I am austrian, my girlfriend is Chinese with HSMP

[Adiboy]

Hi
I am austrian, my girlfriend is Chinese & has HSMP. We plan to marry sometime this year. We both working in the UK. We may marry here in the UK or Austria.
What is the procedure to marry? do we need any COA?
What status my wife would then be?
Any other info you can giv would be helpful, I don't kno mch about the immigration rules & procedure.
Thanks

[86ti]

If you want to marry in Austria you simply ask your "Standesamt" about the procedure.

[RobinLondon]

(weird duplicate message!)

[RobinLondon]

If you marry in the UK, your wife needs the CoA. You don't.

If you marry in Austria, you don't need any permission from the UK. They don't care.

How long has your wife been on HSMP? If she's been on it a while (>2 years), I would continue on it. She does not need to do anything. If she switches now to a residency permit based on being the spouse of a EU member, her clock for permanent residency goes back to zero...and she'll have to wait five years to get it. The advantage to the EU route is that it's free. However if she has been on HSMP a while, I'd stay on it. It might be more expensive, but she will become a permanent resident more quickly. This is a good thing if you plan on staying in the UK a while. And if she would like to become British eventually. Pass auf! If she becomes British, she will lose her Chinese nationality.

[86ti]

Check this link
http://www.help.gv.at/Content.Node/7/Seite.070000.html

Your wife-to-be will need a CoA. From China, I guess.

I think your wife will then be treated as the family member of an EEA national.