Updated on 01 June 2026
There are six main UK visa routes for a partner: the Standard Visitor Visa, the Marriage Visitor Visa, the Fiancé(e) Visa, the Unmarried Partner Visa, the Spouse or Civil Partnership Visa and the Dependant Visa where the sponsor is in the UK on a work or study route. The right route depends on the length of the relationship, whether the couple lives together, whether marriage is planned in the next six months, and whether the sponsor is British or settled. Picking the wrong route is the most common avoidable error on family applications, and a wrong category at entry clearance can delay reunification by several months. This post provides an overview of the UK visa options for bringing a girlfriend or boyfriend to the UK.
Which UK visa is right for a girlfriend or boyfriend?
The right visa depends on what the couple intends to do once the partner is in the UK and whether they meet the eligibility criteria for the long-term routes. There are three short-term routes and three long-term routes:
- Short-term: Standard Visitor Visa (up to six months, no work, no settlement), Marriage Visitor Visa (up to six months, marry in the UK then leave).
- Long-term: Fiancé(e) Visa (to enter and marry within six months, then switch to Spouse Visa), Unmarried Partner Visa (relationship akin to marriage for two years), Spouse Visa (once married), Dependant Visa (where the sponsor is in the UK on a Skilled Worker or other work or study route).
The long-term family routes sit under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules; the Dependant Visa sits under the sponsor’s points-based route; and the visitor routes sit under Appendix V. Eligibility on the family routes requires a British, Irish, settled, or pre-settled-status sponsor, both partners aged 18 or over, a genuine ongoing relationship, the ÂŁ29,000 minimum income requirement, adequate accommodation, and the English language requirement.
Standard Visitor Visa: short visits up to six months
A girlfriend or boyfriend coming to the UK for a short visit applies under the Standard Visitor Visa route. The visa permits a stay of up to six months, with no right to work, no right to study (beyond a short course), and no path to settlement.
The applicant must satisfy the genuine visitor test: an intention to leave the UK at the end of the visit, sufficient funds to cover the stay and return journey without recourse to public funds, and a credible reason for the visit. A signed invitation letter from the UK-based partner, evidence of the partner’s status and address, and confirmation of where the applicant will stay form the standard supporting documentation.
This is the right route where the couple wants to spend time together in the UK without changing the applicant’s long-term immigration status. It is not the right route where marriage in the UK is planned during the visit, where the Marriage Visitor Visa or FiancĂ©(e) Visa applies instead.
Marriage Visitor Visa: marry in the UK without settling
The Marriage Visitor Visa permits the applicant to enter the UK for up to six months to marry or enter a civil partnership, with no intention to settle here afterwards.
The applicant must intend to leave the UK at the end of the visit, must show that the marriage or civil partnership is genuine, and must give notice of marriage at a designated register office before the ceremony. The applicant cannot work, cannot study, and cannot switch into another route from inside the UK.
This is the right route where the wedding is in the UK but the couple will live elsewhere afterwards. Where the couple intends to settle in the UK after the wedding, the Fiancé(e) Visa applies instead.
To discuss whether the Marriage Visitor or the Fiancé(e) Visa is the right route, contact our team on 0208 757 5751 or use our contact form to get in touch.
Fiancé(e) Visa: enter the UK to marry within six months
The Fiancé(e) Visa is for an applicant whose UK-based partner is British, settled, or holds pre-settled status, and who intends to marry or enter a civil partnership within six months of arriving in the UK.
The applicant cannot work or study during the six-month engagement period. Once married or in a civil partnership, the applicant applies in-country under the Spouse Visa route, which is granted for an initial 2 years and 6 months (FLR(M)). Time spent in the UK as a fiancé(e) does not count toward the five-year qualifying period for settlement; the clock starts when permission as a spouse is granted.
This is the right route where the couple is engaged, the wedding will take place in the UK, and the couple intends to live in the UK long-term. The relationship, financial, and accommodation requirements all apply.
Spouse Visa or Civil Partner Visa: once married
Once the couple is married or in a civil partnership, the applicant applies under the Spouse Visa or Civil Partner Visa route under Appendix FM. The marriage or civil partnership must be legally recognised under UK law, evidenced by a marriage certificate or, for overseas marriages, a certificate confirming the ceremony was legally valid in the country where it took place.
