Legally married

[chocaholic81]

Hi, I am a uk citizen and am currently visiting my fiance in Macedonia. We wish to get legally married here next week, although we will not consider ourselves married until we get married in a church in sept. We have all the documents the registrar in macedonia needs to see. We weren't planning on getting legally married this early but circumstances have changed so I havent registered an intent to get married in the uk. Do I need to do this before we can get married? I am only here for another 2 weeks and then i fly back to the uk. If we get legally married in macedonia will the uk see it as legal? We would like to apply for a spouse visa for him to come to the uk because my job is mre settle than his.
If anyone could respond asap Id be extremely grateful! Thank you!

[hells27]

Hi

I have just read your message and i understand how difficult it can be. If you ahve a look at the british embassy in macedonia's website then it tells you all you need to know. The link to the page is:
http://ukinmacedonia.fco.gov.uk/en/help ... arriage-or
and that should help.
Good luck
x

[chocaholic81]

Hi, thanks for the link it helps. We had a meeting with the registrar in Macedonia and he is happy for us to go ahead once we have the documents translated. He says i have all the right documents. But I still would not have told anyone in any official sense in england that im intending to be legally married. Would this make it invalid in england? or can i register it when i get back? Thanks for your help x

[vinny]

See also Marriage abroad and Overseas weddings and civil partnerships and 13.10 - Validity of marriages.

[mirnat]

Well I'm a British Citizen and got married in December 2006 in Albania which is not quite Macedonia but close enough! We never got married again in the UK nor registered our marriage here in the UK when we returned but our marriage seems to be recognised as legal here. I think the UK recognises any marriages that are recognised as legal in the country you are married in. Our Marriage Certificate was issued in both English and Albanian so there was no need to get it translated! My husband was granted his 2 year spouse visa from Albania in March 2007 (after waiting for it for nearly 4 months!) and has just recently (as of 26th March 2009) been granted ILR (after waiting only 5 weeks!)!

Good luck to u with it all anyway!