Before we start, I just want to say that this is only meant as a guide and not a replacement for proper legal advice. This post states my personal experience with how I processed my visa and every case can be different. For context, I am a Filipino citizen and my partner is a British citizen, we have been living together for 2-3 years in the Philippines before applying for the UK Fiancé visa.
What is the UK Fiancé Visa?
This is NOT a tourist visa. The UK Fiancé Visa is for partners who are set on marrying each other. One of the partners should be a British or Irish Citizen and both of you have the intent to live together permanently in the UK after your application. It's cringe to say this but your relationship has to be #Endgame. If you are just planning to visit your partner in the UK, opt for a standard visitor visa. Also, YOU CANNOT WORK IN THE UK with this visa.
Requirements
All requirements are listed on the Gov.UK website here. Make sure you read the entirety of the items required by the UK government. My advice and what I personally did is to create a Google Drive with folders and color-code them as you complete your application.
Proof that you've been living in a relationship for at least two years upon applying - See below
Both of you are willing to enter into a civil partnership/marriage within 6 months of arriving in the UK - We used nn email to your local city council inquiring about how we can process orur civil partnership
Accomplished online forms (VAF A4 and its Appendix) available on the gov.uk website
Requirements for Filipino Citizen Partner
PSA Birth Certificate
Photocopy of Passports (old and current)
CENOMAR - to prove you have not been married/are currently married to someone else
NBI Clearance - to prove you're a good citizen and can travel our of the Philippines
Bank account statements
Employment Certificate with Payslips
Tuberculosis Test - Take this in the ACCREDITED clinic in Makati, Php3,600.
Knowledge of the English Language - Take the IELTS A1 LIFE SKILLS test from ACCREDITED IELTS test centres. I took mine with The British Council for around Php9,000-10,000.
A letter from my dentist that I was residing with my partner in the same address
Requirements for UK Citizen Partner
Photocopy of valid passport
Birth Certificate
Evidence of residence - where you live in the UK
Financial Proof that you can provide and can be financially responsible for your non-British partner
Letter that you are sponsoring your non-British partner
Requirements not on the gov.uk website but I also submitted:
Proof that we were living together
I made a document with photos of me and my partner together, complete with descriptions, timeline, and even the links (if photos were posted on social media)
Screenshots of your conversations with each other - YES. You read that right. Compile as much as you can.
A letter from our condominium and landlord in the Philippines that we were living together + notarised tenancy agreement
Barangay Certificate for both me and my partner - since we lived together in the Philippines for almost 3 years
My partner and I were NOT interviewed, we just passed all of these requirements to VFS in Makati. So make sure that the papers speak for themselves, they should prove you two are in love and have every intent to marry each other.
All these documents will be scanned by VFS Makati so HAVE CLEAR, PRINTED, ORIGINAL COPIES OF ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS.
"Should I get help from an agency?"
I did get help from a Philippine visa agency to help me with my UK Fiancé Visa but it was SO EXPENSIVE. I paid Php45,000 for their services and I HONESTLY think it was not worth it. Out of good faith, I will not mention the agency's name. I am grateful for their help but for the money I paid (yes, I paid for everything in this process, my partner did not spend a cent), I believe it was not worth it.
I was still the one who did ALL THE LEGWORK. The agency was more of a consultant.
I have tried other travel agencies (for my other tourist visas in Canada in Australia) for less and they provided me with better service. My travel agent before would literally even meet me in person, with last minute checks to make sure everything is complete before I pass them to VFS Makati (the official body that submits to the British embassy). He would wait for me until I come out of VFS and assure me mentally that we did everything we can because visa applications in general are super stressful. Literally anxiety-inducing, considering the amount of effort and money you put into the application alone! And this former travel agent of mine wouldn't charge this much for his services! If you want this agents number, I can connect you with him.
Again, this is just my personal account of my experience with this particular agency and I am always honest with my reviews. This doesn't mean all agencies out there are like this, this only speaks of my personal experience with this particular agency. As I mentioned above, there re amazing travel agents out there who go above and beyond what you pay them to do. I do not wish ill on the agency I hired to help me because at the end of the day, I am here in the UK now. I just want to reiterate that for the money I paid (almost half of Php100,00!!!), the service was not a match.
Fees
You need to sit down before you hear this. In totality, It probably cost me around Php200,00, all in all. This includes processing fees for documents (PSA, CENOMAR, NBI, etc.); my transport and meals to-and-fro my appointments for the tuberculosis test, IELTS, etc.
£1,538 (Php 102,000) for the application of the visa itself
P45,000 for the agency
Php9,000-10,000 for the ILETS
Php3,600 for the tuberculosis test
Php430 for Cenomar
Php330 for Birth Certificate
Again, I personally paid for ALL of these because I was financially able to (NAKS!). You can always ask your partner for help if you are not able to pay the fees. The application fee for the visa IS NOT REFUNDABLE WETHER YOU GET APPROVED OR NOT. This is why you have to make sure you have all your documents on point!!!
Timeline
October 2021: I started processing my visa, like compiling all the documents, taking the IELTS, etc.
January 2022: Passed my visa application to VFS
June 2022: Got my Fiancé Visa
I want to note that the UK Government did email me that my visa was delayed due to the high inflow of refugees from Ukraine. Being a humanitarian issue, I fully understand why mine was delayed (and rightly so).
I hope this post guides you in your application. However, again, I want to add a disclaimer that this is how I applied for my visa, this is not a replacement for formal legal advice. I am not and should not be responsible for your visa because all applications are different and your application can be different from mine. Hire an agency to help you if you're not confident enough to do it on your own.
ALWAYS CONSULT the GOV.UK website for more information.
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