The right UK visa depends on whether you are already legally married, where you intend to marry, and whether you plan to live together in the UK afterwards. A UK fiancée visa and a spouse visa are both family routes, but they involve different steps after your Thai partner arrives.
Planning your future together in the UK?
Tell us whether you are already married, where you want the wedding and where you plan to live. We can help you identify the appropriate route before you apply.
Ask us on WhatsAppPattaya office: 080 102 2328 · Send an enquiry
| Question | Fiancée visa | Spouse visa |
|---|---|---|
| Are you already married? | No. You plan to marry in the UK. | Yes. Your marriage must be legally recognised in the UK. |
| What happens on arrival? | Marry within six months, then apply in the UK for permission as a spouse. | Live together in the UK under the spouse permission granted. |
| Can the applicant work immediately? | No, not during the initial fiancée permission. | Normally yes, once the spouse visa is valid. |
| Is another UK application needed after the wedding? | Yes. | No application is required solely because the wedding has taken place. |
Choose a fiancée visa if you will marry in the UK and settle there
A family visa as a fiancée is intended for a couple who plan to marry or form a civil partnership in the UK within six months of the applicant’s arrival and then live together in the UK. You must show a genuine relationship, that any previous marriages have ended, and that you intend to marry within the required period.
Your Thai fiancée cannot work or study during the initial engagement period. After the marriage, she needs to apply in the UK for permission to stay as a spouse. If that application succeeds, she can work or study under the new permission. The time spent on the initial fiancée permission does not count towards the usual five-year settlement period as a partner. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Choose a spouse visa if you are already legally married
If you marry in Thailand first and the marriage is legally recognised in the UK, your Thai wife can normally apply from outside the UK as a spouse, provided the other family visa requirements are met. This can avoid the separate in-country application that follows a UK fiancée visa.
The application must address the relationship, financial, accommodation, English language and other relevant requirements. See our UK visa advice articles for related guidance.
What if you want to marry in the UK but live in Thailand?
A Marriage Visitor visa may be the relevant route if the purpose is to marry in the UK and then leave, rather than settle there. A Marriage Visitor visa cannot normally be extended or switched to a family visa from inside the UK.
A Standard Visitor visa is not the route for giving notice of marriage or marrying in the UK. This distinction matters even where the visitor’s relationship is genuine. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
- Marry in Thailand, then live in the UK: consider a spouse visa after the legal marriage.
- Marry in the UK, then live there: consider a family visa as a fiancée.
- Marry in the UK, then leave: consider a Marriage Visitor visa.
What is the financial requirement?
For a new partner application, the usual minimum income requirement shown by GOV.UK in September 2026 is £29,000 a year. The evidence rules depend on the source of income and whether savings can be used. Different rules can apply where the sponsor receives certain disability or carer’s benefits, and some people extending an older partner route remain under transitional requirements.
Do not rely on the old £18,600 figure for a new application without checking whether a specific exception applies. Read the current GOV.UK financial requirements and ask us to assess your particular income evidence. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Do both routes require relationship evidence?
Yes. A marriage certificate or wedding plan is only part of the evidence. UKVI must also be satisfied about the relationship and the intention to live together. The documents should reflect the couple’s real circumstances, including meetings, communication, shared plans and any previous marriages.
If you are already married, our article on documents needed for a UK spouse visa provides a useful starting point.
Can a Thai girlfriend enter as a tourist and then marry or switch?
Do not plan to use a Standard Visitor visa as a shortcut to a UK wedding or settlement. A Standard Visitor generally cannot give notice or marry, and visitors normally cannot switch to a family visa in the UK. Select the route that reflects your actual plans before she travels. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
For a temporary visit without marriage or settlement plans during that trip, see our guide to a UK visit for your Thai girlfriend.
Ask a UK family visa question
You can also browse our UK spouse, partner and child visa forum for practical questions about marriage plans, financial evidence and family visa applications.
Updated September 2026. The appropriate route depends on the couple’s individual circumstances and the rules in force when they apply. UKVI decides each application.