Fiancé Visa UK Solicitors — Fixed Fee £1,250
KQ Solicitors prepares fiancé visa entry clearance applications for couples who need the route, evidence and timing checked before they pay the Home Office fee.
Choose the wrong visa route and you cannot stay in the UK after the wedding. The fiancé visa gives you exactly six months from the day you enter — not from when it was approved — to marry, give notice, complete the ceremony, and submit a fresh application before the clock runs out.
The UK fiancé visa is normally an entry clearance application made from outside the UK. It is for people who want to enter the UK, marry their British or settled partner, and then apply to stay permanently.
Quick Answer
The fiancé visa is not a spouse visa. It is not a marriage visitor visa. Getting this choice wrong costs the application fee and potentially months of separation.
You must meet a £29,000 income threshold, pass an English language test, and provide evidence that you genuinely intend to marry within six months of entering the UK. You should not assume the fiancé visa can be extended if you miss the deadline — in most cases, you must marry and submit the FLR(M) application before the six-month period expires.
KQ Solicitors prepares and submits fiancé visa applications for a fixed fee of £1,250. We check your eligibility, review your financial and relationship evidence, prepare the application, and submit it — so the evidence is right before you pay the Home Office fee.
The form asks the questions. But the evidence gives the answer. If you are not certain yours is complete, speak to us first.
Need your fiancé visa application prepared?
We check the route, financial evidence, relationship evidence and six-month timing before the application is submitted.
What Is the UK Fiancé Visa?
The fiancé visa is the Home Office's entry clearance route under Appendix FM. It allows you to enter the UK for up to six months to marry your partner, then switch to the spouse visa route, FLR(M), without leaving the country. It is the only family entry clearance route where no Immigration Health Surcharge is payable at the application stage.
Two things most applicants get wrong: the six-month clock starts from the date you enter the UK, not from when the visa was approved. And fiancé visa time does not count toward the five-year settlement clock — that only starts when your FLR(M) is granted after the wedding.
For a full explanation of fiancé visa requirements, documents, financial evidence rules, and the route to settlement, read our complete guide to the UK Fiancé Visa.
Who Can Apply for a Fiancé Visa?
You can apply if:
- You are outside the UK and intend to travel to the UK to marry your partner within six months of entry.
- Your sponsor is a British citizen, a person settled in the UK with Indefinite Leave to Remain, or a person with pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme where they meet the Appendix FM sponsor eligibility rules.
- You both meet the financial requirement, the English language requirement, and can demonstrate adequate accommodation.
Fiancé visa vs marriage visitor visa: If you plan to marry in the UK and then leave — not stay permanently — the marriage visitor visa is the correct route, not the fiancé visa. A marriage visitor who stays after the ceremony has no lawful basis to remain.
Fiancé visa vs spouse visa: If you are already married, you need a spouse visa, not a fiancé visa. If you can marry abroad and that marriage would be recognised in the UK, the spouse visa is often the simpler route because it has no give-notice process, no six-month clock, and grants immediate work rights.
KQ Solicitors advises clients from our office in Luton, Bedfordshire and across the UK.
We Can Help If…
- You are unsure whether the fiancé visa, marriage visitor visa, or spouse visa is the right route.
- Your sponsor's income is close to the £29,000 threshold or comes from self-employment, multiple sources, or a combination of income and savings.
- You have been refused a UK visa before and need to address that in the application.
- Your relationship evidence looks different from a typical Western cohabiting couple because of religious, cultural, or practical reasons.
- You are unsure what documents prove your genuine intention to marry within six months.
- Your financial evidence is complicated — cash savings, overseas income, third-party support, or a sponsor who recently changed jobs.
- You want a solicitor to check the strength of your application before you pay £2,064 to the Home Office.
- You have a previous marriage and need to confirm that both parties are legally free to marry at the application date.
A cheap application can become expensive if the first refusal damages the next one. Caseworkers do not contact you to fill financial evidence gaps at the entry clearance stage. What you submit is what they assess.
Key Fiancé Visa Requirements
The Home Office assesses your fiancé visa application against these requirements. A gap in one area can mean refusal — even if everything else is strong.
Financial requirement — £29,000
Your sponsor must demonstrate gross annual income of at least £29,000. The transitional £18,600 threshold does not apply to new fiancé visa applications. Savings can be used to meet the requirement, but the threshold is high: £88,500 in savings held for at least six consecutive months. Income and savings can be combined using the shortfall formula.
Caseworker Insight: The 28-day bank statement rule applies. Statements must cover the 28 days immediately before the date the application fee is paid — not before the biometric appointment. Getting this date wrong is one of the most common causes of refusal.
