a silly question now. Is it possible for me to ask the VFS Global in Malaysia to speed up my process? Because i've read in the UK Border Agency and it refer me to the VFS Malaysia for my visa. Do you all think it's possible for me to speed up my process?

[geriatrix]

It is the UKBA's staff at the British Diplomatic post in Malaysia that will assess your visa application, not VFS.

Not UKBA's fault if you decided to book your flights before the visa being granted, so don't expect UKBA to entertain any request for "priority" treatment for the said reason.

We strongly recommend that you do not buy a non-refundable ticket or confirm travel arrangements to come to the UK, until your visa application has been approved and you have received your visa.

regards

[MPH80]

I think you now have two options:

1) Apply now ... as in today ... as in right this second (having first made sure you have all the evidence you'll need). You *might* get the visa in time. However, this will tie up your passport. So if the visa doesn't come through - you'll have to cancel the trip

2) Travel to the UK on the tourist visa. Spend some time here - then return to get the spouse visa.

Remember that when you arrive you are going to be assessed as to what you are doing there. You need to show that you are going to leave! If you can't show that (a return ticket by itself is NOT sufficient - you'll need adequate money and reasons you're going back) - and given you are preparing to move here it's going to be tough - you can be turned around and put on the next plane back.

Personally - I'd go with option 1 while looking to see if you can postpone the trip to the new year.

M.

[MrsTaylor]

It is the UKBA's staff at the British Diplomatic post in Malaysia that will assess your visa application, not VFS.

Not UKBA's fault if you decided to book your flights before the visa being granted, so don't expect UKBA to entertain any request for "priority" treatment for the said reason.

We strongly recommend that you do not buy a non-refundable ticket or confirm travel arrangements to come to the UK, until your visa application has been approved and you have received your visa.

regards

Right, coz i log on the website and it just link me to the VFS Malaysia website for the visa application. I am not asking for priority treatment as you mentioned, i'm just wondering if there's a possibilities if i can speed up the process. I've booked my ticket since June 2010, as me and my husband just registered marriage recently and thought we can actually travel back to the UK to process my marriage visa. But somehow now it shows there's no way i can do it back in UK.

[MrsTaylor]

I think you now have two options:

1) Apply now ... as in today ... as in right this second (having first made sure you have all the evidence you'll need). You *might* get the visa in time. However, this will tie up your passport. So if the visa doesn't come through - you'll have to cancel the trip

2) Travel to the UK on the tourist visa. Spend some time here - then return to get the spouse visa.

Remember that when you arrive you are going to be assessed as to what you are doing there. You need to show that you are going to leave! If you can't show that (a return ticket by itself is NOT sufficient - you'll need adequate money and reasons you're going back) - and given you are preparing to move here it's going to be tough - you can be turned around and put on the next plane back.

Personally - I'd go with option 1 while looking to see if you can postpone the trip to the new year.

M.

Thanks for the advice and info. But i think i would risk it, i think it's better for me to postpone the trip. I wish i can go to the department now but unfortunately it's 11.05pm, so i can only go there tomorrow.

Do you know what kind of documents me and my husband need to provide them for the visa applications?

[batleykhan]

I think you now have two options:

1) Apply now ... as in today ... as in right this second (having first made sure you have all the evidence you'll need). You *might* get the visa in time. However, this will tie up your passport. So if the visa doesn't come through - you'll have to cancel the trip

2) Travel to the UK on the tourist visa. Spend some time here - then return to get the spouse visa.

Remember that when you arrive you are going to be assessed as to what you are doing there. You need to show that you are going to leave! If you can't show that (a return ticket by itself is NOT sufficient - you'll need adequate money and reasons you're going back) - and given you are preparing to move here it's going to be tough - you can be turned around and put on the next plane back.

Personally - I'd go with option 1 while looking to see if you can postpone the trip to the new year.

M.

Thanks for the advice and info. But i think i would risk it, i think it's better for me to postpone the trip. I wish i can go to the department now but unfortunately it's 11.05pm, so i can only go there tomorrow.

Do you know what kind of documents me and my husband need to provide them for the visa applications?

Things done without thoughts and planning rarely succeed. Take a break, think long and hard of what you want to do and how you are going to do it. Make sure you have the correct documents for when your husband applies, as a rejection of the application will set you back 6-12 months. Take it from me that will frustate you even more

[MPH80]

I think you now have two options:

1) Apply now ... as in today ... as in right this second (having first made sure you have all the evidence you'll need). You *might* get the visa in time. However, this will tie up your passport. So if the visa doesn't come through - you'll have to cancel the trip

2) Travel to the UK on the tourist visa. Spend some time here - then return to get the spouse visa.

Remember that when you arrive you are going to be assessed as to what you are doing there. You need to show that you are going to leave! If you can't show that (a return ticket by itself is NOT sufficient - you'll need adequate money and reasons you're going back) - and given you are preparing to move here it's going to be tough - you can be turned around and put on the next plane back.

Personally - I'd go with option 1 while looking to see if you can postpone the trip to the new year.

M.

Thanks for the advice and info. But i think i would risk it, i think it's better for me to postpone the trip. I wish i can go to the department now but unfortunately it's 11.05pm, so i can only go there tomorrow.

Do you know what kind of documents me and my husband need to provide them for the visa applications?

Things done without thoughts and planning rarely succeed. Take a break, think long and hard of what you want to do and how you are going to do it. Make sure you have the correct documents for when your husband applies, as a rejection of the application will set you back 6-12 months. Take it from me that will frustate you even more

That's good advice.

I had assumed in my "apply now" that you'd done the necessary research - but since you haven't (or you wouldn't be asking about documents) - you need to take a breather and do your research.

M.

