UK/Canadian Wedding - Certificate of Authority ?
My fiance is in the UK on an Ancestry Visa - she has been here 3 years and it is still valid for another 2.
We are getting married at the beginning of July. We have received forms from the registry office, which say that anyone from outside the UK who wishes to get married, must have a Certificate of Authority from the UK Home Office, if they do not have more than 6 months left on their entry.
Can someone who has been in this situation please comment on their experiences, as to whether they needed one, and how long it took to apply for and receive the certificate ?
The current wait is between 20 and 70 working days, which does not leave much time before our wedding.
Any insights would be gratefully received.
Many thanks
Gordon
Answer:
There was a successful challenge very recently to the provisions for Certificates of Approval, so get some proper legal advice.
The Home Office (BIA) website does not mention any changes following this legal challenge, so I'm really unsure how things stand now. It also doesn't mention about not needing a COA if there is more than six months left on their visa - and my understanding was that it applied to anyone without permanent residence rights.
As your fiance's visa would normally lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain in any case, I wouldn't anticipate too many problems geting the COA for her, but it's just another expense you could do without.
You as a Canadian citizen would also have to apply for a COA if you are already legally present in the UK - if you're here illegally, forget it! If you are overseas, you would need to apply for a fiance visa. You should not attempt to marry while on a visitor visa. The fiance visa would only be granted if your fiance can show that she can support and accommodate you without public support.
I think it would be advisable for you both to consult a solicitor to find the best way through all of this. You might also consider marrying in Canada.
Good luck!
Why would you need one IF as you state she has over 2 years left on her visa? Best thing to do is contact the home office on the phone and talk to someone.
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