Royal engagement: Meghan Markle faces trip abroad to apply for visa - according to The Times. We say “No, she doesn’t!”, she can switch to a Spouse visa while in the UK.

Another unqualified immigration advice from the press, this time from The Times: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/royal-engagement-meghan-markle-faces-trip-abroad-to-apply-for-visa-052bplp8x

On this blog we have been “advising” Meghan and Harry on the UK visa rules, so we couldn’t miss this article and let Meghan make an unnecessary trip abroad (with all that airport hassle during the spring bank holidays!)

Meghan CAN switch to a Spouse visa inside the UK after marrying her prince (literally). She can simply apply for a Fiancée visa now from the US or Canada, which allows switching to the Spouse status inside the UK. Can even be on same-day service like the one we use for our clients in Croydon.

If Meghan doesn’t take this advice and remains in the UK as a visitor, then yes, she would have to make a trip abroad to secure her Spouse visa, and we don’t envy her buying those expensive flight tickets during the World Cup!

We guess Meghan may already have a Fiancée visa, but just in case she wasn’t told about it, we created a simple comparison table on pros and cons of the Fiancée and Spouse visas. Or, if Meghan has this visa already, to ensure she’s made the right choice (of the visa, the man seems OK).

The full version of the comparison table can be found on our website: http://www.1st4immigration.com/spouse-v-fiancee.php   Here are some main points:

A Fiancée visa is for 6 months without the right to work. It has the same Financial Requirement of £18600 and has the same expensive UK Government fee as the Spouse visa. Once married, it allows to obtain a Spouse visa inside the UK. No need to return to your country after the wedding.

A Spouse visa can be applied for from your country or switched to (while in the UK) from another appropriate visa category, such as a Tier 4 student visa (but not a visitor). It also has the Financial Requirement £18600. This option tends to be cheaper in terms of the Government fee as this route has fewer “visa steps”. The visa is for 2.5 years and allows working in the UK.




For individual advice or to make a real Spouse visa application (and to be treated like a Royal!) please contact us: info@1st4immigration.com  or visit: http://www.1st4immigration.com.  We respond emails on the same working day! 

1st 4Immigration Ltd, authorised by the OISC, ref 200800152. We operate at the highest Level 3 of expertise. Office address: 68 King William Street, City of London, London, EC4M 7DZ.

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