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UK Marriage Visitor visa, also called the ‘civil partnership visit visa’ authorizes visitors to get married or to form a civil partnership in the UK. It is also required for giving the notice to marry while they are in the UK.
To 'give notice' means you and your partner are required to sign a statement at a local register office. The statement must say that you intend to get married or form a civil partnership. Also, you must have lived in the registered district for at least seven days before you apply to give notice.
For non-EEA nationals, you will have to give the notice at a designated register office. As the notice period is for 28 clear days, you must wait for at least 29 days before a ceremony can take place. There is no compulsion to remain in the UK during this waiting period.
You will be required to hold a valid Marriage Visitor Visa if you are planning to get married or form a civil relationship with your partner or if you intend to give notice. Applicants who come under this category can stay for up to six months on a Marriage Visitor Visa however, they cannot normally switch into any other category from within the UK. They must also indicate that they plan to leave the UK once their stay is over.
To qualify for a UK Marriage Visitor Visa, you must fulfill the following requirements:
You must provide the following documents to apply for a UK Marriage Visitor Visa
The Home Office may request applicants to provide additional documents than the ones mentioned above.
The only financial requirement for a UK Marriage Visitor Visa is proof that you can support yourself during the trip as well as your return trip without relying on public funds. You can provide evidence for the same through bank statements and payslips
It will cost you £95.00 to apply for a short-term (six months) marriage visa and book an appointment for the same. If you want a long-term visa, the fees will increase depending on the duration of your stay. For a 2 year visa, the fee is £361, for 5 years it will cost you £655 and £822 for a 10-year visa.
The visa application form must be filled online first. You should make an application for a UK Marriage Visitor Visa no more than 3 months before you travel. After applying online, you will have to schedule an appointment at a visa application center to confirm your identity and provide your documents. Your passport and documents will be kept with the visa application center while they are processing your application. According to the Home Office service standards for processing the applications for marriage visitor visas, the decision for 90 percent of the applicants is taken within 3 weeks and 100 percent within 12 weeks of the application date.
A UK Marriage Visitor Visa does not permit you to work in the country, fulfill, exchanging, but you can carry out work-related activities overseas, such as attending meetings. Under this visa category, you are also not allowed to do the following things:
You can provide your supporting documents either by uploading them into the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Service (UKVCAS) online website or you can also have them scanned at your UKVCAS appointment.
After verifying your identity at a visa application center, you will be given the option to choose a ‘priority service’ if the service is available in the country you are applying from. You can avail of this service at an additional cost and a decision regarding your application will be made within 5 working days after your appointment at the visa application center. To get a decision within 5 working days, you will have to pay an extra or £956 for a decision within 24 hours, including weekends or bank holidays.
There are various reasons why your visa can be refused. However, if your UK Marriage Visitor Visa has been refused by the Home Office or UKVI, you may have the option to challenge your refusal. You may also have been given a right of administrative review, a full right to appeal, or no right to appeal at all. Another option is to assess the refusal and reapply in an attempt to address the reasons for refusal. This option may lead to a result quicker than going through an appeal process.
An application for a marriage visa can be made from within the UK as well. To apply for this visa, you will first need to check if you are eligible to apply for the visa. After confirming the eligibility requirements, you must apply online on the UKVI website. After applying, you must prepare the necessary documents for the appointment.