Marriage Visitor Visa

If you’re planning to visit the UK to get married or enter into a civil partnership, you will need to apply for a Marriage Visitor visa.

On arrival in the UK, a visitor coming to marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of this, must have a valid visa endorsed for this purpose, with the name of your fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner. The Marriage Visitor visa caters specifically for individuals who wish to get married or register a civil partnership in the UK with a person who is not settled in the UK, i.e. they do not hold Indefinite Leave to Remain and are not a British Citizen. It is not possible to get married if you have entered the UK on a standard visitor visa.

 The Marriage Visitor Visa is not suitable for individuals who plan to stay or settle in the UK after they are married or have registered a civil partnership. It is also not available to individuals who qualify for British Citizenship.

 Marriage Visitor Visa or Fiancé Visa?

If you are planning to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK you will need to carefully consider whether or not the Marriage Visitor Visa is the right visa for you.

If you are looking to remain in the UK after you get married or form a civil partnership, the Marriage Visit visa would not be appropriate and you will need to consider alternatives. For example, if your partner has settled status in the UK such as ILR you would look at the FIANCE visa.

By discussing different visa options with immigration specialist, you can identify the best available option to meet your immediate and long term needs.

Note also that it is a legal requirement in the UK to provide at least 28 days’ notice of a marriage or civil partnership at a designated registry office.

When do you need a Marriage Visitor visa?

• You want to get married or register a civil partnership in the UK
• You want to give notice of marriage or a civil partnership in the UK
• You are not planning to stay or settle in the UK after your marriage or civil partnership

When do you NOT need a Marriage Visitor visa?

• To convert your civil partnership into a marriage (you can apply for a Standard Visitor visa)
• You have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
• You have applied to the EU Settlement Scheme and have not received a decision yet
• You are an Irish citizen

Non-Visa Nationals

Even if you are a Non-Visa national i.e. a citizen of a country that does not need a visa to visit the UK, you are not permitted to get married/register a civil partnership in the UK, or give notice of a marriage/civil partnership in the UK.

Eligibility criteria for a Marriage Visitor visa:

In order to be granted this visa, you:

• must be aged 18 or over
• are in a genuine relationship
• are visiting the UK for no more than 6 months
• will leave the UK at the end of your visit
• will not live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits or make the UK you main home
• are able to support yourself during your trip or have funding from someone else to meet your expenses without having to work during your visit to the UK.
• have proof of any activities you plan to do in the UK, as allowed by the Visitor Rules.

Which activities are permitted on a Marriage Visitor Visa?

A Marriage Visitor visa allows you to:

• give notice of marriage, to marry or enter a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arrival in the UK
• marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of your arrival in the UK

pass through the UK in transit.

What are you NOT allowed to do on a UK Standard Visitor Visa?

A Marriage Visitor visa does not allow you to:

• receive public funds (benefits)
• bring family members to the UK as dependants (they must apply separately)
• live in the UK for extended periods by way of frequent visits (you can only stay a maximum of 6 months per visit and leave reasonable time before your next visit)
• extend your visa or switch to a different visa category
• work including unpaid or voluntary work – with the exception of permitted activities related to your work or business overseas, such as a business meeting or training
• study

How long is the stay allowed in the UK on a Marriage Visitor visa?

The Marriage Visitor visa is valid for 6 months and you must either get married or give notice of a marriage or civil partnership in the UK within the 6-month period that you are granted.

Can you switch to another Visa Category while in the UK?

Generally speaking, the answer is no. , you are not permitted to extend your Marriage Visitor visa or switch into another visa category.

If a visitor wants to switch to another visa category, such as a spouse visa for instance, they would be expected to return to their country of origin/residence and submit their biometric information (fingerprints and digital photo) and in some instances, supporting documents, from there.

However, this will be on a case by case basis, as there may be some exceptional and compelling circumstances which may prevent the person from returning to their country of origin/residence, resulting in them having to submit an application to switch to another immigration category while they are in the UK.

when to apply for Marriage Visitor Visa?

The earliest you can make an application is 3 months before you will travel to the UK

Application Step by step procedure:

• Check if the Marriage Visitor visa is the correct visa that applies to your circumstances
• Be sure you satisfy the eligibility requirements and will only doing permitted activities in the UK
• Complete and submit the application form online (note: If you are coming to the UK with family members, each member will need to submit their own application and pay the required fee)
• Make the application fee payment
• Book an appointment at your local Visa Application Centre (VAC)
• Attend your VAC appointment to provide your biometrics (your photo and fingerprints)

How long does it take to get a decision? 

Once you have completed all of the application steps, you will usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.  You may be able to get a faster decision if you pay an extra £250 for a decision within 5 working days. This service is subject to the availability at your visa application centre.

 What is the Application Fee for a Marriage Visitor Visa?

The current Application Fee for a Marriage Visitor visa is £100 (the same as a UK Standard Visitor Visa). Please note that this is always subject to change; you can find all of the up-to-date visa application fees by visiting the official gov.uk website.

What Documents are need for a Marriage Visitor Visa?

Unfortunately there is no one-size fits all set of documents you will need to support your Marriage visitor visa application, as this will be subject to your and your partner's personal circumstances.

However, the general items you will be expected to provide include:

• A valid Passport or travel document
• Proof of your relationship
• Evidence you are planning to get married in the UK, e.g. booking confirmations
• Relevant Financial documents to confirm that you can support yourself while in the UK
• Proof of your accommodation arrangements in the UK
• Confirmation of any travel bookings, or relevant activity plans already scheduled
• Any other supporting documentation that is relevant to the application
• Personal or professional documents required by law etc.

 The UKVI application fee for a Marriage Visitor visa is currently £100. UKVI fees are subject to change so you must always check before applying.

 What if Marriage Visitor visa application is refused?

 You will only receive a refund if your application has not yet been processed. Appeals are not available for Visitor visa refusals. You can request an administrative review within 28 days of getting the decision. The cost for this is £80. However in most cases, the simplest way to deal with a refusal is to re-apply.