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 are not planning to stay or settle in the UK after your marriage or civil partnership  

  • you meet the other eligibility requirements  

You do not need a Marriage Visitor visa to convert your civil partnership into a marriage - you can apply for a Standard Visitor visa

You cannot 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   

The earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel. 

Example 

You can apply from 16 March if you plan to travel on 15 June.  

You should get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks when you apply from outside the UK.  

Find out about paying for a faster decision.  

Fees   

It costs £95 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 cannot do 

You can: 

  • Marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of your arrival - you must use a venue licensed for this purpose 

  • pass through the UK in transit (on your way to another country) 

You cannot: 

  • 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, such as attending meetings 

  • study for more than 30 days - studying cannot be the main reason for your visit 

See Also: