Introduction to Marriage Visa UK
UK Marriage Visa is for people who intend to get married in the UK or want to apply for a visa based on their marriage. Marriage is an important event for people and it is equally important that people are aware of what exact visa they should apply and what eligibility requirements they must meet. Our intention is to provide all the details on the available Marriage Visas.
Types of marriage visas available in the UK
The term Marriage Visa generally relates to 3 types of UK Visas –
- Marriage Visitor Visa - Appendix V;
- D-Marriage Visa – Also known as Fiancé Visa - Appendix FM
- Marriage Visa After getting Married - Also known as Spouse Visa - Appendix FM
Marriage Visitor Visa
Allowing you to come to the UK in order to get marriage. This visa falls under the Visitor category – Appendix V of the Immigration Rules. Therefore you are expected to meet all the general visitor visa requirements in addition to the marriage requirements.
You are allowed to come to the UK for 6 months in order to get married and must leave the UK before the end of 6 months.
Eligibility Requirements for Marriage Visitor Visa
- You need to apply for this visa from outside the UK. You should submit a validapplication. Should not fall for refusal under the General Grounds for Refusal or be an undesirable character;
- You must fulfil the Eligibility criteria for applicants. You must be a genuine visitor, provide evidence of evidence of arrangements for the marriage to take place in the UK;
- You must be able to provide evidence that you will return to your home country orcountry of residence after your visit, thus you must provide strong evidence of your familial, monetary, proprietary ties to the country of your residence or nationality. There is no financial requirement under the visitor visa category; and
Costs for Marriage Visit Visa
The visa currently in 2024 costs £115 for the UK Government Application Fee. There are no Immigration Health Surcharge payments associated with the Marriage Visit Visa.
D-Marriage Visa
This is also known as a fiancé visa and is made under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. It falls under the Partner Visa category. The visa allows you to come to the UK for 6 months and get married. Unlike the Marriage Visitor Visa above you do not need to leave the UK and are allowed to extend you visa from within the UK.
Your fiancé or fiancée in the UK must be British citizen or holding Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), or holding EUSS pre-settled status, or have humanitarian protection or refugee status or have a right to stay in the UK under the ECAA Ankara Agreement.
Eligibility Requirements for Marriage Visitor Visa
- You must submit this application from outside the UK. You should submit a valid application. Should not fall for refusal under the Suitability requirement and the General Grounds for Refusal;
- It is better to provide the evidence of arrangements for the marriage to take place in the UK;
- You must prove that your relationship is genuine and subsisting and you intend to live together in the UK and you have adequate accommodation in the UK to live with your fiancé without leading to overcrowding under the UK Housing Act 2004;
- Financial requirements for sponsoring a spouse or partner - You must be able to meet the financial requirement, which means that your fiancé in the UK must be able to show income or earnings over £29000 if applying after 11 April 2024 or £18600 if you apply before. There are various ways to meet the financial requirement, such as savings of £88500, self-employment, business income, etcetera; Your partner may be exempt from financial if they receive certain kind of benefits, such as Disability Living allowance, Personal Independence payment, carers allowance, Attendance Allowance, etcetera. However, you are still required to meet the maintenance and accommodation requirement at the levels of income support.
- You must meet the English Language Requirement if you are not from an English Majority speaking country or hold a degree from one of those countries. You will need to provide evidence that you have passed a Level A 1 SELT English Test Or provide your degree with UK Naric academic equivalent statement and English Assessment statement.
- The visa currently in 2024 costs £1846 for the UK Government Application Fee.
Marriage Visa After getting Married
This is also known as a Spouse Visa. You can apply for this visa from outside and inside the UK too, provided you are allowed to switch into this visa category.
The marriage could have taken place inside or outside the UK and the applicants are expected to meet all the eligibility requirements, such as, providing evidence of proving the relationship is genuine and subsisting, meet the financial requirement, meet the accommodation requirement and the English Language requirement where relevant.
Eligibility Requirements can be found on Spouse Visa.
