Advice needed on COA and/or Defacto relationship

[apples]

Im and Australian national.I have been in the UK for a year now, I previously arrived on a tourist visa to visit my partner and expected to leave once the tourism visa expired.... however I have not, and am now regarded as illegal.
We did consider applying for a defacto visa when I planed to come over here but due to UKBA regulations we had not been together long enough.

Our problem is, we both want to stay in the UK longer than expected and my partner has since preposed marriage.

I relise that we have put our selves in a sticky situation by me over staying my visa, but we are both looking to find away around this problem without having t leave the country....

We have been together for 2 years, and also have the documentation to prove so. I have not worked at all since arriving in the uk, my partner and his family have provided for me, without having to rely on government benefits.

I know the way we have gone about our relationship is wrong, but we cant help that we love each other and cant stand the thought of having to be apart for an extended amount of time.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Casa]

You can't apply for a Spouse visa from within the UK, although you can now marry here without a Certificate of Approval from the Home Office even though you're illegally resident.
Even if you do marry in the UK you'll have to return to your home country and apply for a spouse visa to re-enter.
Be honest in your application about the overstay.

[apples]

Thank you for your advice, I didnt relise I could marry now without having a COA..... we were thinking about having a small ceremony, and going to a registration office... is this still posible?

[geriatrix]

See also Getting married or registering a civil partnership in the UK.

[apples]

Thank you for posting that link I had no idea that he COA had been abolished! It has made my day a little brighter. thank you.

[Casa]

It was abolished on June 9th.