UK Fiance Visa

What is a UK Fiance Visa?

A UK Fiance Visa allows individuals who are engaged to a UK-based partner to enter the UK to marry their partner (also referred to as a ‘sponsor’) within six months of arriving in the UK. The Fiance Visa is a sub-category of the UK Family Visa.

The UK Fiance Visa lasts for 6 months and within this time you must usually marry your UK-based partner. If you wish to remain in the UK after your Fiance Visa expires then you must apply for another UK visa or immigration permission. Most often individuals with a UK Fiance Visa will apply to switch to the UK Spouse Visa which can lead to indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship.

Fiance Visa UK Requirements 2024

To be eligible to make a UK Fiance Visa application, you will be required to meet the following requirements:

• Your partner is a British citizen or an Irish citizen, 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 both met in person; 
• Your relationship is “genuine” and “subsisting”; 
• You intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership with your partner within six months of your arrival in the United Kingdom; 
• Any previous relationships, civil partnerships, or marriages have broken down permanently; 
• You intend to live together permanently in the United Kingdom;
• You will be adequately maintained in the UK without recourse to public funds (“benefits”); 
• There is adequate accommodation for you and any dependents; 
• You meet the English language requirement (You speak and understand English to the required level). 

How do I prove my relationship is genuine for a Fiance Visa UK?

To be eligible to make a Fiance Visa UK application, you will be required to prove that your relationship is genuine. There are many ways to prove that your relationship is genuine for a UK Fiance Visa, however, the most common way (where applicable) is to show that you and your UK-based partner live together.

To prove that your relationship is genuine for the Fiance Visa UK, you can send the following evidence as part of your UK Fiance Visa application:

• Documents which come from an official third party,  such as the government, a bank, a landlord, a utility provider, or a medical professional;
• Documents that confirm the nature of your relationship with your partner - for example, that you live together or, share joint expenses; and
• Evidence that is less than 4 years old.

It is current UK Home Office guidance though that items such as greetings cards, travel tickets, receipts, photographs and text or social media messages are not considered strong evidence of your relationship and are unlikely to help your application. 

A qualified legal advisor will take detailed instructions about your relationship and make suggestions on the documents likely to carry the most evidential weight. 

What are the Financial Requirements for a Fiance Visa for the UK?

The way in which you will meet the financial requirements for a Fiance Visa for the UK will depend on whether you are working, self-employed, or have sufficient savings. Additionally, the money you will be required to show for a UK Fiance Visa will depend on whether you have dependents applying alongside you, and whether or not your application is exempt from meeting this requirement.

When applying for a UK Fiance Visa you will be required to have a joint annual income of at least £18,600. This income requirement will rise by £3,800 if one child dependent will be joining you and then it will rise by a further £2,400 for each additional child. However, if your children are British, Irish, an EEA national or from another exempt category then you will not be required to meet this financial requirement.

The minimum income for the Fiance Visa UK is as follows:

The table above is correct at the time of writing (14th February 2024). However, from 11 April 2024 – there will be changes to the income threshold for those applying for family visas from £18,600 to £29,000 and the child element will be removed.

In addition to showing that you meet the minimum income, you are also required to show:

• The sources used to satisfy the financial requirement come from permitted income sources or savings.
• That the sources of income cover certain periods of time applicable to each permitted income source relied upon.
• Evidence for each source of income relied upon.

Who is exempt from meeting the financial requirements for a Fiance Visa UK?

If your partner (“Sponsor”) is in receipt of certain benefits issued to those who are disabled, or who have caring responsibilities, or is in receipt of Armed Forces Independence and Compensation payments then you will be exempt from meeting the financial requirements for a Fiance Visa UK.

The English language requirement and UK Fiance Visa applications

Unless you are a national of a majority English-speaking country (according to the approved UK Home Office list) then you will be required to prove your knowledge of the English language by either: 

• Passing an approved English language test from a recognised provider – the most common way to meet this requirement;
  
  or 
  
  
• Proving it with an academic qualification, at degree level or above, that was taught and/or researched in English. 

