UK Fiancé(e) Visa: Requirements, Costs & What Happens After the Wedding

What Is the UK Fiancé(e) Visa and Who Is It For?

The fiancé(e) visa is available to a person who is engaged to be married to a British citizen or a person who is settled in the UK (holding ILR or indefinite leave to enter). The visa is granted for a period of six months and authorises the holder to enter the UK and to marry. It does not grant the right to work in the UK employment is prohibited on a fiancé(e) visa. After marrying, the holder must apply for Leave to Remain as a spouse before the fiancé(e) visa expires in order to remain lawfully in the UK.

Fiancé(e) Visa vs Spouse Visa: Which Should You Choose?

If you are already married, you must apply for a spouse visa, the fiancé(e) route is only available to engaged couples who have not yet married. If you are engaged but have not yet married, you face a choice: marry abroad first and apply for a spouse visa from outside the UK, or apply for a fiancé(e) visa first and marry in the UK. The financial requirement and most other eligibility criteria are the same for both routes. The fiancé(e) route is faster to apply for (no marriage certificate required) but adds cost and complexity because a second application (the LTR switch) is required after the wedding.

Eligibility Requirements

Relationship Requirements

Both parties must be aged 18 or over. The couple must be free to marry under UK law, neither party must be in a subsisting marriage or civil partnership with someone else. The relationship must be genuine and subsisting. The parties must have met in person. There must be a genuine intention to marry within the six-month leave period.

Financial Requirement: £29,000 MIR

The financial requirement for the fiancé(e) visa is the same as for the spouse visa: the sponsor must meet the £29,000 minimum income requirement (or the Adequate Maintenance test where a qualifying disability benefit is in payment) under Appendix FM-SE. All the same income categories (A through G) and evidential requirements apply.

English Language Requirement

The applicant must demonstrate English language ability at level A1 on the CEFR scale at the fiancé(e) visa stage. This is a lower threshold than required for the subsequent Leave to Remain application (B1) and the ILR application (B1). The English language requirement must be met through a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, or through a qualifying degree taught in English, or through nationality from a majority English-speaking country.

Accommodation

The couple must have adequate accommodation in the UK for themselves and any dependants, without recourse to public funds.

The 6-Month Marriage Condition

This is the defining characteristic of the fiancé(e) visa and the most important condition to understand before applying.

You Must Marry Within 6 Months

The fiancé(e) visa is granted for exactly six months from the date of entry. The holder must marry their sponsor before the visa expires. If the wedding does not take place within six months, for any reason, the visa holder cannot extend their fiancé(e) visa and cannot switch to a spouse visa from within the UK. They must leave and apply for a spouse visa from outside the UK.

Delays and Exceptional Circumstances

There is no provision in the Immigration Rules for extending a fiancé(e) visa or for discretionary consideration of delays caused by illness, bereavement, or other exceptional circumstances. The six-month condition is absolute. Any couple choosing the fiancé(e) route should have their wedding booked before the visa is granted, with sufficient time to complete the switch application after the wedding and before the visa expires.

Giving Notice of Marriage

Before marrying in the UK, the couple must give notice of marriage at a register office. Under the current rules, notice must be given at least 28 days before the wedding (for most nationalities) or at a later stage subject to an extended administrative review process for certain nationalities. This process, known as the referral scheme for sham marriages, means the couple should give notice as early as possible after arrival to avoid time pressure.

Costs and Processing Times (2026)

Processing Times

Standard processing for the fiancé(e) visa from outside the UK is approximately 8–12 weeks. Priority processing (where available at the relevant Visa Application Centre) reduces this to approximately 5 working days at additional cost. It is important to apply with sufficient time before the intended wedding date, accounting for VAC appointment availability in the applicant's country.

After the Wedding: Switching to Leave to Remain as a Spouse

After the wedding has taken place, the fiancé(e) visa holder must apply for Leave to Remain as a Spouse before their fiancé(e) visa expires. This is a separate application made from within the UK using the online UKVI system.

The Switch Application Requirements

The switch to Leave to Remain as a Spouse requires the applicant to meet the same eligibility criteria as a standard spouse visa application: the £29,000 MIR (or Adequate Maintenance), English language at B1, the relationship requirement (now satisfied by the marriage certificate), and the accommodation requirement. The marriage certificate is a mandatory document in the switch application.

Do Not Let the Fiancé(e) Visa Expire Before Switching

The switch application must be submitted before the fiancé(e) visa expires. If the visa expires without a switch application having been made, the individual becomes an overstayer a serious immigration breach that will affect all future UK visa applications. There is no grace period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a fiancé(e) visa holder work in the UK?

No. Work is prohibited on a fiancé(e) visa. The visa is granted solely for the purpose of marrying. After the switch to Leave to Remain as a Spouse is granted, the holder will have the right to work in the UK.

What if the wedding is cancelled after the visa is granted?

If the wedding is cancelled and will not take place within the six-month period, the visa holder should not remain in the UK beyond the visa expiry date. There is no mechanism to extend or vary a fiancé(e) visa where the intended marriage will not take place.

Can we marry at a religious ceremony only?

The marriage must be legally recognised under UK law. A religious ceremony alone may not constitute a legal marriage in the UK a civil ceremony or a religious ceremony that is also legally registered must take place. Confirmation of the legal requirements for the specific religion and venue should be obtained before the wedding.