Which is best: Fiance visa or Spouse Visa?

[Northerner]

I know this has been touched upon time and time again, but I wanted to just pick the brains of the current forum members.

which option do you guys think is best considering A, possible future immigration rules, B costs and C ease of passing??

[Florge]

i would still go for fiancee visa because it has given me time to really see if i would want to marry and stay here... and get to know my spouse really well too.

[September]

As for A,B,C Q's I will go for Spouse visa A, easy for immigration as She/he spouse already B, less cost she can go work once she landed in UK and just about 2 years for ILR, unlike for fiancce visa need to marry in 6 months and had to apply for FLR again then ILR,(twice cost) C, a I said easy passing in immigration

At the end of the day, its your decision both of you, We are just giving you some idea

[johncar54]

I know the question relates to UK but we live in Spain and this may be off assistance to others.

Fiancée visas do not exit in The Schengen Area so its either a visitors or spouse visa. I did try, with a former gf to get visitors visa for Spain but even though they was no apparent reason in the eyes of a lawyer) it was refused.

When I met my wife to be, on the advice of a lawyer in Phil we got married and applied for a spouse visa. It was granted as a right (for Spain, which has signed a EC Directive that it is illegal to keep a marred couple separated).

[Arthur Little]

i would still go for fiancee visa because it has given me time to really see if i would want to marry and stay here... and get to know my spouse really well too.

Whilst I respect Florge's reasoning, I remain an advocate for getting wed in the Phils [as I was] cutting out the "middle of the road" approach and applying directly for a spouse visa ... assuming both partners are absolutely certain they want to spend the rest of their lives together - which, admittedly, some couples are not. And again, a lot can depend on the time factor vis a vis holiday arrangements.

But such considerations apart ... there's no doubt that the Spousal route is far and away the more cost effective of the two choices - both in terms of the wedding celebrations and *visa fees. I mean, why pay the *same amount twice (within a 6 months' period) when once will suffice? And let's not forget there's still ILR to contend with, a further 2 and a 1/4 years down the line ... whichever [initial] method is chosen!

[somebody]

I know this has been touched upon time and time again, but I wanted to just pick the brains of the current forum members.

which option do you guys think is best considering A, possible future immigration rules, B costs and C ease of passing??

Sean sir i know you need to start planing but its always worth going back for the 2nd trip if you can to make sure you are both right for one another.

Spouse in my view but make sure you really are suited as especially for your Mahal once she is married its not quite so simple (at least in Phill) to be divorced and free to remarry.

I know you dont want to be contemplating that but worth bearing mind.

Its a big ask of a young woman to come to the hustle and bustle yet totally often socially quiet neighbourhoods of the UK. Some can adapt, some thrive (my Wife is one) others cant so do make sure your Mahal is fully aware of what moving to the UK means.

Look on this site at how Ladies who we have as a forum had the privillige of knowing both while they are still in phill and then in the UK how they change and often struggle to deal with life in the UK.


I know there is always a hurry on been there and got the T shirt

[Northerner]

Oh, I am not planning anything for at least a year or so.. and yes, I will go back again before then..

Just looking at options based on a conversation I had with Rizza today

[Arthur Little]

As for A,B,C Q's I will go for Spouse visa A, easy for immigration as She/he spouse already B, less cost she can go work once she landed in UK and just about 2 years for ILR, unlike for fiancce visa need to marry in 6 months and had to apply for FLR again then ILR,(twice cost) C, a I said easy passing in immigration

... much less hassle all round, and ... [which I omitted to mention] a spouse can work straightaway - whereas a fiance(e) cannot!

At the end of the day, its your decision both of you, We are just giving you some idea

Very true!! ...

[Sim11UK]

The old story of letting her have all her family around her...Get married over there.
I honestly couldn't couldn't have imagined us getting married here, even though we are still apart.

I think somebody makes some valid points, about them settling here...That's why I fully expect to be living over there, at some point...A really very important issue, not to be over looked, before choosing either option.

[Arthur Little]

we got married and applied for a spouse visa. It was granted as a *right (for Spain, which has signed a EC Directive that it is illegal to keep a married couple separated).

*As it OUGHT to be HERE in , too ... in EACH case! After all, our successive governments seem to have kow-towed to a plethora of other [ludicrous] EC Directives and blindly ignored 'Married Couples' Rights'!! But please, don't get me started on this track ... !

[somebody]

*As it OUGHT to be HERE in , too ... in EACH case! After all, our successive governments seem to have kow-towed to a plethora of other [ludicrous] EC Directives and blindly ignored 'Married Couples' Rights'!! But please, don't get me started on this track ... !

