If I marry him, does that make me a UK citizen?

Question

I'm engaged to my boyfriend [now a fiance] and he lives in England. Don't ask. But anyway, when we got married I said I would live over in England because in my opinion, the U.S. isn't doing terribly well now are we? So, when I marry him, am I a UK citizen automatically or is there more to it?

Answer 1

My wife is Canadian, and we had to go through this process for her to be able to live in the UK.

She came here on a fiancee visa, with a limited period of six months. To get that visa, we had to be able to prove that we'd met etc and that we had arrangements to marry. She had to come to live with me here, and wasn't allowed to work. Also we had to be financiall stable, several thousand in the bank realistically, and i had to prove i'd be able to support her.

You can skip that bit if you're already married. Once married, you get a two year visa. You now have an entitlement to work, but still not to any benefits etc. You must see this two year period through and live together.

At the end of the two years you have to apply yet again providing around 5 items of mail addressed to each of you, 10 total, proving you've both been living together, spread out over the whole two years. Don't get caught out with this one, we struggled to find things from the early part of the first year as they're quite specific on what they accept. They also require other documentation, passports etc. All being well, you should them be issued a visa for 'Indefinite leave to remain'.

This then allows you to stay here with no restrictions. However, it is not citizenship. I believe you have to wait another year (it may be longer) before you can even apply for that, there's a minimum continuous time spent living in the country on full visa.

It's a long drawn out process and they're very picky. We struggled initially as we couldn't prove we had enough funds to support us, had to loan funds from family and put it in our account. The cost of the whole process can soon top £1000 as well. Worth it in the end though!

Good luck!

Answer 2

Yea, you won't get dual citizenship or become a british citizen. You'll be able to apply for some sort of perment visa that will let you work and live in the UK. And after some years you will be able to apply to become a British citizen, but that will involve revolking your US citizenship. If you have children, and you still have your US citizenship at the time, you can petition that they have Dual citizenship, but that's something that's normally reserved for children or special cases.

Getting married of course doesn't mean anything to either government, it only means that you're qualified to start the paperwork. I strong encourage you and your fiance to meet with an imigration lawyer before you get married. You can mess this stuff up and spend years trying to see each other. Make sure you understand the hoops before you start jumping.

Answer 3

There is more to it. The best way is for him to file for a Fiancee Visa. In the US it is an I 129F,not sure if it is the same in UK. You will have to go through the Visa process. When that is done, you will be legal to enter the UK and get married. You won't be travelling as a tourist, you will be an intended immigrant and you will need a Visa. You can then file for status adjustment in the UK. There is a great site visajourney.com that is a duscussion board for people getting married and crossing borders. You can ask question and find out the whole process there.

Answer 4

If she applies for and gets a spousal visa/settlement visa, then after the mandatory residency time has been met, she will save on with for uk citizenship. she won't derive citizenship basically as a results of fact she married a uk citizen..and particularly no longer if she married a ecu citizen who isn't additionally a uk citizen. Donna

Answer 5

Nope, if you marry him you will have to apply for a spousal visa and pay 500 dollars or at least that was what we had to pay when my husband and I got married. You then come over ( if accepted) on a spousal visa which lasts for two years, After the two years you have to reapply for an indefinate leave visa. At NO time do you become a UK citizen. If you want to become a citizen you have to live here for three years and then apply. I am currently attempting to get dual citizenship as I am still proud of being an American and will one day return. The US is doing fine as far as I or anyone I know can tell but if you are unhappy with large houses, big yards, good education, excellent life opportunities, personal space etc etc... then by all means the UK IS the place for you. I mean hey I live in a terraced house with a patch of cement for my children to play in. If my children don't learn the stuff that is being taught in school ie: reading writing and arithmatic no worries there they will STILL be placed in the next grade as it is oh so important for them to stay in the same grade as their piers education be damned. I LOVE standing in queus with people constantly stepping on me elbowing me coughing or sneezing on me etc, oh and customer service is a thing of the past here as well... very seldom do you get a smile from the person at the check out counter... you can however listen in while she speaks to her friend over her shoulder, your shoulder or the phone about what she is doing this weekend or who is not well or whatever is the major event in her life when she should be focusing on you.
Good luck with your future and hope you get over here and with luck you will move in the london area where hardly anyone pays attention to you not being English. If you are not lucky enough to live down that way then you can get the pleasure of being told how crap you are for being an American.

Answer 6

Much, much more. I was previously married to a US citizen, and this is what we had to do.

First, we got married (this was in 2003). Then he had to go back to the US and apply to join me, as they prefer this to you applying from the UK (they actively discourage people marrying while here on a tourist visa). He had to go to his nearest British Consulate, which was in Chicago - he was from Kentucky. He then had to prove the reality of our relationship through emails, letters, cards, wedding photos, etc. Meanwhile I had to provide my passport and bank statements proving that I had enough money to support us both.

Then he was granted two years initial leave to remain. Only after this could he seek work in Britain.

At the end of the two years (although the marriage didn't last that long - don't underestimate the cultural differences between the US and the UK!!), he would've been able to apply for indefinite leave to remain. Once people are here indefinitely, they can apply for citizenship, but it is not a quick or simple process. People have to sit an exam to demonstrate their understanding of British history and culture called the Life In The UK Test.

For all immigration queries, you should contact the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate - but beware, they are notoriously understaffed and slow!

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/applying/nationality/

Answer 7

I can certainly understand why an American would wish to become naturalised as a UK citizen, but it does not come automatically with the marriage vows. Before you can apply for citizenship, you must be able, through a time period, to evidence that you do not have a marriage of concenience that is in place simply to effect your residency in the UK and eligibility for state benefits. Who knows, maybe when Eastern Europe becomes more prosperous, maybe our immigration service will have their hands full with illegal immigrants from the USA !

Answer 8

no it doesnt make you a citizen, it only makes you a resident, i did it the other way around, england to the usa,
your right tho the usa isnt doing to well at the moment,politically, but the uk is in a very similar situation,

Answer 9

It requires about 5 years residence in the UK to obtain citizenship.
But being married would give you the right of residence.

Answer 10

No. Marrying a UK citizen does not make you a citizen any more than him marrying you would make him a US citizen.