Eloping abroad is not without its difficulties, but when one of you is a citizen of a foreign country and the other is not then things can be even more complex! If you are traveling to another country to marry a resident of that country then you will need a special Fiancé[é] Visa. We are using Australia as an example in this blog, but many countries have similar requirements.
What is a PMV?
First things first – what is a PMV? In the simplest of terms, PMV stands for Prospective Marriage Visa. It is the type of visa that will allow you to go to Australia in order to get married to an Australian or New Zealand citizen or someone who has permanent residency in Australia. The visa is only temporary and is issued for a period covering 9 months. You do need to be outside of Australia when applying, but you do not have to have the wedding itself in the country. The visa will basically allow you to travel freely in and out of Australia in the run up to your wedding and will even allow you to work or study in the country if necessary. Once the marriage takes place you can then apply for a partner visa instead.
How Will Your Elopement Affect Your Fiancee Visa Application?
If you are eloping then rest assured that this will have no impact on your application for a PMV. The only issue may be in regards to timing. Getting all of the necessary paperwork together and actually securing the visa can take several months as you will need police checks and medical information as well as proof of your relationship and intent to marry. It is advisable to make your application as soon as possible, perhaps even before confirming your elopement bookings. So, this is not an option for a quick marriage!
PMV Equivalents in Other Countries
Australia is not the only country who use the PMV system. There are other countries where a particular type of visa is required to marry a resident if you are coming from outside of that country. For example, in the UK it is necessary to apply for a Fiancé[é] Visa if you are coming into the country from outside of the EU to marry a British citizen. It is necessary to marry within 6 months and often applicants need to provide evidence of a bona fide relationship and that the sponsor is able to support their intended spouse financially.
Here in the United States there is also a similar visa in effect, known as a K-1 visa or ‘nonimmigrant visa for the foreign citizen fiancé[é] of a U.S. Citizen’. This visa allows someone to travel from outside the US in order to marry an American citizen within 90 days of their arrival in the United States.
In short, choosing to elope instead of a big wedding is not going to hinder your application for a fiancé[é] or prospective marriage visa. However, it is important to take care of any visa requirements first and foremost to ensure that your wedding plans can actually go ahead!
Are you marrying someone from another country? Please share your experiences of the Fiancee Visa application process with our readers below.