Marriage Visa UK Application Process, Eligibility, Fees & Document Checklist!

There are different UK immigration routes for couples who are getting married or are already married. Depending on the circumstances you should be clear about your situation and choose the correct route, as applying for the wrong UK visa will result in a refusal, loss of fee, and an adverse effect on your immigration record.

The first option is a UK Marriage visitor visa. A UK marriage visitor visa is for couples seeking to visit the UK to get married or form a civil partnership, or to give notice of a marriage or civil partnership and leave the country afterwards. This is a short-term visa valid for up to 6 months. You cannot switch to another visa or settlement in the UK through this visa. 

A marriage visitor visa does not lead to ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) or settlement.

The second and most common option is a Marriage visa UK. Marriage visa, also referred to as the Spouse visa, falls under the UK Family visa category. This visa is for you if you are a foreign national already married to a British citizen or a person holding UK settled status. If your visa is successful, it will allow you to live with your spouse in the UK for 2.5 years. You can extend your visa for a further 2.5 years, and you can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years’ continuous residence in the UK.

A third option is the UK Fiancé (e) visa. This is for you if you are coming to the UK to get married and then switch to the marriage visa UK.

Each route mentioned here has different eligibility and procedural requirements, but applications on all routes are subject to strict scrutiny of the genuineness of your relationship. Your application has to be comprehensive with the required and relevant evidence. Weak submissions will lead to visa refusals, which inevitably will disrupt your future plans.

What is the UK Marriage Visa?

If you are a non-UK national and want to come to or stay with your spouse or partner in the UK who is a British citizen or someone with ILR or settled status, you must apply for a UK marriage visa as a partner. In such applications, your partner in the UK must sponsor you, and hence they are called ‘sponsors’. 

The UK Family visa (marriage visa) is for couples who wish to live in the UK on a long-term basis (for more than 6 months) and can lead to settlement.

A ‘partner’ under Appendix FM is one of the following:  

(a) spouse (husband/wife); or 

(b) civil partner; or 

(c) fiancé (e) or proposed civil partner

(c) unmarried partner, where the couple has been in a valid relationship akin to a marriage or civil partnership for 2 or more years.

Initially, you are granted the visa for 30 months, and you can extend it for another 30 months, provided you continue to meet the relationship requirements set out by the Home Office. After completing five years of continuous residence in the UK under this route, you can apply for ILR.

What is Fiancé (e) Visa

The fiancé (e) visa allows you to come to the UK for six months to get married or enter into a civil partnership with your partner, who is a British or settled person in the UK. You cannot work in the UK on this route. You must prove you intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership within six months of your arrival in the UK. Once married, you must switch to the marriage visa from within the UK. 

A fiancé (e) visa allows you to stay in the UK only for up to six months. You cannot extend this visa except in rare circumstances. You must fulfil the same relationship and financial requirements as any marriage visa applicants, as well as give proof of suitable accommodation in the UK.

What is a Marriage Visitor Visa?

This visa is only for couples who wish to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK but have no plans to settle here. It allows the couple to stay for up to six months but does not allow work, study, or switching into another visa category from within the UK. 

Once your visit to the UK is over, you must leave the UK and return to your country of residence. If the couple later decides to live in the UK, the non-UK partner must apply afresh for a marriage visa from overseas. You and your partner on a marriage visitor visa must prove you have sufficient funds for your stay and that you intend to leave the UK at the end of the visit.

What are the key differences between the UK Fiancé (e) Visa, Marriage Visa, and Marriage Visitor Visa?

Even though these 3 routes are related to marriage in the UK. They differ in purpose, validity, permission to extend, rights, possibility of switching to another visa from within the UK, and possibility of leading to ILR. If you choose the wrong visa, your application will usually be refused. 

Let us see the differences between these 3 visas on various parameters.

1. Purpose

The purpose of a fiancé (e) visa is to enter the UK to get married or enter a civil partnership and then apply to stay permanently.

The purpose of a marriage visa is to join or remain with your spouse who is British or settled in the UK.  

The purpose of the Marriage Visitor visa is to visit the UK solely to marry or enter into a civil partnership and then leave the UK.

2. Work rights

Fiancé (e) visa and Marriage visitor visa do not allow you to work in the UK, while the UK Marriage visa does.

