FIANCE VISA

1. UK Fiancé(e) Visa Overview

The UK Fiance Visa, also referred to as a UK Fiancé(e) Visa, is for engaged partners of British or Irish citizens, persons who are settled in the UK, certain persons with pre-settled status under Appendix EU, persons with a Turkish Businessperson or Turkish Worker visa, persons with permission as a Stateless person and persons with protection status, including refugee permission or humanitarian protection who wish to enter the UK and marry or enter into a civil partnership within 6 months of their arrival. An application for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa must be made from outside the UK.

The UK Fiancé(e) Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, once you have married in the UK, you will be able to apply from within the UK to extend your stay on the Spouse visa route. The UK Spouse Visa can lead to indefinite leave to remain or settlement in the UK after a period of 5 years.

2. UK Fiance Visa Requirements

In order to qualify for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that you meet the following requirements:

• Your partner is British or Irish, is settled in the UK, has been granted certain pre-settled status under Appendix EU, holds a Turkish Businessperson or Turkish Worker visa, has permission as a Stateless person or has protection status, including refugee permission or humanitarian protection;
• You are both aged 18 or over;
• You have met in person;
• Your relationship is genuine and subsisting;
• 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 intend to live together permanently in the UK;
• You satisfy the financial requirement, including adequate maintenance where applicable, without recourse to public funds;
• There is adequate accommodation for you and any dependents;
• You speak and understand English to the required level.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy in order to qualify for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa may vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.ur application complies with the Immigration Rules and Home Office guidance.

3. Status of Sponsoring Partner

In order to qualify for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa, your partner must either:

• Be a British or Irish citizen in the UK; or
• Have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or permanent residence in the UK; or
• Have certain pre-settled status under Appendix EU; or
• Have limited leave to remain as a Turkish Businessperson or Turkish Worker under Appendix ECAA; or
• Have protection status, including refugee permission or humanitarian protection, in the UK; or
• Have permission as a Stateless person in the UK.

A British Citizen in the UK includes a British Citizen who is coming to the UK with you as your partner. A person with indefinite leave to remain in the UK includes a person who is being admitted for settlement on the same occasion as you.

4. Minimum Age for a Fiancé(e) Visa

You and your partner must both be aged 18 or over on the date when you submit your Fiancé(e) Visa application.

5. UK Fiance Visa Relationship Requirement

The UK Fiancé(e) Visa relationship requirement has various elements to it:

• You and your partner must not be within a prohibited degree of relationship;
• You and your partner must have met in person;
• Your relationship must be genuine and subsisting;
• You must be coming to the UK to enable your marriage or civil partnership to take place in the UK within 6 months of your arrival;
• Any previous relationship must have broken down permanently;
• You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK.

Prohibited Degree of Relationship Requirement

In order to qualify for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa, you and your Fiancé(e) must not be within a prohibited degree of relationship as defined in the Marriage Act 1949 and the Marriage Prohibited Degrees of Relationship Act 1986.

This means that you and your Fiancé(e) must not be related in any of the following ways:

• Adoptive child
• Adoptive parent
• Child
• Former adoptive child
• Former adoptive parent
• Grandparent
• Grandchild
• Parent
• Parent’s sibling
• Sibling
• Sibling’s child

In this list ‘sibling’ means a brother, sister, half-brother or half-sister.

A proposed marriage between a person and any person in the following list will not qualify for a Fiancé(e) visa until both parties are aged 21 or over, and provided that the younger party has not at any time before attaining the age of 18 been a child of the family in relation to the other party:

• Child of former civil partner
• Child of former spouse
• Former civil partner of grandparent
• Former civil partner of parent
• Former spouse of grandparent
• Former spouse of parent
• Grandchild of former civil partner
• Grandchild of former spouse

Requirement to Have Met in Person

You and your Fiancé(e) must have met in person. The requirement to have ‘met’ means that you must be able to demonstrate a face-to-face meeting which resulted in the making of a mutual acquaintance. Simply coming face-to-face followed by telephone or written contact would not satisfy the requirements for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa.

