2024 UK Fiance Visa Processing Time: Top 3 Queries Answered
Are you planning to settle with your partner in Manchester, UK, this year? If yes, the best way to make your dream come true is to obtain a fiance visa. It allows you to enter the UK with the condition of getting married within 6 months of your arrival. Make sure you make the application outside the UK. Once you get married, you will be eligible to apply for a spouse visa, permitting you to stay here for the next 2.5 years.
However, when it comes to applying for a fiance visa, applicants often find it confusing, especially regarding the processing time. As a result, we get several queries relevant to visa processing time and visa requirements. In today’s blog, we are going to share some uncommon queries and resolve them to ensure you have a stress-free immigration process. Let’s begin!
Uncommon Queries on Fiance Visa Processing Time 2024:
Usually, the common questions we get from the applicants are either on fiance visa requirements or the detailed process of application. But, this year, we have got some different queries regarding the visa processing time, for instance:
Jane Doe- “Can you tell me what the current processing time is for a UK fiance visa, as I need to plan my travel accordingly?”
Well, the processing time starts when you apply for the visa application and provide the details online or at your nearest visa centre about yourself and your partner settled in the UK. In the necessary paperwork, you need to submit the following:
- Your name and date of birth
- Photocopy of passport and visas
- Details of country outside the UK you live in
- Criminal convictions, if there are any
- Valid details about your relationship, including the time, how you met, how often you see each other, etc.
Then, you have to attend the English test CEFR Level A1 to get a finance visa. It proves that you understand the English language and are eligible to settle in the UK. This overall process may take around 2 to 3 months in standard cases, while for priority cases, that may be within one month.
However, if any issue occurs, causing visa refusal, you may have to go for a visa appeal or apply again for a UK fiance visa.
Maria Wei- “I am eagerly waiting to join my partner there as soon as possible. So, can I know when the UK fiance visa will start?”
It depends on your intended date of travel here, as you have mentioned in the online application form and the decision date of the Home Office. In this case, if the decision comes before your intended date, the visa will be available on the intended date of travel up to the next six months. But, when the decision date is after the intended date, it will be shortly after the decision date.
John Garcia- “I am considering applying for a fiance visa to the UK to meet my partner there. But, I am confused. Will a sponsor keep their original passport when submitting the visa?
Yes, it’s possible. For instance, if your partner is the sponsor here, her physical passport won’t be submitted during the visa process. However, the digital copy or paper copy of the passport will be taken based on the chosen submission procedure.
In Conclusion-
If you have any of these queries, we hope we have solved up to a great extent. Still, if you have any doubts, we recommend consulting our fiance visa solicitors in Manchester, UK. We have years of experience in UK fiance visa and settlement applications. Book a free consultation today for an online assessment, or call us now for any query about UK fiance visa requirements!
UK Fiancé Visa vs. Spouse Visa: Finding the Smoothest Path to Love
Do you and your partner wish to settle in the UK together? But, unsure which one to apply for a spouse visa or a fiancé visa? Stop pulling your hair out! We are here to tell you the best possible option out of these two and suggest the right route for you. Let’s begin.
UK Spouse Visa or Fiancé Visa: Which Is the Right Route to Be with Your Love?
Nothing feels more special than getting married and celebrating life with the person you love. But, the hassle of lengthy paperwork for visa applications is a headache. In fact, we guess it always remains at the last of your priority list when planning to settle with your partner in the UK.
However, it’s imperative to identify the right type of Partner visa, as there are more than one option: Spouse visa and Fiancé visa. And, if you are all set to tie the knot in a civil partnership or marriage or are already in it, we can help you identify the best route for you. For instance:
Getting married in the UK-
Are you already married? If not, you are not eligible to apply for a UK Spouse visa. In this case, you can apply for a Fiancé visa if you and your partner have a plan to get married in the UK and live here together as a family. In fact, the best part of it is that you can easily switch to a UK Spouse visa from a Fiancé visa for 2.5 years without leaving the country once, especially when you wish to remain here after getting married. You are eligible for a Fiancé visa when:
- You are already engaged.
