Getting married to someone from another country sounds like a dream. But if you’re in the UK and your partner isn’t, that dream gets buried under forms, delays, and a lot of waiting. The process isn’t exactly fun, and most of it is just dull admin work. Still, it’s doable. You’ll screw up a few things. You’ll get stuff wrong. That’s alright. The point is to push it forward.

There’s no single path through this. It depends on where your partner lives, how long you’ve been together, and whether you’ve lived in the same country before. Some people meet during a trip. Others do the whole thing online for a year or two before ever meeting. Doesn’t matter. What matters is that the UK government sees your relationship as genuine and that you follow the rules.

Understanding the Requirements

Let’s break this down properly. A fiancé visa exists so a UK citizen can bring over their non-UK partner to get married here. After the wedding, the partner can stay in the country by switching to a spouse visa. No back-and-forth between embassies. No need to reapply from scratch outside the UK. That shortcut alone makes it really appealing for couples trying to keep things stable.

Still, the rules can be confusing. People often overlook how detailed the process gets. The fiance visa requirements are pretty strict and sometimes feel too technical. You both need to be over 18. The wedding has to happen within six months of arrival. No delays. Doesn’t matter if the venue cancels or something comes up — once that visa is stamped, the timer starts. The relationship also has to be real — not just on paper. You must have met in person. Photos, tickets, WhatsApp chats, video call logs — anything that proves the history helps.

Then comes the money part. The UK-based partner must earn a minimum of £18,600 a year. If there are kids involved who don’t have British citizenship, the amount jumps. There’s no flexibility there. You either meet the mark with income or make up for it with savings. Payslips, bank statements, job letters — they all need to be lined up perfectly. If one thing’s off, the whole thing can fall apart.

You also need to show where you’ll live. The place can’t be overcrowded. The visa people will check if there’s enough room. That includes kids, other relatives, everyone. If it’s too tight, that’s another risk.

There’s also the healthcare surcharge. It’s pricey and has to be paid upfront. Doesn’t matter if the visa’s approved or not — you don’t get it back if they say no. The application itself isn’t a single document. It’s a full batch of them. ID, proof of relationship, money, housing. If anything’s missing, they’ll reject it. No warning, no mercy.

It’s annoying. Really annoying. But it works if you follow every step. People screw it up mostly by rushing or assuming small details don’t matter. They really do. You just have to treat every single part of it like it’s critical — because it kind of is.

Initial Decision: Marry Here or Abroad?

First question to deal with — do you want to get married in the UK or in your partner’s home country? If you want the wedding here, they’ll need a marriage visitor visa or a fiancé visa. If you want to marry abroad, that’s simpler. But then comes the part where they apply to move here after the wedding, which has its own rules.

A marriage visitor visa doesn’t let your partner stay in the UK after the wedding. They’d have to leave and apply again for a spouse visa. A fiancé visa lets them come here to get married and switch to a spouse visa without leaving. Costs more. Takes longer. But saves one extra visa application.

Proving the Relationship Is Real

This is where people trip up. UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) doesn’t care if you’re madly in love. They care about evidence. You’ve met in person? Prove it with flight stubs, hotel bookings, photos with timestamps. Long calls, chat logs, letters, emails — all good.

You live apart but visit often? Show every trip. They look for consistency. Gaps in communication or anything vague will raise red flags. Doesn’t matter how sincere you are — if it’s not backed by records, it’s weak.

No point complaining about it. That’s just how it works. You want them to believe this is real? Show it. Otherwise, they’ll assume it’s a paper marriage and bin your application.

The Marriage Visitor Route

If you only want to marry here and go live elsewhere after, the marriage visitor visa might be enough. It’s cheaper. Quicker. But it doesn’t let your partner stay. Six months is all you get. After the wedding, they go back home and apply for a spouse visa from outside the UK.

People go this route when they’re not sure where they’ll settle long term. Or when they just want the wedding to happen here for family reasons. But if you want to live together in the UK right after marriage, don’t go down this path. It adds an extra step, more cost, and more waiting.

Mistakes People Make

A lot of people rush. They file without checking what evidence is actually required. They assume one type of can’t. Doesn’t matter if the shortfall’s tiny. Doesn’t matter if you’ve got job offers lined up. The numbers have to add up at the time of application. No exceptions. They don’t care how close you are.

Others forget to explain things. You changed jobs last month? Say so. You moved house? Show it. If something looks off and there’s no explanation, that’s a red flag. The caseworker won’t ask you to clarify. They’ll just say no. And no doesn’t come with a refund.

Some skip the translations. If any document’s in another language, you need a certified English version. Not your friend’s translation. It has to be official. Miss that and the whole application gets tossed.

Legal Help or DIY?

You don’t need a solicitor, but it helps. Really helps if your case is messy. If you’re self-employed, if you’ve been denied before, if you don’t hit the income threshold in the usual way — these are all tricky situations. A good immigration lawyer can spot weak spots and help patch them before you apply.

But they’re not magic. They can’t fix a fake relationship. They can’t turn £14,000 into £18,600. You still have to meet the requirements. What they do is avoid dumb mistakes. That alone might save you months of delay.

If your case is clean and you’re good with forms and details, you can do it yourself. Just read the guidance twice. Then read it again. Every page. Every bullet point. The devil’s in the details and the rules change often. You miss an update, you mess it all up. Simple as that.

Last modified: December 31, 2025