Genuine and Subsisting Relationship Requirement

In order to qualify for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa you will need to provide the Home Office with evidence that your relationship with your partner is a genuine and subsisting relationship.

Decisions on whether a relationship is genuine and subsisting are made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all available evidence and individual circumstances.

Factors Considered by the Home Office When Deciding Whether a Relationship Is Genuine and Subsisting

Factors which may be considered by the Home Office when determining whether your relationship is genuine and subsisting include:

• Whether you and your Fiancé(e) are in a current, long-term relationship;
• Whether you and your Fiancé(e) have been or are now living together;
• Whether you and your Fiancé(e) have children together biological, adopted or step-children and shared responsibility for them;
• Whether you and your Fiancé(e) share financial responsibilities;
• Whether you and your Fiancé(e) have visited the other’s home country and family;
• Whether you and your Fiancé(e) have made definite plans concerning the practicalities of living together in the UK.

If the Home Office has doubts as to the genuine and subsisting nature of your relationship then it may undertake further checks, interview you and your Fiancé(e) or arrange a home visit.

Documents Required to Prove a Genuine and Subsisting Relationship

The Home Office will expect to see significant evidence of regular contact, signs of affection and companionship, emotional support, and an abiding interest in each other’s welfare and wellbeing.

The Home Office will consider evidence of cohabitation where available, but cohabitation is not a prerequisite. Documents should ideally be in the name of you and your Fiancé(e) jointly. Alternatively, it is possible to rely on documents addressed to you both individually at the same address. Documents should be dated within the last few years and originate from a range of sources. Official documents are preferred, but if it is not possible to provide exclusively official documents then other documents proving cohabitation may also be submitted.

If you and your Fiancé(e) have not lived together, or have not lived together for very long, it is also possible to provide unofficial evidence of a relationship.

As mentioned above, the Home Office will expect to see significant evidence of a genuine and subsisting relationship. If the Home Office has doubts as to the genuine and subsisting nature of your relationship then it may undertake further checks, interview you and your Fiancé(e) or arrange a home visit. If it has reasonable grounds to doubt that your relationship is genuine or subsisting then your Fiancé(e) Visa application will be refused.

Our immigration barristers regularly advise Fiancé(e) Visa applicants as to the documentary evidence that the Home Office will expect to see in order to be satisfied that their relationship is a real one, based on genuine affection and shared values, and that it is ongoing at the time of the application. We do not rely on templated lists of documents and only ever advise our clients on the documents needed to prove a genuine and subsisting relationship on the basis of their own personal circumstances.

Related reading: What is a Genuine and Subsisting Relationship?
Related reading: Genuine and Subsisting Relationship Requirement

6. Intention to Marry or Enter Into a Civil Partnership in the UK Within 6 Months

You must be seeking entry to the UK to enable your marriage or civil partnership to take place in the United Kingdom. And, because Fiancé(e) Visas are valid for a period of 6 months, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you intend to get married or enter into a civil partnership within 6 months of your arrival in the UK. The Home Office will generally expect to see some evidence of wedding planning and / or arrangements for your wedding day or civil partnership ceremony.

Previous Relationship Broken Down Permanently

In order to meet the requirements for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa, neither you or your Fiancé(e) can be married to, or in a civil partnership with, another person at the date of your Fiancé(e) Visa application. You must both be free to marry or enter into a civil partnership.

If you have previously been married or have entered into a civil partnership, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you are divorced, your civil partnership has been dissolved or you are widowed.

You will need to provide documentary evidence which complies with the requirements of the Immigration Rules. For example, a divorce in the UK must be evidenced by a relevant divorce document issued in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland by a civil court, such as a decree absolute or final order, as applicable. A divorce outside the UK must be evidenced by a reasonable equivalent to a decree absolute certificate, valid under the law in force in the relevant country.

