Fiancée Visa
Unlike the Marriage Visitor Visa, which is for those who plan to leave the UK after their ceremony, the Fiancée Visa provides a pathway to settlement in the UK. After marriage, holders can apply to switch to a Spouse Visa without leaving the UK.
Who Is Eligible for a UK Fiancée Visa?
To qualify for a UK Fiancée Visa, both you and your partner must meet the following criteria:
- You must both be 18 years of age or older
- You must genuinely intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership within 6 months of arriving in the UK
- You must plan to live together permanently in the UK after your marriage or civil partnership
Your partner must be either:
- A British or Irish citizen
- A person with settled status in the UK (Indefinite Leave to Remain or EU Settled Status)
- A person with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK
- A person with a Turkish businessperson visa or Turkish worker visa
- You must have suitable accommodation in the UK
- Your combined income must meet the minimum financial requirement
- You must meet the English language requirement
- You must have a genuine and subsisting relationship
Financial Requirements for a UK Fiancée Visa
How Much Income Do You Need for a UK Fiancée Visa?
Unless exempt, you will need to demonstrate that your UK-based fiancé(e) (or both of you jointly if you are in the UK with valid leave to remain) has a gross annual income of at least £29,000.
This financial requirement applies to all applicants, regardless of whether you have dependent children or not. The previous separate child element of the minimum income requirement has been removed.
How to Meet the UK Fiancée Visa Financial Requirement
The financial requirement can be satisfied through various sources, including:
- Income from salaried or non-salaried employment of your fiancé(e) (and/or you if you are in the UK with permission to work)
- Self-employment income or income as a director of a limited company in the UK
- Pension income (state, occupational, or private)
- Non-employment income (e.g., property rentals, dividends)
- Cash savings above £16,000
If using cash savings, these must have been held for at least 6 months and be under your or your fiancé(e)’s control. The savings amount needed depends on how much income you need to make up.
In some circumstances, it is possible to combine different sources of income to meet the financial requirement.
Financial Requirement Exemptions
How Much Income Do You Need for a UK Fiancée Visa?
You do not need to meet the minimum income requirement if your fiancé(e) receives one of the following benefits:
- Disability Living Allowance
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Attendance Allowance
- Carer’s Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
- Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme
- Police Injury Pension
- Child Disability Payment
- Adult Disability Payment
However, you will still need to show that you have enough money to adequately house and support yourselves without relying on additional public funds.
Documents Required for a UK Fiancée Visa
UK Fiancée Visa Document List: What to Prepare?
The following documents are typically required for a UK Fiancée Visa application:
Personal Information:
- Current valid passport or travel ID
- Previous passports showing your travel history
- Biometric Residence Permit (if applicable)
- Two passport-sized colour photographs
- Birth certificate
Relationship Evidence:
- Evidence of your intention to marry or enter into a civil partnership within 6 months (e.g., booking confirmation from a registry office)
- Evidence of your relationship (e.g., photographs together, travel bookings, communication records)
- Evidence of any previous marriages or civil partnerships having ended (divorce or dissolution certificates)
Financial Evidence:
- Six months of bank statements
- Six months of payslips or evidence of income
- Employment contract or letter from employer
- Evidence of self-employment or business income (if applicable)
- Evidence of cash savings (if applicable)
- Evidence of pension income (if applicable)
Accommodation Evidence:
- Tenancy agreement or mortgage statement
- Property inspection report
- Utility bills
- Letter from a homeowner confirming you can stay there (if applicable)
English Language Requirement:
- English language test certificate at minimum A1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR)
- Degree certificate and evidence the course was taught in English (if using this to meet the requirement)
- Document showing you’re from a majority English-speaking country (if applicable)
Additional Documents:
- Tuberculosis (TB) test results (if you’re from a country where this is required)
- Criminal record certificate (if required)
- All documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by certified translations.
English Language Requirement for a UK Fiancée Visa
How to Meet the English Language Requirement for a Fiancée Visa?
You must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language to at least level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.
