UK Fiancé(e) visa

What this visa is and who it is for

The fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner visa is the engagement stage of the UK family visa partner route. It is designed for someone coming to the UK specifically to get married, or enter a civil partnership, and then remain to live with their partner permanently.

It is aimed at couples who are not yet married and want the ceremony to take place in the UK. If you are already married or in a civil partnership, you should apply as a partner or spouse instead. Because it is part of the family route, the underlying relationship, financial and suitability rules mirror those for spouses and partners.

• Grants 6 months to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK
• You cannot work or study during this period
• After the marriage or civil partnership you must switch to the partner/spouse family visa to stay

Eligibility

Applicants and their partner must meet all of the following core requirements. These are rules, not discretionary factors.

• Both partners must be aged 18 or over
• Your partner must be a British or Irish citizen; have settled status (indefinite leave to remain); have pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme; hold a Turkish Worker or Businessperson visa; have refugee status or humanitarian protection; or have permission as a stateless person
• You must be in a genuine and subsisting relationship and intend to live together permanently in the UK after the marriage or civil partnership
• You must intend to marry or form a civil partnership within 6 months of arriving in the UK
• Any previous marriages or civil partnerships must have permanently ended
• You must meet the financial requirement and the English language requirement (see below)

Financial requirement

For applications made on or after 11 April 2024, you and your partner usually need to show a combined income of at least £29,000 a year.

A lower threshold of £18,600 a year applies to people who first applied on the partner route (including as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner) before 11 April 2024 and are extending that visa. You may be able to rely on cash savings instead of, or alongside, income — check the detailed gov.uk savings guidance for how this is calculated.

English language requirement

For a first application you must normally prove knowledge of English to at least CEFR level A1 by passing an approved Secure English Language Test (SELT), unless you are exempt.

• You can also meet it with a degree taught in English (a non-UK degree needs Ecctis confirmation)
• Exemptions include being aged 65 or over, having a physical or mental condition preventing you from meeting it, and being a national of a listed majority English-speaking country

Costs

Budget for the application fee, the immigration health surcharge (IHS) and evidence that you meet the financial requirement.

The family visa application fee when applying from outside the UK is £2,064. The IHS is charged per year of stay (the standard rate is £1,035 per year), so the exact amount depends on the length of permission granted — confirm the precise figure with the gov.uk fee and IHS tools before paying. A super priority service is available for an additional fee where offered.

• Application fee (from outside the UK): £2,064
• Immigration health surcharge: charged per year of stay (standard rate £1,035/year)
• You must also evidence the financial requirement and pay separately again when you later switch to the partner visa

Documents you will need

• A valid passport or travel document
• Evidence of your relationship (for example correspondence from official bodies, banks, landlords, utilities or medical professionals, generally less than 4 years old)
• Proof you meet the financial requirement (income and/or savings evidence)
• Proof you meet the English language requirement (SELT certificate or qualifying degree evidence), unless exempt
• Evidence of your plans to marry or form a civil partnership within 6 months
• Where relevant, proof that previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended
• A tuberculosis (TB) test certificate if you are applying from a country where this is required

How to apply

You apply online. This visa is applied for from outside the UK. As part of the process you will need to prove your identity and provide biometric information — either by attending a visa application centre or, where eligible, using the UK Immigration: ID Check app.

Gather and upload your supporting documents to show you meet the relationship, financial and English language requirements before you submit.

Processing times

A decision on an application made from outside the UK is usually made within 12 weeks. Priority and super priority services may be available in some locations for an extra fee to speed up the decision — check what is offered when you apply.

After you arrive: marriage, switching and settlement

Once in the UK you must marry or form your civil partnership within the 6-month period. Remember you cannot work or study on this visa.

After the ceremony you apply from inside the UK to switch to the partner/spouse family visa (currently £1,407 from inside the UK, plus the IHS). Only then can you work, and only from that point does time start to count towards settlement (indefinite leave to remain) on the partner route. The fiancé(e) visa itself cannot be extended and does not count towards the qualifying period for settlement.