[MrsTaylor]

Thinking real hard right now. Do you all have any idea what documents that we need to provide? As i seriously need some advice and what documents they need, this is my first time to apply for marriage visa although i've stayed in UK before but that was under working permit. So now is totally a new encounter for me. If anyone do know what documents they need, please do share the experience with me as i seriously need it. Thanks.

[MrsTaylor]

I think you now have two options:

1) Apply now ... as in today ... as in right this second (having first made sure you have all the evidence you'll need). You *might* get the visa in time. However, this will tie up your passport. So if the visa doesn't come through - you'll have to cancel the trip

2) Travel to the UK on the tourist visa. Spend some time here - then return to get the spouse visa.

Remember that when you arrive you are going to be assessed as to what you are doing there. You need to show that you are going to leave! If you can't show that (a return ticket by itself is NOT sufficient - you'll need adequate money and reasons you're going back) - and given you are preparing to move here it's going to be tough - you can be turned around and put on the next plane back.

Personally - I'd go with option 1 while looking to see if you can postpone the trip to the new year.

M.

Thanks for the advice and info. But i think i would risk it, i think it's better for me to postpone the trip. I wish i can go to the department now but unfortunately it's 11.05pm, so i can only go there tomorrow.

Do you know what kind of documents me and my husband need to provide them for the visa applications?

Things done without thoughts and planning rarely succeed. Take a break, think long and hard of what you want to do and how you are going to do it. Make sure you have the correct documents for when your husband applies, as a rejection of the application will set you back 6-12 months. Take it from me that will frustate you even more

That's good advice.

I had assumed in my "apply now" that you'd done the necessary research - but since you haven't (or you wouldn't be asking about documents) - you need to take a breather and do your research.

M.

I did do some research, and all they were saying i just need to provide:

Marriage certificate
Both parties passport
Photo
Bank statement from both parties
Prove of address from UK
Prove on how we meet
Utility bills from UK

That's all i know from my research, but when i read the forum. There's a lot of different things and documentation and some even get rejected. So i seriously want to know what proper documents i need to provide them. Although tomorrow i'm going to the UK Visa Department here to inquire, but i hope i can get some answers from here so i know what else i need to prepare as certain documentation my husband might need to ask his family to post it here.

[geriatrix]

See also Guidance for Settlement, Settlement and Maintenance and Accommodation (MAA).


regards

[MPH80]

They are interested in several things:

1) Can you accomodate yourselves in the UK - this means proof of a place to stay that won't be overcrowded (there's sections on the UK Visa site about that)

2) Can you pay for yourselves without taking public funds - this normally means proof of a job offer (written!), someone who'll support you both (and the evidence that goes along with it), or evidence of substantial savings (your bank statements).

Keep in mind we are only just out of recession in the UK - the job market still isn't great.

3) Are you really married? So they need proof of the wedding.

4) Is the marriage subsisting? So evidence you're living together and have met.

Have a good read around these forums - run searches - there are plenty of threads about spouse visas. Most of them are people calling a spouse over from another country - but there are those about coming over together.

Pay particular attention to section 3.23 in the links Sushdmehta has provided.

M.

[MrsTaylor]

See also Guidance for Settlement, Settlement and Maintenance and Accommodation (MAA).


regards

Thanks for the info.. Just read the whole informations. At least now i know what sorts of things i need to prepare. Thanks a million..

[MrsTaylor]

They are interested in several things:

1) Can you accomodate yourselves in the UK - this means proof of a place to stay that won't be overcrowded (there's sections on the UK Visa site about that)

2) Can you pay for yourselves without taking public funds - this normally means proof of a job offer (written!), someone who'll support you both (and the evidence that goes along with it), or evidence of substantial savings (your bank statements).

Keep in mind we are only just out of recession in the UK - the job market still isn't great.

3) Are you really married? So they need proof of the wedding.

4) Is the marriage subsisting? So evidence you're living together and have met.

Have a good read around these forums - run searches - there are plenty of threads about spouse visas. Most of them are people calling a spouse over from another country - but there are those about coming over together.

Pay particular attention to section 3.23 in the links Sushdmehta has provided.

M.

Yeah, just read the informations.

To reply:
1. We do have a house to stay, but it's with my husband's grandmother. Do we need to ask his grandmother to write a letter to us? To prove that we're going to stay with her when we're there? Although we're both going to get a house eventually but it'll be about a year time as we need to settle back in UK first before we get a house.

2. My husband got a new job offer in Southampton. And as for me, i have my bank account funds to support me and also my parents are supporting me until i get a job in UK, so my parents will provide their bank statement for me.

3. We have a legally marriage certificate from Malaysia Marriage Registry Department and some picture we make our vow in the room and 2 witness.

4. We both never live in together in UK, but we've been living in Malaysia together for 8 months. We have our resident card to prove we're living in the same house.

Do you think these info i gave you will be valid? I mean like you mentioned they're interested in this. *Keeping my fingers crossed*....

[MPH80]

I won't go through every point - I'm just going to say this - if you assert something - like "we're going to stay with ..." or "I have enough money to last ..." ... you have to prove it.

You prove it with letters, documents and other official elements.

Don't put anything you can't prove.

M.

[MrsTaylor]

I won't go through every point - I'm just going to say this - if you assert something - like "we're going to stay with ..." or "I have enough money to last ..." ... you have to prove it.

You prove it with letters, documents and other official elements.

Don't put anything you can't prove.

M.

Yeah, i will definitely provide documents and letters and official elements. I just need to know if those information documents would be enough?

[avjones]

So there's no alternate ways that i can actually apply it in UK? Is there any department that i can call and ask? I've been trying to find all the details or number that i can call and ask, but by far, i can't find anything at all. It just seems silly for me to fly back again to Malaysia just to do the visa, i would much prefer to do it properly if possible.

No, you cannot switch.