- Once you are married you can apply for this visa and can find all the requirements on the category for UK Spouse Visa
- The visa currently in 2024 costs £1846 for the UK Government Application Fee and Immigration Health Surcharge of £3105 from outside the UK. If applying from inside the UK
Application Process for a Marriage Visa UK
All applications for the marriage visa UK are done online through the www.gov.uk website. You must complete the application and book the appointment for biometric through with VFS or TLS if you are applying from outside the UK. If you are applying from within the UK then you will book an appointment through UKVCAS. The Marriage Visit Visa can only be made from outside the UK.
- Steps to apply for a marriage visa in the UK – Apply for the visa online. Book the appointment. Provide your biometrics. Upload all the evidence online if possible or take the evidence for scanning to the appointment centre.
- Processing times for a marriage visa application – The Marriage Visit Visa application is generally processed within 15 working days. The D Marriage Visa general takes 8 to 12 weeks (maximum of 24 weeks) from outside the UK and Marriage visa after getting married takes 8 to 12 weeks (maximum of 24 weeks) from outside the UK and 8 weeks inside the UK.
- Costs associated with applying for a marriage visa – The current costs in 2024 for a Marriage Visitor Visa is £115, for D Marriage Visa is £1846 and for the marriage visa after getting married is £1846 and Immigration Health Surcharge of £1035 per year and you will pay for 2.5 years in advance so it will be £1035 X 2.5 = £2587.50
Rights and Responsibilities of Marriage Visa Holders in the UK
- Rights granted to marriage visa holders – The marriage visitor visa holders have the right to remain in the UK for 6 months and then leave the UK. The D-Marriage Visa holders is also granted for 6 months and need to get married in the UK within this time. They do not need to leave the UK and can extend their visa on to a Spouse or marriage visa after their marriage. The visa after their marriage is granted for 30 months.
- Responsibilities of marriage visa holders – The applicants must not overstay their visas; they must not claim public funds. The applicants must not access NHS treatment unless they have already been granted a marriage visa after their marriage. The relationship must remain genuine and subsisting.
- Consequences of violating visa conditions – If you breach your conditions of stay, this may result in your visa application being refused.
Extending or Switching a Marriage Visa in the UK
- How to extend a marriage visa in the UK – The marriage visitor visa cannot be extended unless there are compassionate and compelling reasons beyond the applicant’s control. The D-Marriage Visa can be extended after you are married within the 6 months. The marriage visa after you get married can only be extended after 30 months.
- Switching from a marriage visitor visa to a spouse visa – You cannot switch from a Marriage Visitor Visa to a spouse visa unless you leave the UK and apply from outside the UK for a spouse visa
- Important information on time limits and restrictions for marriage visa holders – Get married within 6 months. Do not over stay. Apply for extension immediately after your marriage, do not wait longer, as your time towards the Indefinite leave to remain only starts once you have the spouse visa or marriage visa after getting married.
How to apply for a UK Marriage visa?
The application for any of the UK marriage visas is made online through the www.gov.uk website. You must make sure that you meet all the relevant requirements for validity, suitability and eligibility.
All the requirements are equally important to apply for a UK Marriage Visa that you submit a relevant application form, provide your biometrics at the relevant appointment centre, attend the interview if requested and fulfil all the eligibility requirements that must be satisfied.
It is generally the duty of the applicant to make sure that they meet all the relevant requirements, as the application will be refused if you do not meet the relevant requirements of the immigration rules.
What are the requirements for a Marriage visa UK?
Eligibility Requirements for Marriage Visitor Visa
- The marriage visitor visa must be submitted form outside the UK and cannot be submitted form inside the UK. Your application must not fall for refusal under the General Grounds for Refusal;
- You should provide evidence to prove that you are a genuine visitor, you must provide evidence of evidence of arrangements for the marriage to take place in the UK;
- You must be able to provide evidence that you will return to your home country or country of residence after your visit, thus you must provide strong evidence of your familial, monetary, proprietary ties to the country of your residence or nationality. There is no financial requirement under the visitor visa category; and
Eligibility requirement for the D-Marriage Fiancé Visa
- You must submit the application from outside the UK. You should submit a valid application, that means that you are applying under the correct category.
