The Fiancé Visa is the most important document to help you and your partner settle in the UK before you get married. Read this article to understand how you can apply for it, the costs and waiting times you can expect, and the main eligibility requirements. 

What is a Fiancé Visa?

If you are engaged to a UK-based partner, you may want to move to the UK so that you can get married and settle permanently in the country. When you get the visa, you can come to the UK for up to six months, with the expectation being that you will marry and can obtain the relevant right to remain after that. In most cases, you cannot extend your Fiancé visa beyond the initial six-month eligibility period. The most common option after marriage is to switch to a Spouse visa, which has 30 months of eligibility.

Applying for a Fiancé Visa

The Fiancé visa application process is conducted online via the Home Office website. Here, you can find and submit the digital application form and your supporting documentation and pay the application fee. The applicant will also need to schedule a biometric for fingerprinting and to have a biometric photograph taken.

If the Home Office has questions about your applications or wants to verify your information, you may need to attend an interview. They will extend an invitation to the applicant directly if this is required.

Application Costs and Waiting Times

For your application to be processed, you must pay the application fee. This will usually be £1,846 for applications outside of the UK or £1,048 for applications inside the UK. Additional fees may apply if you want to bring a dependent child with you.

Some applicants also choose to pay to use the Priority Service, which will cut the expected waiting time down to one month. The standard waiting time if you don’t use the priority service is two-three months. Please note that the waiting time can be longer if the Home Office is struggling with a backlog or if there are issues with the application.

Eligibility Requirements

Before you can apply for the Fiancé visa, you need to make sure that you and your partner meet all of the eligibility requirements. As of 2024, the primary criteria are as follows:

• Both of you are 18 years old or older.

• You have made plans to get married within the six-month eligibility period. 

• The UK-based partner is a UK citizen or has settled status in the country. 

• You will live together after you have got married or become civil partners and will have suitable accommodation available. 

• You have a combined income of at least £29,000, so will not require extensive state support. This requirement is the same whether or not you have child dependents. 

• The applicant must achieve the A1 standard in a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages test.

Please note that these are the standard requirements, and further requirements may apply depending on your circumstances. Alway check for the official rules from the Home Office for your unique circumstances.

Required Documentation

In the process of proving that you match these requirements, you must provide a range of documentation. The usual required documentation includes the following:

• Copies of your old passports and visas.

• Your current passports or ID documents.

• Evidence of your relationship with your partner.

• Evidence of any past marriages and children you have had in past relationships.

• Previous divorce certificates. 

• A criminal record. 

As with the eligibility requirements, further documentation may be required depending on your circumstances. 

Disqualifying Factors

Failure to meet this eligibility criteria will likely lead to your application being rejected. There are also additional factors that will lead to an unsuccessful application. Primarily, this visa does not allow for polygamous marriages. Both you and your partner cannot be married to someone else at the time of your application. This is why divorce certificates are needed to prove previous marriages have been officially terminated. 

There are also prohibited degrees of relationship, preventing people who are too related from accessing the Fiancé visa. The relations your partner cannot include your:

• Adopted child or guardian (former or current).

• Offspring or biological parent

• Grandparent or grandchild.

• Maternal or paternal aunt or uncle.

• Sibling.

• Niece or nephew. 

• Half-sibling. 

Switching to a Spouse Visa

The Fiancé visa is only designed to allow you to get married in the UK, hence the short eligibility period. Once it expires, you will no longer have the right to live in the UK. The most common option is to switch to a Spouse visa, allowing you to remain in the UK for 30 months, and apply for an extension after this time has elapsed. 

The Spouse visa comes with excellent rights that are perfect for those wanting to start their life in the UK. You will be able to work and study on this visa, and time spent in the UK on it will count towards the minimum residency requirements for British citizenship and Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).  You can reconnect with your IAS immigration adviser again after you have gotten married to switch your Fiancé visa for a Spouse visa so that you can start your permanent married life in the UK and be guided with the ILR or citizenship process. 

Beginning Married Life in the UK

Immigration law firms like Immigration Advice Service help couples like you to begin their life in the UK. They pair you with an immigration lawyer or adviser experienced in cases like yours and can help you to gather all the necessary documentation for a successful application. IAS can then guide you through the entire application process and help you to go through the appeals process if your application is rejected.

 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is accurate as of the time of writing. UK immigration policies and requirements, including the financial criteria for a Fiancé Visa, are subject to change. Applicants are advised to verify all details with the UK Home Office or an authorised immigration adviser for the most current and accurate information before applying.