Fiance Visa Requirements and Application Guide 2025

Learn about the essential requirements for a UK Fiance Visa, including eligibility, financial requirements, English language proficiency, accommodation, and application steps to ensure a successful visa application.

The UK Fiance Visa is for individuals who intend to get married or enter into a civil partnership in the UK with a British citizen or a person who is settled here.

Contact our immigration lawyers regarding your UK fiance visa application on 01614644140 or complete our enquiry form to discuss fiance visa requirements 2025.

What Is a UK Fiancé Visa?

The UK Fiancé Visa allows non-UK nationals to enter the UK and marry their British or settled partner within six months of arrival. It’s a pathway designed for couples intending to establish their lives together in the UK

UK Fiance Visa requirements 2025

To make a successful application for a Fiancé Visa in the UK, you must meet the following eligibility criteria and provide evidence to support your application:

  • Age Requirement:
    • Both you and your partner must be over the age of 18.
  • Marriage or Civil Partnership Plan:
    • You must demonstrate your genuine intention to get married or enter into a civil partnership within 6 months of your arrival in the UK.
  • Partner’s Status in the UK:
    • Your partner must be one of the following:
      • A British or Irish citizen.
      • A settled resident in the UK (e.g., holding Indefinite Leave to Remain or EU Settled Status).
      • A holder of a UK Turkish Businessperson or Worker Visa.
      • A person with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK.
  • Intention to Live Together:
    • You must show that you and your partner intend to live together in the UK after your marriage or civil partnership.
  • Financial Requirement:
    • You and your partner must demonstrate that you can financially support yourselves without relying on public funds.
    • Your combined income must be at least £29,000 annually.
  • Accommodation:
    • You must prove that you have suitable accommodation available in the UK where you can live together.
  • English Language Requirement:
    • You must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language. This can be evidenced by passing an English language test at Level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) or holding a valid degree taught in English.

Supporting Evidence For Fiance Visa UK:

  • Proof of relationship: Photographs, communication records, and proof of meetings.
  • Proof of financial stability: Bank statements, payslips, or proof of income from self-employment.
  • Accommodation details: Tenancy agreement or property ownership documents.
  • English language certificate: Results from an approved English test provider or proof of an English-taught qualification.
  • Intent to marry: Booking confirmation for a registry office or other evidence showing arrangements for your wedding or civil partnership.

Ensuring all required documents are correctly submitted and meet the Home Office’s standards is critical for a successful application.

UK Fiance Visa Relationship Requirement

The UK Fiance Visa has a relationship requirement with several key elements:

  • Prohibited Degree of Relationship: You and your partner must not be within a prohibited degree of relationship, such as close family members (e.g., siblings, parents, children, etc.).
  • In-Person Meeting: You and your partner must have met in person at least once before applying for the visa. This ensures that the relationship is real and not based solely on online interactions.
  • Genuine and Subsisting Relationship: You must demonstrate that your relationship is genuine and ongoing. This involves providing evidence of regular communication, visits, and plans for the future together.
  • Marriage in the UK: You must intend to marry in the UK within six months of your arrival, which means you need to provide plans and arrangements for the wedding.
  • Breakdown of Any Previous Relationships: If either of you has been in a previous relationship, it must have broken down permanently. This typically means the divorce or dissolution of a previous marriage, or evidence that the relationship has ended completely.
  • Intention to Live Together: You and your partner must intend to live together permanently in the UK after the marriage, demonstrating that the relationship is not a short-term or convenience-based arrangement.

These criteria are meant to ensure that the relationship is legitimate and that the individuals involved meet the necessary requirements for the Fiance Visa.

The financial requirements for the UK Fiance Visa are as follows:

Minimum Income Requirement For Fiancee Visa 2025:

  • The the UK-based partner must be at least £29,000.
  • This income can come from various sources, including:
    • Employment or self-employment income
    • Pensions of the applicant and/or partner
    • Maternity allowances or bereavement benefits received by the partner in the UK
    • Other income or savings specified by the applicant and/or partner

Using Savings to Meet the Financial Requirement:

  • You can use savings to meet the financial requirement if they exceed £16,000. The Home Office calculates savings as follows:
    • Step 1: Subtract £16,000 from the savings you have.
    • Step 2: Divide the remaining amount by 2.5 (the number of years the savings need to last).
    • Step 3: Subtract the result from the minimum income requirement of £29,000.

Example:

  • If you have £17,500 in savings:
    • £17,500 – £16,000 = £1,500
    • £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, you will need to declare the source of your cash savings.

Exemptions from the Financial Requirement:

Exemptions are available for sponsors who receive income from 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

If the sponsor qualifies for an exemption, they will not need to meet the £29,000 income requirement. However, the applicant still needs to demonstrate sufficient funds for their maintenance in the UK and show that they have adequate accommodation, without recourse to public funds.

Exceptional Circumstances:

If none of the exemptions apply, applicants can request that exceptional circumstances be considered. For example, this might be the case if a refusal would cause harm to the applicant’s child or children, under human rights law. If exceptional circumstances are accepted, applicants still need to prove they have sufficient funds, and additional sources of financial support may be considered, such as a guarantee of financial support from another person.

For further advice or to assess your specific situation, it is recommended to speak with an immigration solicitor.

English language requirement For Fiance Visa

For the UK Fiance Visa, applicants must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language. This can be done in three ways:

1. Passing an English Language Test:

  • Applicants can meet the English language requirement by passing a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) English test from an approved testing centre.
  • The test must be at level A1 in both speaking and writing.

