UK citizen who wants to marry an african woman...

Nimeth

Her not being able to speak English is not a hindrance to you getting married. However she WILL need to be able to speak it to qualify for a settlement visa. She will need to take an English as a Second Language course. The UK Border Agency should have information on which courses will be acceptable, or if they don't the Immigration Boards forum will be able to tell you. Without this requirement she won't be granted a settlement visa.

But she will not get a settlement visa straight away anyway. If you marry her and get her an visa to come as a spouse, she would be allowed into the country, at which point you can enrol her in an English course. Oh and start saving, the visas are expensive!

Go off to the Immigration Boards (google it - it should be the first entry you come across) and seek advice there, they're all up to date on the latest immigration rules and requirements that you will need to meet.

Mojisola

juggler7 wrote: »

burkina faso? with no running water and electricity?

Well, the people who are living there now are managing and, although it's a very poor country, not all of Burkina Faso is like that.

Has she started learning English? With entry into the UK as an incentive, she could make very rapid progress.

*max*

She should start to learn English asap. I mean, she will need it anyway when she lives in the UK, won't she? She might as well start now!

balletshoes

Nimeth wrote: »

Her not being able to speak English is not a hindrance to you getting married. However she WILL need to be able to speak it to qualify for a settlement visa. She will need to take an English as a Second Language course. The UK Border Agency should have information on which courses will be acceptable, or if they don't the Immigration Boards forum will be able to tell you. Without this requirement she won't be granted a settlement visa.

But she will not get a settlement visa straight away anyway.
If you marry her and get her an visa to come as a spouse, she would be allowed into the country, at which point you can enrol her in an English course. Oh and start saving, the visas are expensive!

Go off to the Immigration Boards (google it - it should be the first entry you come across) and seek advice there, they're all up to date on the latest immigration rules and requirements that you will need to meet.

very good advice about getting on immigration forums. However, with effect from late 2010 you have to be able to speak and understand English to a required level to apply for the first spouse visa to enter the UK - so she will have to learn English before being allowed to come to the UK on any kind of spouse visa.

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/settlementguide

Nimeth

balletshoes wrote: »

very good advice about getting on immigration forums. However, with effect from late 2010 you have to be able to speak and understand English to a required level to apply for the first spouse visa to enter the UK - so she will have to learn English before being allowed to come to the UK on any kind of spouse visa.

http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/settlementguide

Figures they'd change that! It's been two years since I finished going through the visa system, though I do try to keep up with most of it still.

But yes, an immigration forum is a better place for advice (sorry MSE:p) as they'll be able to tell you exactly what you need to do. I would also advise not trying to get around certain requirements or fudging anything, the Home Office takes a very dim view of that sort of thing! Be honest and forthcoming with them and you should be ok.

FATBALLZ

Well this is an easy one, go live in Burkina Faso with her.

Teahfc

Had a friend who met and married a female from Gambia, same scenario he got her pregnant. he bought her over for a visit to the UK on a visitors visa and was warned if she was to extend her stay illegally she would be banned indefinite from the UK.
Good luck and for the sake of the future wife child do it proper and you will benefit as a family,bend the rules and you will either have to settle for a life in third world country as a family or as a single bloke alone in the UK.

FATBALLZ

juggler7 wrote: »

alright BNP boy will do

BNP? You seem to be the one who thinks Burkina Faso is beneath you.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Your child won't be a British citizen when you are not married. I sort of remember that bit from filling in my passport application last year - said something like citizenship can only be granted through the mother (or something like that).

balletshoes

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Your child won't be a British citizen when you are not married. I sort of remember that bit from filling in my passport application last year - said something like citizenship can only be granted through the mother (or something like that).

I think that rule changed from 2006 - its not particularly clear, but this would suggest that an unmarried father of a child born abroad, if the father is a British citizen, can give British citizenship to their child -

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Passports/WhoiseligibleforaBritishpassport/DG_174145

Still doesn't help you get your spouse here on a settlement visa if she can't speak and understand English though OP.