Can I change my student visa to a fiancee visa??

[Lili]

I hold an student visa , which is expiring January next year. I am very much in love with a british citizen.
We have been living together for a year and we would like to see all the options we have, before we take the big decision of getting married.
I was wondering if I can change my student visa ( which I have renueved two times with sucess) to a fiancee visa without going back to my country ( I am from Southamerica) or it would be easier if I go back to my country and apply for a fiancee visa there.
I will really appreciate your help
Thanks for your time and attention

[John]

It is not totally clear from what you write when the two of you intend to marry. One possibility would be for you to apply for a CoA, that is, a Certificate of Approval to Marry, and following the granting of that the two of you would give the necessary Notice of Intention to Marry at a Register Office, and then proceed to get married. You are able to apply for a CoA because it is seems clear that the student visas you have held exceed six months in length. (If that is not the case then please post that information.)

Note that an application for a CoA cannot be made in the last three months of your current visa, so if you are going to apply for a CoA you should do so in the near future.

Following the marriage in the UK you would be able to apply for a spouse visa in the UK, assuming that application is made before your current visa expires.

I know all that it not exactly answering your question but I have posted all that because I don't think you are able to apply for a fiancée visa in the UK. If you really want a fiancée visa then I think you would need to go back to your country and apply for it there.

[Lili]

John,
Thanks for your reply. My visa expires in January next year, it was granted to me for a year (starting on jan 2005).
We do intent to get married but next year, that is why I would like to know if I can change my status here, without going back to my country.
Is it possible to change from a student visa to a fiancee visa here in the UK?
Is it correct that if I get marry here ( after receiving my CoA ) I would definetely need to go back to my country to get the spouse visa?
Thanks for your time and attention

[John]

Lili, as already said, I don't think you can get a fiancee visa in this country. You would need to return to your own country and apply for it there.

If you go down the CoA route and get married in the UK before your current visa expires, you could indeed apply for your spouse visa in the UK, as long as the application is made before your current visa expires. In that circumstance you would not need to apply back in your own country.