- You should not fall for refusal under the Suitability requirement and the General Grounds for Refusal;
- It is always better to provide the evidence of arrangements for the marriage to take place in the UK;
- You must prove that your relationship is genuine and subsisting and you intend to live together in the UK and you have adequate accommodation in the UK to live with your fiancé without leading to overcrowding under the UK Housing Act 2004;
- Financial requirements for sponsoring a spouse or partner - You must be able to meet the financial requirement, your partner must be able to show income or earnings over £29000 if applying after 11 April 2024 or £18600 if you apply before. There are various ways to meet the financial requirement, such as savings of £88500, self-employment, business income, etcetera;
Your partner may be exempt from financial if they receive certain kind of benefits, such as Disability Living allowance, Personal Independence payment, carers allowance, Attendance Allowance, etcetera. However, you are still required to meet the maintenance and accommodation requirement at the levels of income support.
- You must meet the English Language Requirement if you are not from an English Majority speaking country or hold a degree from one of those countries. You will need to provide evidence that you have passed a Level A 1 SELT English Test Or provide your degree with UK Naric academic equivalent statement and English Assessment statement.
Can you extend your UK marriage visa?
If you are unable to get married and want to extend the fiancé visa then you must provide good reasons beyond your control that you were unable to get married in the UK.
When extending your stay in the rules at the time of your first application will continue to apply. It is important now because on 11 April 2024 the financial requirement will increase to £29000 and this will be appliable to all new applicants after 11 April 2014.
You will need to prove that your relationship remains genuine and subsisting and provide relevant evidence to discharge the burden of proof. Additionally, you must meet all the eligibility requirements stated above in according to the route you want to apply under.
In order to switch to the spouse visa, you must be in the UK lawfully, you will be unable to switch to the Spouse Visa, if you are an overstayer or in breach of immigration rules or on a visa which is issued 6 months or less or on a visitor visa. If you apply for the visa and not allowed to switch the visa the application will be considered as invalid or lead to refusal.
Visa Document Checklist
The requirement of the documents generally depends on your circumstances, however, there are certain documents which you must submit with the application:
- A fully completed application form;
- Payment of relevant fee for the application you are submitting;
- Your two passport photos;
- Proof of your relationship being genuine and subsisting;
- Evidence of your finances – employment, property, other assets;
- Evidence of meeting financial requirement where applicable under an Appendix FM application;
- Evidence of meeting English Language Requirement when applicable at Level A 1 under an Appendix FM application;
- Translation of all the documents in English;
- Evidence of Accommodation in the UK
- TB test certificate under an Appendix FM application
You must provide the evidence in a readable format and its your responsibility to make sure all the relevant evidence to your circumstances has been provided.
For professional advice and assistance with your application, please contact us on 02034111261 or email us – info@visaandmigration.com
Frequently Asked Questions about UK marriage visas
- What is the financial requirement for Fiance Visa ?
Ans: From 11 April 2024 the requirement will be £29000 and this will keep increasing;
- Do I need to pay for Immigration Health Surcharge on a Fiance Visa?
Ans: No, you do not pay for the Immigration health Surcharge for a Fiance Visa.
- Do I need a TB test Certificate?
Ans: TB test certificate is not needed for Marriage Visit Visa. For other Marriage visas, yes, you do need TB test certificate depending on your country of residence.
- How many years of self-employment income can I show?
Ans: You can provide either the latest tax year and if you income is lower than £29000, you can provide average income of 2 financial tax years;
- What arrangements should I make for the marriage?
Ans: You can book marriage venue or make invitation cards for your marriage.
- Do I need English Test for Marriage Visitor Visa?
Ans: No, you do not need English Language Test for the Marriage Visitor Visa
- Do I need to be of a minimum age to apply?
Ans: Yes, you both must be 18 years or above
- Can I use savings to meet the financial Requirement?
Ans: Yes, you can use savings of £88500 to meet the financial requirement
- Can I combine savings with my income to meet financial Requirement?
Ans: Yes, certain categories are allowed to be combined in order to meet the financial requirement
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