- You are intending to get married soon, like within 6 months of entering the UK.
- You can switch to a UK Marriage visa from a Fiancé visa if you plan to stay in the UK after marriage.
On the contrary, both married and unmarried partners can apply for a Spouse visa in the UK if they meet the eligibility criteria, including financial requirements, proof of relationship, any of them being a British national, etc. To apply for this marriage visa, your partner should be either a British citizen or have settled status in the UK.
Living together in the UK-
When both you and your partner wish to live together in the UK, applying for a UK Spouse visa is the best possible option. In this case, one of you should be a permanent resident of the UK or a British national to sponsor the other’s visa. With this visa application, you can live together under a single roof here if the Spouse visa requirements are met, including:
- Both must be at least 18 years old.
- A combined income of at least £18,600 annually
- Proof of accommodation and relationship
The Fiancé visa may allow you and your partner to live together but it lasts only for six months, although you can switch to a Spouse visa directly after it expires. Contrarily, the Spouse visa is valid for 30 months and 33 months (if applied outside the UK), which you can extend once it expires for up to 5 years. After this, you are eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
In Conclusion
Compared to the Fiancé visa, the UK Spouse visa is the better and easier path to your love when both you and your partner dream of living together in the UK even after marriage or entering into a civil partnership.
However, you may have to experience lengthy paperwork and meet all the Fiancé visa requirements, alongside the eligibility criteria for a Spouse visa, to settle down in the UK. Anyway, you can easily overcome it with the help of our professional UK Spouse visa solicitors. At Intime Immigration Solicitors, we will help you meet all the visa requirements and understand the latest visa changes.
UK Fiance Visa Processing 2024: A Guide Every Non-British Partner Needs
Are you a non-British recently engaged to an individual settled in Cheshire, the UK? Well, congratulations first. Now, if you wish to meet your partner, the first thing you need is a UK Fiance visa to enter this country and live with your soon-to-be spouse for the next six months, considering the term that you two are getting married within this period.
However, the process is not that simple. You need to apply for this UK Fiance visa, complying with all the rules and regulations while proving your relationship and condition of getting married. In today’s blog, we will discuss how long it takes for a Fiance visa in the UK to process, how to know if your visa application is approved, and much more.
Everything You Need to Know About a UK Fiance Visa Application
To apply for a UK Fiance visa, you need to prove that your wedding will take place within six months of arriving here, which needs documents uploaded to the online application system. Failing to prove this may cause immigration issues, where you may need to contact UK Fiance visa solicitors nearby Cheshire to represent your case to the Home Office.
And, when your Fiance visa expires, you require another immigration permit to stay in the UK. However, once you get married to your partner with UK settled status, you can switch to a UK Spouse visa for 2.5 years.
Due to such complex rules and regulations, non-British partners often come with different queries. Here are the most common ones:
Where to apply for a UK Fiance visa form
UK Fiance visa must be applied from outside the UK. As an exception, it is possible from inside the UK when you are seeking a permit to stay here for over six months if your marriage did not take place within the initial period, where you may have to show some convincing reason. However, it’s best to get in touch with a reputable UK Fiance visa solicitor in Cheshire in this case.
How long does UK Fiance visa processing take to get the decision?
The Home Office examines and verifies all the details after receiving the Fiance visa application to provide an accurate verdict. However, the processing time for this visa depends on different factors:
- Accuracy and authenticity of the supporting documents and information you have provided
- Your purpose of application
- If the Home Office fees are paid in full
- Criminal history and honesty in giving your details
On the contrary, there is no exact date for getting a response from the Home Office. It is usually within 12 weeks from the date you have applied. Anyway, if there’s any urgency, you can receive their decision within 30 days by leveraging the UK Visa Priority Service.
Is there any possibility of getting a Fiance visa rejected?