You can prove your English language proficiency by:
- Passing an approved English language test at the required level from an approved test provider
- Having a degree taught in English – You’ll need to provide evidence that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher and was taught in English
- Being from a majority English-speaking country – If you’re a national of certain countries, including Australia, the USA, Canada, New Zealand, and others, you are automatically considered to meet the requirement
For the initial fiancée visa application, you need to demonstrate English proficiency at level A1. When you later switch to a spouse visa, you’ll need to demonstrate level A2. For further leave to remain as a spouse (after 2.5 years), you’ll need level B1.
Exemptions from the English Language Requirement
You may be exempt from the English language requirement if:
- You are over the age of 65 at the date of application
- You have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement
- There are exceptional circumstances that prevent you from taking an English language test before entering the UK
Genuine Relationship Requirement for a UK Fiancée Visa
How to Prove a Genuine Relationship for a UK Fiancée Visa?
You must demonstrate that your relationship with your fiancé(e) is genuine and subsisting. This involves proving that:
- You and your fiancé(e) have met in person at least once
- Your relationship is genuine and not entered into solely for immigration purposes
- You intend to live together permanently in the UK after your marriage or civil partnership
- Any previous relationships have legally ended
- You are not within the prohibited degrees of relationship
Evidence to prove your relationship might include:
- Photographs of you together
- Travel documents showing visits to each other
- Communication records (e.g., message histories, call logs)
- Evidence of financial commitments together (e.g., joint bank accounts)
- Statements from friends and family confirming your relationship
- Evidence of living together (if applicable)
UK Fiancée Visa Fees and Processing Time
How Much Does a UK Fiancée Visa Cost and How Long Does It Take?
The current fee for a UK Fiancée Visa application submitted outside the UK is £1,938. If applying from inside the UK, the fee is £1,321.
In addition to the application fee, you will need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), which currently costs £1,035 per year. Since the fiancée visa is typically issued for 6 months, you would pay half of the annual amount (approximately £517.50).
The standard processing time for a Fiancée Visa application submitted outside the UK is about 12 weeks from the date of your biometric appointment. For applications made inside the UK, the processing time is typically 8 weeks if you meet the financial and English language requirements.
Priority and super-priority services may be available for an additional fee, offering faster processing times (typically 5 working days for priority service and 24 hours for super-priority service).
How to Apply for a UK Fiancée Visa
Fiancée Visa UK Application Process: How to Get Approved?
The application for a UK Fiancée Visa must be made from outside the UK, in the country where you legally reside. The process involves several steps:
- Check your eligibility and prepare your supporting documents
- Complete the online application form (usually VAF4A) on the UK government website
- Pay the application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge
- Book an appointment at a visa application centre in your country
- Attend your appointment to provide your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo)
- Submit your supporting documents (either upload them online before your appointment or bring them to your appointment, depending on your location)
- Wait for a decision on your application
After submitting your application, you may be invited for an interview if the visa officers need more information about your relationship or circumstances.
What Happens After Your UK Fiancée Visa Is Approved?
Next Steps Following a Successful Application
If your UK Fiancée Visa application is approved, you will receive a visa valid for 6 months. During this period, you must:
- Travel to the UK within the validity period of your visa
- Get married or enter into a civil partnership within 6 months of your arrival
- Apply to switch to a spouse visa (Further Leave to Remain as a partner) before your fiancée visa expires
The application to switch to a spouse visa must be made from within the UK. If approved, you will be granted further leave to remain for a period of 2.5 years (30 months). After this period, you will need to apply for an extension for another 2.5 years.
After spending a total of 5 years in the UK on these visas, you will be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which grants you permanent residence in the UK.
UK Fiancée Visa Appeal Process
How to Appeal a UK Fiancée Visa Refusal?
If your application for a UK Fiancée Visa is refused, you generally have the right to appeal the decision. The refusal letter will explain your options and the appeal process.
To appeal, you must:
- Submit an appeal form to the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) within 28 days of receiving the refusal (if you are outside the UK)
- Pay the appeal fee (currently £80 for a paper appeal or £140 for an oral hearing)
- Provide grounds for your appeal, explaining why you believe the decision was incorrect
- Submit any additional evidence to support your case
The appeal process can take several months. You may wish to seek legal advice to help with your appeal, as immigration law can be complex.
Alternatively, instead of appealing, you may choose to submit a fresh application if you can address the reasons for the initial refusal.
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