• VAT6.1 What is the requirement?
• VAT6.2 Is entry clearance mandatory?
• VAT6.3 What is the validity of a marriage/civil partnership visit entry clearance?
• VAT6.4 Do people who are already in the UK and are getting married or entering a civil partnership require an entry clearance?
• VAT6.5 Do people with an entry clearance also require a Certificate of Approval?
• VAT6.6 What is the entry clearance endorsement?
• VAT6.7 Examples of refusal wordings
• VAT6.8 Do people coming to the UK for marriage or civil partnership visit have full rights of appeal?

See other guidance information VAT01 Visitors: General VAT02 Visitors: Visiting family; friends; as a tourist VAT03 Special Visitor: Child visitors VAT04 Special Visitor: Child visitors sponsored by charities VAT05 Special Visitor: Parents with children under 12 at school in UK VAT07 Special Visitor: Private medical treatment VAT08 Special Visitor: Visitor in transit VAT09 Special Visitor: Student visitor VAT10 Special Visitor: Prospective student VAT11 Business Visitors VAT12 Business Visitor: Academic Visitor VAT13 Business Visitor: Visiting Professors VAT14 Business Visitors: Religious Workers VAT15 Business Visitor: Doctors coming for PLAB test VAT16 Business Visitor: Doctors undertaking clinical attachments VAT17 Sports Visitor VAT18 Entertainer Visitor VAT19 Visitors under the Approved Destinations Status MoU with China VAT20 Foreign armed forces (not NATO/Commonwealth) VAT21 Archaeological excavations VAT22 Appellants seeking admission VAT23 Parents with access rights to children in the UK VAT24 Child minders for relatives VAT25 Visitors seeking visas or settlement visas for other countries VAT26 Persons coming for job interviews VAT27 Court reporters VAT28 Witnesses attending trials in the UK  

VAT6.1 What is the requirement?

The applicant must meet the requirements of Paragraphs 41 – 46 relating to visitors and meet the specific criteria set out in Paragraphs 56D to 56F of the Immigration Rules.

Applicants will need to show evidence that arrangements have been made for either the notification of the ceremony or for the ceremony to take place during the period for which leave is granted (which will be 6 months).

Couples may get married or register a civil partnership in any location licensed for the purpose of marriage or civil partnership.

Where civil preliminaries are required, visitors will need to show their entry clearance to the registrar before giving notice of marriage or civil partnership.

Marriage visitors who are marrying in an Anglican church, where there are religious preliminaries, are not required to show their entry clearance to a member of the clergy. However, all nationals (except EEA and Swiss nationals) still require a marriage or civil partnership visit entry clearance before travelling to the UK.

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VAT6.2 Is entry clearance mandatory?

Yes. Entry clearance is mandatory for all nationalities, except for EEA and Swiss nationals.

People coming to the UK to marry or enter a civil partnership should be dealt with as visitors if they do not intend to live in the UK.  If they intend to live in the UK after marriage / entering into a civil partnership, see the Settlement Section.

People wishing to come to the UK to give notice of marriage/civil partnership, which can be done up to 12 months before the ceremony, must also obtain an entry clearance.

 

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VAT6.3 What is the validity of a marriage/civil partnership visit entry clearance?

Posts have the discretion to issue a multiple entry visa, valid for up to one year, in cases where there will be a delay between giving notice and the marriage or civil partnership taking place.  Applicants will need to show evidence that arrangements have been made for either the notification of the ceremony or for the ceremony to take place during the period for which leave is granted (which will be for 6 months).  Couples may get married or register a civil partnership in any location licensed for the purpose of marriage or civil partnership.

For those applying to marry in Scotland and Northern Ireland, where it is possible to give notice of marriage or civil partnership by post, the marriage / civil partnership visit visa must be valid at the time of giving notice.

Post-dated visas, which do not become valid until after notice of marriage or civil partnership is given, will not be accepted by registrars. Unless specially requested by the applicant, visas should be made valid from the date of their issue.

 

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VAT6.4 Do people who are already in the UK and are getting married or entering a civil partnership require an entry clearance?

Non-EEA/Swiss nationals who are in the UK, and intend to marry or enter a civil partnership, require a Certificate of Approval which is obtained from the Home Office.  The Home Office will only issue these to people with more than six months valid leave to enter and who have three months or more leave remaining. This means that persons who hold a visit visa, illegal entrants, over-stayers and failed asylum seekers will not usually be able to get married or undertake a civil partnership in the United Kingdom.

Applicants who apply for a fiance(e)/ proposed civil partner settlement visa in error, and do not in fact intend to settle in the UK after the ceremony, should be treated as visitors for marriage or civil partnership.

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VAT6.5 Do people with an entry clearance also require a Certificate of Approval?

Holders of entry clearance granted expressly for the purpose of marriage or civil partnership will not be required to apply for the Certificate of Approval.

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VAT6.6 What is the entry clearance endorsement?

C: VISIT FOR MARRIAGE / CP   LTE 6 MONTHS CODE 3

Add initial and surname of intended partner on the entry clearance.

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VAT6.7 Examples of refusal wordings

Wording for refusals: Section 1-5

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VAT6.8 Do people coming to the UK for marriage or civil partnership visit have full rights of appeal?

No.

26.6 - Applications which, if refused, do not have a full right of appeal (GV51(LRA)

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