The Fiancé visa could be your opportunity to begin a life in the UK with your partner if they are a British citizen or have settled status, and you want to marry them. You can convert to a Spouse visa once you are married to make things permanent.
Get help from immigration lawyers like Immigration Advice Service to get application support. Call us to be connected with an expert immigration professional or visit us online to learn more.
Understanding the Fiancé Visa
Getting a Fiancé visa is essential if you want to move to the UK to marry your partner and then start married life there. The standard eligibility period is six months, so you need to get married within this time. As same-sex marriage is legal in the UK, the visa is suitable for LGBTQ+ couples.
The primary eligibility criteria are as follows:
- Both members of the couple are aged 18 or older.
- You can show that you have made proper plans to get married within the eligibility period, such as a booking with the wedding venue.
- You intend to live in the UK after the wedding.
- You and your partner can financially support yourselves in the UK without needing state assistance, and have access to suitable accommodation.
- You have acceptable English language skills.
- You are in a genuine and sustained relationship.
Your UK-based partner also needs to have an eligible status in the country. This can include being a British citizen, a refugee or person with humanitarian status, or holding indefinite leave to remain or settled status, pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, or a Turkish Businessperson or Worker visa.
Fiancé Visa Application Process
Before you can move to the UK to marry your partner, you will need to successfully complete the application process. First, you need to determine that this is the right visa for your circumstances and that you are eligible. If not, consider alternative UK visas.
Next, head to the UK Government website. The partner from outside the UK will need to complete the application form. You will also upload any supporting documentation and pay the application fee. Make sure to retain the receipt.
The foreign partner will then need to make an appointment with a UK visa application centre to give their biometric information, including fingerprints and a photograph. UK visa authorities will then begin processing your application.
It currently costs £1,938 for applications from abroad and £1,321 to apply from inside the UK. You can expect processing to take two to three months, although you can pay extra for priority and super priority processing to receive an answer within a few days.
Showing You Have a Genuine Relationship
One of the most important attributes your application must demonstrate is that you are in a genuine relationship with your UK-based partner, meaning the marriage is not simply to move to the UK. Multiple pieces of verifiable evidence will need to be provided to prove this is the case. Examples can include the following:
- Joint bank statements.
- Proof of living together previously, such as rental agreements, a mortgage, or utility bills with both of your names on.
- Birth certificates for any of the children you have had together.
- Divorce certificates for any previous marriages.
- Letters from your friends or family confirming the nature of your relationship.
- Information on how you met and when, and how often you spend time together.
Converting Your Fiancé Visa to a Spouse Visa
The Fiancé visa is not renewable, but you can remain in the UK once you are married by converting it to a Spouse visa. You don’t need to leave the UK to submit your application, and the application process is similar to the Fiancé visa.
You can stay in the UK for 30 months while holding a Spouse visa, and you can renew it as many times as you want so long as you are still eligible. Time spent in the UK on this visa also contributed towards the minimum residency to get indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship. Both statuses come with a host of further rights and protects your ability to remain in the UK.
Fiancé Visa Rejections
All UK visa applications can be rejected by immigration authorities, with the reasoning set out in your rejection letter. This is particularly distressing for Fiancé visa applicants as it harms your ability to begin life in the UK with the person you love.
You can begin a legal appeal if you think rules were broken in rejecting your application. If you think there was a genuine mistake, you can launch an administrative review.
These appeals processes won’t work if you realise that you made errors in your application. In this case, it is best to restart the application process, although your initial visa fee will not be refundable. If you realise that you aren’t eligible for the Fiancé visa, it is best to consider alternative options to come to the UK legally, such as a Work visa.
How Can IAS Help?
The benefits of a Fiancé visa are enormous. It gives you the chance of a fairytale wedding in the UK and a way to enjoy married life in the country if you convert to a Spouse visa. That is then a pathway to indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship. However, making mistakes with your application could make getting a Fiancé visa an impossible goal.
It’s a great idea to enlist the help of immigration lawyers and advisers, such as Immigration Advice Service. Our team can guide you through the entire application process, helping you to pull together documentation and prove the genuine nature of your relationship. Our support doesn’t stop once you begin your life in the UK. We can help you with a Spouse visa application and renewals every 30 months. If you decide to apply for indefinite leave to remain or British citizenship, we’ll stick by your side.
