The difference between a marriage visa and a spouse, wife – partner visa
A British marriage visa is the term commonly used to refer to a spouse visa, but there is a slight difference between the two.
A spousal visa allows the spouses of British citizens and/or persons exempt from immigration control to join their partners in the UK. The spousal visa, however, generally refers to several categories of visas that allow partners of legal residents to bring their foreign partners to join them in the UK. This may include dependents of persons who normally require a visa to enter the country, as opposed to a spouse visa, which is issued exclusively to spouses of British citizens who are permanent residents.
It is important to note that the marriage visa itself does not exist as an immigration pathway, unlike the spousal visa. The Marriage , Visa can include both the Spouse Visa and the PBS Dependent Visa as a spouse or someone with valid permissions to remain in the country. The type of Marriage Visa you need usually depends on your circumstances as a sponsor.
- British Citizen – Spousal Visa.
- A person with ILR or permanent residence – spousal visa
- EEA national married to a non-EEA person – EEA Family Permit (applied for outside the UK)
- Person with refugee or humanitarian protection status – Family reunification
- Tier 4 student visa – dependent on Tier 4 visa holder
- Tier 2 General visa – dependent on Tier 2 General visa holder
