You could qualify for a Fiancé/Fiancée visa if you are in a relationship with a British passport holder or a person who is considered settled in the UK and wishes to emigrate to the UK specifically to get married.
A settled person could also be an Irish national or an EU national holding pre-settled or settled status.
There are, however, very strict financial requirements that you need to meet. These requirements are identical to the Spousal/Unmarried Partner Visa for the UK.
How to qualify
To qualify for a Fiancé/Fiancée visa, you must be in a genuine and subsisting relationship with a British Passport holder or a person considered to be settled in the UK. It must be your intention to get married in the UK and to live together permanently as husband and wife.
As with the Spousal/Unmarried Partner Visa, you will also have to meet the strict financial requirements. You can meet this requirement in various ways:
- Through the British Passport holders’ employment income in the past 12 months, coupled with a UK job offer or
- The British Passport holders’ employment income with the same UK-based employer for the past six months or
- Cash Savings in one or both the applicant and British Passport holders’ names.
Note that you must also fulfil other criteria that your Breytenbachs consultant will discuss with you in-depth during your first consultation.
Length of Stay
The Fiancé/Fiancée visa will only be issued for six months initially. Once the wedding ceremony has taken place in the UK, you must apply for your Spousal Visa from within the UK.
Your spousal visa will then be issued for 2.5 years. After 2.5 years, you will have to apply to renew your visa for another 2.5 years, provided you can still prove that you are in a genuine and subsisting relationship with the British Passport holder.
Right to Work
You will not be allowed to work in the UK on the Fiancé/Fiancée Visa during the six months.
You will only be allowed to work without restriction once you have been issued your Spousal Visa.
Immigration Health Surcharge
Unlike the Spousal/Unmarried Partner Visa for the UK, there is no National Health Surcharge payable if you apply for the Fiancé/Fiancée visa.
However, once you apply for the spousal visa, you must pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Indefinite Leave to Remain and Citizenship
The Fiancé/Fiancéevisa does not lead to settlement.
However, the Spousal visa does lead to settlement in the UK. After you have completed five years on the UK Spousal visa route, you will qualify to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
How Breytenbachs can help you
If you need more information or wish to apply for a fiancé/fiancée visa, please do not hesitate to contact us.