The Spouse Visa is granted for an initial 33 months on entry clearance, or 30 months in-country. It can be extended for a further 30 months under FLR(M), and after five years on the route, the applicant qualifies for Indefinite Leave to Remain on the family route, subject to the English language and Life in the UK test requirements.
This is the right route where the couple is married and intends to settle in the UK. Couples married overseas should confirm the certificate is recognised under UK law before applying.
Unmarried Partner Visa: cohabiting for two years or more
The Unmarried Partner Visa is for couples in a relationship similar to marriage for at least two years before the date of application. Cohabitation is no longer a requirement, but the relationship must be genuine and the couple must intend to live together in the UK.
The visa follows the same pattern as the Spouse Visa: 33 months on entry clearance, extension under FLR(M), and ILR after five years on the route. This is the right route where the couple lives together but is not married.
If you are unsure whether the Unmarried Partner route is suitable for your situation, our immigration team can review the evidence pack before submission. Call us on 0208 757 5751 or use our contact form.
Dependant Visa: where the sponsor holds a work or study visa
Where the UK-based partner is in the UK on a Skilled Worker Visa, a Health and Care Worker Visa, a Student Visa, or another points-based route that permits dependants, the applicant may apply as a Dependant under that route.
The applicant must be married, in a civil partnership, or unmarried partners in a relationship similar to marriage for at least two years. The dependant visa is usually granted in line with the main applicant’s permission and can be extended at the same time. After five years of continuous lawful residence on the route, the dependant may qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
The Dependant Visa is the right route where the sponsor holds a route that permits dependants. The financial requirement differs from the Appendix FM ÂŁ29,000 figure and is set by the sponsor’s main route.
What works in practice
Couples in a genuine, established relationship who are not yet married and have not been in a relationship akin to marriage for two years typically choose between a Standard Visitor Visa (for short visits) and the Fiancé(e) Visa (to enter and marry in the UK). A Standard Visitor Visa cannot be used as a stepping stone to a Spouse Visa application from inside the UK; the applicant must leave and apply for entry clearance as a spouse, or qualify for in-country switching under a separate route.
A couple married overseas should apply directly under the Spouse Visa route from outside the UK rather than the Marriage Visitor route. The Marriage Visitor Visa is for those marrying in the UK; the Spouse Visa is for couples already married applying to live in the UK together.
A couple who have been in a relationship similar to marriage for over two years but is not yet married usually qualifies under the Unmarried Partner route on the strength of their relationship evidence.
How Whytecroft Ford can help
Picking the right UK visa route for a girlfriend or boyfriend is the first decision in what becomes a five-year application sequence: entry, extension, settlement, and naturalisation. The right route at entry sets the clock running toward settlement; the wrong route can mean re-applying from outside the UK or missing months of qualifying residence. The decision turns on whether the couple is married, cohabiting, engaged, or visiting, and on the sponsor’s immigration status.
Whytecroft Ford advises applicants and sponsors on every long-term family route under Appendix FM and on the related visitor and dependant routes. Our immigration team confirms the right entry point against the couple’s circumstances and identifies the evidence required for the chosen route.
If you are bringing a partner to the UK and would like the right route confirmed before applying, call our team on 0208 757 5751 or send your details through the contact form.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Unmarried couples who have been in a relationship akin to marriage for at least two years can apply under the Unmarried Partner Visa, which leads to settlement on the same five-year pattern as the Spouse Visa. Couples who have not lived together for two years can apply as a Fiancé(e) if they intend to marry within six months of arrival, or use a Standard Visitor Visa for short visits.
No, in most cases. A Standard Visitor Visa does not permit switching to a Spouse Visa from inside the UK. The applicant must leave and apply for entry clearance as a spouse from outside the UK.
Cohabitation is no longer a requirement for an Unmarried Partner Visa under the Immigration Rules. The relationship must be genuine and ongoing and the couple must show evidence that their relationship is similar to that of a marriage which has been ongoing for at least 2 years.
Written and reviewed by Whytecroft Ford’s immigration team, authorised and regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority, registration number F201900075. All guidance is researched against primary sources, including the Immigration Rules and Home Office guidance at GOV.UK. Reviewed every six months, or sooner following a relevant rule change. Last reviewed: June 2026.
