Fiancé(e) visa FAQ

What is a Fiancé(e) visa?

A Fiancé(e) visa allows a British or settled person in the UK to bring their non-EEA fiancé to join them in the UK with the intention of getting married within six months of being granted the visa.

Am I eligible to apply for a Fiancé(e) visa?

In order to qualify for a Fiancé(e) visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

• Your partner is British or holds Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK;
• You are both over the age of 18;
• You have met in person;
• You are both free to marry or enter into a civil partnership;
• Your relationship is genuine and you intend to live together permanently in the UK;
• You intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership within six months of your arrival in the UK;
• Any previous relationships have broken down permanently;
• You will be adequately maintained in the UK without recourse to public funds;
• There is adequate accommodation for you and any dependents;
• You speak and understand English to the required level.

How do I demonstrate that I will be adequately maintained in the UK?

In order to demonstrate that you can be adequately maintained in the UK without recourse to public funds, you will need to satisfy a financial requirement.

You will need to demonstrate that your partner has a gross annual income of at least:

• £18,600; plus
• £3,800 for a first child (who is not British, settled or an EEA national); plus
• £2,400 for each additional child (who is not British, settled or an EEA national).

You can meet this requirement through salaried and non-salaried income, self-employed income, salary and/or dividends from a company of which your partner is a Director, property rental income, dividends and income from investments, stocks, shares, bonds or trust funds, pension income, insurance payments, maintenance payments and cash savings above £16,000 that have been held for at least six months, unless you can demonstrate that they have come from a specified source.

Different considerations will apply if your partner is in receipt of certain benefits.

What else do I need to know about the Fiancé(e) visa?

Applications for Fiancé(e) visas can only be made from outside the UK.

If your application for a Fiancé(e) visa is successful, you will be granted permission to enter and remain in the United Kingdom for a period of 6 months. After your wedding ceremony has taken place, you will then be eligible to apply to switch into the Spouse category without having to leave the UK.

If your marriage does not take place before your Fiancé(e) visa expires, you can apply to extend your stay for a further 6 months in order to allow the ceremony to take place, provided that there is a good reason why it has not done so to date and there is evidence that a ceremony will take place within the next 6 months.

Fiancé(e) visa holders are not permitted to work in the UK.

Contact our Immigration Barristers

If you would like to discuss your eligibility for a Fiancé(e) visa, or if you require legal assistance in connection with an appeal or application, contact our specialist immigration barristers and lawyers in London direct on 0203 617 9173 or via the enquiry form below.