Workpermit holder pissed up and decided to go for marriage.

[coolkris]

My turn to get your advice for my personal issue

Brief way

Male --> Uk student Visa ( 2005 to 2007)--> Uk 5 yrs work permit (Jan 2007 to Jan 2012), which is of no use when i can see how things are changing radically.

Female --> Uk work permit (will complete 5 yrs in Nov 2009)

We want to get married asap,

With my gathered knowledge this is what i came to know

Marriage can be held, when you get COA and than Marriage notice to the register local office(two months process)or you can proceed through Anglican churches (not sure how many weeks it takes), But both are not Anglicans. so how can we proceed.

With regard to COA, this home office people as the saying goes "Cash cows policy towards migrants"

Charge 300£ for single person, and it says in the application, partner passport need to be sent.

think we both need to get COA as we both are in WP holder status, so is that possible we can apply with the two applications in the same time. i know we need to pay 600£ overall .

really folks, this would cost me nearly 1000£ when the marriage is over, so is there any other possible way to get civil partnership relation.

When i enquired whether marriage can be done in home country, one month notice and the letter goes to the respective local corporation coucil, which i don't want to happen.

Any advice folks?


thanks

[coolkris]

hmmmmm

137 Views, No reply

Any advice ...?

[Mr Rusty]

No replies probably because it is difficult to understand what advice you require.

You and your fiancee have current leave. If you want to get married now. either pay up to do it in this country or go home and do it there.

If your fiancee acquires ILR at the end of next year, your cost of applying for COA should be halved.

But you know all that, don't you?

[coolkris]

Ok i will get to the point

Can we proceed through Anglican churches, but both are not Anglicans and how long does it takes?
Will the home office recognize the documents of it being above scenario.

If above is not possible, normal procedure is through registral office for which :

We both need to get COA as we both are in WP holder status, so is that possible to apply both the applications in the same time? since proposed partner passport is also required for issuing COA

[vinay shanthi]

i dont know much about this. but did read a related post with a similar query sometime ago. someone had suggested having a wedding in las vegas. i dont know if they allow non usa citizens to have weddings registered there. but if that option works then u dont need COA and u dont need spouse visa as both of u already have visas and when one of u gets ILR, the other can apply in same application hopefully. far cheaper, no hassles of waitinf for COA etc, just the costs of las vegas wedding. check this option out. if it was me i would rather spend on a trip to las vegas than pay for that COA. COA my arse next they will want a COA for having a night out the way it seems to be going

http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... as+wedding

also see this option of new zealand wedding where no residency requirement is theer 2 have wedding. but will be costly flying there.
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewto ... as+wedding

[coolkris]

Vinay

thanks for your links, ideas seems to be bit innovative.

Am a non resident visa holder in UK who have normal links back home and UK, Dont have much ties in US or NZ. so cant think much about marrying in a new world.


Anyway back to my query


Can we proceed through Anglican churches, but both are not Anglicans and how long does it takes?

Will the home office recognize the documents of it being above scenario.

If above is not possible, normal procedure is through registral office for which :

We both need to get COA as we both are in WP holder status, so is that possible to apply both the applications the same time?

[vinay shanthi]

well another innovative idea but you might not have to go very far.

how about a wedding on a cruise liner. u just need to go 20 nautical miles and be in international waters or if in certain areas the limit is larger, make sure you are in international waters and you can shove the COA requirement up home offices arse.

so anyone having a cruise wedding can have usual wedding settings, but more glamorous (as long as u r not sea sick ) and prices start from $300 !!! ($300 package that includes a notary, witnesses, cake and champagne) and thats far cheaper than the COA cost

The Grand Princess cruise ship (part of Princess Cruises, which is the line used in the "Love Boat" television series) actually has a wedding chapel

see details on http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/8-1-2006-104133.asp

http://www.ehow.com/how_7199_married-cruise.html

http://cruises.about.com/cs/cruiseweddi ... ddings.htm

and loads of other stuff on google search for 'marriage on cruise ship'

cant comment on the anglican church bit. just wanted to point out u can still get a regular church wedding without COA if that is causing problems

[UKbound]

Hey Kris:

Most Christian religions usually don't let you marry your partner unless you're both from that denomination. You can stop into your local Anglican church and ask them, perhaps you will find someone willing to do it.

