UK Marriage Visitor Visa From Pakistan: £135 Fee, 6 Month Stay, Documents and 6 Steps
UK Marriage Visitor visa from Pakistan: £135 fee, up to 6 months, decision in about 3 weeks. Who needs it, documents, steps, and why you cannot switch later.
A Pakistani who wants to get married in the UK, or give notice of marriage there, needs a UK Marriage Visitor visa. It costs £135, allows a stay of up to 6 months, and a decision usually takes 3 weeks. You must marry within 6 months of arriving, at a venue licensed for weddings, and you must leave the UK afterwards. To live in the UK after the wedding, you apply for a spouse visa from Pakistan.
This is the visa many couples miss. A Standard Visitor visa does not let you marry or give notice of marriage in the UK. The UK lists marrying as one of the things you cannot do as an ordinary visitor.
UK Marriage Visitor visa at a glance
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Fee | £135 |
| Longest stay | Up to 6 months |
| Usual decision time | Within 3 weeks of your appointment |
| Earliest you can apply | 3 months before you travel |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Extend or switch in the UK? | No |
You may be able to pay for a faster decision. See our guide to UK priority and super priority visa services in Pakistan for what is offered at the centres. The full fee table for other UK routes is in our UK visa fees list.
Who must apply for a Marriage Visitor visa
You need this visa if all of these are true:
- You want to get married, register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage in the UK.
- You do not plan to stay or settle in the UK after the wedding.
- You meet the eligibility rules below.
You cannot apply if you qualify for British citizenship. The UK says you must apply for citizenship instead. Pakistanis with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme also do not need this visa.
Eligibility rules you must prove
- You are 18 or over.
- You are free to give notice of marriage and to marry in the UK within 6 months of arrival.
- You are in a genuine relationship.
- Your visit is for less than 6 months, and you will leave at the end of it.
- You will not live in the UK through frequent or back-to-back visits.
- You can support yourself during the trip, or someone else will fund you.
- You can pay for your return or onward journey, or someone else will.
"Free to marry" matters most for anyone married before. If you are divorced or widowed, bring proof, such as a decree absolute or the death certificate of the previous partner. For a Pakistani divorce, keep the official divorce or talaq certificate, with a certified English translation.
Documents for the UK Marriage Visitor visa from Pakistan
| Document | Why |
|---|---|
| Passport valid for the whole stay | Required |
| Wedding venue booking or emails with the venue | Shows the marriage is planned in the UK |
| Details of the wedding and proof you paid part of its cost | Shows the plan is real |
| Proof of previous divorce or a partner's death, if any | Shows you are free to marry |
| Bank statements or a sponsor's letter and statements | Shows you can pay for the trip |
| Return ticket plan or funds for it | Shows you will leave |
| Certified English translations | For any paper not in English or Welsh |
If your papers are in Urdu, get certified translations. Pakistani civil documents may also need attestation. Our guide to attesting a nikah nama at MOFA covers how the Foreign Office attestation works.
How to apply from Pakistan, step by step
- Apply online on GOV.UK for the Marriage Visitor visa. You can save the form and finish it later.
- Pay the £135 fee online.
- Book an appointment at a UK visa application centre in Pakistan.
- Go to the appointment with your passport. Your fingerprints and photo are taken there, and you can collect your passport on the same day.
- Upload or hand in your supporting documents as told.
- Wait for the email with the decision, usually within 3 weeks.
If both partners need a visa, each applies separately and pays £135. A child coming to the wedding applies as a standard visitor. You may apply on behalf of your partner or child, but each person attends their own appointment.
If you need to change something after you apply, contact UK Visas and Immigration. You get the fee back only if your application has not been processed yet. Our guide to UK visa processing times from Pakistan shows how to follow up.
What you cannot do on a Marriage Visitor visa
- Extend the visa or switch to another visa inside the UK, including a spouse visa
- Work, except permitted activities linked to your job overseas, such as meetings
- Study
- Claim public funds
- Bring dependants on your visa; they apply separately
The no-switching rule is the one that catches Pakistani couples. After a UK wedding on this visa, the Pakistani partner returns to Pakistan and applies for a spouse visa from here. Read our UK partner visa guide for the £29,000 income rule, the fee and the English test.
If you plan to marry in Pakistan instead, no UK marriage visa is needed. The British partner can travel to Pakistan, and the Pakistani spouse then applies for the partner visa.
Common questions
How much is the UK Marriage Visitor visa fee in Pakistan?
£135 per person, paid online when you apply.
Can I marry in the UK on a Standard Visitor visa?
No. You need a Marriage Visitor visa to marry, register a civil partnership or give notice of marriage in the UK.
Can I switch from a Marriage Visitor visa to a spouse visa in the UK?
No. You cannot extend or switch. Return to Pakistan and apply for the partner visa from here.
How long does a UK Marriage Visitor visa take?
Usually 3 weeks after your appointment. You can apply up to 3 months before you travel.
How long can I stay on a Marriage Visitor visa?
Up to 6 months, and the marriage must take place within 6 months of your arrival.
Does my fiance or fiancee also need this visa?
Only if they also need a visa to enter the UK. A British or settled partner does not.
How we verified this
What we checked and where we read it.
Last checked 14 November 2026. The fee, stay, timing, eligibility, documents, family rules and the no-switching rule are from GOV.UK's Marriage Visitor visa guide, read through the GOV.UK content service. The same guide says you must apply for this visa to marry or give notice of marriage in the UK.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
