Hello everyone I just got back from a 5 week vacation from The Philippines. There I met the most amazing person. We actually know each other since 2018 but because of my on/off relationship back then and she was starting a new relationship as well, it never took off. Fast forward to the present, I broke up with my long term GF and she was also single. We started chatting last December and it all went well. We exchanged sweet nothings and I promised to meet her officially the moment I arrived in The Philippines. Last month we met and even though we just started dating, everything just clicked. One thing led to another and the next thing I knew we were both introducing ourselves to our respective families. I've never been in love in my life. I've been in a relationship before, but I've never looked at a woman like this. So before I was to fly back to the UK, I proposed to her and she said yes. Now, with all this global pandemic going on, it's quite difficult for her to apply for a visa. I've researched here and there to find out how she can come here asap. Someone recommended the unmarried partner visa but the immigration agency discouraged us from going that road because our relationship is quite new and there is a great chance that our application will get declined. Then the immigration agency suggested that we go for the marriage visitor visa instead. Now I've been told that since the Philippines is on the Red List, the processing of the visa may be delayed as long as the country stays on the list. However though, I've also been told that the Visa application is not affected by the Philippines being on the red list and if the visa gets approved she may still get the chance to come here. My plan should her visa gets approved, I'll jist have her travel to a country that is not on the red list... let's say Thailand, have her stay there for 14 days, then have her travel to the UK afterwards. I'd like to know what everyone thinks, and if anyone has more good suggestions, I'd be more than happy to listen to them. Thank you.
We need a marriage visitor visa because... 1. I'm not settled, so i can't get a fiance visa 2. We haven't been together long enough for us to get an unmarried partner visa (we have just started our relationship a month ago) Our plan is to get married here in the UK, have her stay with me in the UK for 6 months, then have her convert to a spouse visa. This is the advice of the immigration agency.
It is the norm that on a marriage visit visa the applicant can stay up to 6 months in the UK and marry at anytime however at the end of the 6 months must leave the UK and apply for a spouse visa from outside the UK.
Thank you. Yes, that is the plan. But I was told as well by the agency that it is possible to convert to a spouse visa while she's in the UK because of the pandemic. Speaking of the pandemic, should her marriage visitor visa be approved, can she be allowed entry to the UK? I know that the Philippines is a red list country, but my plan is to have her stay in a country for 14 days (just to be sure) that is not on the red list, and have her travel here to the UK afterward. Will she be allowed entry at immigration with a marriage visitor visa?
what does that mean ? a work visa ? how long was that for ? cant you convert to a settlement visa yourself at the end of it ?
Not checked the rules recently and there was definitely a loophole which allowed people to apply for settlement visas in country during the coronavirus pandemic but how long it lasts for I don't know. If you apply for a marriage visitor visa then you have to convince the visa approving authorities that she will a) get married and b) will leave the country afterwards. She will have to have good reasons to return home afterwards. Have you got the evidence to prove that she will return to Philippines after you get married? It is possible to get marriage visitor visas as that is what we did and then returned to Philippines to do out of country settlement visa application and paid a lot of attention to the links to Philippines and need to go back and also proof of relationship. Marriage visitor visa has no residence rights so any restrictions to people with residence rights on that grounds would disqualify from traveling. Also any change in relaxation of rules could happen quickly and was intended for when was not possible to get back. These days the ability to travel is returning.
Again the norm would be whilst we are in the penddemic to allow those in the country already to convert visit visas into other visas providing all the other requirements are met and the gov website does say travellers should make reasonable efforts to get home! Your case is different in as much as she is not here. Would she get a visa under the current climate that is a very hard call to make. As you say the Philippines is red, the UK is saying at present only essential travel. You could take a punt as the application fee is small, It is all a bit of a gamble for you both to be honest but I wish you both well
i must be missing something in this thread.. The OP says he is not settled--so couldnt sponsor an application for a fiancee visa. So how could he sponsor a spouse visa if they got married on a marriage visit visa and his wife then tries to apply for a spouse /settlement visa ?
I believe this is the right link: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa/your-partner-and-children As a dependent of a skilled worker in the UK. Married or unmarried; but the latter comes with some conditions on length of partnership etc.
