News Articles From UK Visa Experts
COA To Abolished
The ‘certificate of approval’ for UK Immigration is due to be abolished within the next 6 months. As the matter stands, if you are an immigrant wishing to marry or register civil partnership in the UK you will initially need to apply for a certificate of approval. The exception of this matter is if you aspire to marry in an Anglican church.
The decision to abolish the ‘certificate of approval’ is since it has been put forward by the UK courts that it is in breach of Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Article states:
The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Convention shall be secured without discrimination on any ground such as sex, race, colour, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, association with a national minority, property, birth or other status.
The UK government has also commented on the issue stating that due to certain court rulings it has “…weakened the scheme, and it is no longer an effective method of preventing sham marriage”.
You will, however still need to apply for permission to marry or register a civil partnership until the certificate of approval has been brought to an end. Depending on the decision of the UK parliament, it is likely to be abolished towards the end of 2010 or early 2011.
On 31st July 2010 the option of applying for repayment of the certificate of approval fee ended. This covered certificate of approval fees paid between 2005 and 2009.
Notice of your plan to marry or register civil partnership will have to be given to a designated register office after the certificate of approval has been abolished. This will benefit many people a year because they will be able to remain more easily with their partner in the UK.
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