If you take a test then it must be at least level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale for your first visa application. You can choose to take a higher-level test. If you are able to pass level B1 or higher, the current UK Home Office guidance is that you may be permitted to reuse your test result again when you apply for settlement after 5 years as long as it continues to be an approved test.

What proof do you need for a Fiancé Visa?

When applying for a Fiancé Visa you will be required to provide proof to show that you meet the requirements. However, the proof that you will be required to provide as part of your Fiancé Visa application is dependent on your own and your partner’s circumstances. 

However, the Home Office Immigration Rules do require certain information and documents to be provided. The following are just some of the proof which needs to be provided for a Fiancé Visa:

• A valid passport.
• Proof of your partner’s (sponsor’s) immigration status.

Any documents not in English will need to be translated by a suitably qualified professional.

While optional, reviewing Home Office guidance prior to submitting your application of this nature can greatly benefit your submission. Failing to provide the specified evidence may result in your UK Fiance Visa application being rejected.

How to apply for a UK Fiance Visa

To apply for a UK Fiance Visa, you must make an online application from outside of the UK.

As part of the online application, you will need an email address and be required to register it. You can complete and submit the UK Fiance Visa application online using any of your preferred devices - be it a tablet, smartphone, or laptop. 

At the time of submission, you will be required to pay the application fee (£1,846).

Documents are to be submitted via a trusted third-party website, typically VFS Global or TLS Contact. Further instructions on submitting your documents will be provided after submission. 

Once completed, you will be required to attend a Visa Application Centre to provide your biometric details (fingerprints and photographs). In some cases, you may need to submit or send your passport to another centre, and the specific details on this will be communicated electronically based on the country and centre you choose.

Fiance Visa cost UK

A Fiance Visa UK costs £1,846. This application fee may vary slightly according to the exchange rate.

You will not have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your Fiancé Visa application. However, if you choose to switch to another UK visa or immigration route (i.e. UK Spouse Visa), you will be required to pay the IHS as part of that application.

- Correct at the time of writing (5th October 2023).

What is the UK Fiance Visa processing time?

The Home Office guidance on waiting times is that the UK Fiance Visa processing time currently stands at 24 weeks. This means that you should get a decision on your Fiance Visa within 24 weeks once you attend your appointment at the visa application centre. 

There may be an option to choose priority (5 working days) or super-priority (next day) services. You will be notified at the time of payment if this service is available, but it will cost extra, and the fee will be payable at the time of application.

How long does a UK Fiance Visa last?

A UK Fiance visa grants you entry to the United Kingdom for 6 months and you must usually get married in this time. Once you have married your partner (your ‘sponsor’) you will be able to switch from the Fiance Visa to a UK Spouse Visa, which will grant you stay (leave to remain) in the UK up to 2.5 years (30 months). A UK Spouse Visa can be used to apply for indefinite leave to remain and ultimately British citizenship.

Why would a UK Fiancé Visa be denied?

A UK Fiancé Visa will be denied if it is believed that you do not meet the eligibility requirements. Additionally, if you do not provide sufficient evidence as part of your application then your UK Fiancé Visa may also be denied. 

The Home Office will scrutinise every detail of your application. For this reason it is invaluable to seek the assistance of an immigration solicitor as they will be able to ensure that a robust application is submitted.

Can I extend my Fiance Visa?

Fiance visa extensions are very rare. There is some provision for an extension of the visa as a fiance but, in order to be granted this, you have to show that: 

• There is a good reason that the marriage or proposed civil partnership didn’t take place while you have leave to enter in this category (such as severe illness or postponement/cancellation not due to the applicant or sponsor); and
• There is satisfactory evidence that the marriage or civil partnership will take place at an earlier date; and 
• All of the other criteria met during the Fiancé Visa application process continue to be met. 

Does the Fiance Visa lead to settlement in the UK?

The Fiancee Visa by itself does not create a path to settlement in the UK. Therefore, if you were to apply for a Fiance Visa you would need to marry your UK partner and then switch to a UK Spouse Visa to be on a path to indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship.