1. Overview of the UK Marriage Visitor Visa and Fiancé Visa

If you currently reside outside of the UK and wish to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK, there are two main routes available: a Marriage or Civil Partner Visit visa or a Fiancé visa. 

Each visa route comes with its own eligibility criteria, processing times, permitted activities, and long-term immigration implications. Understanding these differences is essential to ensure you choose the route that best aligns with your personal circumstances and long-term plans.

The Marriage or Civil Partner Visit Visa is designed for individuals over the age of 18 who wish to visit the UK to marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of a marriage or civil partnership, in the UK. It is intended for short-term visits only and does not allow you to remain in the UK after the ceremony. 

The UK Fiancé Visa is for engaged partners of British or Irish citizens, persons who are settled in the UK, persons with pre-settled status, persons with a Turkish Businessperson or Turkish Worker visa and persons with refugee status or humanitarian protection who wish to enter the UK and marry within 6 months of their arrival. Unlike the Marriage Visitor visa route, the Fiancé Visa enables you to remain in the UK after the wedding by switching into the Spouse Visa category, provided you meet the relevant requirements.

This article will explore the differences between these two options.

2. Requirements for a Marriage or Civil Partner Visit Visa

In order to qualify for a Marriage Visitor visa you will need to show that: 

• You are at least 18 years old;
• You intend to give notice of marriage or civil partnership in the UK or intend to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK, within six months of your arrival;
• You are in a genuine rather than a sham relationship;
• You are genuinely seeking entry to the UK for a purpose that is permitted by the visitor routes;
• You will not undertake any prohibited activities;
• You have sufficient funds to cover all reasonable costs in relation to your visit (including travel, maintenance and accommodation costs) without working or accessing public funds;
• You will visit the UK for less than 6 months and leave the UK at the end of your visit;
• You will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits, or make the UK your main home;
• Your application does not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal.

3. Requirements for a Fiancé Visa

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

• Your partner is British or Irish, is settled in the UK, has been granted pre-settled status, holds a Turkish Businessperson or Turkish Worker visa or has refugee status or humanitarian protection;
• You are both over the age of 18;
• You have met in person;
• Your relationship is genuine and subsisting;
• You intend to marry 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 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.

4. The Main Differences Between a Marriage or Civil Partner Visit Visa and a Fiancé Visa

As a visitor, you must have a genuine intention to visit and therefore must have an intention to leave the UK at the end of the visit. 

As a fiancé, you must demonstrate that you intend to live permanently with your partner in the UK. 

This is an important difference between the two applications as the intention behind each of the applications is completely different. In deciding which application to make, you should first decide whether you intend to visit the UK for a short period or if it is your intention to move to the UK on a long-term basis  immediately.  

Marrying in the UK on a marriage visit visa does not prevent you from applying to come to the UK as a spouse in future. However, as set out below, you would need to apply for entry clearance as a spouse from outside of the UK. If you intend to apply as a spouse immediately upon returning to your home country following a period as a marriage visitor, this would need to be carefully explained in a Marriage Visitor visa application.

5. Applying for a Spouse Visa From Within the UK

To apply from within the UK as a spouse there is an immigration status requirement:

• “E-LTRP.2.1. The applicant must not be in the UK-

• (a) as a visitor; or

• (b) with valid leave granted for a period of 6 months or less, unless that leave is as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, or was granted pending the outcome of family court or divorce proceedings”

Therefore, as a visitor, you cannot apply for leave to remain in the UK as a spouse. It is possible to marry in the UK on a Marriage Visitor visa, leave the UK and later apply for entry clearance as a spouse, as set out above. 

As a fiancé, you will be given 6 months leave to enter in order to marry in the UK. Before the expiry of this 6 month period, you should apply for leave to remain in the UK as a spouse. The requirements are similar to those as a fiancé, but you must be legally married when you come to apply as a spouse. The requirements are set out in the Spouse Visa section of our website.

Those in the UK with other forms of leave, for example, as a student, can switch into the spouse route from within the UK. 

6. Financial Requirements for Each Visa

As a marriage visitor, you will need to demonstrate that you have sufficient funds available to you to cover the costs of your visit and your return journey without needing to rely on public funds.

As a fiancé, you would need to demonstrate that you can be adequately maintained and accommodated without needing to rely on public funds. Many of our previous articles have outlined the ways in which the financial requirement can be met.

7. Comparing Visa Application Fees

The Home Office application fee for a UK Fiancé visa application is currently £1,938. The Home Office application fee to switch into the Spouse category from within the UK following a period spent as a fiancé is £1,321. There is also an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fee to be paid at the spouse stage, which is currently a fee of £1,035 per year of your visa. 

The application fee for a Marriage Visitor visa is currently £125. If you then leave the UK and apply later as a spouse, the Home Office application fee for a UK Spouse visa application submitted outside the UK is currently £1,938.

The above fees do not incorporate any additional services you wish to purchase.

8. Getting Married or Forming a Civil Partnership in the UK

If you are already in the UK and want to get married or form a civil partnership, please refer to our previous article How to Get Married in the UK which outlines the process and legal requirements involved.

Discover real-life examples and inspiring stories from clients who have successfully navigated the spouse, partner, and family visa routes to join their loved ones in the UK.

9. Contact Our Immigration Barristers

For expert advice and assistance regarding a marriage or civil partner visit visa application or a family or partner visa application, contact our immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.

10. Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main visa routes if I want to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK?

The two main routes are the Marriage or Civil Partner Visit Visa and the Fiancé Visa. The visit visa is for short-term visits to marry or give notice, while the Fiancé visa allows you to enter the UK to marry and stay longer by switching to a spouse visa.

Who can apply for a Marriage or Civil Partner Visit Visa?

Individuals over 18 who intend to visit the UK to marry or form a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership within six months of arrival, and who meet other eligibility criteria such as being in a genuine relationship and having sufficient funds for the visit.

Who is eligible for a UK Fiancé Visa?

Engaged partners of British or Irish citizens, persons settled in the UK, those with pre-settled status, holders of Turkish Businessperson or Worker visas, or those with refugee or humanitarian protection status, who intend to marry within six months of arrival.

Can I stay in the UK after marrying on a Marriage Visitor visa?

No, the Marriage Visitor visa is for short-term visits only. You must leave the UK at the end of your visit. However, you can apply for a Spouse visa from outside the UK afterward.

Can I apply for a Spouse visa from within the UK?

Visitors cannot apply for a Spouse visa from within the UK. However, Fiancé visa holders can apply to switch to a Spouse visa before their 6-month fiancé leave expires. Other visa holders, like students, may also switch to Spouse visas from within the UK.

What are the financial requirements for these visas?

Marriage Visitor visa applicants must show they have enough funds to cover their visit and return without accessing public funds. Fiancé visa applicants must demonstrate they can be adequately maintained and accommodated in the UK without relying on public funds.

What are the current fees for these visa applications?

The Marriage Visitor visa fee is £125. The Fiancé visa application fee is £1,938, with a £1,321 fee to switch to a Spouse visa inside the UK, plus an Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 per year at the spouse stage. The Spouse visa application fee from outside the UK is also £1,938.

What is the key difference in intention between the two visa types?

Marriage Visitor visa applicants must intend to visit the UK temporarily and leave after the visit. Fiancé visa applicants intend to marry and live permanently with their partner in the UK, immediately after marriage.