Visitors for marriage or civil partnership
Can you come to the UK for marriage or civil partnership?
This page explains whether you can come to the UK for a marriage or civil partnership.
The 'visitor for marriage or civil partnership' category is for nationals of countries outside Europe. If you are a national of the European Economic Area (EEA), or a family member of an EEA national, see the European nationals section.
To come to the UK as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership, you must also be able to show that:
- you are 18 or over;
- you intend to visit the UK for no more than 6 months;
- you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit;
- you intend to get married or register a civil partnership during your visit;
- you have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working or help from public funds, or you and any dependants will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends;
- you can meet the cost of the return or onward journey; and
- you are not in transit to a country outside the 'Common Travel Area' (Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands).
You must produce evidence, if asked, of the arrangements for your wedding or civil partnership ceremony in the UK.
You must also be able to show that, during your visit, you do not intend to:
- live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits;
- take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public;
- do a course of study;
- carry out the activities of a business visitor, a sports visitor or an entertainer visitor; or
- receive private medical treatment.
You will be able to marry or register a civil partnership in any location licensed for this purpose. To find out what you will need to do, see the Getting married or registering a civil partnership section.
For information about your rights and responsibilities while you are in the UK, see the Visitors' rights and responsibilities section.
You should provide documents to show that you meet the above requirements. The Documents page contains more information.
You must obtain a visa before you can come to the UK as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership. The Do you need a visa? page contains more information.