If you intend to relocate to the UK to begin a new life with your UK-based partner, you could be eligible for the UK Fiance Visa. The Fiance Visa is designed to enable non-EEA nationals to enter the UK to marry/enter into a civil partnership with their UK-based partner, and to begin a new life here. The applicant's partner must be either a UK citizen or a person with settled status in the country.

Fiance Visas last for 6 months and they are granted under the assumption that you will marry your partner within the validity period of the visa.

You must apply for another immigration permission to remain in the UK after your Fiance Visa expires. The simplest transition is to the Spouse Visa, which grants holders 30 months of residence in the UK. You can look for employment and study in the UK as a Spouse Visa holder, without any restrictions.

To be eligible for the Fiance Visa, both you and your partner must meet certain conditions and requirements.

The main eligibility criteria are as follows:

• Both you and your partner must be at least 18-years-old
• You must be planning to get married within the 6-month validity period of the Fiance Visa
• Your partner must be a UK citizen or a person with settled status
• You must intend to live with your partner in the UK once you are married/in a civil partnership
• You need to demonstrate that you have the means to financially support yourselves as a couple and won't become a financial burden on the state. You must have a combined income of at least £18,600 annually
• You need to show that you have suitable accommodation to live in with your partner and your dependents
• If you are from a non-English-speaking country, you need to take an approved SELT test to prove that you can understand and communicate in English to the level of A1 as set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

In your Fiance Visa UK application, you will need to provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet certain minimum financial thresholds.

You need to prove to the Home Office that as a couple you have enough money to support yourselves whilst you are in the UK (as well as any dependents included in your application).

Your combined annual income must be at least £18,600. If you have any child dependents who will be joining you, this sum increases by £3,800 for your first child and £2,400 for each child after your first.

You can prove your finances through any of the following:

• Regular salary through employment
• Self-employment
• Statutory sick pay, maternity, paternity or adoption pay
• Savings
• Stocks and shares
• Pension payments
• Property financial gains, such as a regular income from rent

It is important to note that as a Fiance Visa holder, you will not be classed as a permanent resident and therefore, you will not have access to public funds.

If you want to apply for a Fiance Visa, you will need to provide certain information and documents which prove that you are eligible for the Fiance Visa.

You will need to provide information about yourself and your UK-based partner, as well as any dependents who you want to add to your application. Some of the information which you will need to provide includes:

• Your name and date of birth
• Copies of the photo page of any old passports and visas
• Information about the relationship you have with your partner. This includes how long you have been together, how you met and how often you see each other
• Details of anyone you previously married or had children with
• Divorce certificates (if applicable)
• Details of any criminal convictions
• Details of the countries outside the UK which you have lived in and visited
• The date of birth and nationality of your parents if you are applying from outside the UK

Here at the Immigration Advice Service, we can advise you on all the documentation and information which you will need to provide in your portfolio of evidence. We will help you to source, gather and compile all your documentation, whilst ensuring your evidence adheres to all necessary administrative standards.

Call us now on +442071931110 to find out more about how we can help you.

If you are from a non-English-speaking country, you will need to fulfil an English language requirement as a Fiance Visa applicant, unless you are exempt (more below).

You need to demonstrate that your level of English in reading, writing, listening and speaking is at least to the level of A1 as set by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

You will need to pass a SELT test at the level of at least A1 at an approved English language test centre to prove your English language ability.

Your pass certificate will need to be included in your portfolio of evidence to submit to the Home Office.

You will be exempt from the English language requirement if:

• You hold a degree or higher qualification taught in English at an educational institution recognised by NAIRC
• You are over 65
• You are a recognised refugee
• You are living in the UK as an orphan or widow
• You are a victim of domestic abuse
• You have a mental or physical condition which prevents you from sitting the exam

One of the key UK Fiance Visa requirements is the genuine relationship requirement. You must provide sufficient evidence to prove that you are in a genuine relationship with your UK-based partner.

