Getting married on a Tier 4 Student Visa

[Robstin2014]

Hi,

My girlfriend and I are planning on getting married roughly 10 months before her Tier 4 Student Visa expires.

We have done our research and understand that we are able to get married in the UK whilst she is on her Student Visa.

We wanted to get married in the UK because she has a right to remain legally in this country until her visa expires and as she is from the USA, it would be much more difficult and expensive for the wedding to be over there as I would need to apply for a fiancé / marriage visa in the USA.

Just to make things more confusing we are planning on having the documents (as in marriage legal documents) sorted in a small wedding in the UK - literally just going to a registers office with 2 witnesses and then having the 'actual' wedding (i.e. the wedding with all of the family and friends) in America.

This is to ensure that I can travel to the USA on an ESTA / Visitors visa without the need for a visa enabling me to marry a US citizen.

I have heard on other forum posts and from talking to lawyers that it is likely that if you marry a student visa in the UK - the UKBA may visit you at you home shortly after to ensure that your marriage isn't a sham etc..

I'm worried if the wedding which we had in the UK seems unofficial as we are literally just going to get the documents if you see what I mean?

Any advice on our situation would be much appreciated and any suggestions you may have would be great.

Thanks,

Rob

[CR001]

I have heard on other forum posts and from talking to lawyers that it is likely that if you marry a student visa in the UK - the UKBA may visit you at you home shortly after to ensure that your marriage isn't a sham etc..

I'm worried if the wedding which we had in the UK seems unofficial as we are literally just going to get the documents if you see what I mean?

The requirement is for both of you to attend an HO approved Registry office to give 28 days notice. You both need to take proof of ID and partner will need proof of right to remain in the UK. The Registry is then obliged to inform HO and this notice period can be extended to 70 days for HO to possibly investigate and/or interview each of you separately. Only if HO is happy that it is not a marriage of convenience, will you be granted permission to marry.