3. Study rights

A fiancé (e) visa allows you to study in most cases, and a UK Marriage visa allows you to study in the UK. However, a UK marriage visitor visa allows you to study short courses only.

4. Validity period

Fiancé (e) visa and Marriage visitor visa are valid for 6 months, but the UK Marriage visa is valid for 2.5 years.

5. Possibility of extension of the visa

You cannot extend your fiancé (e) visa, but you can switch to a marriage visa after marriage. A UK marriage visa allows you to extend your visa, and it also leads to settlement, followed by British citizenship.

You cannot extend a UK marriage visitor visa.

6. Possibility to switch to another visa from within the UK

A fiancé (e) visa allows you to switch to a marriage visa after the marriage takes place. A UK Marriage visa allows you to switch to another route where immigration rules permit. 

However, if you are on a UK marriage visitor visa, you must leave the UK before applying for another visa.

7. Possibility to settle in the UK

A UK marriage visa leads to settlement. A UK fiancé (e) visa does not directly lead to settlement, but if you switch to a marriage visa UK, then you may be able to settle through a marriage visa.

A UK marriage visitor visa does not lead to settlement.

8. Your intention after marriage

On a UK fiancé (e) visa, you must intend to remain in the UK with your partner. While on the marriage visa, you must intend to live together permanently in the UK.

If you are on a marriage visitor visa, you must leave the UK after the marriage ceremony.

9. Financial requirements

Minimum income requirements apply to the fiancé (e) visa and marriage visa UK. For a marriage visitor visa, no minimum income requirement applies.

10. English language requirements 

English language requirements apply to the fiancé (e) visa and marriage visa. For a marriage visitor visa, there is no English language requirement.

Now, let us discuss the UK Marriage Visa in detail.

UK Marriage visa eligibility requirements

If you are applying for a marriage visa to enter the UK or switching to this visa from within the UK, you are required to meet various requirements, including the immigration status of your sponsoring partner, relationship requirements, financial (minimum income) and accommodation requirements, and English language requirements.

1. Your sponsoring partner’s immigration status

To apply for a marriage visa as a partner, your sponsoring partner must:

• Be a British citizen or an Irish citizen; or

• Be settled in the UK - for example, they have ILR (indefinite leave to remain), settled status under the EUSS (EU Settlement Scheme), or proof of permanent residence; or

• Be from the EU, other EEA nations (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), or Switzerland, and have LLE (limited leave to enter) or LLR (limited leave to remain) (also called pre-settled status) under the EUSS – your sponsor must have started living in the UK by 31 December 2020; or

• Have a Turkish Worker/Turkish Businessperson visa; or 

• Hold protection status (leave to remain as a refugee in the UK, permission to stay here as a refugee or someone with humanitarian protection).

If your partner has settled status or pre-settled status under the EUSS, you may be able to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

2. Relationship requirements

The relationship requirements include: 

• You and your partner are over 18 on the date of application 

• The couple must be in a valid marriage.

• Fiancé (e) must marry or enter into a civil partnership with their sponsoring partner within 6 months of their arrival in the UK.

• The couple must not be so closely related to each other that they would be prohibited from marriage.  

• Any previous relationships you, your partner, or both were previously in must have broken down permanently

• The couple must not be in a polyandrous or polygamous marriage (unless an exception applies) 

• The couple must have met in person

• The couple must be in a genuine and subsisting relationship

3. Financial requirements

If you are applying for a marriage visa, you will usually be required to satisfy the MIR (Minimum Income Requirement) without recourse to public funds. You and your sponsoring partner usually must have a combined annual income of at least £29,000. This amount includes any number of children in the family.

You may be able to use cash savings alone, or a combination of income and cash savings (the minimum cash savings of at least £16,000) to show you meet the requirement.

You will not be required to meet this requirement if your partner is receiving disability or carer’s benefits such as Disability Living Allowance, Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, Severe Disablement Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, or Carer Support Payment.

4. English language requirement

Unless exempt, when applying for entry clearance on the marriage visa route, you will be required to prove your knowledge of the English language in listening and speaking to at least CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) level A1. 

You can meet this requirement through an eligible academic qualification taught in English or by taking an approved English language test from an approved test provider.

