Quote Originally Posted by darren-b View Post
Oddly we paid less in visa fees taking the fiancee route than several friends who went through the spouse visa route at about the same time because they delayed their journey to the UK for more than 30 days and had to apply for FLR. Though as the original settlement visa is twice the price (we only paid £260 for the fiancee visa) and the spouse visa is 27 months it wouldn't be the case now.

Personally I didn't want to get married in the Philippines then have to return to the UK on my own knowing it would be several months before we could live together as man and wife. The fact that my fiancee/wife couldn't work straightaway was irrelevant as I wanted her to have time to get use to her new 'home' before starting work.
fiancee visa route not less for most people, as settlement visa > flr > ilr
spouse visa route settlement visa >ilr

cheaper to get married in the phils if you don't take your uk family , give your lady a big wedding in the phils with all her family and friends there, and have something smaller in the uk for your family.

you still have to wait near enough the same time for a fiancee visa or spouse visa.