Routes to Marriage? - Uzbekistan

[Enquirer77]

I refer back to my posting on 21st Dec 2005
http://www.immigrationboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=6216
when I was discussing visitor visa problems. I write now with some positive news & information and a new query.

My girlfriend lives in Uzbekistan and is an Uzbekistani citizen. I am a UK citizen living in England. I recently visited her in Uzbekistan for 12 days, having obtained a private visitor visa, rather than a tourist visa. It took her about 5 weeks to obtain the private visitor invitation for me and I subsequently obtained my 14 day private visitor visa from the Uzbek embassy in London. In parallel with her application I also applied for a tourist visa, because up until a month or so ago it was possible to obtain a tourist visa within 3 days, without an invitation from the host. Half-way through my application they changed the rules and an invitation is now needed for a tourist visa. With the private visitor visa I was able to stay at her house rather than in a hotel and she simply registered me with the OVIR on arrival.

We have now decided that we want to get married and we are now trying to decide the best route to achieving this goal. At present, the British Embassy in Tashkenet, Uzbekistan is closed for visa applications (due to international political problems which I wont discuss here) and it is impossible to obtain a visitor visa or fiancee visa in Uzbekistan. It is necessary to travel to the British Embassy in Almaty, Kazakhstan, if an Uzbek national wishes to obtain a visa to come to the UK. If we wish to apply for a Fiancee visa, I will need to obtain two visas, one for Uzbekistan and a further one for Kazakhstan to visit the embassy. This is not ideal because I envisage complications synchronising the dates on the two visas (due to differences in the visa processing times of two different countries) to allow me to fly into Tashkent to meet her and then travel on by train to Almaty. The alternative is to arrange to be married in Uzbekistan and then apply for a spouse visa for her to come to the UK. It takes approximately 14 days to process all the necessary paperwork for a marriage to be conducted in Uzbekistan and (I think) I would need to be there for the full 14 days.

Are these the only two routes to marrying and bringing her to live in the UK. Also, she has a 12 year old son who we also wish to bring to the UK. We are looking for the most efficient method of marrying and obtaining a settlement visa for her and her son, and would welcome any advice that this board can offer. I should add that she has full custody rights over her son.


Thanks

[John]

I should add that she has full custody rights over her son.

Just picking up on this point first, to make absolutely sure, does she have Sole Custody of her son? Without Sole Custody the British Embassy will not issue a settlement visa for him.

If we wish to apply for a Fiancée visa, I will need to obtain two visas, one for Uzbekistan and a further one for Kazakhstan to visit the embassy.

If she is applying for a fiancée visa there is no compulsion for you to be there. So whilst your fiancée might like you to be there at the visa interview there is no need for you to be there.

Also on this webpage it describes the closure as temporary. It might be easier to wait until it opens again, well wait a couple of months at least.

Of course if the two of you do marry in Uzbekistan, then you are facing the same problem getting the spouse visa as you would for a fiancée visa.

If I were you I would proceed with the plan to get married in Uzbekistan, and following that apply for a spouse visa and child settlement visa, hopefully in Tashkent, but if necessary in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

You do appreciate that each of those settlement visas has an application fee of about £260 ... payable in local currency! In Almaty that would mean paying 2 x 65000 = 130000 tenge! If an application in Tashkent becomes possible then payment must be made in US Dollars! US$494 per application! (Local currency amounts liable to vary.)

[Wanderer]

I know the case in Russia (and Uzb. prolly still keeps to Russian/Soviet rules) you need to be resident for 30 days prior to marriage - u should check with Uzb authorities, in Russia it's ZAGS - bet Uzb is the same!

I know loads who have got round this with what can only be termed a bribe, but I would never do that, bribing's not as easy as we think, try it on the wrong guy and it's the Militsia calling...

I'd still question the desicion to marry after 12 days holiday time but it's your life and good luck! But be aware ECO might want to see more evidence of face time - but I'm no expert here so maybe others can comment?

Steve

[Enquirer77]

Yes, she has sole custody of her son.

I'd assumed that both parties were required at the embassy interview for the fiancee visa. Thanks for this advice, John.

I had also assumed that the spouse visa was applied for through UK Visas rather than at the British embassy in the country in which the applicant lives. Thanks again for this advice.