2. Academic Qualifications:

  • If you have a degree or other academic qualification that was taught in English, you may meet the English language requirement.

3. Exemptions:

  • You do not need to meet the English language requirement if:
    • You are over 65 years of age.
    • You have a physical or mental condition that prevents you from meeting the requirement.
    • You are from one of the following countries, where English is widely spoken:
      • Antigua and Barbuda
      • Australia
      • The Bahamas
      • Barbados
      • Belize
      • Canada
      • Dominica
      • Grenada
      • Guyana
      • Jamaica
      • New Zealand
      • St Kitts and Nevis
      • St Lucia
      • St Vincent and the Grenadines
      • Trinidad and Tobago
      • USA

If none of the exemptions apply, and you do not meet the requirement through an English test or academic qualifications, you will need to meet the language requirement by passing an approved test.

UK Fiance Visa Accommodation requirements

For the UK Fiance Visa, applicants must provide evidence of suitable accommodation in the UK. The accommodation must meet the following requirements:

  1. The accommodation must be owned or occupied exclusively by the applicant and their family members.
  2. The accommodation must provide enough space for the applicant, their partner, and any dependents. This includes considering the number of rooms and the size of the living space.
  3. The accommodation must meet public health standards, ensuring that it is safe, habitable, and does not pose any health risks.

Applicants will need to provide evidence that they have adequate accommodation in place, either through rental agreements, ownership documents, or other appropriate proof.

How to Apply for a UK Fiance Visa

The application process for a UK Fiance Visa is completed online through the Home Office website. The steps are as follows:

  • Check Your Eligibility: Ensure that you meet the requirements for a Fiance Visa. If you are unsure, speak with a family visa solicitor who can confirm your eligibility.
  • Prepare the Necessary Documents: Gather the required documents to prove your eligibility for the visa. If you need assistance, a family visa solicitor can help with this.
  • Complete the Online Application Form: Fill out the application form on the Home Office website.
  • Pay the Application Fee: Pay the application fee, which is detailed in the FAQ section on the Home Office website.
  • Upload Required Documents: Upload the documents you have prepared to support your application.
  • Arrange a Biometric Appointment: You will need to book an appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken as part of the visa process.
  • Attend an Interview (if invited): You may be invited to attend an interview as part of the application process.

How Long Can You Stay in the UK on a Fiance Visa?

If granted, your Fiance Visa will allow you to stay in the UK for an initial period of 6 months to get married or enter into a civil partnership. After you are married, you can apply for a Spouse Visa, which will last for up to 30 months. This can then be extended for another 30 months. You must be in a genuine relationship with your UK-based partner and apply for the Spouse Visa before your Fiance Visa expires.

Fiance Visa to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

After living in the UK for 5 years on a combination of your Fiance and Spouse Visa, you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). This allows you to remain permanently in the UK and be free from immigration control. To qualify for ILR, you must:

  • Have lived in the UK for 5 years on a family visa as a partner
  • Have lived with your partner since the last visa renewal
  • Be in a genuine and subsisting relationship
  • Intend to continue the relationship after applying for ILR
  • Meet the English language and Life in the UK requirements
  • Provide proof of suitable accommodation
  • Continue to meet the financial requirements

Fiance Visa vs. Spouse Visa

Here are some key differences between the UK Fiance Visa and the UK Spouse Visa:

  • The Fiance Visa is for couples who are planning to marry or enter into a civil partnership before applying for the Spouse Visa.
  • The Spouse Visa is for couples who are already married, in a civil partnership, or have been living together for at least 2 years when applying.
  • The Fiance Visa allows an initial stay of 6 months.
  • The Spouse Visa allows an initial stay of 30 months (or 33 months if switching from a Fiance Visa), and it can be extended for 30 months.

What if My Fiance Visa is Refused?

There are several reasons why a Fiance Visa application may be refused, including:

  • The applicant is deemed to be a risk to public safety or good.
  • The applicant is subject to a deportation order at the time of application.
  • The applicant failed to attend a compulsory interview, provide required information, undergo a medical examination, or report when required.
  • The applicant failed to pay the mandatory Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) or other compulsory fees.
  • Insufficient evidence of maintenance or accommodation.
  • Health reasons make it undesirable to grant the visa.

If your application is refused, it is important to speak to an immigration solicitor who can help you understand your options and take the necessary steps to improve your chances of success in the future.

Why hire solicitors in manchester for your immigration matters?

  • Hiring solicitors in Manchester for your immigration matters offers numerous benefits that can significantly improve the outcome of your case.
  • Our Immigration solicitors possess extensive knowledge of UK immigration laws and procedures, allowing them to provide tailored advice suited to your specific circumstances.
  • Our expertise ensures that your application is accurately prepared and submitted, reducing the likelihood of delays or refusals.
  • We offer the advantage of accessibility, with the option of face-to-face consultations to facilitate clear communication and a thorough understanding of your case.
  • We are known for our affordable and transparent services, providing competitive pricing with no hidden fees, which builds trust and confidence in our work.
  • We stay updated on the latest changes in immigration laws, ensuring your case complies with current requirements.
  • We offer invaluable support in navigating complex cases, simplifying procedures, and saving you time and stress.
  • By hiring our immigration solicitors in Manchester, you gain access to reliable, experienced, and locally available legal assistance that prioritizes your immigration goals and helps you achieve the best possible outcome.

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