Can You Work on a Fiance Visa in the UK?
Are you thinking about joining your partner in the UK but aren’t sure what you can or can’t do on a Fiance Visa? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with this complete guide. So, can you work on a Fiance Visa in the UK? Let’s dive in and find out more!
What is a Fiance Visa?
First things first, what is a Fiance Visa and how does it work? In the UK, you can apply for a short-term Fiance Visa to join your partner in the UK on the condition that you’re going to marry or enter into a civil partnership with them within six months.
It basically works the same as any other British short-term visitor visa, except that there is an expectation that within six months, you’ll either be married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen.
How Long Does a Fiance Visa Last?
As it’s a short-term visa, the Fiance Visa only lasts six months in total. After this date, you’ll be expected to apply for a Spouse Visa to remain in the UK on a more long-term basis and gain permission to access services like the NHS.
Are Fiance Visas and Spouse Visas the Same?
Okay, so the Fiance and Spouse Visas might sound similar in name, but that’s where the similarities stop. The Fiance Visa is a short-term visa that allows you to enter the UK for up to six months to marry your British partner. That’s it.
On the other hand, a Spouse Visa is a long-term visa that allows you to live, work, and study in the UK for an initial period of 2 years and 9 months, after which you can apply to extend your stay.
As you can see, these are two very different visas, and if you’re engaged to a British national and are looking to get married and move to the UK, you’re going to need both of these visas at some point in the future!
Can I Work on a Fiance Visa?
No, much like any short-term UK visitor visa, you cannot work while you’re on a Fiance Visa. If you do work and get caught, you’ll have violated the terms of your visa, and you can be deported. The UK Home Office is not being friendly with immigration right now, so I definitely wouldn’t test it!
The Fiance Visa is pretty restricted in what you can and can’t do, and working is definitely in the can’t column! You also can’t volunteer on your Fiance Visa, as this is considered a type of work in the UK, so steer clear of any volunteering opportunities while you’re here.
Simply put, on a Fiance Visa, you’ll be allowed into the country to plan your wedding, get married, and not a lot else. The sooner you can get married and switch over to the Spouse Visa, the more freedom you’re going to have in the UK!
Can I Work on a Spouse Visa?
Yes, you can work on a Spouse Visa. This is one of the major differences between a Fiance Visa and a Spouse Visa. Once you’re married and your Spouse Visa is approved, you can work and study legally in the UK.
Once you’re approved and receive your biometric Resident’s card, you can apply for jobs, volunteering gigs, or apply for university. You do have to wait for this to come through, as it’s essential proof of your new visa!
Can I Study on a Fiance Visa?
Interestingly enough, there are no specifics around studying in the UK on a Fiance Visa. However, if it’s not mentioned, that doesn’t mean that it’s explicitly allowed either.
To be on the safe side, I’d recommend waiting to study in the UK until you receive your approved Spouse Visa, where it’s stated very clearly that you’re allowed to study in the UK.
As I’ve mentioned, immigration and visas are an incredibly touchy subject in the UK right now, so if it’s not explicitly mentioned, assume that you’re not allowed to do it. No one wants to risk deportation over a lack of clarity!
What Can I Do on a Fiance Visa?
Now for the big question: what can you do on a Fiance Visa? Well, as it turns out, not a lot. You can enter the UK, plan a wedding or civil partnership, get married, and well, that’s about it. All the freedoms and perks of living in the UK come when you’ve been approved for your Spouse Visa.
On a Fiance Visa, you’re not allowed to
- Work
- Volunteer
- Study
You are allowed to
- Get married
- Apply for a Spouse Visa once you’re married
That’s pretty much it. As I said, it’s a short-term visa that lets you get married in the UK and sets you up to apply for your more long-term Spouse Visa.
How Long Can I Stay on a Spouse Visa?
On a Spouse Visa, you’ll initially be allowed to stay in the UK for a period of two years and nine months. This sounds like a weird amount of time, but once that’s up, you can extend your visa for another two years and two months.
So, all in all, you’ll eventually have lived in the UK for over five years, including the time spent on your Fiance Visa.
The reason that the five-year period is important is that it’s the minimum amount of time you need to live in the UK to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain, sometimes referred to as IDR.
Essentially, Indefinite Leave to Remain is the UK’s version of permanent residency. Once you’re approved, you no longer have to keep renewing your visas, and you’ll be able to access many of the privileges of a British citizen.
Of course, this is also a crucial stepping stone if you want to become a British citizen as well.
Can I Convert my Fiance Visa to a Spouse Visa?
Yes, you absolutely can convert your Fiance Visa to a Spouse Visa, in fact, that’s what it’s designed to do! You need to make sure you have at least two months or so in between your wedding and your Fiance Visa running out, so there’s ample time to process your new Spouse Visa.
Part of this process is hitting the financial, language, and relationship requirements for a Spouse Visa.
You need to be able to
- Understand English to at least an A1 level and have an officially recognized test result that shows this.
