S. Worthen | Weblog

Excellent. You're not currently living together and presumably haven't been much lately, which means you aren't eligible for a commonlaw spouse visa.

To be married over here, unless you're already over here on some other appropriate visa (work visa), you'll need to get a fiancée visa before coming over. There is a major downside to this visa: you can't work while you're on it.

As soon as you're married, you can apply for a limited leave to remain visa. This will let you stay in the UK for two years, working, living, staring at the ceiling, whatever you want to do.

If after two years, you're still married (and there may be a minimum residency requirement to this too), you can apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Note that every time you apply for a visa, you get to pay more fees. (

Relevant websites for official information - always to be preferred to what random people like me may tell you, for visa requirements change sometimes - http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/ and http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/

For my visa, I was living in Toronto at the time, but had to apply through Chicago, as I had to apply from my permanent address. I could file my application and make the payment online. Appointments with the consulate could only be booked up to two weeks before the appointment itself. I spent about a month gathering all the necessary paperwork - including my partner express-mailing me his passport, a necessary part of the application. I didn't have to attend the appointment in person, but given the amount of sensitive paperwork involved, I didn't really want to send it away through the mail or a courier service. My experience may vary somewhat from yours, as I was applying on the basis of being a commonlaw spouse.

I live in the east end, in the Docklands.