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

You don’t need a Marriage Visitor visa to convert your civil partnership into a marriage – you can apply for a Standard Visitor visa.

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.

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
• study for more than 30 days – studying can’t be the main reason for your visit