UK Marriage Visitor Visa: Who can apply and who cannot
The UK has clarified the categories of people who can use its Marriage Visitor visa, a route for people who want to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the country without planning to live there afterwards.
The visa allows eligible foreign nationals to travel to the UK for marriage or civil partnership purposes for up to six months.
According to the UK government, applicants must meet specific conditions before they can use the route.
UK Marriage Visitor Visa: Who can apply?
The UK Marriage Visitor visa is designed for people who intend to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK and leave the country afterwards.
Applicants can also use the visa if they need to give notice of a marriage or civil partnership in the UK.
However, the government says applicants must be at least 18 years old and must be free to give notice of marriage, marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within six months of arriving.
They must also be in a genuine relationship and show that they intend to leave the UK at the end of their visit.
The applicant must also demonstrate that they can support themselves during the trip or have someone else providing the necessary financial support.
They must be able to pay for their return or onward journey and must not intend to make the UK their main home through frequent or successive visits.
UK Marriage Visitor Visa: Who cannot apply?
Not everyone planning a wedding in the UK can use the Marriage Visitor visa.
The UK government says people who intend to stay or settle in the country after getting married should not use this route.
Instead, the appropriate visa depends on their circumstances and whether they intend to live in the UK after the marriage.
For example, the UK government says someone who wants to marry a British citizen or settled person and then live in the UK may need a fiancé visa rather than a Marriage Visitor visa.
People who qualify for British citizenship also cannot apply for a Marriage Visitor visa. The government says such people must apply for British citizenship instead.
The visa is also not available to people who already have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, those who have applied to the scheme and are awaiting a decision, or Irish citizens.
UK Marriage Visitor Visa: What it allows
A successful applicant can use the visa to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within six months of arrival.
The ceremony must take place at a venue licensed for marriage or civil partnerships.
The visa can also be used to pass through the UK in transit to another country.
However, it comes with restrictions.
Holders cannot use the visa to work, except for certain permitted activities connected to overseas work or business. They cannot access public funds, bring dependants under the same visa, study or extend the visa.
They also cannot switch from the Marriage Visitor visa to another visa while in the UK.
UK Marriage Visitor Visa: How long can applicants stay?
The visa allows a stay of up to six months.
Applicants must leave the UK at the end of their authorised visit and cannot use repeated visits to effectively make the country their home.
The UK government also requires applicants to prove that their relationship is genuine and that the planned marriage or civil partnership is not a sham.
UK Marriage Visitor Visa: How much does it cost?
The application fee is currently £135.
Applicants must apply before travelling to the UK if they require the visa. They also need to attend a visa application centre to provide their fingerprints and photograph.
The earliest an applicant can apply is three months before the planned journey.
The UK government says applicants will usually receive a decision within three weeks after completing the application, proving their identity and providing the required documents.
Faster decisions may be available for an additional fee, depending on the application centre and service available.
UK Marriage Visitor Visa: What applicants should know
The Marriage Visitor visa should not be confused with a route for moving to the UK after marriage.
Its central purpose is temporary: the applicant comes to the UK to marry or enter into a civil partnership and then leaves.
Anyone planning to settle in the UK after marriage therefore needs to consider a different immigration route.
Applicants should also check the latest requirements on the official UK government website before submitting an application, as immigration rules and procedures can change.
UK government: Marriage Visitor visa guidance