If you or your Fiancé(e) have previously been married and this marriage has not been legally dissolved then you may still qualify for an Unmarried Partner Visa. You will need to provide evidence that the new relationship is genuine and subsisting and that the previous relationship has broken down permanently.

7. Intention to Live Together Permanently in the UK

In order to qualify for a Fiancé(e) Visa, UK Visas & Immigration will want to be satisfied that you and your Fiancé(e) intend to live together permanently in the UK.

At the initial Fiancé(e) Visa application stage this will require a clear commitment from both of you that you will live together permanently in the UK immediately following the outcome of your Fiancé(e) Visa application or as soon as circumstances permit thereafter.

When you apply for further leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain as a spouse, the Home Office will expect any periods of time spent outside the UK to be limited, for good reason and consistent with an intention to live together permanently in the UK. Good reasons could include time spent overseas in connection with work, holidays, training or study.

If you or your spouse-to-be spend the majority of your time overseas, this could cause the Home Office to doubt your intention to live together permanently in the UK. The Home Office will consider the reasons for travel, length of absence and whether you and your spouse travelled and lived together during the time spent outside the UK.

Related reading: Residence Requirements for Partners

8. UK Fiancé(e) Visa Financial Requirement

In order to demonstrate that you can meet the financial requirement, or where exempt from the minimum income requirement show adequate maintenance and accommodation, in the UK without recourse to public funds, you will need to satisfy the Fiancé(e) Visa financial requirement.

The financial requirement for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa application states that, unless exempt, you will need to demonstrate a gross annual income of at least £29,000 from the permitted sources. For an entry clearance application, specified employment or self-employment income is generally that of your Fiancé(e), although specified savings, pension income and other specified income of the applicant and/or sponsor may be relevant.

There is no longer a separate child element to the minimum income requirement for first applications made on or after 11 April 2024. Transitional financial requirements may apply where an applicant first made a successful Appendix FM application as a Fiancé(e)e, proposed civil partner or partner before 11 April 2024 and is applying to stay with the same partner.

Different considerations will apply if your Fiancé(e) is in receipt of certain state benefits or entitlements, when the financial requirement for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa is that the sponsor can ‘adequately maintain and accommodate’ the family member being sponsored to enter or remain in the UK.

You will need to meet the financial requirement when you first apply to enter the UK as a Fiancé(e), when you apply to extend your stay as a spouse and when you apply for indefinite leave to remain as a spouse.

The Immigration Rules relating to the Fiancé(e) Visa financial requirement are complex and include mandatory documentary evidence requirements. The onus is on applicants to demonstrate that the financial requirement is met. One of the most common reasons for refusal of a Fiancé(e) Visa application is because mandatory financial evidence is not provided.

9. How to Satisfy the UK Fiancé(e) Visa Financial Requirement

The UK Fiancé(e) Visa financial requirement can be satisfied in a variety of different ways, including by relying on:

• Income from salaried or non-salaried employment of your Fiancé(e) and/or you if you are making an in-country partner application and are in the UK with permission to work;
• Non-employment income, for example, income from property rental or dividends from shares;
• Cash savings of your partner and/or yourself, above £16,000, held by your Fiancé(e) and/or you for at least 6 months and under their / your control;
• State UK or foreign, occupational or private pension of your Fiancé(e) and/or yourself;
• Income from self-employment, and income as a director or employee of a specified limited company in the UK, of your Fiancé(e) and/or you if you are making an in-country partner application and are in the UK with permission to work.

In some circumstances it is possible to rely on a combination of the above sources of income to satisfy the financial requirement.

Where transitional arrangements apply, the applicable minimum income threshold may be £18,600 plus any child element, capped at £29,000.

As mentioned above, different considerations will apply if your Fiancé(e) is in receipt of certain state benefits or entitlements.