This isn't something that I think you'll get an answer from here. It will depend on the specific church. If you've been going to a church for a while, start there. They will be able to counsel you on what you'd need to do.

I'd be surprised though, if they're willing to marry someone in the church that is not Anglican.

Hope that helps.

[vinay shanthi]

hey u can explore this option.

technically an embassy or consulate of another country in uk is considered as sovereign soil of the other country for legal purposes. uk laws dont apply inside embassies. so if your embassy is authorised by your home country to conduct marriages then you can get married in your embassy and you will not need a COA. i dont know if embassies do civil wedding ceremonies but i dont see why this is not theoretically possible. ask the embassies of your and your fiances country and see if this works out. you can always have an informal wedding party later outside ina hotel etc. but the uk laws wont be able to stop a wedding in sovereign foreign soil. plus uk will have to accept any documents issued by your embassy regarding the marriage

i dont know if is possible but worth exploring.

even if they dont do weddings currently. you can compolain in writing to your embassy and govt in home country that the uk is restricting your human rights by restricting your basic human right for getting married and putting obstacles for that and hence request them to authorise the ambassador or any suitablke embassy official to conduct civil weddings in the embassy and to issue legally valid marriage certificate from the embassy

[vinay shanthi]

i have checked online. some uk embassies abroad are authorised to conduct weddings.

so i dont see why the converse is not possible in uk for other countries embassies

[vinny]

1.1. Marriage in a foreign embassy

A foreign embassy, high commission, consulate or other diplomatic premises in the United Kingdom are not regarded as being outside the United Kingdom because in the case of RADWAN V RADWAN (1972) ALL ER 967 it was found that a diplomatic premises forms part of the state in which it is situated. Since the Marriage Act of 1994 (which came into effect on 1 April 1995) it would be possible for an embassy to be listed as an approved building for a civil marriage in the United Kingdom

Marriage in a foreign embassy in the UK
A foreign embassy, high commission, consulate or other diplomatic premises in the UK is not regarded as being outside the UK because in the case of Radwan V Radwan (1972) ALL ER 967 it was found that a diplomatic premises forms part of the state in which it is situated.

Under the Marriage Act 1994 it is only possible for an embassy to be listed as an approved building for a civil marriage in the UK if the premises are regularly available to the public for use for the solemnisation of marriages or the formation of civil partnerships, and public access to any proceedings in approved premises must be permitted without charge. Currently no diplomatic premises in the UK are approved for marriage or civil partnership.

1.2 The domicile of the parties is not relevant. This also applies to a marriage conducted on the premises of a foreign embassy or consulate, which is regarded, in English law, as being a part of the country in which it is situated and not as foreign territory. However, such a marriage will only be valid if the building has been listed as an approved building for civil marriages under the Marriage Act 1994.

[vinay shanthi]

thanks vinny for the clarification regards uk and marriages in embassies.

but if the uk does not recognise such marriages then how come some uk embassies abroad allow such marriages to take place in uk embassies. maybe because those countries allow it.

[vinay shanthi]

regarding wedding on cruise liner

reading thru the link that vinny provided above. the marriage on cruise ship is not allowed if vessel is registered in the uk. but it is allowed if the vessel is registered abroad and that jurisdiction allows it.

3. Marriage at sea
3.1 Marriage on board UK registered ships
Marriages on board UK-registered ships have been recognised in the past. However the
current view is that, since marriages must be solemnised in readily identifiable premises
(e.g. so that the public would have access to witness the ceremony and if necessary,
object to the marriage) a marriage at sea on a UK-registered ship is not recognisable
under UK law except in very limited circumstances – such as when it is impracticable for
the parties to wait until the ship has reached port.
3.2 Marriage on board non-UK registered ships
Where a marriage is performed on a ship which is registered in a jurisdiction whose law
permits marriages at sea then the marriage will be valid.

[vinay shanthi]

regarding embassies and consulates and which law is applicable, wikipedia says something different

Under international law, diplomatic missions enjoy an extraterritorial status and thus, although remaining part of the host country's territory, they are exempt from local law and in almost all respects treated as being part of the territory of the home country. They are also only required to pay taxes equal to their respective countries' guidelines.

