Stepchildren
I am a British national due to move to Qatar in the next few weeks and have a question about step children.
My fiancée has a child from a previous relationship, where neither party was married. The child has the father's surname.
My question is what do I have to do in order to sponsor my fiancée and stepson? We are due to marry at Christmas in the UK.
Many thanks
With regard a legal document saying they have to stay with your wife, just bear in mind that if you wife is staying here, and you want to take the kids out of the country, to say Dubai (Wild Wadi) or on a Rugby Trip or to see the F1 or whatever and your wife is not going, they may not be to happy about you taking the children out of the country unless you have adopted them, or you have a legal notarised letter from your wife authorising you to take the child(ren).
May seem that it won't happen but consider an emergency where the wife flies back to UK, and you and child end up having to follow.
I agree with "medohaqatar"
first you and your fiancée should marry legally then only you can bring her under your sponsership.
second if there is any legal document from UK mentioning that the stepchild has to stay with his/her mother then that documnet will be helpful to issue the visa
wish you good luck & happy marriage
Don't know whats happened to the rest the read more isn't working.
Stephchildren, If memory serves they will want the Birth Certificate which should prove they are your (the Sponsors) children. So could cause you a problem.
We were advised to change the monthers surname on the birth certificate of our 4 yr old after we got maried to avoid complications here.
I have a feeling you will have to adopt.
If your company has a good PRO then get them to ask him, and do what he advises, he is the one that has to push all the paperwork through the Government for you. Don't take my advise or anyone elses if it seems like there may be a "Way round it", there probably isn't
Haven't been through entirely the same thing with regards stepchildren
You will not be able to sponsor your fiancee, you need to have the marriage certificate in place before trying to sponsor her. Although 5* hotels like Ritz and Four Seasons would allow you to stay in the same room, if you move out of there before you are married, could be reported and deported (or worse). Their stuff cannot be processed until yours is done and that will take about 6weeks. So if possible leave them in UK until your documentation is done, otherwise you could get into Visa runs etc.
As for the Stepchild, I am fairly sure if memory serves that they want the Birth Certificate which I think needs to match your name, if it was her stepchildren I think it would be easier. You may find you have to adopt. We had one child registered before we where married and another after, and were advised to avoid complications to change the eldests birth certificate (when he was 4) with the mothers new surname.
Ask your company to consult their PRO and take their recommendations. Best of luck.