How to apply for a UK Marriage Visitor visa

Do you intend to visit the UK to marry or get into a civil partnership? Then you should apply for a Marriage Visitor Visa.

A tourist entering the UK to marry, establish a civil partnership, or provide attention to this – should have a valid visa approved for this purpose. It should contain the name of their fiancé or intended civil partner written on it.

The Marriage Visitor visa is designed exclusively for those who want to marry or start a civil partnership in the UK with someone who is not a resident in the UK. Meaning, they do not have indefinite permission to stay but are not a British citizen.

Is it necessary to have a Marriage Visitor visa?

A Marriage Visitor Visa is required if one is a foreign person who wishes to go to the United Kingdom to marry or register a civil partnership, or to provide notice of their intention to do so, and plan to depart the country as soon as the visit ends.

If any of the following conditions apply, one does not require a Marriage Visitor Visa to marry in the United Kingdom:

• Under the EU Settlement Scheme, you have a settled or pre-settled status.
• You had applied to the EU Settlement Scheme, but the application is still ongoing.
• You are an Irish national.

People who want to stay or reside in the UK after marrying or registering a civil partnership do not qualify for the Marriage Visitor Visa. In addition, it is also not available to anyone who is eligible for British citizenship.

What can you do with a Marriage Visitor Visa?

You are allowed to marry or register a civil partnership in the UK in between 6 months of arrival when it comes to the Marriage Visitor Visa. The ceremony must be held in a licensed location. One can also use the UK as a transit point to another nation.

One is required to marry or commit to a civil partnership within 6months and then travel back to their home country or current residency. In circumstances where there would be a delay between providing notice and the marriage or civil partnership actually happening, entry clearance authorities have the authority to award a multiple entry visa valid for up to one year.

It is important to know that one must not intend to stay in the UK for a lengthy period of time through frequent or consecutive trips or to engage in any activity forbidden by the visa, such as employment or study.

A Marriage Visitor Visa also does not allow one to move to another visa category or prolong their stay in the UK. When your current visa expires, you will be compelled to leave the UK and head back home to apply for a different form of visa.

If you want to live and work legally in the UK after being married or entering into a civil partnership, there could be additional visa possibilities open to you; ask for guidance on your specific cases and possible alternative immigration routes.

One is also unable to work, use public finances, or study for more than 30 days as a Marriage Visitor Visa holder (even though studying cannot be your major purpose for a trip).

Should you apply for a Fiancé Visa or a Marriage Visitor Visa?

Always carefully examine if the Marriage Visitor Visa is a suitable visa for you if you intend to marry or commit to a civil partnership in the UK.

If you want to stay in the UK after getting married or forming a civil partnership, the Marriage Visit visa is not an option, and one should look into other options. If one’s partner has established status in the UK, such as an ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain), one should consider the fiancé visa.

If you’re unsure, one can always find the best accessible choice to satisfy their current and long-term needs by exploring several visa possibilities by contacting us.

How is one eligible?

To be eligible for a Marriage Visitor Visa to enter the United Kingdom, you must be:

• 18 years of age or older.
• You and your prospective spouse or civil partner are in a real relationship.
• Within the validity length of their visa, they are free to marry, engage in a civil union, or send a notice of marriage or civil partnership.
• Intention to marry or create a civil partnership, or to provide notice of such intention.

In the United Kingdom, it is a legal requirement to offer at least 28 days’ notice of a marriage or civil partnership at any designated registry office.

One must also fulfil the following basic UK visitor entry requirements to qualify entering into the UK as a visitor merely for the purpose of marriage or committing to a civil partnership:

• Be legitimately seeking entrance to the UK for a short duration of no more than six months, with the intention of departing at the conclusion of your visit.
• You must be able to sustain and shelter yourself without relying on public subsidies or taking up jobs in the UK.
• You must be able to cover the expense of your departure or subsequent travel to your home country or place of residency.

How can I obtain a Marriage Visitor Visa?

You can register for a Marriage Visitor Visa before visiting if you match the qualifying conditions. This should be done on the UK Home Office website no more than three months before your trip.

Arranging and completing an appointment at a visa processing centre near you is required as part of the application procedure. At the appointment, one has to give supporting papers as well as describe the objective of their desired visit, as well as information about their fiancé or proposed civil partner, and what plans you have in the future.

At the visa application centre, one is required to have their fingerprints and photos (biometric information) taken. Keep in mind that the application centre may hold your passport while the application is being handled.

What document is necessary for a Marriage Visitor Visa?

You must provide a variety of papers, including but not limited to the following:

• The original and current passport or other acceptable travel documentation.
• Details about where one plans to reside and your trip itinerary.
• Details on how to notify the register office such as the letter acquired from the registry office.
• Details about the preparations one has made or are making for their wedding or civil partnership during their stay. This might be booking confirmation from the wedding location, as well as verification of any deposit funds paid.
• Documentary proof that one can really sustain themselves for the duration of the visit, such as bank statements or receipts.
• Documentary evidence of their future intentions for their relationship, including where you want to stay once married or in a civil partnership.