Marriage Visitor Visa
You must apply for a Marriage Visitor visa if:
- you want to get married or register a civil partnership in the UK
- you want to give notice of a marriage or civil partnership in UK
- you’re not planning to stay or settle in the UK after your marriage or civil partnership
- you meet the other eligibility requirements (see below)
You can’t apply if you qualify for British citizenship – including if you can have dual nationality. You must apply for British Citizenship instead.
How long it takes to get a visa
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your date of travel to the UK. You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
You can check the guide processing times to find out how long getting a visa might take in your country.
It costs £85 to apply.
How long you can stay
You can use this visa to visit the UK for up to 6 months.
What you can and can’t do
You can use this visa to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK:
- within 6 months of your arrival
- in any location licensed for this purpose
You can’t:
- get public funds
- bring in family members (‘dependants’) – they must apply separately
- live in the UK for extended periods through frequent visits
- extend your visa or switch to another visa
- work – except for permitted activities related to your work or business overseas, eg attending meetings
- do a course of study – except for 30 days of incidental study
Eligibility
You must prove that you’re:
- 18 or over
- free to give notice of marriage, to marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of your arrival
- in a genuine relationship
- visiting the UK for less than 6 months
- leaving the UK at the end of your visit
- able to support yourself without working or help from public funds, or that you can be supported and housed by relatives or friends
- able to meet the cost of the return or onward journey
- not in transit to a country outside the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands
