Excited to start your new life in the UK but unsure if you can work on a Fiancé Visa? Moving to the UK to marry your partner is a thrilling step, but what about employment? Can you work on a Fiancé Visa UK, or do restrictions apply? Understanding your rights is crucial for planning your future. Let’s break down what you can and can’t do when it comes to working on a Fiancé Visa in the UK.
Can You Work on a Fiancé Visa UK?
Working in the UK on a Fiance visa is unfortunately not possible. All types of employment, whether paid or unpaid, are included in this:
- Full-time jobs
- Part-time jobs
- Freelancing or self-employment
- Internship opportunities
- Apprenticeship programs
- Voluntary work
While you’re in the UK on a Fiance visa, you should make sure you don’t do anything that could be seen as work, whether it’s paid or free. Doing so could be seen as a violation of UK immigration rules, which could affect your future visa applications and approvals.
Before getting married or forming a civil partnership, make sure you are not in violation of any UK immigration rules. If you are, the Home Office may use this as an excuse to reject your Spouse visa application.
Therefore, be sure you don’t go beyond the scope of what a Fiance visa allows you to accomplish in the UK.
Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.
What Are You Allowed to Do on a Fiancé Visa in the UK?
You can only do so much with a Fiance visa, just like with a Visitor visa. A Fiancé Visa allows you to travel to the UK to marry or enter a civil partnership.
You are required to complete this within six months of obtaining your visa. If you do not present a strong case for its extension, your fiance visa will expire after six months. This means your freedom in the UK will be limited. Once you marry or enter a civil partnership and apply for a Spouse Visa, your rights will expand.
As previously stated, a Fiance visa does not permit you to participate in any form of paid or unpaid labour or volunteering.
It is also not recommended to study in the UK while on a fiance visa. While there may not be any hard and fast regulations prohibiting students from studying in the UK on a Fiance visa, it’s still a good idea to avoid doing so in case the Home Office finds out about it when you apply for a Spouse visa UK.
With the Spouse visa, you can enter the UK and, with some limitations, work or attend school there. It is advisable to postpone doing either of these activities until you have obtained your Spouse visa, as doing so could potentially violate the requirements of your Fiance visa.
Can Spouse Visa Holders Work in the UK?
Once in the UK, you are allowed to work on a Spouse Visa. After getting married or forming a civil partnership in the UK, you can apply for a Spouse visa.
This visa grants you the right to lawfully enter the United Kingdom for the purposes of work and education, subject to certain limitations.
To be eligible for this Spouse visa and to be allowed to live and work in the UK, you must meet a number of qualifying conditions. Some of these are (but are not limited to) the following:
- You must not have broken any immigration regulations, and your fiancé visa must be valid.
- To be eligible, you need to be married or in a legally binding civil partnership to a British citizen or someone having settled status in the UK.
- Your character must be good.
- Meet real relationship criteria.
- You must meet language requirements.
- You need to have enough money to cover the basics.
You can apply for a spouse visa when you meet these requirements and submit the required paperwork.
Once you obtain your biometric residency card and your spouse’s visa application is granted, you will be eligible to start working.
Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.
Are There Employment Restrictions on a UK Spouse Visa?
Acquiring a Spouse visa also grants you the liberty to engage in any lawful occupation or business in the UK.
This opens up a wide range of career options, including full-time, part-time, apprenticeship, internship, self-employment, and business ownership.
Also, there won’t be any limits on the amount of time you can spend volunteering or working for free.
Can You Get Public Assistance While on a UK Spouse Visa?
A Fiance or Spouse visa will not allow you to access public funds or claim benefits.
Your ability to prove a joint annual income of £29,000 is a necessary component of both the Fiance and Spouse visa criteria. This is in place to make sure you don’t end up relying on government assistance or spending public funds.
You, as a foreign national, will not have access to public funding or benefits until you apply for indefinite leave to remain and are approved for permanent settlement.
Also, before you can use the NHS services in the UK, you have to pay the immigration health fee.
How Long Can You Work in the UK on a Spouse Visa?
Your initial period of residence in the UK will be extended from two years and nine months when you convert your fiance visa to a spouse visa.
On the other hand, if your initial validity time is almost up, you can extend it for an additional two years and six months.
As long as you are able to renew your Spouse visa before it expires, you will be eligible to work for the whole length. Your Spouse visa will allow you to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years in the UK.
If you have indefinite leave to remain, you can live and work in the UK indefinitely without ever having to apply for a new visa. Furthermore, after one year of having ILR, you will be eligible to apply for british citizenship.
Keep in mind that you will violate UK immigration rules if you remain in the UK after your Spouse visa expires, or if you continue to work in the UK after it expires. In the future, this will also greatly affect your capacity to apply for visas to the UK.
Our experienced UK immigration Solicitors can help you with your immigration process.
How UK Immigration Solicitors Simplify Your Visa Process?
To obtain a UK Spouse Visa and work to support your partner, securing a Fiancé Visa is the first step. The Fiancé Visa is valid for six months and comes with several restrictions.
Many holders eventually apply for a Spouse Visa, which grants greater freedoms, including the right to work and fully integrate into British society.
At UK Immigration Solicitors, we specialise in UK immigration and have extensive experience helping individuals secure Fiancé and Spouse Visas. We provide expert guidance on applications, supporting documents, and strategies to improve your chances of approval or extension.
We also ensure you understand UK immigration policies, helping you avoid mistakes that could impact your settlement plans.
For expert assistance, call us at 02033844389 or visit our website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Can Fiance Visa holders travel abroad?
Ans. A Fiance Visa will allow you to leave the UK, but you must return before the visa’s expiration date. Your future Spouse Visa application can be affected if you spend a long time away from the UK.
Q2: What is the typical processing time for a UK Fiance Visa?
Ans. A UK fiance visa application can take anywhere from two to three months to be processed, though this can vary greatly based on the applicant’s unique situation and the completeness of their application.
Q3: Does a UK Fiance Visa require marriage within six months?
Ans. Within six months of your entry into the UK, you must marry your UK-based partner in order to obtain a UK fiance visa. Not doing this could affect your legal standing and your ability to get visas in the future.
Q4: Can I prolong my Fiance Visa if I delay marriage?
Ans. It is not common practice to prolong fiance visas. You might have to leave the UK and reapply if you don’t get married within 6 months. Seek legal advice for alternatives.