5. Accommodation requirement

When you apply for entry clearance or to switch to a UK marriage visa, you will be required to show that your sponsoring partner can accommodate themselves, you, and any dependants (your and/or your partner’s) adequately in the UK without the need to rely on public funds.

The accommodation in the UK must be large enough so that it can house the family, including other family members not included in your marriage visa application but who form part of your sponsor's household. 

The family must own or occupy the accommodation exclusively.

You also need to show that the property is not and will not be overcrowded or contravene public health regulations.

Documents required for the UK Marriage visa 

You will be required to provide supporting documents along with your UK marriage visa application. These documents will act as evidence to prove you satisfy the eligibility requirements, including the relationship, financial, accommodation, and English language requirements.

1. Proof of your relationship that it is genuine and subsisting

You can submit documents like:

• Proof of how you and your partner met and how often you see each other

• Evidence like council tax bills to show how long you and your partner have lived together

• A marriage certificate

• A tenancy agreement, utility bills, or Council Tax bills confirming that you and your partner live at the same address, or you pay bills together

• A joint bank account statement, or a bank statement confirming that you and your partner live at the same address

• A letter from your dentist or doctor confirming that you and your partner live at the same address

• Evidence of the end of any previous marriages or civil partnerships, for example, a divorce certificate or civil partnership dissolution order.

If you do not have any evidence to these criteria, you can provide other documents instead, including:

• A one-off bill like vet’s fees or home repair costs 

• Letters confirming you and your partner are on the electoral register for the same address

•  Student finance paperwork confirming that you and your partner live at the same address

2. Proof of finances and accommodation 

You will be required to provide proof of income with your marriage visa UK application. 

If you and/or your sponsoring partner are employed, you can include:

• bank statements showing your sponsor’s and/or your income

• Last 6 months’ Payslips, counting back from the day you apply

• A letter, dated and on headed paper, from an employer 

To evidence accommodation in the UK, you can submit documents like a tenancy agreement, a letter from the landlord, or a registry title, etc.

3. Proof of your knowledge of English

You must provide specified evidence that you -

• Are a national/citizen of a majority English-speaking nation such as Australia, the US, Canada, or New Zealand;

• Have passed SELT (Secure English Language Test) in speaking and listening to at least CEFR level A1 with an approved test provider;

• Have a certificate of a Bachelor’s degree or above, if awarded by an educational institution in the UK or if a degree has been awarded by an institution abroad, you must provide Ecctis-verified documents to show that the qualification you have earned overseas meets or exceeds the recognised standard of a UK Bachelor’s degree or above, and the degree overseas was taught or researched in English.

How can you apply for a UK Marriage visa?

If you are applying for a UK marriage visa from outside the UK or switching to this route from within the UK, you must apply online through the official website GOV.UK.

Pay the application fee

You will usually have to pay the application fee. It costs £ 2,064 per applicant (including dependent children) if applied from outside the UK and £1,407 per applicant (including dependent children) if applied from within the UK.

You may also be required to pay the healthcare surcharge as part of your UK marriage visa application.

Healthcare surcharge is £1,035 per year per adult applicant (18 or older) and £776 per year for applicants under 18.

As part of the application process, you will need to prove your identity, for which you need to submit your biometrics (fingerprints and facial photograph) at a VAC (Visa Application Centre) if you are applying from outside the UK and at a UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services) centre if you are applying from inside the UK.

At the end, you will have to upload or submit all required supporting documents and then submit the application.

Get a decision 

Standard marriage visa application processing can take up to 12 weeks if applied from overseas or 8 weeks if applied from inside the UK.

If your marriage visa is successful, you will be granted an initial leave of 2.5 years, after which you can apply for an extension for another 2.5 years. You will receive digital proof of your immigration status through your UKVI account.

If your application is refused, you may appeal, request administrative review, or reapply.

How can Visa and Migration help?

Depending on your circumstances and eligibility, we can help you choose the correct visa for the purpose of marriage. We can help you prepare the application, gather supporting documents, submit your application correctly, and follow up with the Home Office for any queries or information requested by their caseworker. 

With our expert solicitors, you can be assured that your chances of getting a successful UK marriage visitor visa, UK fiancé (e) visa, or a UK marriage visa are the highest.

For expert advice and queries related to these visas, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261 or write to info@visaandmigration.com