The Brits have conditioned me

To settle in the UK as a spouse, you must apply for your visa from your country of origin, and you can't enter on a tourist visa and convert status. You used to be able to do that but they stopped it a few years ago.

It never ocurred to me that it would be easier going to Switzerland, what with the apparent love of rules, bureaucracy, etc. But hey, that would be great if that's the case - one less thing to worry about right now.

Thanks for the links. I'll check them out. If I pose any questions to the Embassy in London and get any responses, I'll update this thread for future reference.