Who should apply for the Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa?

The Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa is different from a Fiancé Visa because you are expected to leave the UK within 6 months as a visitor. If you hope to settle in the UK, then the Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa is not the right option for you.

If you wish to have a non-official ceremony, you can simply apply for a Standard Visit Visa instead, as the Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa is only for marriages and civil partnerships recognised by UK law.

Similarly, if you wish to convert a civil partnership to a marriage, you can do this under a Standard Visit Visa. However, keep in mind you can only convert a civil partnership to a marriage in the UK if it took place under UK law.

Ultimately, you should only consider the Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa if you are a visa national wishing to lawfully marry, enter a civil partnership, or give notice in the UK without settling there.

For a Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa to be successful, however, each individual applying must meet the requirements.

What are the requirements for the Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa?

The requirements for a Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa are as follows:

• You require a visa to enter the UK.
• You plan to leave the UK at the end of your visit.
• You meet the financial requirements.
• You are a genuine visitor not attempting to live in the UK through repeated visits.
• Your travel plans include only activities allowed while on the Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa.

There are some additional requirements for the Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit visa, which are:

• You and your partner are at least 18 years old.
• You and your partner are in a genuine relationship.
• You plan to give notice of marriage or civil partnership.

Some requirements vary depending on your specific circumstances, so it can be helpful to meet with a solicitor to receive advice for your particular situation.

Do I need a visa to enter the UK?

The Home Office provides a list of countries whose citizens require a Visit Visa to visit the UK. If you are from one of these countries, you are considered a ‘visa national’ and should apply to a Visit Visa before visiting the UK. If you are, for example, an EU, EEA, Swiss, or American citizen, you do not need a visit visa to visit the UK. However, you must still meet the requirements and be able to explain the purpose of your visit and plans for financial support.

What are the financial requirements?

There is no specific income threshold to meet, but you must show you can financially support yourself while in the UK without relying on public funds or working. If you need financial assistance, it is possible for a third party to sponsor you. For a third party to sponsor you, you need to have a personal or professional relationship with them, and they should be able to show they can fund the entirety of your trip without breaking any immigration rules.

The ‘entirety’ of your trip includes travel, accommodation, and any necessary costs along the way. Only funds held in a legitimate financial institution are considered.

What is a genuine visitor?

A genuine visitor is someone who plans to return home at the end of their visit, rather than overstaying or returning to the UK for consecutive visits. To determine if you are a genuine visitor, the Home Office looks at your immigration history and your personal and financial ties to your country of residence. You want to show that you have reasons to return to your home country, such as family, friends, and work responsibilities. If you have more ties to the UK than to your country of residence, the Home Office may question your intention to return to your country of residence at the end of your visit. Providing the right supporting documents can help you convince the Home Office that you are a genuine visitor.

What is a genuine relationship?

In addition to showing you are a genuine visitor, you are also expected to prove your relationship is real. If a Home Office caseworker suspects your relationship is not real, they are instructed to refuse the application.

To avoid this, you can provide details of your plans together, including wedding plans, future commitments, and living arrangements upon your return. This shows that your relationship is ongoing and that you plan to continue your lives together once you return from the UK.

What supporting documents can help my Marriage or Civil Partnership Visit Visa application?

You should provide supporting documents that convince the Home Office you can support yourself while in the UK and that you plan to leave at the end of your visit.

This may include:

• Your travel document.
•  Your travel history showing you have always returned on time to your country of residence, and that you are not making successive trips to the UK.
• Evidence of proper accommodation in the UK and your return flight.
•  Proof of income (payslips and bank statements) showing you can support yourself financially and an estimate of the trip’s total cost.
• Evidence of family ties in your country of residence (marriage or birth certificates for your spouse or children in your country of residence, for example).
• Evidence of professional ties in your country of residence (letter from your employer or invoices from your business, for example).

For the Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa, the following is also helpful:  

• Evidence of your intent to give notice, for example, an appointment card.
• Evidence a marriage will take place, such as venue confirmation and receipts.
• Evidence of your genuine relationship, for example, joint mortgage or tenancy agreements, joint bank accounts and bills, shared children, and wedding plans.

How to apply for a Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa

You can apply for a Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa online. Each individual planning to visit the UK must complete a separate online form and pay a separate fee. While completing the online application, you will book a biometric appointment at a visa application centre. During this appointment, you provide supporting documents and have your fingerprints and picture taken.

What activities are permitted on a Marriage and Civil Partnership Visit Visa?

The Marriage and Civil Partnership Visa allows you to give notice of marriage or civil partnership, and to marry or form a civil partnership. These are things you cannot do on a Standard Visit Visa.

While in the UK on a Marriage and Civil Partnership Visa, you cannot work or study. This is why it’s important for you to have enough funds to support yourself throughout your trip to the UK. There would be nothing worse than throwing financial problems in the mix before the big day.

Evidence in support and burden of proof

When gathering documents and submitting your application, remember that it is up to you to convince the Home Office caseworker that you meet the requirements as a genuine visitor to the UK. As a rule of thumb, if you know something to be true (for example, that you plan to return to your home country because your job expects you back), then show it (give evidence of your job and future plans in your home country).

While a caseworker may want to believe that you meet the requirements, their job is to find proof in the information you provided in your application. Your application should act as a thorough argument for yourself and your plans as a visitor in the UK.