An individual interested in getting married in the UK but lacks residence status is advised to either acquire a Marriage Visitor visa or a Fiancé/Fiancée visa. It should be noted that visitors to the UK holding either a standard visit visa or visiting the country as a non-visa national cannot get married in the UK.
Interestingly, the Marriage Visitor visa is for people visiting the UK with the sole purpose of entering into a civil partnership or getting married without any plans of staying in the country afterwards. In case you are wondering, a Marriage Visitor visa is valid for 6 months, and holders must return to their home country after it expires.
On the other hand, you may need to obtain a fiancé visa if you wish to get married and live in the UK. An individual who is engaged to a British citizen or an existing resident in the UK can easily apply for a Fiancé visa. Again, this visa is valid for 6 months, and you must get married or enter into a civil partnership during this period. Moreover, you are required to switch to a Spouse or Civil Partner visa after getting married, which comes with a validity of 2 and a half years. Which visas you should opt for depends on if you will be staying in the UK after your marriage.
We hope you found this information helpful. Follow our blogs for the latest updates and informative content on UK immigration.
