Fiance Visa

The UK Fiancé visa caters to engaged partners of British or Irish citizens, UK-settled individuals, those with pre-settled status, Turkish Businessperson or Worker visa holders, and individuals with refugee or humanitarian protection status. This visa allows entry into the UK for marriage within 6 months. Applications for the Fiancé Visa must originate from outside the UK. Post-marriage, applicants can switch to the Spouse Visa route within the UK, potentially leading to indefinite leave to remain after 5 years. 

UK Fiancé Visa Requirements

To be eligible for a UK Fiancé Visa, you must prove that:

• Your partner fits one of the specified statuses (British/Irish citizen, UK-settled, pre-settled status holder, Turkish visa holder, refugee, or humanitarian protected individual).
• Both partners are over 18 years old.
• You have physically met each other.
• The relationship is genuine and continuing.
• You intend to marry within six months of entering the UK.
• Previous relationships are permanently concluded.
• Plans to permanently cohabit in the UK are in place.
• You can be financially self-sufficient without public funds unless you are meeting the financial requirement through adequate maintenance.
• Adequate accommodation is available.
• You meet the required English language level.

Sponsoring Partner’s Status

Your partner must be either:

• A British or Irish citizen in the UK.
• A holder of indefinite leave to remain, settled status, or permanent residence in the UK.
• A pre-settled status holder under Appendix EU.
• A holder of a Turkish Businessperson or Worker visa under Appendix ECAA.
• A refugee or an individual with humanitarian protection status in the UK.

Minimum Age Requirement

Both partners must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.

Relationship Requirements

Key elements include:

• No prohibited degree of relationship.
• Evidence of having met in person.
• A legitimate and ongoing relationship.
• Intentions to marry in the UK within six months of arrival.
• Permanent conclusion of any previous relationships.
• Intentions to permanently live together in the UK.

Prohibited Relationships

Certain relationships, like close family connections, are disallowed under UK law.

Meeting in Person Requirement

Physical meeting evidence is necessary for application.

Genuine and Subsisting Relationship

Substantial proof of an ongoing genuine relationship is required.

Intention to Marry

Demonstration of plans to marry in the UK within six months of arrival is essential. This may be done through evidence of enquiries of wedding planning.

Previous Relationship Status

Evidence of dissolution of previous marriages or partnerships is required.

Intention to Live Together

Demonstration of plans to permanently live together in the UK is required.

Fiance Visa Financial requirements

As a Fiance Visa applicant, you and your UK based partner must have a minimum combined gross annual income of £29,000. The following sources of income can be considered for a Fiance Visa application:

• Income from employment or self-employment
• Pension of the applicant and/or partner
• Maternity allowances or bereavement benefits received by the partner in the UK
• Any other income and/or savings specified by the applicant and/or partner

Using savings towards the financial requirement

You can use savings to meet the financial requirement for a Fiance Visa, as long as these exceed £16,000. If you have enough savings (£88,500), you will not need to show evidence of any income. The way that this is calculated by the Home Office is as follows:

• Step 1: Divide the amount of savings you have over £16,000 by 2.5 (2.5 is the number of years the savings need to last for)
• Step 2: Take the amount in step from the minimum income requirement for your situation (i.e. £29,000).
• The final figure you are left with is your new minimum income requirement.

For example:

• £17,500 in savings: £17,500 – £16,000 = £1,500 / 2.5 = £600
• £29,000 – £600 = £28,400

In this example, you would only need to show an annual income of £28,400 if you have savings of £17,500.

When submitting your application for a Fiance Visa, you will need to make and sign a declaration of the source of your cash savings.

Using adequate maintenance for Fiance Visa application

Exemptions from meeting the financial requirement are available where a sponsor is receiving income from any of the following sources:

• Disability living allowance
• Severe disablement allowance
• Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
• Mobility Supplement, Constant Attendance Allowance, or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme
• Police Injury Pension
• Industrial injury disablement benefit
• Attendance allowance
• Carers’ allowance

This means that sponsors will not need to show they earn £29,000 (or more). It is important to note, however, that in the event of a partner qualifying for exemption in line with the above, the applicant will still need to show that they have enough funds to maintain themselves in the UK, as well as having adequate accommodation (while having no recourse to public funds). 

English language requirement

As a Fiance Visa applicant, you will need to show that you have sufficient knowledge of the English language; this can be achieved in 3 ways:

• Passing an English language test
• You will meet the English language requirements if you pass a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) English test from an approved testing centre. This must be at least level A1 in speaking and writing.
• Academic qualifications
• You will also meet the English language requirements if you have a degree or other academic qualification which was taught in English.
• Exemption: you will not need to meet the English language requirements if you are exempt, including if:
  • You are over 65 years of age
  • You have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement
  • You come from any of the majority English speaking country

Fiance Visa Accommodation requirements

UK Fiance Visa applicants must show they have suitable accommodation in the UK and it:

• Is owned or occupied exclusively by the applicant and their family members
• Has sufficient living space
• Meets any public health requirements

Processing Time

Timeframes for decision making can vary, with options for expedited processing available in some cases.

Visa Duration

Initial grants are for 6 months, with the possibility of switching to the Spouse Visa post-marriage.

Right to Work

Fiancé Visa holders are not permitted to work in the UK.

How We Can Help

Our team specializes in Fiancé Visa applications, offering expert advice and assistance tailored to individual circumstances. We focus on complex financial situations and ensuring applications meet all requirements for a successful outcome. We provide clear, trustworthy advice as part of our professional services.