As a Glastonbury resident who has found love with someone abroad and is planning to marry them, what other perfect place to begin your happily ever after than the mystical town in Somerset?

Imagine exchanging vows with the iconic Glastonbury Tor in the background or celebrating your union in one of the town's beautiful historic venues. You and your partner can build a shared life while enjoying the weekend's nighttime activities and the festival season together.

It sure sounds magical. But with the UK Fiance Visa, you could genuinely reunite with your loved one and make your dreams of a life together come true.

In this article, we'll discuss the eligibility requirements for the Fiance Visa and how you and your partner can navigate the application process.

What is the Fiance Visa?

The UK Fiance Visa is a subcategory of the Family Visa. It allows individuals from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) who are engaged to British nationals or settled persons to enter the UK and marry or register a civil partnership with their engaged partner.

Unlike other family visas, the Fiance Visa is a short-term visa that is only valid for six months. You cannot study or work in the country during your engagement. The Home Office grants this visa with the expectation that you and your fiance will get married or enter a civil partnership within six months and switch to a long-term visa.

The most appropriate long-term visa your fiance can switch to is the Spouse or Partner Visa. Under the Partner Visa, they can live with you, work, and study in the UK for 30 months. When their visa expires, they can apply for an extension of 30 months. After living on a Spouse Visa for five years, they can apply for permanent settlement.

What is the Eligibility Requirement for the Fiance Visa?

The Home Office has specific requirements that applicants must satisfy to be eligible for the Fiance Visa. Hence, before applying for the visa, you should confirm that you and your engaged partner meet these criteria, which include:

• You and your partner must be 18 years or older
• You must be living in Glastonbury as any of the following:
• A British or Irish citizen
• An individual with a Turkish Businessperson or Turkish Worker visa
• Someone with indefinite leave to remain
• Someone with pre-settled status
• Someone with refugee or humanitarian protection status
• A stateless person
• You and your partner must have a genuine and subsisting relationship
• You both must show that any previous relationships or marriages have ended
• You must plan to get married or register a civil partnership within six months of your fiance's arrival in the UK
• You must have adequate accomodation requirements.
• You must meet the minimum financial requirement of £29,000 annually.
• Your partner might need to prove that they have sufficient knowledge of the English language.

What Documents Do You Need to Apply for the Fiance Visa?

When applying for the visa, your fiance must submit supporting documents demonstrating their identity and eligibility. These documents include:

• A valid passport or travel document
• Details of any previous immigration applications they've made
• Copies of the photo page of the visas and entry stamps from their previous passports.
• A completed letter of sponsorship
• A copy of your biometric residence permit or document proving your UK residency status.
• Your fiance's criminal record certificate
• An English language test certificate or an approved academic qualification taught in English.
• Evidence that you both have a genuine and subsisting relationship with documents such as:
• Regular correspondence like text messages
• Bank statements showing you support each other financially
• Time spent together on holidays.

What is the Cost of the Fiance Visa?

The visa application fee for the Fiance Visa is £1,846, and the biometrics enrollment fee is £19.20. If your partner intends to switch to the fiance visa after entering the UK, they'll pay an application fee of £1,048. They'll also need to pay an immigration Health Surcharge of £2,587.50.

How to Apply for the Fiance Visa

You and your partner should visit the UK government's website to begin the application process for the Fiance Visa.

You'll need to create an account and complete the online application form. When you get to the evidence section of your application, you should upload the requested supporting documents. Then, you must pay the visa application fee.

Your fiance will need to verify their identity. They can do so by booking and attending an appointment at a UK Visa Application Centre (VAC) in their country of residence, where they will submit their fingerprints and photographs and pay a biometric enrollment fee.

The VAC may hold on to their passport and supporting documents while they process the visa.

How Long Does it Take to Process the Fiance Visa?

As with all family visa applications made outside the UK, the Home Office will process Fiance Visa applications within 24 weeks. If you want a faster decision, you may be able to pay an additional £1,000 for the super-priority service, and your application will be processed by the end of the next working day.

Conclusion

The Fiance Visa is an opportunity for engaged couples in long-distance relationships to reunite and build a family life together in the UK.

However, the visa has stringent requirements that applicants must satisfy. For instance, the partner based in the UK must be a British citizen, a settled person, or a protected individual. As such, residents on a student or work visa are not eligible for the visa.

Additionally, applicants must demonstrate to the Home Office that they have plans to get married or enter a civil partnership within six months of being in the UK. They will face a visa denial if they do not have sufficient evidence to prove this requirement.

If you are a Glastonbury resident looking forward to spending your happily ever after with someone abroad, you should seek legal help before you begin the immigration process. An experienced UK immigration lawyer can assess your circumstances and advise you on the proper steps to take.