The future of the visa section in the British embassy in Tashkent is still uncertain, although some activity has been reported this week.

[John]

Enquirer77, the sponsor (that is you) is not required to be at any visa interview, if one is required. However you may find that both applicants .... your good lady and her son .... will both be required to be there ... in whichever country the visas are applied for.

Presumably they both already have passports? If not then that would seem to be the priority here.

In order to get settlement visas it is very important to support the applications with good, well-detailed evidence. It needs to be proved that the applicants will not need to claim certain Public Funds ... can you support them financially? ... that the accommodation they will occupy is suitable and certainly not overcrowded ... and there is "evidence of contact" ... to show that the relationship is real, and certainly not a "marriage of convenience". You also need to show that you are settled in the UK.

Don't skimp on the evidence!

Whatever sort of application the visas are applied for before getting to the UK. The www.ukvisas.gov.uk website has details, including links to the VAF2 application form ... you need two of those .... and the INF4 Guidance Notes.

The son's VAF2 form? It should be completed as if the child was personally completing it, but then signed by his mother using her normal signature. Realising that solves a number of problems like ... are you married

[John]

As regards the comment from Wanderer above ... good point .... Enquirer, you might like to phone the Consular Section at the Embassy in Tashkent and ask them about getting married in Uzbekistan. Their details are on this webpage.

At the same time you might like to ask about the prospects of the Visa Section reopening.

[Enquirer77]

My girlfriend regularly calls the embassy in Tashkent for any updates on the reopening of the Consular and Visa saction. I have also called them, but they don't give out any information. The ambassador was withdrawn for some outspoken remarks about the human rights record!

We will certainly call about marriages in Uzbekistan.

[Wanderer]

My girlfriend regularly calls the embassy in Tashkent for any updates on the reopening of the Consular and Visa saction. I have also called them, but they don't give out any information. The ambassador was withdrawn for some outspoken remarks about the human rights record!

We will certainly call about marriages in Uzbekistan.

I quick look around reveals (from UZb US Embassy site) that Uzb does still have ZAGS, and you will given a date to marry 32 days hence unless you have a compelling reason for an earlier date. The guys I know who married at ZAGS (in Russia) where they also have this proviso is via a bribe or a Doctors certicate showing compelling reasons why you have to go home earlier. Price of one of those is usually bottle of Whisky but as Uzb is muslim I dunno about that!

Also you'll most likely need notarised translations of your passport and any divorce certs etc and aslo possibly undertake a medical before marriage.

Steve

[Enquirer77]

Miraculously, we have duscovered today that the British embassy in Tashkent is now accepting fiancée visa applications. So it is no longer necessary to travel to the British embassy in Almaty, Khazakstan!

We have decided, therefore, to go by the fiancée visa route and marry in the UK.

Please can you tell me if notarized copies of my birth & divorce certificates are acceptable in supporting my fiancée's VAF2 application, or is it necessary to send the originals and have them certified in Uzbekistan?

[bbdivo]

Miraculously, we have duscovered today that the British embassy in Tashkent is now accepting fiancée visa applications. So it is no longer necessary to travel to the British embassy in Almaty, Khazakstan!

Yahoooo!! Good to hear that! and Good Luck with the rest of the process, at least there's one less hurdle to jump over!

[John]

Please can you tell me if notarized copies of my birth & divorce certificates are acceptable in supporting my fiancée's VAF2 application, or is it necessary to send the originals and have them certified in Uzbekistan?

No, I would say the evidence folder needs to include originals. And as regards the Decree Absolute, that needs to be a Court-sealed copy.

If you want a further Court-sealed copy just apply to the Court that issued the Decree and pay merely £1 and you can get another Court-sealed copy.

Of course the documents you mention are just a small part of the evidence that needs to be produced in order to get the fiancee visa, and accompanying child settlement visa.

Are you planning to be there when the visa applications are made? If you then just include your British Passport in the evidence folder. If you are not planning to be there, take your British passport to any solicitor and get a certified copy of the name/pic page ... and also any page containing relevant visas showing contact between the two of you.

Good news about being able to apply in Tashkent! You will see that visa application fees there are payable in US$ and must be in cash! In view of the sum involved clearly you will need a money belt!