Yes, like any other immigration application. The Home Office can deny your request for? Fiance visa based on such major reasons, including:
- Inability to prove the minimum financial requirements, which is at least £18,600 annually, combining your and your partner’s income ( Please note, the financial requirement will go up to £29k from 11 April 2024)
- Not satisfied or doubtful about the relationship between you and your fiance
- Unable to marry each other or get into a civil partnership with the prospective spouse
- Identified previous criminal convictions
- Not submitting application forms correctly, etc.
How to know if a Fiance visa is approved or rejected
Usually, the applicants receive a decision letter from the Home Office containing the information about visa rejection and its reason. Or you may get an email informing you about the visa application refusal. Otherwise, you can call UKVI to learn about the outcome of your application.
Best UK Fiance Visa Lawyers to Get in Touch With
If this Fiance visa application process is entirely new to you, you may find it complicated to complete and even make errors, which can cause visa refusal. Instead, it’s best to work with a reliable UK immigration law firm, like Intime Immigration Limited (Intime Solicitors), to ensure a successful application and speed up the process. We have the most experienced team of Fiance visa solicitors to assist applicants.
A Quick Guide to Fiancé Visa and Reasons to Hire a Solicitor to Get One
The UK fiancé visa is designed for engaged partners of British or Irish citizens, individuals who are settled in the UK with the status of indefinite leave to remain, individuals with pre-settled status, etc.
An engaged partner can also apply for a fiancé visa if his/her fiancé has a Turkish Businessperson or Turkish Worker visa, limited leave to remain in the UK, refugee status or humanitarian protection. But in these scenarios, the partner has to marry his/her fiancé within six months of arrival.
Long story short: The fiancé visa is relevant for people outside the UK who are already engaged and want to unite with their UK-settled lawful partner to get married within six months of arrival in the nation. However, the applicant must meet some requirements to be eligible.
The following post aims to shed light on those requirements and discuss the importance of hiring a UK fiancée visa solicitor in Cheshire or other regions to streamline the application process. Let’s get started!!
Requirements for UK Fiancé Visa
Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible for a UK fiancé visa:
- The legal partner of the applicant has to be British or Irish or is settled in the UK or has been granted pre-settled status or holds a Turkish Worker or Businessperson visa or has humanitarian protection or refugee status.
- Both applicant and his/her partner have to be at least 18 years old.
- The relationship is genuine and enduring.
- The applicant and his/her partner have met in person.
- Previous relationships (if any) have broken down permanently.
- The applicant must get married to his/her UK-settled legal partner within six months of arrival.
- The applicant intends to live together indelibly in the UK.
- There is adequate accommodation for both partners.
- The applicant would be decently maintained without accessing recourse to public funds.
- The applicant speaks and comprehends English to the obligatory level.
Applicants must fulfil these requirements to qualify for the UK fiancé visa. Kindly note that these requirements can vary based on the applicant’s circumstances. Therefore, we recommend speaking with a UK fiancée visa solicitor first for expert advice before proceeding to the application process.
Reasons to Hire a Fiancé Visa Solicitor to Streamline the Application Process
UK immigration law, in general, is complex and ever-changing. Irrespective of the visa type, you need the right advice and adequate support in each step of the application process to make it successful. A UK fiancée visa is no exception.
According to the official data published by the Home Office, 1 in 4 UK spouse visa applications are rejected. While 37,087 UK spouse visas were granted in 2020, 4,251 visa applications were denied. The number of granted UK spouse visas is 42,182 and 16,850 in 2021 and 2022. In comparison, 6,682 and 2,339 visa applications were refused in 2021 and 2022. So, we can see that the authority rejects thousands of applications annually, approximately 12% – 15% of the total requests. According to the home office report, the rejection rate is 25%.
Are you okay with 25% uncertainty when your dream life is at stake? If not, you must hire an expert UK fiancée visa solicitor in Cheshire or other regions who can help you navigate the application process so you get a fiancé visa without any hassle. Intime Immigration Ltd(Intime Solicitors) is a 5-star rated immigration solicitor firm renowned for offering clients strategic advice and tailor-made assistance. All our UK fiancée visa solicitors in Cheshire and other regions are licensed, and our firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Contact us now to discuss your case. Let us guide you through each step of the application process and put you in the best position for desired results.