Spouse visa - from India

[bookerw100]

Hi

I have ILR and getting married in October. I wanted to ask if anyone else on ILR has recently gone through the process? How long did it take to get the visa? Please share your experience good or bad.

I have heard some horror stories in terms of timelines.

Also has anyone gone through the fiance route? Will that be quicker?

cheers

[bookerw100]

Hi

I posted a query earlier, but cannot find it myself so my apologies for the repetition. Hopefully I am posting in the right group now.

I am on ILR and am going to be married in October. Question is what would be a better route -

doing the registration wedding in Delhi or getting a fiance visa first and then getting the official registration done in the UK? or

doing the registration in Delhi as well and then applying for family dependent visa.

Also any recent timelines for someone with ILR applying for spouse visa via India will be much appreciated. Any good or bad experiences worth sharing please.

Many thanks

[bookerw100]

Has anyone used priority/premium service in Delhi/Gurgaon for family visa for spouse?

Its not very clear, sometimes I have read some posts here that they have applied using premium service but I can't see it very clearly on the govt. website that such a service exists?

Appreciate any response.

[CR001]

Hi Can I ask, how does this process work please.

I am trying to establish what would be the best route. Is the fiance visa different to marriage visitor visa?

Also if you register marriage in the UK, then the spouse has to go back to home country and apply for a family visa?

Essentially I am trying to make sure that I take the path of least resistance and get the visa asap.

many thanks

A fiance visa is for getting married in the UK and once married the spouse can switch within the UK to a spouse visa on FLR(M). This visa costs the same as a spouse visa, £1523 and the financial requirements and English A1 must be met as well as evidence of relationship and wedding plans.

A marriage visitor visa is only for couples that wish to marry in the UK and have no intention to settle. A spouse cannot switch to FLR(M) spouse visa and has to leave the UK before the marriage visitor visa expires.

If you are legally married in a country abroad, there is NO requirement to still 'register the marriage in the UK'.

[bookerw100]

Many thanks for your response.

I am not legally married yet and I have heard some horror stories on timelines after marriage and applying from abroad so if there is an option of her coming here sooner on a fiance visa I would choose that path.

So if I get this right, girlfriend applies for fiance visa first in India, then she get a temporary visa then she can come here , register the wedding and switch whilst in the UK?

I am searching on google but cant find anything on fiance visa on government website, any chance you could direct me to a link please.

cheers

[CR001]

Have you met your future spouse in person??

See link below from gov website on the visa.

https://www.gov.uk/uk-family-visa/partner-spouse

You will pay £1523 for the fiance visa and then once married, you pay £1,033 (postal) for the FLR(M) spouse visa plus £500 Immigration Health Surcharge (due to double later this year). If you apply in person to switch to FLR(M) visa, then you pay £1,033 PLUS £610 (for in person) PLUS £500 Immigration Health Surcharge.

At each stage you/partner must meet the requirements.

Important to note that on a fiance visa which is valid for 6 months and your partner cannot work at all on this particular visa until she has switched to a spouse visa.

My understanding is that free NHS will be limited too.

[bookerw100]

thanks for your prompt response.

Yes she used to live in the UK as a student so that's how we met. Then when she went back, I used to see her in India too so no issues there. Couple of follow up questions please:

1. Any guideline on timelines for fiance visa as opposed to full spouse visa - not the official but more from experience

2. I also read that you can opt for priority service for family visa when applying from abroad - any experience with this?

From my calcs the cost is coming to be roughly the same -

fiance visa + spouse visa (postal) + health surcharge = around £3k

spouse visa + health surcharge + premium service in india (around £750) = roughly £3k

Given the similar costs, I'd would like to learn from the experience from the ppl here and go for the option that will ensure my lady is here sooner.

cheers

[CR001]

1. Any guideline on timelines for fiance visa as opposed to full spouse visa - not the official but more from experience

Read through the India timeline thread to get an idea.

immigration-for-family-members/settleme ... 1-340.html

2. I also read that you can opt for priority service for family visa when applying from abroad - any experience with this?

Possibly I don't know. I am not from India or the sub continent.

From my calcs the cost is coming to be roughly the same -

fiance visa + spouse visa (postal) + health surcharge = around £3k

spouse visa + health surcharge + premium service in india (around £750) = roughly £3k

There is no 'premium service', i.e. same day decision, for applications outside the UK so not sure what your £750 is for??

Given the similar costs, I'd would like to learn from the experience from the ppl here and go for the option that will ensure my lady is here sooner.

Why not simply search the 100s of posts and topics. You situation is not 'unique'. Only you can make the decision on what is best for you based on your circumstances and meeting the requirements, no one else can do that. Most applications from India are spouse visas as the marriages take place in India so a fiance visa would not be the correct visa to apply for.

There is no 'quick' way to get this done. There are people from India and Pakistan still waiting for approval since last year.

[bookerw100]

of course only I can make a decision whats best for me. But isn't the whole point of a forum to learn from others' experiences.

That link you sent is useful, thanks.