For decent couples yes nothing would be more deserving sadly we all know many would abuse

[somebody]

Oh, I am not planning anything for at least a year or so.. and yes, I will go back again before then..

Just looking at options based on a conversation I had with Rizza today

I know sir you have your head screwed on from what I can see

Your right as well to start thinking about early as it takes planning and careful use of leave time especially if you opt for the spouse visa. Your mahal may not realise how complicated it is possibly to plan these trips both in getting leave and the money to travel

[Arthur Little]

Your right as well to start thinking about early as it takes planning and careful use of leave time especially if you opt for the spouse visa. Your mahal may not realise how complicated it is possibly to plan these trips both in getting leave and the money to travel

as regards careful pre-planning ... since being granted sufficient time off work is likely to prove the MAIN stumbling block. But from the financial angle, the substantial savings made from having to fork-out on only ONE visa ... instead of TWO ... would go a long way towards paying for any further air fares. And also, the cost of marrying in the Phils is definitely a great deal less expensive than a comparable wedding package in the UK.

[somebody]

as regards careful pre-planning ... since being granted sufficient time off work is likely to prove the MAIN stumbling block. But from the financial angle, the substantial savings made from having to fork-out on only ONE visa ... instead of TWO ... would go a long way towards paying for any further air fares. And also, the cost of marrying in the Phils is definitely a great deal less expensive than a comparable wedding package in the UK.

Indeed Sir and of course as often mentioned Rizza's family will have the option to attend. For many it will mean more ( of course i dont know your family Sean but its an educated guess.) for many of Rizza's family to see her married and if married in a cvill marriage blessed by the Lola's pastor in our case. For all your family its possible they could attend ie visa and possibly money wise if given the time to prepare and save for..

[Northerner]

This is why I need to think hard about this all now. I am allowed up to three months off of work as a sabbatical, so long as I give enough notice (and staffing levels are not low) and I get to keep my job Which I imagine is the main thing visa wise...

As for my family.. Well I think Rizza's easily outnumbers mine 4 to 1 or at least when you think of the second and third cousins she is still very much in contact with..

To be honest, I am just a tad worried about what the next Government plans to do with respect to immigration and what new laws might come into play in the next year or so. So, for now I just simply plan to save and save... Hopefully

[joebloggs]

To be honest, I am just a tad worried about what the next Government plans to do with respect to immigration and what new laws might come into play in the next year or so. So, for now I just simply plan to save and save... Hopefully

i wouldn't worry too much, it will probably cost more, take longer to get and your wife will probably have to do more to get citizenship but it should be a major problem for you

[johncar54]

Northerner, yes I agree take a while to make up your mind like I did.

It took almost two weeks after having met my wife to be for us to decide to get married.

It would have been easier had I imagined that might happen, if I had taken the paperwork I needed. As it was I had to contact friends at home to forward them to me.

Oh, that was 4 years ago, and every day I know more and more it was the best thing I have ever done !!!!

[KeithD]

As you can see the answers to this question are not simple, and both have positives and negatives.

If you wish to 'test' the relationship then the only option is the Fiancee Visa, unless you try for a Visit Visa, but in most cases these tend to fail, but if you do get one, you can then live together for a while, wed in the Phil and apply a Spouse Visa.

By going for a Spouse Visa you are giving your wife-to-be the opportunity to marry in front of all her family and friends in one place, as once she comes to the UK she will rarely see them, and this would be a good send of they all remember. Once you are in the UK, you would have no problem having a church blessing service for your marriage for your own family and friends.

[September]

... much less hassle all round, and ... [which I omitted to mention] a spouse can work straightaway - whereas a fiance(e) cannot!



Very true!! ...

Thanks Arthur

[Notavirusalso]

*As it OUGHT to be HERE in , too ... in EACH case! After all, our successive governments seem to have kow-towed to a plethora of other [ludicrous] EC Directives and blindly ignored 'Married Couples' Rights'!! But please, don't get me started on this track ... !

Let me know when you are ready for the off Art.. i wanna join ur revolution

[Arthur Little]

Let me know when you are ready for the off Art.. i wanna join ur revolution

mate ... the more the merrier!!!

[mikey73]

hi everyone
a quick question with a fiance visa they are not allowed to work but would she be allowed to study (college/univeristy)?

[keithAngel]

John was it you that had to apply in Spain for your missus to be given a visa?