Also, Fiancé(e) Visa applicants relying on cash savings to satisfy the Fiancé(e) Visa financial requirement may wish to keep in mind that the level of cash savings required in an entry clearance and extension application is different from the level required when applying for indefinite leave to remain as a spouse.

In exceptional circumstances in which refusal of the Fiancé(e) Visa application could otherwise breach ECHR Article 8, other credible and reliable sources of income, financial support or funds available to the couple may be taken into account.

Our immigration barristers are experts in the Fiancé(e) Visa financial requirement rules and regularly assist UK Fiancé(e) Visa applicants to navigate the complex evidential requirements.

10. Fiance Visa Accommodation Requirement

When you apply for entry clearance as a Fiancé(e), you will need to provide evidence that there will be adequate accommodation available to you and your Fiancé(e), without the need to rely on public funds, in accommodation which you own or occupy exclusively.

You will need to provide evidence as to the basis on which the property is owned or occupied, that you are legally and exclusively entitled to occupy the property and that the property will not be overcrowded or contravene public health regulations.

Related reading: The UK Family Visa Accommodation Requirement
Related reading: Meeting the Accommodation Requirement: UK Spouse or Fiancé(e) Visa

11. Fiancé(e) Visa English Language Requirement

Unless exempt, as part of your Fiancé(e) Visa application you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you satisfy an English language requirement.

When applying for entry clearance on the Fiancé(e) Visa route you will need to demonstrate competence in the English language to at least CEFR level A1. Once you have successfully switched into the spouse route and you apply for further leave to remain as a spouse after having held leave as a spouse for 2.5 years, you will need to demonstrate competence in the English language to at least CEFR level A2.

You can meet the Fiancé(e) Visa English language requirement by:

• Holding the nationality of a majority English speaking country;
• Passing an approved English language test at or above the required CEFR level, with an approved provider as set out on Approved Secure English Language Tests and Test Centres; or
• Having an academic qualification which is either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD if awarded in the UK; or, if awarded outside the UK, is deemed by Ecctis formerly UK NARIC to meet or exceed the recognised standard of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree or PhD in the UK, and Ecctis formerly UK NARIC has confirmed that the degree was taught or researched in English at or above the required CEFR level.

In order to be exempt from the English language requirement you will normally have to prove that either:

• You are aged 65 or over at the date of application;
• You have a physical or mental disability which prevents you from meeting the English language requirement;
• There are exceptional circumstances which mean that you cannot satisfy the English language requirement before entering the UK.

If you are not able to demonstrate that you meet the English language requirement or are exempt, then your Fiancé(e) Visa application will be refused.

Related reading: Family & Partner Visa English Language Requirement

12. UK Fiancé(e) Visa Supporting Documents

The most common reason for a Fiancé(e) Visa application to be refused is because the applicant fails to include sufficient documentary evidence in support of their application.

The Immigration Rules contain strict requirements in terms of the documents that must be submitted in support of a UK Fiancé(e) Visa application. Every case is different and the required supporting documents for a Fiancé(e) Visa application will vary from case to case.

Applicants should be very careful when using pre-prepared document checklists for Fiancé(e) Visa applications. Advice from an immigration lawyer will ensure that the documents listed are appropriate for individual circumstances.

At the same time, if a required document is not provided, is in the wrong format or does not contain all mandatory information then the application for a Fiancé(e) Visa may be refused. Appeals can take many months to be determined and the outcome may be uncertain. A fresh application will involve further cost and additional delay.

Our immigration barristers provide expert advice to Fiancé(e) Visa applicants in relation to the documents required for a successful Fiancé(e) Visa application and also check supporting documents for compliance with the Immigration Rules.

13. How to Apply for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa

Applications for Fiancé(e) Visas can only be made from outside the UK. It is not possible to switch into the Fiancé(e) Visa category from within the UK.

An application for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa must be made from outside the UK. You should apply in the country in which you are living. You do not need to be a citizen of the country.