You will need to provide information such as:

• Bank statements of joint accounts
• Documents showing details of accommodation which you have lived in together
• Birth certificates, if you have had any children together
• Divorce certificates, if applicable
• Reference letters from family, friends and professional people who can vouch that you are in a genuine relationship
• Information on how long you have been together, how you met and how often you see each other

If you need any help with the genuine relationship requirement, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We will consider your case and advise you on all the information and documents which you will need to provide to prove your relationship is genuine.

If you would like any assistance, call our friendly client care team now on +442071931110.

Currently, it costs £1,523 to apply for the Fiance Visa from abroad and £1,033 to apply from inside the UK.

There is no specific timetable for when you will receive a decision on your Fiance Visa. If your application has been completed fully and to the required standard, you can expect to receive your decision quicker.

However, if, for example, your application is missing certain key documents, this will delay the processing stage. Immigration officials may contact you to request more information if they deem it to be necessary.

On average, you can expect to receive a decision on your application between 2 and 3 months after the date it is received.

We can help to formulate your UK Fiance Visa application to the very highest standards with our industry-leading application package. With this service, one of our expert immigration lawyers will work with you through the entire application process. We understand what it takes to formulate a successful application and we will maximise your chances of securing the Fiance Visa.

Through hiring our services, you can expect to receive a quick decision on your application. To find out more about our application package, please call our friendly team now on +442071931110.

If your Fiance Visa application is approved, you will be permitted to remain in the UK for up to six months. You must get married within the 6-month period of your Fiance Visa and you must abide by the conditions imposed on your immigration permission.

If you are travelling from outside of the UK, you will need to report to border control when you arrive. It is important to bring photocopies of key documents and information from your application with you when you travel to the UK.

If you are granted with a Fiance Visa, it is expected that you will make the UK your new home. This requires you to switch to a different form of long-term immigration permission when your visa expires.

In most circumstances, you will not be able to apply for a Fiance Visa extension. However, if there were exceptional circumstances which prevented you from getting married within the initial 6-month period, at the discretion of the Home Office, you might be granted an extension.

The same requirements will need to be fulfilled to be eligible to apply for the extension and your circumstances must not have changed significantly.

One of the main benefits of the Fiance Visa is that it offers a smooth transition to the highly sought-after Spouse Visa. You will need to go through the standard Spouse Visa application process, but you will not need to leave the UK to apply for it (provided you apply before your Fiance Visa expires).

You can stay in the UK for 30 months under a Spouse Visa and you will be able to apply for a Spouse Visa extension when your original Spouse Visa expires, provided your circumstances haven't changed. The Spouse Visa extension also lasts for 30 months.

You can work in the UK and study as a Spouse Visa holder and all time spent in the UK under this visa counts towards minimum residency requirements for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and British citizenship.

After you have spent 5 years living in the UK under a Spouse Visa, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain status, which is a form of permanent residence, meaning you can remain in the UK without any restrictions.

After you have lived in the UK for a year under ILR, you will be eligible to apply for full British citizenship. As a British citizen, you can apply for a British passport and enjoy the full benefits of being a British citizen.

To lodge a Fiancé Visa appeal, it is recommended that you follow the below steps:

1. Read your refusal letter carefully to understand the reasons why your application was refused
2. Identify whether you have the right to appeal the decision (this will be clearly stated in your letter)
3. You must submit your appeal within 14 or 28 days (depending on whether you applied outside or inside the UK)
4. Prepare your case to demonstrate why the decision should be reversed
5. Attend the hearing at the First-tier Tribunal in the UK immigration courts
6. Wait for a decision on your appeal

There is no set time for visa appeals to be processed. Some may be decided within one month, while others may have to wait for over 12 months.

Approximately 50% of immigration decisions are overturned on appeal, and recent figures showed that the Home Office loses 75% of immigration appeals.

This means that there is a high chance that you will be successful if you submit a strong appeal against your initial decision.