As the host country may not enter the representing country's embassy without permission

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy

Extraterritoriality is the state of being exempt from the jurisdiction of local law, usually as the result of diplomatic negotiations. Extraterritoriality can also be applied to physical places, such as embassies, consulates, or military bases of foreign countries, or offices of the United Nations. These places are the sovereign territories of the home country

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterritoriality

i read this on wikipedia about international law. but guess uk disregards international law and has its own interpretation especially seeing the case law quoted by vinny in the link

[JAJ]

i read this on wikipedia about international law. but guess uk disregards international law and has its own interpretation especially seeing the case law quoted by vinny in the link

You need to do better than "guess" when speaking of international law.

[vinay shanthi]

i accept vinnys link that proves thgis option is not allowed in uk.

i was just querying what was said in wikipedia regarding embassies as i found this discussion interesting. i was not saying vinnys point was wrong.

[coolkris]

Ukbound

Am not practising christian and my proposed partner is a catholic, we thought of anglican just to register our civil partnership legally on papers. kind of registral marriage.

As you said, better to approach local anglican church to see of any help.


Vinay shanthi

Think you are coming with ideas which i never dream about,especially cruise marriage. think it may not be as easy as what it sounds like, when it comes to international water body law and overseas registration of the cruise

Really appreciate the idea about marrying at overseas embassy in UK, quite a good idea to digg out the rules and regulation of it.

But at last vinny came up with the proof saying the above option is not feasible.

think Home office are cleverer than us people, after from what i know the homeoffice changes in rules and regulation is designed with the help of immigrant people who settled here.

No way to escape ....

Thanks to Vinay shanti, Ukbound, vinny and JAJ

[vinay shanthi]

hey dont give up so easily. the cruise option is legally valid in uk. i am sure there will be loads of cruises originating in uk where the ships are not registered in uk. ask any good tour operator. see the links i gave earlier about cruises. many cruises have wedding packages. i am sure people would have used this option before. plus advantage u r on honeymoon instantly after wedding ceremony

[vinay shanthi]

for example see this POcruises wedding package http://www.pocruises.com/pocruising/wed ... gn=Romance and for the detailed brochure see http://www.pocruises.com/weddings/booklet.pdf it looks pretty impresive. valid in uk, marraige in high seas officiated by captain, commemorative wedding certificate on ship, plus all plans as per optional extras, plus marriage certificate from bermuda legally valid in uk.

others http://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/php/wed ... ckages.php

Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, and Princess Cruises, among others offer special wedding packages. These include the services of a minister to marry you, wedding cake, champagne, bridal bouquet and matching boutonniere for the bridal party, a band to perform at the ceremony, and an album of wedding photos.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ program includes a marriage ceremony on a beach in Grand Cayman or St. Thomas. Princess Cruises offers weddings on a beach in St. Thomas (prices range from $525 to $1175 per package). Or you could arrange a romantic wedding Disney-style on its private island, Castaway Cay.

Princess Cruises offers weddings aboard Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Crown Princess, Diamond Princess, Golden Princess, Grand Princess, Island Princess, Sapphire Princess, Sea Princess, and Star Princess. The ceremonies are performed by the captain, and are legal because of the ships’ registry, Bermuda.
Expect to pay about $2,000, plus about $500 for licensing fees. Harborside or shore-side packages vary according to the port. A Wedding Coordinator at the line handles all the details, enabling you to be married aboard ship and honeymoon aboard, too.

the packages look cool

have fun what ever u decide

[vinay shanthi]

embassies in uk do legal documents like notarisations etc which are valid in home countries. they also do power of attorneys. even these documents normally are covered by locals laws. but embassies still issue the documents.
so i wonder still what the situation is regarding marriage. so i have written emails to some embassy and consultates and will let u know if i get any replies regarding this issue.
you could try emailing your embassy and query this point as well. if like notarisations, power of attorneys etc which is valid in home country and even recognised by home country, same should apply for weddings. anyway let see what the embassy and consulates reply.

[coolkris]

Cruise packages link are useful to find out the information, keeping that in mind, like to know about embassy option as well.

have mailed to the embassy, will see how it turns up


thanks

[DavidR98]

Just to clarify: you do NOT need to be Christians to get married in an Anglican church. You should approach the priest (vicar, rector, whatever) in charge of the church nearest to your home. The basic condition is that neither of you should ever have been married before. The priest has wide discretion: some will insist that you at least promise to join his church, while others will just marry you without causing any problems.