nomis66 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:38 pm
Hi there,
I wonder if anyone can give me any advice on this matter.
I am a British National living in London (I was born in the UK to British parents). My fiancée is a Chinese national living in Shanghai. We are both hoping to get married this Summer.
However, I'm having some real problems understanding the gov.uk website. Firstly, it states that my partner and I must give at least 28 days notice at the register office and that we can't even do that unless she has been in the UK for seven days. It goes on to say that the notice period could even be extended to 70 days.
Now, my partner is the national design manager for an international education provider based in Shanghai. Is she really required to quit her job, come to the UK and sit on her arse for a month or more so that we can get married?
Thanks in advance
You have misunderstood the procedure. If your partner enters the UK on a fiance visa, you will have 6 months in which to marry. While in the UK, you will have the standard registration of 28 days for the marriage. The information you have read regarding the possible extension to 70 days is for a foreign national who is already resident in the UK.
Once married, you would then submit a FLR(M) application, which must be submitted before the 6 month visa expires. Your fiancee won't be able to work in the UK until the FLR(M) visa has been granted.
You should however submit evidence with the fiance visa application of the wedding being planned, such as quotes for invitations, caterers and a venue. These need to be quotations only, not confirmed orders/bookings etc. Although you can't register the intent to marry before your fiancee is in the UK, you could submit proof of contact between yourself and the Registrar for available dates.
