posted
Hello all, After getting some brilliant advice from a lot of you, I have decided that getting married in Cairo and then applying for spouse visa to the UK will be the easiest way for me and my partner to be together.
I'm sure that there a few of you who have done this, can you tell me the approximate cost of all of this? I have been married before so will also need to take papers to prove I'm divorced, not sure if this will cost more? I've looked on the website and it looks like you have to go about 3/4 different offices to get things signed.
Also, do you need to make appointments at these offices? And I'm presuming you need to book the wedding, you can't just turn up? The website doesn't really explain these things.
I'm from UK by the way.
Posts: 171 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
I can tell you to get your divorce papers legalized in London before you come to Cairo to marry, address is on the Cairo Brit embassy website where you need to send them. They stick a sticker on the back of it to prove it's an official doc.
There is a fair bit of toing and froing to do and it's not the slightest 'romantic'. The biggest cost will be the visa, none returnable in the event of refusal too.
The rest should all be on the website under 'civil marriage'
I don't think you have to book, not sure on that, you will be taken aside and warned against marrying him if you are more than 15 mins older than him though Posts: 15090 | From: http://www.egyptalk.com/forum/ | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Also to get the final papers you have to wait, I believe it is about a week - 10 days
-------------------- Jane Akshar UK Co-owner of www.flatsinluxor.co.uk Appartments and Tours in Luxor Posts: 2791 | From: www.flatsinluxor.co.uk, Luxor, Egypt | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
Oh God... this age gap thing starts to worry me, someone has just said that to me on another thread. I can sort of see where they are coming from, but should it really count against you if you want to be together?!
Do you think it would be real problem then? I'm fifteen yrs older than him, but we both want the same from our lives.
How unfair, my neice is married to a man who is seventeen years older than her, and my brothers wife is eighteen years younger than him, but because the person I want to marry is from another country, I will have to justify myself!
Posts: 171 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
Akshar, regards the final papers, would they keep my passport for any amount of time?
If I've had to travel back, could my husband collect them? or do you mean the final papers you need before you marry?
Posts: 171 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2011
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quote:Originally posted by Sponge: Oh God... this age gap thing starts to worry me, someone has just said that to me on another thread. I can sort of see where they are coming from, but should it really count against you if you want to be together?!
sadly here yes it does count. There are tons of couples a day travelling through the embassy wanting visas for their younger husbands/boyfriends and sadly there are tons of young men here that will tell you everything you want to hear for them to get out of this country to a 'better life' they think is waiting in UK where of course the streets are paved with gold and the government give you money for nothing.
quote:Do you think it would be real problem then? I'm fifteen yrs older than him, but we both want the same from our lives.
Get married here in Egypt, you will lose all the money for a spousal visa and will spend the next year going through appeal. You stand a better chance by marrying here, still they can refuse but I think they can only refuse for so long as it's against human rights longer than 2 years.
quote:How unfair, my neice is married to a man who is seventeen years older than her, and my brothers wife is eighteen years younger than him, but because the person I want to marry is from another country, I will have to justify myself!
That is both man older than woman. yes you will have to justify everything down to the colour of your curtains.
You have a lot of work to do and it could be a long haul in front of you and a lot of heartbreak, make sure you are both ready for this -- and for you, if you notice ANY red flags take notice please.
Posts: 15090 | From: http://www.egyptalk.com/forum/ | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Sponge: Akshar, regards the final papers, would they keep my passport for any amount of time?
If I've had to travel back, could my husband collect them? or do you mean the final papers you need before you marry?
The final papers AFTER you are married, the marriage certificate etc you get about a week later, he can collect them. They wont keep your passport, they will take copies. The actual 'marriage' takes about a day or 2 with running to different offices for various stamps etc, wear trainers! Make sure of the days they are open too, they are closed Fridays and all UK bank holidays and possibly a few other days too. Get there EARLY in the morning as soon as they open, you will have a lot of waiting around.
Addition to my post above. If you marry here you will be 'interviewed' before they give 'permission' or free to marry paper, you will be told all I just said and they will try to convince you he's marrying for a visa. Just a warning.
Posts: 15090 | From: http://www.egyptalk.com/forum/ | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Thanks Ayisha for your honest answers. I know - I have read so much about all the horror stories that happen to women who fall in love with a man on holiday and only ever see them in their 'tourist' areas etc. I have certainly questioned our relationship every step of the way as I am by nature quite suspicious anyway so if there were any red flag moments I would be taking notice. I have stayed with his family twice now and we have talked a lot about getting married etc. He was very against coming to England at first for a number of reasons, but this is the only way we can be together and have a stable life for the future if we want a family.
But you are right to warn me.
So you say that it is still best to marry in Cairo, however you think when we apply for the spousal visa we will get refused on these grounds?
Posts: 171 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
If you are not married you apply for a fiance visa, it's the same as far as I know to a spousal visa, sorry been a long time since I read the embassy site. They will most likely refuse a fiance visa for him to marry in UK. Considering the age difference you are better marrying him here in Egypt and make sure his family are there if possible and take pics! They are LESS likely to refuse a spousal visa, this is when you are married, although they CAN still refuse but you do have a right to appeal which YOU do back in UK, takes about a year though and YOU will go to court in UK with an Immigation lawyer.
If you have finances enough to keep him, and this is set like DSS rules but above poverty line, and you have room as WK said have measurements done. If you own your own house copy the deed etc and take them too. Everything you can possibly think of to PROVE your relationship is real from HIS side mostly as you will be considered the poor gullible foreigner anyway. Photos, letters, its all been mentioned before. Get your whole case in order before you apply for a visa but get married asap if you can. If you can get letters from any of your family approving of this and his too so they know families are involved, make sure he knows the names of any kids you have and cats and dogs and the local postman!
