How to Apply for a Fiancé Visa in the UK: Steps and Requirements

The UK is a popular destination for many people, including those who are looking to get married. If you're planning to come to the UK as a fiancé or spouse, and you want to be with your loved one there, you might need to apply for a Fiancé Visa. In this article, we will explain what this visa is and how it works. We will also take a look at some of the common challenges that arise when applying for one, along with tips on how to overcome them before submitting your application.

Eligibility Criteria for a Fiancé Visa:

1. You must be at least 18 years old.
2. Your relationship with your partner must have been established for at least two years before you apply for a fiancé visa. If you are applying from outside the UK, this period will begin on the date that they first entered into a valid marriage or civil partnership with their UK resident spouse or civil partner.
3. You must have met each other personally within the last 12 months before applying for entry clearance, as well as having met at least once during each of those visits and intend to continue maintaining their relationship after your entry into the UK as husband/wife or civil partners.
4. You must demonstrate that you have sufficient funds available to support yourself without working while living in England & Wales on arrival (the amount varies depending upon where you live).

Steps to Apply for a Fiancé Visa

To obtain a fiancé visa in the United States, you and your fiancé must intend to get married within 90 days of your fiancé entering the country. A visa and immigration lawyer like Flynn Hodkinson provides expert guidance and assistance to individuals seeking US citizenship using a fiancé visa. This includes helping with the application process, ensuring all necessary documentation is in order, and advising on the eligibility criteria.

Here are the general requirements for a fiancé visa:

Both parties must be legally eligible to marry: This means that both you and your fiancé must be unmarried and legally eligible to marry under the laws of the country where the marriage will take place.

Meeting in person: You and your fiancé must have met each other in person within the last two years before filing the petition, with certain exceptions allowed for cultural or religious practices or extreme hardship.

Proof of relationship: You will need to provide evidence of your relationship, such as photographs together, detailed statements about how you met and how your relationship developed, and any other documentation that demonstrates the authenticity of your relationship.

Intent to marry within 90 days: Both you and your fiancé must have a genuine intention to marry within 90 days of your fiancé's entry into the U.S.

Financial support: As the petitioner, you must demonstrate that you have the financial means to support your fiancé and that your income meets the minimum requirement set by the U.S. government.

Medical examination: Your fiancé will need to undergo a medical examination by an authorized physician to ensure they are admissible to the U.S.

Background checks and security clearances: Both you and your fiancé will be subject to background checks and security clearances as part of the visa application process.

It's important to note that visa requirements may vary depending on the country and the specific circumstances of your case.

UK Ancestry Visa - An Alternative Option

If you're looking for a way to bring your fiancé or spouse to the UK, but aren't eligible for a Fiancé Visa, consider applying for an Ancestry Visa. It's similar in many ways, you'll need to prove that you have close family ties with someone who is British or has British citizenship.

Ancestry Visas are only available if one of your parents was born in the UK before. However, unlike with Fiancé Visas and Marriage Visas, there's no age limit on this option there are still options for obtaining UK Ancestry Visas. 

To apply for this visa type, you must provide evidence of:

1. Your relationship with your British relative; 
2. Your own identity; 
3. Their status as British citizens.

Common Challenges and Tips for Successful Application

  You're engaged, but your fiancé is not in the UK. You might be thinking about getting married in a different country or even at home. Either way, you need to apply for a fiancé visa before your wedding day.

   The process of applying for a UK ancestry visa is not complicated, but there are certain things that must be done correctly if you want your application to succeed. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about obtaining this type of visa and share some tips for successful application along the way!

Processing Time and Visa Decision

Processing time: The processing time for a fiancé visa is usually around 6–8 weeks, but it can be shorter or longer depending on how busy the embassy is.

Visa decision: Once your application has been submitted and passed initial security checks, it will be by an immigration officer, who will make sure that all the documents are in order. This process usually takes around 2 weeks. If everything is approved, you'll receive an email informing you of this fact along with instructions on what to do next.

Arrival in the UK and Next Steps

After arrival in the UK and your marriage or civil partnership, you will need to apply for a marriage or civil partnership certificate. This is the first step towards getting a residence card and staying longer than 6 months.

If you want to stay longer than 6 months in the UK after your arrival date, there are other requirements as well:

1. You will have to apply for an Entry Clearance Tier 1 (General) visa if your partner is a British citizen who has lived in the UK for over 5 years;
2. Apply for an Entry Clearance Tier 4 Student visa if he/she is studying at university level; 
3. Apply under another category depending on their circumstances (for example: work permit).

Conclusion

Congratulations on making it to the end of this article! Hopefully, you have learned a lot about how to apply for a fiancé visa in the UK. It's not an easy process and can be quite confusing at times, but I hope this guide has helped clarify things for you. We will be happy to assist in any way possible!