Things to Consider to Get Married in the UK
Getting married in the UK is not as easy as it seems. Similar to other countries, requirements have to be met and a certain amount of effort must be put into preparing for the wedding. However, if you are marrying a Thai citizen or someone who is subject under immigration control, more work and documents are needed.
The first requirement is the entry clearance which refers to the visa that your partner has applied for. It can be a fiancée or spouse visa that is duly approved by the governing agency. Given that he or she has already entered the UK, you can put the problem of the entry clearance off your mind.
What you should deal with next is the familiarizing the marriage requirements. Now, you have to understand that the rules and the procedures differ from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The basics, however, are almost similar in all four countries.
1. Age Requirement
Both you and your partner must be 16 years old and above to be eligible to marry. Otherwise, parental or guardian consent must be provided. If you are marrying a Thai woman, however, she would not be needing consent from her parents or guardians as a fiancée or spouse visa requires her to be 18 years old or above for her application to be approved. Other factors needed to be eligible to marry, you should be:
• Single, divorced, or widowed
• Not closely related
2. Official Arrangements
Do you want to get married in an Anglican church or at a register office? The former is applicable in England and Wales and official arrangements are usually coursed through the church. The latter, on the other hand, may involve waiting and residency period, as you can only use a register office if you have lived in the registration district for seven (7) days. The said office also needs to publicly display the notice to marry for fifteen (15) days, which makes the total to more or less 22 days.
It is important that you and your partner must attend the registration office together in England and Wales. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, however, you can simply log a registration via post.
3. Documents Needed
Before you apply for a notice to marry you must prepare the required paperwork. This includes evidence of you and your partner’s name, address, age, and nationality. Aside from the visa or passport, you may need to bring birth or residency certificate as proof.
Also, if you or your betrothed have been married before, you should also bring along documents that show that you are free to marry or enter into a civil partnership when you visit a register office.
4. Validity
Once the waiting and residency period is over and your notice to marry is granted, you have the option to have the wedding right after or enjoy staying engaged for a little bit longer. This is because in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the notice is valid for up to 12 months. In Scotland, it is valid up to 3 months. You can use these times to really get to know each other better. This is especially helpful if most part of the relationship had been long-distance—she in Thailand and you in the UK. Just remember to get married within the validity period as you may have to apply again, which would involve another 22 days of waiting.
By following the rules stated above and providing the required paperwork, there is little possibility of a void or voidable marriage. If you still do not know it, there are actually a number of situations that can make the union invalid such as a consent given under duress.
When it is the first time that you both are getting married, there are number of reasons why ladies from Thailand make great wives. Not only are we attractive, but have a tender nature as well. We are warm, accommodating, and would do anything to keep our husbands happy. We readily acknowledge that our spouse is the head of the house and exhibit a healthy respect for them.
Unlike a lot of British women, most Thai girls prefer a quiet life at home after marriage so we can care for our families. We personally see to it that meals are served well and the home is kept tidy.
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