English language — A1 CEFR minimum
You need an A1 Secure English Language Test in speaking and listening from a UKVI-approved provider. Exemptions apply for nationals of majority English-speaking countries and holders of a qualifying degree.
Strategic note: Taking B1 now means the same certificate can cover every stage from fiancé visa through to ILR, saving repeated test fees later.
Genuine intention to marry within six months
You must provide evidence of concrete wedding plans — not just a statement of intent. Register office correspondence about notice appointments carries more weight than photographs or message logs.
Accommodation
Your sponsor must demonstrate adequate accommodation for both of you without recourse to public funds and without overcrowding.
Suitability
Previous refusals to the UK or any other country must be disclosed. Concealing a refusal is a deception ground that can trigger refusal regardless of how strong the rest of the application is.
Fiancé Visa Fees and Costs in 2026
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| KQ Solicitors fixed fee | £1,250 |
| Home Office fee — fiancé/proposed civil partner entry clearance route to settlement | £2,064 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £0 — the only family entry clearance route with no IHS at entry stage |
| Priority service, optional | +£500 — usually up to 30 working days |
| English language test, approximate | £150 |
| TB test, if required | Varies by country |
| Estimated total excluding TB test, translations, and optional priority | From £3,464 including KQ fee |
The fiancé visa appears cheaper than the spouse visa at entry because there is no IHS. But when you switch to FLR(M) after the wedding, the IHS is currently calculated on 2.5 years of leave and is usually £2,587.50 for an adult, unless the rate changes before you apply. Budget for it now.
Home Office fees can change. Always check the current GOV.UK fee schedule before submitting.
Quick route and fee check
Choose the situation closest to yours. This is not legal advice, but it helps you spot whether the £1,250 fixed-fee fiancé service is likely to be the right starting point.
What Our Fiancé Visa Service Includes
- Initial eligibility assessment — we review your immigration history, your sponsor's status, and your financial position to confirm the fiancé visa is the right route.
- Tailored legal advice and document checklist — specific to your circumstances, not a generic GOV.UK checklist.
- Financial evidence review — we check your sponsor's income, savings, or combination against the £29,000 threshold and the 28-day bank statement rule.
- Relationship and intention evidence review — we assess the strength of your evidence bundle and advise on what caseworkers prioritise.
- Application preparation and covering letter — we complete the form, draft the covering letter, and organise your supporting evidence.
- Submission of the complete application — we submit the application and advise on your biometric appointment at the Visa Application Centre.
- Post-decision notification — we inform you of the outcome and advise on next steps.
This service covers the fiancé visa entry clearance application. The FLR(M) application after the wedding is a separate instruction at a separate fee — see our immigration solicitor fees page for details.
Our Fiancé Visa Application Process
- Initial consultation and eligibility check. We assess whether the fiancé visa is the correct route, review your sponsor's financial position, and identify any suitability issues.
- Personalised document checklist. You receive a checklist tailored to your specific situation.
- Evidence review and gap identification. We review every document before submission and flag missing payslips, wrong bank statement dates, or weak intention-to-marry evidence.
- Application preparation. We complete the online application form, draft the covering letter, and organise your evidence in the order caseworkers assess it.
- Submission and biometric guidance. We submit the application and advise you on booking your Visa Application Centre appointment.
- Decision and next steps. Once the Home Office decides, we explain the outcome and advise on entry timing, give-notice planning and FLR(M).
Fiancé visa document checklist
This browser-only checklist is for planning. It is saved only on your device.
How Long Does a Fiancé Visa Take to Process?
Standard processing is usually within 12 weeks from the date of your biometric appointment at the Visa Application Centre, but it can take longer depending on the country, evidence checks, and time of year.
Priority service is usually up to 30 working days and is purchased separately after the standard online application is completed.
Do not visit the UK while your fiancé visa application is pending. Entering the UK as a visitor while a fiancé application is under consideration risks refusal of entry because border officers may suspect you intend to marry without proper authorisation.
Common Fiancé Visa Mistakes That Lead to Refusal
| Mistake | Why It Causes Problems | How We Help |
|---|---|---|
| Bank statements do not cover the correct 28-day period | The 28 days run from the date the fee is paid, not from the biometric appointment. Wrong dates can mean refusal on financial grounds. | We confirm the exact date range before you request statements. |
| Payslip employer name does not match bank statement deposit | Caseworkers cross-reference financial documents. A mismatch creates doubt about the income claim. | We check every document against every other document for consistency. |
| Weak intention to marry evidence | Stating you plan to marry without concrete evidence gives the caseworker little basis to approve. | We advise on what evidence carries weight and how to structure the bundle. |
| Previous refusal not disclosed | Concealing a refusal from the UK or any other country can trigger suitability refusal. | We review your full visa history and ensure every refusal is properly disclosed and addressed. |
| Wrong visa route chosen | A marriage visitor who tries to stay after the ceremony has no lawful basis to remain. A fiancé who could have applied as a spouse may lose months and pay unnecessary fees. | We confirm the correct route before any application is prepared. |
| Savings held for fewer than 6 months | Savings must usually be held for at least six consecutive months. | We check your savings history and confirm whether the six-month rule is met. |
| Non-English documents without certified translation | Documents not in English or Welsh must be accompanied by a compliant translation. | We flag every document that needs translation before submission. |
Six months sounds like plenty of time — until you discover the register office needs 28 days' notice and your venue is booked months out.