-------------------- If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's no sense making them. Posts: 15090 | From: http://www.egyptalk.com/forum/ | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Sponge: Thanks Ayisha for your honest answers. I know - I have read so much about all the horror stories that happen to women who fall in love with a man on holiday and only ever see them in their 'tourist' areas etc. I have certainly questioned our relationship every step of the way as I am by nature quite suspicious anyway so if there were any red flag moments I would be taking notice. I have stayed with his family twice now and we have talked a lot about getting married etc. He was very against coming to England at first for a number of reasons, but this is the only way we can be together and have a stable life for the future if we want a family.
But you are right to warn me.
So you say that it is still best to marry in Cairo, however you think when we apply for the spousal visa we will get refused on these grounds?
yes its best to marry in Cairo..i did 5 years ago :)and Ayisha is right..take tons of pictures of you and his family and also with him...this will be a great help when you do apply for your visa as evidence..they will ask you for all these..best of luck
Posts: 9443 | From: USA...... | Registered: Jun 2006
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posted
Good luck sponge, do take notice of the ladies here they know what they are talking about, so good advice is here when you need it.
My sister married her husband 2 years ago in his country.( Not Egyptian by the way )
My brother in law will be in the UK in 3 weeks, he has his settlement visa. He has been to the UK countless times before, he is looking forward to living here and he don't think the streets are paved with gold.
Posts: 1048 | From: If you are given a blessing you may be envied | Registered: Oct 2008
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posted
Hi, steps for getting married my experiance was last year so things may have changed.
1. Get orginal divorce documents in the UK, NO photocopies allowed. You have to be divorced for a minimum of 3 months to get married in Egypt.
2. Go to the British Embassy to get your non impediment certificate - you need to show your passport and divorce papers. Your partner needs to show their I.d card and any divorce papers if applicible. Not sure on costs. The embassy only deals with impediments on certain days not sure what they are now though.
3. YOU CAN NOT GET MARRIED ON A Toursit visa !! you need Temporary residency, you can get this from the ministry of Immigration ( massive building opposite tahir square, not sure if its still standing though or been burnt down )
4. Return to Embassy collect non impediment cert, then you to an office in mohandeseen (spelt wrong lol) and get it stamped.
5. Go to MOJ with your passport, non- impediment certificate, two photographs of you and spouse. The ceremony is conducted sign, finger prints. Thats it like someone said not romantic i wore jeans and a tshirt!! YOU HAVE TO RETURN TO THE MOJ FOR THE CERTIFICATE you dont leave with it on that day !!
6. Return to the MOJ- collect documents usually a day later or so. Return back to the British Embassy and get your documents stamped - so marriage is recognised in the UK.
7. Get marriage certificate translated !! you need it for the Uk and the visa.
posted
9. When back in uk use said certificate and documents to register marriage IN uk so you can get copies if needed and a divorce if needed without going back to Egypt for these
-------------------- If you don't learn from your mistakes, there's no sense making them. Posts: 15090 | From: http://www.egyptalk.com/forum/ | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Just spoke to my husband he said the street in Mohandeseen is called Ahmed Aurabi - Ministry of foreigners. There will be ppl outside of the building offering to help you and do it faster, say no !!! just go into the building and get stamps. Also ppl will be offering to help you outside Moj again say No they can not speed things up for you, you have to wait like everyone else.
2 male witnesses need for the marriage. Egypitan passport holders/ I.D
Your husband needs to go a post office and get a stamp called marriage to foreigner cost around 50le. * you need this before you go to Moj*
posted
Oh my God... I'll have to have thick soles on my trainers then!!
Can't believe all the toing and froing... are all these places close to each other or is it bus/taxi ride??
And I didn't even know about the temporary residency!!
Is it two male witnesses minimum? Could members of my family go? females too? I know it sounds like it's over in about two minutes but I know some of my family would want to be there...
Posts: 171 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2011
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quote:Originally posted by Sponge: Oh my God... I'll have to have thick soles on my trainers then!!
Can't believe all the toing and froing... are all these places close to each other or is it bus/taxi ride??
Don't think they are far apart. Think of all the planning that goes into a normal UK wedding, think of it as the same, it needs planning.
quote:And I didn't even know about the temporary residency!!
It's easy, fill out the form have 2 copies of your passport photo page, your entry stamp page and passport type pics, they will probably use only 1 but if you only have 1 they will want 2
quote:Is it two male witnesses minimum? Could members of my family go? females too? I know it sounds like it's over in about two minutes but I know some of my family would want to be there...
2 male Egyptian witnesses to sign the papers, just like in UK. Members of your family can be there I think, but that's normally left for the party gathering after. Yes females too, but not females or foreigners for witnesses that sign the papers.
Bet you're flapping now Don't worry, plenty here have done it and all the info is here although a bit disjointed so you will have to collect the relevant stuff and get planned properly.
Posts: 15090 | From: http://www.egyptalk.com/forum/ | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Ayisha: Think of all the planning that goes into a normal UK wedding, think of it as the same, it needs planning.
Bet you're flapping now Don't worry, plenty here have done it and all the info is here although a bit disjointed so you will have to collect the relevant stuff and get planned properly.
Now you put it in that context you're right. I suppose in comparison to a UK wedding it's relatively easy(!) Yes, I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to organising things so flapping is one word I could think of. Posts: 171 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2011
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