UK Marriage Visitor Visa- Suitability Requirements, Documents Required and Application Process

A UK marriage visitor visa is for a foreign national 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 that lasts up to 6 months. This route does not allow switching to another visa or settlement in the UK. Each person must submit a separate application, regardless of whether they are travelling to the UK alone or as part of a group.

A UK marriage visitor visa does not lead to ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain – also known as settlement). This visa also does not allow entry to the UK as a visitor's dependant. 

Who needs a marriage visitor visa?

A visa national wishing to get married, register a civil partnership, or give official notice of their intention to do so in the UK must apply for a UK marriage visitor visa before travelling to the UK. This visa is required even if they hold a valid standard visitor visa.

Non-visa nationals, on the other hand, who normally need an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) for a short visit to the UK must also apply for and obtain the UK marriage visitor visa if their purpose is to get married or enter into a civil partnership or give official notice of their intention to do so in the UK. 

Who does not need a marriage visitor visa?

A person (both visa nationals and non-visa nationals) who wants to convert their civil partnership into a marriage does not need a UK marriage visitor visa. They can instead apply for a UK standard visitor visa for this purpose. 

A person who is one of the following also does not need a UK marriage visitor visa.

Someone with settled or pre-settled status under the EUSS (EU Settlement Scheme)

• Has applied to the EUSS and has not received a decision yet

• An Irish citizen

Those who qualify for British citizenship, including those who can have dual citizenship, cannot apply for a marriage visitor visa.

Validity requirements for entry clearance to the UK as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership

A person seeking entry clearance to the UK as a visitor to get married or enter into a civil partnership, or to give legal notice of their intention to do so at a local register office, must apply online on the website gov.uk using the specified application form VAF 1F. 

An application seeking entry clearance to the UK as a visitor must satisfy all the following criteria:

(a) The applicant must have paid any required fee; and

(b) The applicant must have enrolled in biometrics (their fingerprints and facial photograph) when required; and

(c) The applicant must have submitted a passport or other valid document to establish their identity and nationality.

An application seeking entry clearance to the UK as a visitor must be made from outside the country. Any application that does not satisfy all the validity criteria as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership may be rejected as invalid and not considered.

Suitability Requirements

The marriage visitor visa applicant must not fall for refusal under Part Suitability, which has replaced the previous Part 9: grounds for refusal and became effective on November 11, 2025.

Eligibility requirements for entry to the UK

Under the Immigration Rules - Paragraph 56D, a visitor for marriage or civil partnership must: 

• Be 18 or over

• Be free to get married or form a civil partnership or give notice of marriage or civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of their arrival

• Show their intention to get married or form a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership (it must not be a sham marriage or civil partnership)

• Show satisfactory evidence of the arrangements they have made for their wedding or civil partnership that will take place in the UK, or for giving notice of marriage or civil partnership

• Be in a genuine relationship

• Be coming to stay in the UK for not more than 6 months

• Leave the UK when their visit ends 

• Maintain and accommodate themselves while their stay in the UK without using public funds (or be funded by someone else to support them)

• Be able to pay the cost of the return or onward journey (or be funded by someone else to pay for the journey)

• Have evidence of any other activities they want to do during their stay in the UK, as permitted by the Visitor Rules

• Not reside in the UK for extended periods through successive or frequent visits, or make the UK their main home

The documents they will need

An applicant must provide a passport or a valid travel document. Their passport should be valid for the complete duration of their stay in the UK and have a blank page for their marriage visitor visa.

The applicant can provide the following to support their visa application:

• Details of their marriage or civil partnership and evidence that they have paid money for some of its costs

• If the applicant has been married or in a civil partnership before, they should provide documents to show that they are free to get married or form a civil partnership. For example, a decree absolute or a previous partner’s death certificate 

• An applicant must be able to show satisfactory evidence, if required, of the arrangements they have made for their wedding or civil partnership that will take place in the UK, or for giving notice of intention of doing so at a local register office

Examples of evidence accepted include, but are not limited to: 

• Confirmation of an appointment to give notice of marriage or civil partnership. For example, an appointment card or an email. 

• Confirmation of the registry office or church booking. For example, an email confirmation or a payment receipt.

• The applicant may include personal financial documents, such as bank statements, to show they have sufficient funds available to cover the cost of their visit to the UK without working or claiming public funds here.

• In case someone else (the applicant’s sponsor) is covering the cost of maintenance, travel, or accommodation, the applicant should provide evidence showing the person supporting them has enough funds to support themselves and their dependents adequately.

• Applicants will also need to provide evidence of their ties to their home country to show that they will leave the UK once their visit ends.

A person applying for a UK marriage visitor visa may have to provide additional documents depending on their circumstances.

Couples can get married or register a civil partnership in any location in the UK that is licensed for the purpose of marriage or civil partnerships. Once both partners are in the UK, they will have to give official notice of their civil partnership or marriage at a designated register office. 

Those wishing to marry in an Anglican Church, where there are religious preliminaries, are not required to show their entry clearance to a member of the clergy. However, both non-visa nationals and visa nationals still require an entry clearance for marriage or civil partnership before travelling to the UK. Those applying to marry in Northern Ireland and Scotland, where it is possible to give notice of marriage or civil partnership by post, the marriage visitor visa must be valid at the time of giving notice.

Applying for a UK marriage visitor visa

A person who needs a marriage visitor visa must apply online on the website gov.uk using the specified application form VAF 1F. They must apply from outside the UK before they travel to the UK.

They need to pay the application fee of £127 to apply.

As part of their online visa application, they will need to book an appointment at a VAC (Visa Application Centre) in their country. On the date of appointment, they will have their biometrics (their fingerprints and facial photograph) taken at the VAC. The applicant should allow time to attend their VAC appointment, as the visa application centre could be in another country.

The VAC may keep their passport and documents while processing their application.

Applying with family members

Their partner must apply for their own marriage visitor visa and pay the fee if they both need one. Their child will need to apply for a standard visa if they need one. 

A person can apply on behalf of their partner and child if they cannot apply for themselves.

However, their partner and child must attend their own appointment at a VAC (Visa Application Centre).

Once a person has applied online, proved their identity, and submitted the supporting documents, they will usually get a decision on their application for a marriage visitor visa within 3 weeks.

Granting leave to enter 

Before granting leave to enter, the Home Office must be satisfied: 

• The applicant has valid entry clearance 

• There are no reasons to believe: 

o That the applicant submitted false information to get the entry clearance 

o that circumstances have changed since the applicant was issued entry clearance, or 

o the purpose of entering the UK is different from that for which the entry clearance was issued 

• none of the general grounds for refusal in Immigration Rules - Paragraphs 320 or 321 apply. 

If the Home Office is satisfied that the person fulfils all the requirements, they will grant the applicant leave to enter the UK as a visitor to get married or form a civil partnership or give formal notice of their intention to do so. 

A person seeking leave to enter the UK as a visitor for a marriage or civil partnership may be admitted here for a period of 6 months or less, subject to a condition prohibiting study, employment, and recourse to public funds.

A person in the UK on a marriage visitor visa with permission for less than 6 months may be granted further permission to stay for a period that results in the total period they can stay in the UK (including both the original period of grant and the extension) not being more than 6 months.

Refusal of a marriage visitor visa

If the decision maker is satisfied that an applicant meets all suitability and the relevant eligibility requirements for a marriage visitor visa, they will grant the marriage visitor visa to the applicant; otherwise, their application will be refused.