About The Fiancé Visa
The Fiancé Visa, also known as the Family Visa (as a fiancé, fiancée, or proposed civil partner), will be granted for 6 months. You will have to get married within this time, then switch to a Spouse Visa which would enable you a longer period of stay and the ability to work thereafter.
What Is a Fiancé Visa?
International marriages are quite common today. The visa-free regime and biometric passports may allow for visits between some European countries. However, there are different rules in the United Kingdom if you wish to marry or register your civil partnership here. You need to obtain a special permit to visit the UK, e.g., future spouses need a Fiancée Visa or a Wedding Visa.
Fiancé Visa UK (Engagement Visa or Civil Partner Visa) is a category of family visas in the UK intended for couples where one of the partners is a permanent resident of the country and the other wants to get married here. It is a popular option for couples planning to get married in the UK.
The Visa is available for persons over 18 who wish to legitimize their committed relationships, i.e., marry a British citizen, Irish citizen, or a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain or EU Settled Status. The Visa is valid for 6 months.
After this period, the couple must be married to qualify for a Spouse Visa. You can stay in the UK for 5 years and obtain ILR status, but the initial Fiancé / Fiancée Visa does not provide the right to employment or education.
This status is much easier to obtain with the support of experienced specialists because an extensive list of conditions must be met.
Who Is Eligible for a UK Fiancé Visa?
The following conditions must be met to ensure that the UK Home Office approves your Fiancé Visa application:
- Future spouses must be at least 18 years old at the time of submitting the application form.
- Provide evidence of the genuine nature of the relationship and confirm your intentions to get married within 6 months of arrival in the UK.
- Confirm sponsoring partner’s status: be British or Irish, live in the UK on ILR (permanent resident), have refugee status, be under humanitarian protection of the state, be an EU citizen with Pre-settled or Settled status, or live in the UK on a Turkish Businessperson Visa or have a Turkish Worker Visa.
- The minimum annual income must be at least £29,000 (or £23,496 for HM Armed Forces personnel) without recourse to public funds
- Prove that your partner/future spouse has a home for marital residence in the UK.
- Prove your language fluency: your English must be at least A1 (according to CEFR).
Please note that Fiancé Visa requirements may vary, as the individual criteria depends on your circumstances. You can contact an immigration expert for detailed information about obtaining permission to reside in the country on this type of visa.
UK Fiancé Visa Requirements
To successfully apply for a Fiancé Visa, you must meet certain requirements. These include general requirements, financial requirements, and proof of a legitimate relationship with the genuine intention to marry or become a civil partner within the 6 months of stay.
General requirements
As a general requirement, you must be able to prove that you can speak English at a proficient level. You will need to meet or exceed level A1 on the CEFR scale for your first visa application, choosing amongst a list of approved English language tests.
You must also prove that your relationship with your intended spouse is legitimate, that you have the resources to financially support yourself (and any dependants), and intend to live together in the UK in suitable accommodation.
Financial requirements
To be granted access to the UK to marry or become a civil partner through the Fiancé Visa, you must be able to prove that you can support yourself (and any children; who are not British or Irish citizens, do not have pre-settled status or are not permanently settled in the UK) financially. Between you and your proposed partner, you must ensure that you meet the following financial requirements depending on your situation:
The current income threshold to meet is £29,000 or £23,496 for HM Armed Forces personnel.
For existing Spouse or Civil Partner Visa holders on this route before 11 April 2024 and applying for Extension or Indefinite Leave to Remain, you may continue to meet the previous minimum income requirement of £18,600 under the Appendix FM transitional arrangements.
There are various ways to prove you meet the financial requirements. You can do so through:
1. Proof of income, savings, pension money, or money through dividends such as rental property.
2. You may also be exempt if your UK resident partner is receiving certain benefits or allowance.
If you would like guidance on this, don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Prohibited Degree of Relationship Requirement
The Marriage Act of 1986 prohibits relatives from entering into marriage, which means that adopted children and parents, grandparents, grandchildren, brothers and sisters (including step-sisters) are excluded from the list of applicants for a Fiancé Visa.
The Requirement to Have Met in Person
UK Fiancé Visa requirements include confirmation of personal meetings that resulted in acquaintance, commitment, and subsequent communication. Please note that correspondence and telephone contacts do not solely provide the right to apply for the UK Fiancé Visa.
Genuine and Subsisting Relationship Requirement
How can you prove that you have a relationship with a qualifying UK Sponsor to convince the immigration authorities of your serious and sincere intentions? Evidence of a long-distance romantic relationship between partners can be dated documents from holidays, visits, and important occasions, as well as correspondence in instant messengers and social networks. It would be a good idea to provide objective letters of recommendation from friends and testimonies from relatives who are aware of the development of your relationships.
If you have been a couple for a long time, and the Fiancé Visa is needed only to register the relationship legally, you need to collect additional documents such as:
- Bank account statements.
- Mortgage or rental agreements confirming joint financial responsibility.
- Birth/adoption certificate for your child/children.
Please note! A deliberate attempt to mislead the migration authorities or enter into a “fictitious or sham marriage, or a marriage of convenience” may result in a refusal to issue the Fiancé Visa or a ban on entry and stay in the United Kingdom.
UK Fiancé Visa Accommodation Requirements
Don't forget to provide information about your living conditions to the UK Home Office, as well as proof stating that you can pay for your accommodation. The assessment of the place of residence is carried out according to UK housing standards: at least two separate rooms for a married couple and children, as well as additional rooms if the family has children of different genders.
Requirements for Previous Relationships
Fiancé Visa applicants must have the legal right to marry. To do this, you need to prepare evidence that you have no relationship with your previous partner, you are divorced, your civil partnership has been officially dissolved, or you are a widow/widower, which means you have the legal right to remarry.
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