Fiancé(e) Visa applications are made using an online application form.

Before you apply for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa you should check the correct application form for your individual circumstances with an immigration lawyer.

You should prepare your supporting documents while you are preparing your Fiancé(e) Visa application form, as there are some specific document requirements which necessitate that your documents are dated before the date that you submit the online application form.

The current system allows individuals to upload scans of their Fiancé(e) Visa supporting documents for the Home Office to review. However, you should check the individual procedure for the country in which you intend to apply at the time when you are applying, as the Home Office changes this system from time to time.

14. UK Fiancé(e) Visa Fees, Processing Times and Duration

The Home Office application fee for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa application submitted outside the UK is currently £2,064. The Home Office application fee to switch into the spouse category from within the UK or extend stay as a spouse is currently £1,407. Additional fees will apply if you use a faster decision service, where available.

The current Home Office processing time for a Fiancé(e) Visa application submitted outside the UK is 12 weeks. If you apply via the Priority Service where available then you will usually receive a decision within 30 working days. Availability of faster decision services depends on the route, location and options offered at the time of application.

If your application for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa is successful, your visa will be valid for 6 months initially.

15. Working or Studying in the UK on a Fiancé(e) Visa

Fiancé(e) Visa holders are not permitted to work or study in the UK.

16. What Happens After a UK Fiancé(e) Visa Is Granted?

After your wedding has taken place, you will then be eligible to apply to switch into the Spouse category without having to leave the UK.

If your application for further leave to remain in the UK as a Spouse is successful then you will be granted further leave to remain for a period of 30 months. In some cases involving a sponsor with temporary protection status granted for 30 months following an asylum application made on or after 2 March 2026, permission may be aligned with the sponsor’s permission. You will need to extend your Spouse leave for a further 30 months before it expires.

After spending 5 years in the UK as the Spouse of a British citizen or settled person, you will be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

Most people in the Spouse Visa category are on a five year route to settlement. This means that after two grants of 30 months, they are eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Some people are on a ten year route to settlement, and they will need to have four grants of leave. If, after you enter the UK you switch from the five year route to the ten year route, then you can count both grants of leave towards the period you need for the ten year route.

Once you have obtained Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, if you are married to a British citizen you can immediately apply to Naturalise as a British Citizen. If you are not married to a British citizen, you will need to wait a period of 12 months before you can apply.

17. What Happens if We Do Not Marry Within 6 Months?

If your application for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa is successful, you will normally be granted permission to enter and stay in the UK for 6 months. During this period, you are expected to marry or enter into a civil partnership with your partner in the UK and then apply to switch into the Spouse or Civil Partner category before your Fiancé(e) Visa expires. A Fiancé(e) can stay for 6 months and must marry before applying to extend their stay.

If your marriage does not take place within the initial 6-month period, it may be possible to apply for a further period of leave as a Fiancé(e). You will need to show that there is a good reason why the ceremony has not taken place and that it will take place within the next 6 months.

Examples of circumstances which may need to be explained include:

• illness, bereavement or serious family circumstances;
• delays in obtaining documents needed to give notice or arrange the ceremony;
• difficulties securing an available date at a register office, religious venue or other ceremony venue;
• administrative delays outside the couple’s control;
• a change in wedding arrangements, provided the couple still intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK.

The application should be supported by evidence. This may include correspondence with the register office or venue, evidence of cancelled or postponed arrangements, medical or family evidence where relevant, updated ceremony plans and a clear explanation from both partners confirming that the relationship remains genuine and subsisting and that they still intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership within the further period requested.

Applicants should not assume that a further 6 months will be granted automatically. The Home Office will consider whether there is a genuine reason for the delay, whether the couple still intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership and whether the other relevant requirements continue to be met.

It is also important not to leave matters until after the Fiancé(e) Visa has expired. If you remain in the UK after your visa has expired without having submitted a valid application for further leave, you may become an overstayer. This can affect your immigration position and may create difficulties for any future application.

