US bride told she can't wed in city

Published on Tuesday 20 October 2009 09:40

A GROOM'S plans for a dream wedding have been ruined after authorities refused his US bride a visa – despite the fact she is a high-flying lawyer.

David Forsyth, 43, originally from Fountainbridge, has spent almost 5,000 arranging the ceremony in the Capital – but was stunned when the paperwork for his 39-year-old fiance Batya Swenson was turned down.

Mr Forsyth, an insurance broker, said the two-week visa refusal made it appear his bride was a potential "risk" to the UK even though she is a partner in one of San Francisco's biggest law firms.

He said: "Apparently my fiance is a potential 'risk' to the UK and would be a candidate to flee the US to be a drain on UK social security funds. I feel let down by my own country and cannot believe this has happened."

Mr Forsyth and Ms Swenson met in California after he moved there for work 18 years ago. They have been together for four years, have a six-month-old daughter and own a property in Oakland.

A partner in law firm Hanson Bridgett, Ms Swenson has visited Edinburgh previously to tour her partner's home city and meet his family, all of whom still live here – his mother in Gorgie and his father in Corstorphine.

Mr Forsyth said: "Batya fell in love with Edinburgh and I fell in love with it all over again through showing it to her.

"We have brought our daughter Hannah over once before and both thought Edinburgh would be the perfect place to get married."

During the summer, the couple booked their 30 December wedding at the registrar's office on George IV Bridge, along with a reception at the Royal Scots Club, return flights, tickets for Hogmanay in Princes Street Gardens and a short trip to London as a honeymoon.

Mr Forsyth said: "The registrar was great. She said they marry people from all over the world in Edinburgh, so we went ahead and arranged everything."

But on Friday the pair received a letter from the UK Consulate in Los Angeles advising them Ms Swenson's visa had been denied for a catalogue of reasons, one being they doubted she is "genuinely" seeking entry only as a visitor. The couple were also told they had not provided adequate documentation – which they insist they did. Ms Swenson needed the two-week entry visa into the country to be married.

They said they have found it impossible to speak with anyone about their case but are continuing to make desperate attempts to do so before time runs out.

Mr Forsyth said: "It's a no-brainer. We have given the consulate everything from a copy of our flight details to our hotel accommodation bookings. Batya is a partner in a legal firm – you cannot just walk away from a job like that. How is she a risk?"

His father Dougie, 68, said: "The situation is ridiculous. If they checked Batya's background they would see she does not want to live in Edinburgh. She is part of a big business in the US."

No-one from the UK Consulate in Los Angeles was available for comment.