Marriage by proxy - is this valid in UK?

[InkaCola]

Hi all, great forum, Ive had a bit of a search about but cant find the answer I need, hoping someone here can help....

OK, a little background info...

I met my Peruvian wife while travelling in South America. I returned to the UK and we stayed in contact for a year. We decided to marry, I arranged some documents then booked a flight back to Peru so we could marry there. I then realised I would not be able to obtain all the necessary documents before I left the UK (due to requirement of Hague Apostille on all my documents).

I couldnt change my flight so I went with what I had. Whilst in Peru we held a "wedding ceremony" where we exchanged vows in front of an official notary and I signed documents giving Power of Attorney to my wife's cousin. Then, a month or so later, when I was back in the UK, my wife attended the local municipality and signed our marriage certificate, which was signed on my behalf by my wife's cousin under the Power of Attorney which I had previously granted him. The marriage has been officially lodged and accepted as valid by the Peruvian authority.

We are now soon to be submitting a visa application for my wife to come to the UK and reside with me here. Will the Home Office/Immigration recognise our marriage as valid??

I am a UK citizen, my wife is a Peruvian citizen, and our marriage is valid in Peru, and I was in Peru when I signed the power of attorney, but I am concerned it will not be recognised here as I was in the UK at the time the certificate was signed by the municipality and UK law does not recognise marriage by proxy.

Please help!

[InkaCola]

Ok, well I thought I would get at least a courtesy response!

Thanks everyone.

[Casa]

This is link will take you to the UKBA guidance for Entry Clearance Officers (ECO) on proxy marriages.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/polic ... /#header18