What you need to know about applying for a UK fiancé visa
- Neso M
- Oct 15, 2018
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 29, 2018
All you need to know if you are a Nigerian and engaged to a British Citizen or someone settled in the UK
Hello,
Congratulations on your engagement!
As cliché as this sounds, enjoy this moment. Keep in mind that you have a lot of planning to do especially if you are in similar situation as I was. Please read as I think I will be of help to you.
Some context
I am a Nigerian and my partner is British. At the time of our engagement, we were both living and working in different countries although we had met while I was studying in the UK.
While we were planning our traditional Nigerian wedding, and I discovered that a lot of international Nigerian marriages have their civil wedding in Nigeria and go straight ahead with the spouse visa. In our case, we wanted to have the civil wedding in the country we will be residing in - the UK. Therefore, I was not eligible to apply for the spousal visa because we did not have a marriage certificate.
I am going to work you through the process I went through as at March 2018.
*Disclaimer: I am not an immigration expert/agent. All the information provided on this blog are from the gov.uk website, research and my personal experience. While I have taken a lot of time to make sure that this guide is as accurate as possible and provided links for you to verify; I do not take responsibility for any losses that you may experience. To find official immigration advice, click here.
Okay, let’s get begin.
What is a UK Fiancé Visa?
A fiancé visa is a type of family visa that is given to a partner of a British Citizen or Settled Person in the UK. This Visa allows you to enter the UK to marry your partner within 6 months. It is the first step to getting to the Indefinite Leave to Remain status. You cannot work while you are on this visa or use the NHS
If you are unsure of what type of visa you need, you can use this link to check.
My personal opinion on the UK Fiancé Visa
First of all, the UK Fiancé Visa application is for any one who intends to get married in the UK and live together in the UK after the wedding. It is valid for 6 months during which you need to be married within that time and then apply from within the UK for the Further Leave to Remain, also known as FLR (M) or Spouse Visa.
Because it is an immigration type visa, it requires a lot of information. Your visa will be decided solely based on the information you have provided as you will not be given an interview to explain any unclear points. For this reason, you need to be very meticulous and organised while completing this application. And by completing the application - I’m not only referring to completing the visa form, but also the supporting documents and the steps you take afterwards.
If you are not particular about having your civil wedding in the UK, I would suggest you had it in your home country and go straight ahead with the spouse visa. I'm saying this because the fiancé visa and spouse visa process are equally as detailed. Except, with the fiancé visa, you are not eligible to work or have access to the NHS.
What do you need?
Before you proceed with this route, you and your partner need to meet the following criteria.
Your partner must be a British Citizen or have Indefinite Leave to Remain or Proof of permanent residence
You must intend to marry your UK partner before your 6-month fiancé visa expires - you should include evidence of your wedding plans to prove this
You and your partner must have met in person
You and your partner must not be related in away that is prohibited by the UK Home Office. See document with detailed list
You and your partner must be 18 years old and above
You and your partner must intend to live permanently in the UK
You and your partner are in a genuine relationship and you are able to prove that it is recognised my both of your families
All previous marriages/relationships have been legally terminated
You and your partner have sufficient funds to support yourselves - your partner should be able to meet the gross income requirement of £18,600 per annum
You need to prove that you meet the English language requirement
You need to prove that you are free from Tuberculosis by getting a test and certificate from a Home Office approved testing centre. This step is only applicable to applicants from countries who are required to provide such information
See the official list of requirements provided by the Home Office
How long does it take?
The visa application process usually takes up to 12 weeks for applications outside the UK. If you choose to use the priority service outside the UK, it can take 6 weeks or longer if your application needs it.
How much does it cost?
The UK fiancé visa costs £1523. It recently increased by £40 on 6th April 2018. Be sure to check for any changes to the fees.
This is just an overview of all you need to know. I have written another blog post - heads up, its a long one. It details all the process, requirements and documents you need to gather.
Good luck x
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