When Should You Speak to a Solicitor?
If your sponsor is employed with a straightforward salary above £29,000, you have strong relationship evidence, no previous refusals, and no suitability concerns, you may be able to prepare the application yourself.
But if the income is close to the threshold, comes from self-employment or multiple sources, or needs to be combined with savings — or if you have a previous refusal, a cultural context that needs explaining, or any doubt about what the caseworker will accept — legal advice before submission is cheaper than a fresh application after refusal.
At the entry clearance stage, caseworkers do not ask for missing documents. They assess what you submitted and decide. Getting it right the first time is the only strategy that works.
When This Service May Not Be Right for You
This fixed-fee service covers the fiancé visa entry clearance application from outside the UK.
- You are already inside the UK — there is no in-country switching route to the fiancé visa from any other leave category.
- You are already married — you need the spouse visa, not the fiancé visa.
- You want to marry in the UK and then return home without staying — the marriage visitor visa is the correct route.
- You need representation for the FLR(M) application after the wedding — that is a separate instruction at a separate fee.
- You have a complex human rights case, deportation order, or ongoing Home Office investigation — these require individual assessment beyond the fixed-fee scope.
If you are unsure whether the fiancé visa is the right route, contact us and we will tell you — there is no obligation.
What Happens After the Wedding?
The fiancé visa does not give you the right to stay permanently. After the wedding, you must apply for Further Leave to Remain as a spouse, FLR(M), before your fiancé visa expires. This is a complete fresh application with updated financial evidence, your marriage certificate, and an IHS payment currently calculated at approximately £2,587.50 for an adult, unless the rate changes before you apply.
If you do not submit the FLR(M) before your fiancé visa expires, you risk becoming an overstayer. Section 3C leave protects you only if the application is submitted before your existing leave runs out.
The five-year settlement clock starts from the date your FLR(M) is granted — not from the date you entered on the fiancé visa. KQ Solicitors can prepare and submit your FLR(M) application as a separate instruction.
Ready to Apply? Talk to KQ Solicitors
The fiancé visa has no second chance on financial evidence at entry clearance. If your income is near the threshold, your documents are complicated, or your relationship evidence needs explaining, a legal review before submission is the most effective way to avoid starting again.
Book a fiancé visa consultation
KQ Solicitors prepares and submits fiancé visa applications for a fixed fee of £1,250.
Frequently Asked Questions
KQ Solicitors charges a fixed fee of £1,250 for the fiancé visa entry clearance application. This is separate from the £2,064 Home Office application fee. The FLR(M) application after the wedding is a separate instruction at a separate fee.
Yes. The minimum income threshold is £29,000 gross annual income, the same as the spouse visa. The transitional £18,600 threshold does not apply to new fiancé visa applications.
You cannot work in the UK on a fiancé visa. This includes employment, self-employment, freelance work, and unpaid work placements that would normally be paid. Budget for five to seven months of living expenses before you travel.
Core documents include your passport, the online application form, financial evidence meeting the £29,000 threshold, 28-day bank statements, payslips, employer letter, English language test certificate, relationship and intention to marry evidence, accommodation evidence, your sponsor's proof of status, and a TB test certificate if required.
If you can marry abroad and that marriage is recognised in the UK, the spouse visa is often simpler — no six-month clock, no give-notice process, and immediate work rights on entry. The fiancé visa suits couples who specifically want to marry in the UK. We can advise on which route is better for your situation.
The right next step depends on the refusal reason and the rights set out in the decision letter. In many cases, a fresh application with corrected evidence is the fastest route. In some cases, an appeal on human rights grounds or an Administrative Review may be possible where the decision involved a legal or factual error. We review the refusal letter before advising on the safest option.
Standard processing is usually within 12 weeks from the biometric appointment, but it can take longer depending on the country and time of year. Priority service usually targets up to 30 working days.
Children may be able to apply as dependants, but this depends on their circumstances, nationality, and the sponsor's ability to accommodate them. Dependant applications may attract an additional fee. We can advise on this during consultation.