Need help with UK Visa

Hi Everyone,

I've been researching about UK visa and it lead me to this site.
I've read forums and I think this is awesome to meet people who share the same thing as me-being in a relationship with a British man.

My boyfriend is currently in Japan for work and I am in Manila but next year he will go back to England and that's when we wanted to start living together. Could that be easily possible? What is the best way for us? I'm confused about the consequences of a fiancé/spousal visa 'coz if I got it right, I may not work in UK under that visa. Otherwise, I may not get married when it's a working visa (because I plan to work there too).

Any help would be appreciated.

Welcome to the forum.

You can work under a spouse visa.

You can not work under a marriage (fiancée) visa.

I believe that your best bet is to get married over there and then apply for a spouse visa when he returns to the UK.

He will have to be resident in the UK for at least 6 months before he applies in any case - because of the need to show UK bank statements, evidence of accommodation and so forth for the application.

Hope that is a bit helpful.

Hi, thanks! Well, he is a UK citizen and has just been in japan since January 2015.
Is it better to get married in Ph or in UK? my concern is the probability that I may not be allowed to work in 2 years. Well, that's according to my unreliable research.

If you go to the UK on a 'marriage' visa in order to marry, that will be valid for 6 months, and you can't work during that time.

After you marry, you then have to apply for a 'leave to remain' which is basically the same as a 'spouse' visa that you would apply for abroad. That is then valid for 30 months and you can work then.

Is it better to marry in the UK or the Phils? Well I feel there are benefits to both but it depends on your circumstances. I personally married in the Phils. I felt it was better for me. It may not be better for you.

Some ideas:

Marriage in the UK.
You are not legally married in the Phils and so if you get divorced then it simplifies things somewhat. There are implications in terms of who registers a divorce first and so on.

His family can attend. Yours can not easily.

Its more expensive to marry in the UK than the phils.

You can't work for 6 months.

You have to apply for another visa after 6 months so its more expensive in terms of visa fees.
.
Marriage in the Phils

Often cheaper to marry in the Phils.

His family can't cheaply attend. Yours can though.

Slight amount of hassle applying for licenses and it might need two trips to the Phils to arrange or one long one.

One visa application for 30 months in UK. Not two so cheaper.

Provides proof of relationship and so (I feel) its less hassle to prove a relationship when you're already married.

Can simplify some applications where children are involved.

You don't need to wait 2 years to work.

If you get married and get a spouse visa you can work straight away.

If you get a fiancee visa and marry in the UK, then you can work as so as you transfer it Further Leave to Remain.

A fiancee/marriage visa is a 6 month visa. You have go get married and apply for FLR within that time. I believe you can apply for FLR as soon as you are married, regardless of how long there is remaining on the visa.

As stated, you partner will need to be working in the UK for at least 6 months before you can apply as he will need 6 months worth of wage slips.

After you marry, you then have to apply for a 'leave to remain' which is basically the same as a 'spouse' visa that you would apply for abroad. That is then valid for 30 months and you can work then.

T

That's exactly the information I need. Thank you!
We thought we better get married here before I get to UK but I know there's a lot of hassle and work to do when getting married here. I think I'll go for a UK marriage instead.

His company is a UK company though he is currently assigned in Japan. So technically, I think he works with UK slips. That's a precise information. Thanks!

It's not that much hassle to be honest.

We did steps (1,2 and 3) in a month. It's not so bad at all.

1. The British man goes to the embassy in manila with some papers and gets an affidavit which certifies his ability to marry.

2. You go to the town hall and register your intent to marry and provide that affidavit, cenomar and a few other documents.

3. You get the license. You marry.

4. You get the NSO certificate afterward.

This might sound a daft question @joi1991 but you have actually met in person havent you?

Yup. He visited me here last year and last February.
We went to Hongkong last Feb.

Cool.

Did I sound like I haven't met him yet? lol

... well it wasn't conclusive so I was just checking as it is a requirement.

Halo always asks that

It's because it's a basic requirement of the visa.

I think it was more a bigmac question. I dont recall asking that previously but I could be mistaken

Btw, how tough is the interview? Do they bite?

Ah sorry. I knew somebody regularly asked it.

What sort of documents are needed to prove that the relationship is genuine?

Examples would be.
Photographs of you together
Photographs of him with your family.
Engagement ring receipt.
Receipt for booking a wedding venue.
Airline tickets of his visits
Visa entry stamps for his visits.
Telephone bills showing calls between you.
Letters showing letters written between you.
Print-out of email or chat logs over time.

Telephone bills showing calls between you.
-we chat over facebook and whatsapp only. It's so 2016!
Letters showing letters written between you.
-non-work emails we exchange?
Print-out of email or chat logs over time.
-what about this? what should this shows?