Im interested to know if your income was considered as Im considering Portugal where I have a house

The average wage in Portugal is 804.22€ per month, and the minimum wage, which is regulated by law, is 475€ per month.

Could your wife return to the UK with you now ?

[johncar54]

John was it you that had to apply in Spain for your missus to be given a visa?

I'm interested to know if your income was considered as I'm considering Portugal where I have a house

The average wage in Portugal is 804.22€ per month, and the minimum wage, which is regulated by law, is 475€ per month.

Could your wife return to the UK with you now ?

Hi Keith. I was living in Spain when we got married so the application was to the Spanish Embassy in Manila. My income/assets were part of the paperwork which we had to submit but the attitude of Spain was that my wife would be given a visa for settlement without any problems. Spain had signed an EU Directive that it is practically illegal to keep spouses separated. Its a pity that UK will not sign too. I believe Portugal did sign.

My wife cannot go to UK, or even Gibraltar to go shopping, unless we have made the application, in person, at the British Embassy in Madrid (500 km away). We had a friend living here (permanent Residencia) in Spain. She married a guy from UK and they had to go through the whole, long, drawn out process for her to get a fiancée visa for UK.

[joebloggs]

John was it you that had to apply in Spain for your missus to be given a visa?

Im interested to know if your income was considered as Im considering Portugal where I have a house

The average wage in Portugal is 804.22€ per month, and the minimum wage, which is regulated by law, is 475€ per month.

Could your wife return to the UK with you now ?

you've got a house in portugal nice,
wow i'm iwshing i was like keithAngel even more now
have you any sort of residence card keith from portugal ?
you should look into getting a family permit for your future misses from the embassy of portugal in manila, then after 6 months try and get her to the UK from there..

[keithAngel]

Thats my thinking to Joe I lived there for many years and all Id have to do is register to work in agriculture ive got 11 hectares and barns etc

Whats the six months thing your mentioning?

My German residence card only expired last year easy to get to I have no desire to pay visa fees unessasarily and the minimum wage in Portugal of 5000 euros or so is easy to meet could all work well no rush to get Jhean to the uk bit of warm acclimatisation could be good all food for thought they are fans of dried fish as well

[johncar54]

Kieth, just an addition to the above.


When we did the so-called interview at the Consulate, it was just a few minutes chat at the counter, mainly about the wedding photos, which we had included in the papers and we were together. They were nor required but I thought it would create a talking point. as it did.

When I asked when we would know if the visa would be approved, they again looked at me as I were from another planet, saying of course it would and that we could go ahead and book the flights to Spain for later on the day we would collect it.

[icecreamlady]

hello,

when i came here, i went for a fiancee visa. I looked at the stamp in my passport. The Visa says you are not allowed to work and receive public funds. I am not interested with the public funds but what stucked me with fiancee visa is that i am not allowed to work until that visa was changed to spouse visa and or limited leave to remain. also, fiancee visa is only limited up to six months. if you will not apply for a spouse visa, you are compelled to go home. should you come back to England again, you need to apply for visa again. Unlike with spouse visa, you can always enter uk within the period of two years or limited to leave entry.

[Arthur Little]

hello,

when i came here, i went for a fiancee visa. I looked at the stamp in my passport. The Visa says you are not allowed to work and receive public funds. I am not interested with the public funds but what stucked me with fiancee visa is that i am not allowed to work until that visa was changed to spouse visa and or limited leave to remain. also, fiancee visa is only limited up to six months. if you will not apply for a spouse visa, you are compelled to go home. should you come back to England again, you need to apply for visa again. Unlike with spouse visa, you can always enter uk within the period of two years or limited to leave entry.

So, with hindsight ... would it be fair to say YOU'D NOW advocate the spousal route? to the forum.

[maristela]

Whilst I respect Florge's reasoning, I remain an advocate for getting wed in the Phils [as I was] cutting out the "middle of the road" approach and applying directly for a spouse visa ... assuming both partners are absolutely certain they want to spend the rest of their lives together - which, admittedly, some couples are not. And again, a lot can depend on the time factor vis a vis holiday arrangements.

But such considerations apart ... there's no doubt that the Spousal route is far and away the more cost effective of the two choices - both in terms of the wedding celebrations and *visa fees. I mean, why pay the *same amount twice (within a 6 months' period) when once will suffice? And let's not forget there's still ILR to contend with, a further 2 and a 1/4 years down the line ... whichever [initial] method is chosen!

mr arthur,how about a settlement visa? thats what my fiance LV asked me to fill up.would you know what are my chances approval wise? we plan to get married in England once I get there...please advise.thanks!