- Be earning at least £18,600 if you do not have children. If you do, it’s £3,800 extra per year for your first dependent child and £2,400 for any additional children beyond that.
- Prove to the UK government that you and your spouse have a genuine relationship, rather than just getting married, so that you can stay in the country.
On average, it takes around eight weeks to switch over from a Fiance Visa to a Spouse Visa. This might sound like a long time, but it’s a lot shorter than the average 24 weeks it can take outside of the UK to apply for a standard Spouse Visa.
Can I Claim Benefits on a Fiance Visa?
It should come as no surprise that you cannot claim benefits on a Fiance Visa. This is a short-term visitor visa with a very specific purpose, so no, you cannot claim child welfare, job seeker’s allowance, or any other social welfare benefit that the UK government offers to permanent citizens.
Can I Claim Benefits on a Spouse Visa?
Even though you can live, work, and study in the UK once you have your Spouse Visa approved, you still cannot claim any financial benefits from the UK government.
These are for permanent residents and British citizens, so you cannot apply for them until you’ve secured your Indefinite Leave to Remain, which takes a minimum of five years in the UK to achieve.
What Documents Do I Need for a Fiance Visa?
To apply for a Fiance Visa, you’re going to need to get together a decent amount of paperwork.
You’ll need the following documents ready for when you apply:
- Your valid passport
- Any previous passports
- Two passport-size photos
- Evidence that you’re in a genuine relationship with your partner
- Proof of your A1 English requirement, through a passed exam certificate.
- Proof that your partner meets or exceeds the minimum income requirement of £18.600
- Details of any criminal convictions.
- Any paperwork pertaining to dependents and their relationship to you and your partner (if any)
- Any paperwork about previous marriages and either divorce papers or death certificates.
I’d suggest having a few copies of each of these pieces of paperwork, as you’ll likely need them when you’re applying for your Spouse Visa or any other visa in the UK. Also, if you’re trying to open a bank account or get a phone contract, you may need ID and paperwork to be approved in the UK.
Who is Eligible for a Fiance Visa?
Okay, so not just anyone can apply for a Fiance Visa. There are quite a few different criteria that you need to hit first, and some that apply solely to your partner.
- Both you and your partner have to be 18 or over.
- You intend to marry or get a civil partnership within six months of getting this visa.
- Your partner must be a British citizen or have Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK.
- You intend to live together permanently in the UK once you’re married.
- You have to be able to prove that you’re in a genuine relationship.
- You and your partner must meet the income requirement of £18,600 per year.
- Your accommodation must meet adequate living requirements.
- You need to prove at least an A1 level of English language knowledge and understanding.
As you can see, it’s not a short list of requirements to get this visa, and although a lot of these requirements tie over for your Spouse Visa, you’ll need them all in hand before you apply for your initial Fiance Visa.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Fiance Visa?
Despite being a short-term visa, the number of requirements and the relationship nature of this visa mean that the processing time is very long for a Fiance Visa. On average, it takes six months for a Fiance Visa to be processed and approved, so you need to factor this into your engagement and wedding date timeline.
While there used to be expedited visa processing for a certain fee and for specific cases, the UK government has suspended this service indefinitely, meaning that you have to wait up to half a year to know whether or not you can get married and live with your partner in the UK.
Another reason why there is so much vetting for a Fiance Visa is the shortened lead time between getting a Fiance Visa and a Spouse Visa. As you’ve already been approved for one partner visa, the lead time for converting your Fiance Visa into a Spouse Visa is around a quarter of the time it would be if you applied for a Spouse Visa outright from overseas.
How Much Does a Fiance Visa Cost?
Again, despite being a short-term visa, a Fiance Visa does not come cheap at all. A Fiance Visa is going to set you back £1,538 without including the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS) that needs to be paid separately, so you can benefit from emergency services and healthcare while you’re in the UK.
How Much Does a Spouse Visa Cost?
So, there are a few determining factors that go into the cost of a Spouse Visa, the biggest one being where you’re applying from. If you’re converting your Fiance Visa into a Spouse Visa and therefore applying in the UK, you’re going to save a lot of money.
Instead of costing £1,848 per person (which is the visa price outside of the UK), each visa will only cost £1,048.
For a Spouse Visa, the expedited process is currently allowed and will cost you another £1,000 per visa, and you’ll have your response in 10 working days.
When I say each visa, that’s only if you have dependents coming with you. Yes, that’s right, each kid you have will cost £1,048 to come to the UK legally.
Of course, you’ll also need to pay a health surcharge as part of your application, with changes based on how long you’re planning to stay and whether you’re a child or an adult.
For each 18+ adult:
- £1,560 if you’re staying for 2 years and 6 months
- £1,872 if you’re staying for 2 years and 9 months
- £3,120 if you’re staying for 5 years
For each child (under 18), it costs:
- £1,175 if you’re staying for 2 years and 6 months
- £1,410 if you’re staying for 2 years and 9 months
- £2,350 if you’re staying for 5 years