Couples should also keep in mind the practical timing of giving notice. In England and Wales, notice must usually be given at least 29 days before the ceremony and the ceremony must take place within 12 months of giving notice. A person will usually need to have lived in the relevant registration district for the previous 7 days before giving notice. Different procedures may apply in Scotland, Northern Ireland or for certain religious ceremonies, so couples should check the relevant local requirements as early as possible.

If the relationship has broken down, or if you no longer intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership with your sponsor, you will not be able to extend your stay as a Fiancé(e) on the basis of that relationship. You should seek legal advice before your visa expires in order to understand your options.

18. Common Reasons Why UK Fiancé(e) Visa Applications Are Refused

A UK Fiancé(e) Visa application may be refused if the Home Office is not satisfied that all the requirements of the Immigration Rules have been met. In many cases, refusals occur not because the relationship is not genuine, but because the application has not been properly evidenced.

Common reasons for refusal include:

Insufficient Evidence of a Genuine and Subsisting Relationship

The Home Office will need to be satisfied that your relationship with your Fiancé(e) is genuine and subsisting. A refusal may occur where there is limited evidence of communication, limited evidence of time spent together, inconsistencies in the couple’s evidence or insufficient evidence of an ongoing commitment to the relationship.

This can be a particular issue where the relationship is long-distance, where the couple have not lived together, where there have been limited visits or where the relationship developed mainly online.

Lack of Evidence of Intention to Marry or Enter Into a Civil Partnership

Fiancé(e) Visa applicants must show that they intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arrival. A vague intention to marry in the future will not be sufficient.

The Home Office will generally expect to see evidence of wedding or civil partnership planning, such as correspondence with a register office, religious venue or wedding venue, provisional bookings, enquiries about giving notice or other evidence showing that real arrangements are being made.

Previous Marriage or Civil Partnership Not Legally Ended

A Fiancé(e) Visa application may be refused if either the applicant or sponsor remains legally married to, or in a civil partnership with, another person at the date of application.

Where either party has previously been married or in a civil partnership, evidence must be provided to show that the previous marriage or civil partnership has legally ended. Overseas divorce or dissolution documents should be valid under the law of the country in which they were obtained.

Failure to Meet the Financial Requirement

The financial requirement is one of the most common reasons for refusal. A refusal may occur because the sponsor does not meet the required income threshold, the wrong financial category has been relied upon or the mandatory documents have not been provided.

Common financial evidence problems include missing payslips, bank statements that do not correspond with payslips, incomplete employer letters, cash savings held for too short a period or incomplete self-employment documents.

Inadequate Accommodation Evidence

Applicants must show that there will be adequate accommodation available in the UK without recourse to public funds. A refusal may occur where there is insufficient evidence of ownership or occupation, no evidence that the applicant is permitted to live at the property, or concerns that the accommodation will be overcrowded.

Failure to Meet the English Language Requirement

Unless exempt, a Fiancé(e) Visa applicant must satisfy the English language requirement. A refusal may occur where the applicant has taken the wrong test, used a provider that is not approved, submitted an invalid or expired test certificate or failed to provide the required evidence of a degree qualification.

Problems With Translations or Overseas Documents

Documents that are not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a translation that meets the Home Office requirements. A refusal may occur where translations are missing, incomplete or not properly certified.

Applicants should also ensure that overseas civil status documents, divorce documents, bank statements and employment documents are complete, legible and properly translated where required.

Inconsistencies in the Application

Inconsistencies between the application form, witness statements, relationship evidence, travel history, financial documents or previous visa applications can cause the Home Office to doubt the credibility of the application.

Differences in addresses, employment dates, travel dates or the date on which the relationship began should be explained clearly where they may otherwise cause confusion.

Previous Immigration History or Suitability Concerns

A Fiancé(e) Visa application may also be refused because of previous immigration breaches, adverse immigration history, criminality, deception allegations or other suitability concerns.

