UK Fiance Visa

The UK Fiancé visa is a 6-month visa allowing you to enter the UK to marry or enter a civil partnership with a British or settled citizen. This visa does not directly lead to settlement in the UK. Instead, once married or in a civil partnership, you will be able to apply for a Spouse visa from inside the UK, allowing successful applicant to work and study in the UK. This visa can then lead to indefinite leave to remain or settlement in the UK after 5 years.

The standard UK Fiancé visa application fee is £2,064 when applying from outside the UK. This fee covers the Home Office application processing cost, but excludes biometric services, healthcare surcharges, and subsequent costs. This is because: biometric services, and English Language/Tuberculosis Tests vary depending on the applicant’s country of origin; the Immigration Health Surcharge is not required for the initial 6-month stay under the Fiancé visa (however, it must be paid when you switch to a standard Spouse/Partner visa); and, optional extra fees if a faster decision is wanted increase the final cost.

What requirements does my partner need?

To apply for a Fiancé visa, both you and your partner must be over the age of 18, and intend to live together permanently in the UK after you have applied. In addition to this, your partner must either: be a British or Irish citizen; have settled in the UK (i.e. have indefinite leave to remain, settled status, or proof of permanent residence); be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status (namely, they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021); have a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa; have protection status; or have permission to stay as a stateless person before you became their partner.

What will I need to prove?

To apply for a Fiancé visa, you must be able to prove one of the following: you’re in a marriage or civil partnership that is recognised in the UK; you have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years; you are a fiancé or proposed civil partner, and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arrival; you have been in a relationship for at least 2 years, but cannot live together due to work, study, location, or culture. You will also need to prove that you have a good knowledge of English, and you meet the financial requirements.

If you cannot provide any of the above, you may still be able to apply for a Fiancé visa if: you have a child in the UK who is a British or Irish citizen, or has lived in the UK for 7 years so it may be unreasonable for them to leave; preventing you from coming to the UK or requiring you to leave would breach your human rights.

How can I prove my relationship?

In order to prove your relationship, you will need to send evidence to the Home Office confirming the relationship with your partner, using documents that are less than 4 years old. These documents can include: a marriage or civil partnership certificate; a tenancy agreement, utility bill, bank statement, or letter from your doctor/dentist confirming that you and your partner live at the same address.

Alternatively, if you and your partner do not live together due to work, study, location, or culture, you will instead need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to one another. This can be done by providing evidence that you: communicate regularly with each other; support each other financially; care for any children you may have together; spend time together as a couple.

What are the financial requirements?

When applying for a Fiancé visa, you and your partner will need to prove a combined income of at least £29,000 per annum – this is the minimum income requirement. This proof of income can come from employment (P60 or payslips), self-employment (self-assessment tax return), or pensions. However, if your combined income falls short of the required amount, you will instead need to prove that you have over £16,000 in cash savings held for a specified duration. In essence, you will need to show that you and your partner can support yourselves without relying on public funds.

Proof of your finances can come from: bank statements showing you or your partner’s income; 6 months of payslips dating back from the day of submitting your application; a letter from your employer, dated and on headed paper.

You do not need to meet the minimum income requirement if your partner receives one of the following benefits:

· Disability Living Allowance;

· Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance;

· Severe Disability Allowance;

· Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit;

· Attendance Allowance;

· Pension Age Disability Payment;

· Carer’s Allowance;

· Carer Support Payment;

· Personal Independence Payment;

· Armed Forces Independence Payment;

· Guaranteed Income Payment Under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme;

· Constant Attendance Allowance;

· Mobility Supplement;

· War Disablement Pension Under the War Pensions Scheme;

· Police Injury Pension;

· Child Disability Payment;

· Adult Disability Payment.

What information and evidence do I need to provide?

In order to make your application, you will need to have information ready to provide. This includes:

· All given name(s);

· Your date of birth;

· Your current passport or other valid travel ID;

· Any visa or entry stamps in previous passports;

· Details of any previous immigration applications;

· Details of any criminal convictions;

· Your National Insurance number;

· Your parents’ date of birth and nationality;

· Your Tuberculosis Test results if residing in a country that requires you take one;

· A certified translation of any documents that is not in English.

· Prove your knowledge of English;

· Provide proof of your finances.

· Your partner’s details.

· Proof of your relationship;

· Details of any previous partners;

· Details of any children.

Knowledge of English:

In order to demonstrate your knowledge of English, you must prove one of the following: you hold a degree from a UK Institution; you hold a degree from an institution that was outside the UK, but taught in English; you have passed a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider. The UK Home Office approves four official test providers: Trinty College London; IELTS SELT Consortium; LANGUAGECERT; and Pearson.

Tuberculosis Test:

As part of your application for a Fiancé visa, you may need to book a Tuberculosis Test. This is a requirement for those who are intending to stay in the UK for 6 months or more, and have lived in any of these listed countries.

After you have applied:

After you have applied for a Fiancé visa, you will need to attend a biometric appointment to provide your fingerprints and a photo. It is important that you bring your passport with you to your appointment. Information regarding how to make an appointment to provide your biometric information will be provided when you apply for the Fiancé visa.

It typically takes 8 weeks for the Home Office to provide applicants with a decision on their Fiancé visa application. However, you may receive a faster decision using the ‘priority service’, which aims to provide decisions on Family visa applications made outside the UK within 30 working days. The fee for the ‘priority service’ is an additional £500, bringing the total to £2,564.

If your Fiancé visa application is subsequently approved by the Home Office, you will get an eVisa – this is a digital record of your identity and immigration status. Your Home Office decision email or letter will explain how you can access your eVisa.

Contact Biscoes:

Any visa applications may seem intimidating and can lead to a lot of anxiety, especially with application requirements varying depending on your circumstance. Please feel free to contact our immigration team at info@biscoes-law.co.uk to discuss further and recieved clarity.