UK Marriage Visa Requirements and Application

Last updated: 11 April 2024

What is UK Marriage Visa?

The Marriage Visa, also referred to as a Spouse Visa, enables foreign nationals to enter the UK and live with their British partner or a partner who has permanent residence in the UK. Alternatively, if you are not yet married but plan to get married within 6 months of arrival in the UK before settling down here, the Fiance Visa is a more suitable option.

It is important to note that the Marriage Visa UK is different from the Marriage Visitor visa; the Marriage Visitor visa is a short-term option enabling overseas nationals to stay in the UK for up to 6 months to get married but then live in another country.

As a Spouse visa / Married visa UK holder, you will be able to live, work for any employer, and study in the UK. You will be able to stay for up to 33 months initially (or 30 months if you are currently in the UK), at which point you can further extend your leave for 30 months.

As a Fiancé, Fiancée, or proposed civil partner visa holder, you will initially receive permission to stay for 6 months, giving you time to have your marriage or civil partnership ceremony. Before your Fiancé, Fiancée, or proposed civil partner visa expires, you will then need to apply for a UK Marriage / Spouse visa.

UK Marriage Visa Requirements

The visa eligibility requirements vary slightly between the Spouse visa, Fiancé visa, and Marriage Visitor visa, as explained below. In all cases, you must be 18 years or over and in a genuine relationship with your partner.

Spouse visa requirements

Spouse visa applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Your UK-based partner must be a British or Irish citizen or a person who acquired the right to live here permanently (i.e., they hold ILR or EU settled status)
• In a marriage, civil partnership, or a long-term relationship with your UK-based partner – those who are not married or in a civil partnership must have been living together for at least 2 years before applying for a spouse visa.
• Minimum income requirement – have a joint income of at least £29,000 per year
• Have sufficient knowledge of the English language (to at least level A1 on the CEFR scale)

Fiancé, Fiancée or proposed civil partner visa requirements

Fiancé, Fiancée or proposed civil partner visa applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Your UK-based partner must be a British or Irish citizen or a person who acquired the right to live here permanently (i.e. they hold ILR or EU settled status)
• You must intend to get married or enter into a civil partnership with your UK-based partner within 6 months of arrival in the UK
• Minimum income requirement – have a joint income of at least £29,000 per year
• Have sufficient knowledge of the English language (to at least level A1 on the CEFR scale)

Marriage Visitor Visa requirements

Marriage Visitor visa applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You must be able to give notice of marriage, marry or enter into a civil partnership within 6 months of arrival in the UK
• Intend to leave the UK before the end of the 6-month period
• Have sufficient funds to support yourself and to pay for your return or onward journey

Can you extend your marriage visa?

You may be able to extend your Married visa UK depending on which visa type you hold.

As a Spouse visa holder, you can apply for a Spouse Visa extension, allowing you to stay for an additional 30 months. If you hold a fiancé visa, you can change to a Spouse visa once you are married, allowing you to stay for up to 30 months (and this can be further extended as explained above). In either case, you must apply to extend your visa before your current visa expires.

If you hold a marriage visitor visa, the maximum amount of leave you will be granted is limited to 6 months. This means you will not be able to further extend your stay as a marriage visitor visa holder.

Marriage visa to ILR

After 5 years on a Marriage Visa / Spouse visa, you will be eligible to apply to settle permanently in the UK and acquire British citizenship 12 months later. In order to make a successful ILR application as a Marriage visa holder, you will need to demonstrate to the Home Office that you:

• Have lived in the UK on a Spouse visa continuously for at least 5 years
• Are you still in a genuine relationship with your partner
• Continue to meet the minimum income requirement (£29,000 per year)
• Meet the English language requirement to CEFR level B1
• Have passed the Life in the UK Test

How Can Reiss Edwards Help?

As a leading immigration law firm based in Central London, Reiss Edwards specialises in assisting family members to come to the UK, including married partners, civil partners, unmarried partners, and children. Our expert immigration lawyers can help you with any aspect of the following:

• Applying for a UK marriage visa for a wife or husband
• Applying for a family visa for your children
• Checking which immigration routes are suitable for your married partner
• Handling a UK visa refusal on behalf of your married partner