Applicants who have previously overstayed, had a visa refused, used false documents, breached visa conditions or failed to disclose relevant information should seek legal advice before applying.

If your Fiancé(e) Visa application is refused, you may have a right of appeal. However, an appeal can take many months and the outcome may be uncertain. It is therefore preferable to prepare the application carefully and address any potential refusal issues before the application is submitted.

19. Other UK Immigration Routes for Engaged Couples

Route	Best for	Apply from	Can work?	Settlement route?	Key risk
Fiancé(e) / proposed civil partner visa	Coming to the UK to marry and then remain	Outside UK	No	After switching to spouse/civil partner	Insufficient marriage plans / relationship evidence
Marriage Visitor visa	Coming to the UK to marry, then leave	Outside UK	No	No	Home Office doubts intention to leave
Spouse / civil partner visa	Already married / civil partnered	Usually outside UK, or switch if eligible	Yes	Yes	Financial/evidence gaps
Unmarried partner visa	Durable partner relationship without marriage	Outside or inside UK if eligible	Yes	Yes	Relationship evidence, especially where no cohabitation

20. Frequently Asked Questions About UK Fiancé(e) Visas

How can I get married in the UK?

If you wish to travel to the UK to get married then there are two main immigration routes available: the Marriage Visit visa and the Fiancé(e) visa.

The Marriage Visit visa is designed for individuals who wish to visit the UK to marry, form a civil partnership or give notice of a marriage or civil partnership in the UK.

The Fiancé(e) visa is for engaged partners of British or Irish citizens, persons with indefinite leave to remain in the UK, refugee leave or humanitarian protection or limited leave to remain under Appendix EU or Appendix ECAA, or permission as a Stateless person, who wish to enter the UK and marry or enter into a civil partnership within 6 months of their arrival.

Related reading: How to Get Married in the UK: Choosing the Right Visa for Marriage
Related reading: What Visa do I Need To Get Married in the UK?

Where can I apply for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa?

An application for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa must be made from outside the UK. You should apply in the country in which you are living. You do not need to be a citizen of the country.

Can I switch into the Fiancé(e) Visa category from inside the UK?

No. Applications for Fiancé(e) Visas can only be made from outside the UK. It is not possible to switch into the Fiancé(e) Visa category from within the UK.

What evidence is needed for a genuine and subsisting relationship?

The Home Office will expect to see significant evidence of regular contact, signs of affection and companionship, emotional support, and an abiding interest in each other’s welfare and wellbeing. The evidence required will depend on the couple’s individual circumstances.

What happens if I do not get married within 6 months?

If your marriage or civil partnership 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.

Can I work or study in the UK on a Fiancé(e) Visa?

No. Fiancé(e) Visa holders are not permitted to work or study in the UK.

When can I apply for a British passport after a Fiancé(e) Visa?

When you first enter the Fiancé(e) Visa category you will be granted permission to stay for a period of 6 months. Once you have married, you will be able to apply to switch into the Spouse Visa category. If this application is successful you will be granted further leave for a period of two and a half years. You will then have to make an extension application before the expiry of this leave and will be granted a further two and a half years.

Most people in the Spouse Visa category are on a five year route to settlement. This means that after two grants of 30 months, they are eligible for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Once you have obtained Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, if you are married to a British citizen you can immediately apply to Naturalise as a British Citizen. If you are not married to a British citizen, you will need to wait a period of 12 months before you can apply.

What if my Fiancé(e) Visa application is refused?

If your application for a UK Fiancé(e) Visa is refused then you should have a right of appeal. This is because a Fiancé(e) application is automatically deemed a human rights claim.

The appeal will be heard at the First-tier Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber in the UK. Immigration appeal proceedings can take many months to be determined and the outcome may be uncertain. It is advisable to seek legal advice and representation from a specialist immigration lawyer before appealing against a decision to refuse a Fiancé(e) Visa application.