UK Same Sex Couple Marriage: Ma Faiza’s Success Story

Ma Faiza, a British citizen of Indian origin, met her partner, Anuradha, in India five years ago. Within a year of their meeting, they knew they wanted to spend their lives together and decided to get married. Anuradha is an Indian citizen. Ma Faiza has a British passport and an Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card.

Same sex marriage is not legally recognised in India. Ma Faiza and Anuradha chose the UK as their destination for several reasons:

• They could legally marry in the UK.
• Ma Faiza wanted her wife to have the same British citizenship.
• British citizenship offered ease of travel for both of them.
• They saw potential opportunities to work in the UK.

Despite the lack of legal recognition for same sex relationships in India, Ma Faiza and Anuradha did not experience much prejudice in their daily lives. However, they acknowledged the challenges that the absence of legal protection posed for their future in India. For example, they noted difficulties in:

• Creating joint bank accounts.
• Assigning assets.
• Inheritance and succession rights.

Ma Faiza was impressed by the positive reviews she found about The SmartMove2UK on Google.

She believed an Indian lawyer would have a better understanding of the specific challenges they might face in India, particularly regarding paperwork and societal structures.

Ma Faiza connected with Ms. Falguni, a qualified UK solicitor of Indian origin who had gone through the UK immigration process herself and established her practice in India. She felt Ms. Falguni understood the nuances of their situation and offered both emotional support and clear legal advice.

The SmartMove2UK guided Ma Faiza and Anuradha through the entire UK visa application process, ensuring they met all the necessary requirements.
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Ms. Falguni and her team meticulously explained the process, outlining the required evidence and supporting documents.

Recognizing the unique challenges for same sex couples in India, they encouraged Ma Faiza and Anuradha to gather extensive evidence of their relationship, going above and beyond what was typically required.

Ms. Falguni’s personal understanding of the immigration journey provided reassurance and encouragement throughout the process.

Despite the inherent complexities, Ma Faiza felt the process was seamless due to the UK immigration firm’s expertise and support.

The firm treated them with respect and understanding, making their same-sex relationship feel irrelevant to the process, which Ma Faiza considered true equality.

Ma Faiza and Anuradha’s journey highlights the importance of finding an immigration law firm that understands the unique challenges faced by same sex couples navigating the UK immigration system.

With the support of The SmartMove2UK, Anuradha successfully obtained her UK visa, allowing her to join Ma Faiza in the UK. The SmartMove2UK immigration law firm continued to offer guidance beyond the initial UK visa application, providing advice on:

1. Mandatory steps to take upon arrival in the UK, such as registering with the NHS, opening a joint bank account, and obtaining an NI number.
2. Strategies for UK visa extension and ultimately obtaining British citizenship.

The SmartMove2UK, with its expertise, sensitivity, and comprehensive support, proved to be an invaluable partner in their journey towards building a life together in the UK.