Getting Established (Fiancé Visa)

So I haven't gotten my approval on my visa yet, but I know once I do everything will start moving very quickly due to the visa route we chose. I'm unsure which thread to post this in as it's a little of visa prep, a bit of general, but thought I would try here. I'm trying to get a list together of things I'll need to do once I arrive (hoping by May).

Here's what I have so far:
-Pick up BRP
-Get my name on as many bills as possible for the FLR(M) application. These include: council tax, my fiancé's phone plan, utilities.
-Open a joint bank account. I don't know if we'll have to wait until I've received my FLR(M) approval to do this, but I know we'll need to do that.
-Register with a doctor and dentist. I know for the doctor I'll need a piece of mail with my name on it as proof of address, and I assume the same for the dentist. I understand I can't utilise either of these until I'm on my FLR(M) without incurring a 150% charge, but know that I can at least register prior to.

Obviously we'll also have a lot of things to plan for the wedding, which is a whole other ball game, but I'm wondering what else will need to be done once I arrive. Any recommendations would be appreciated!

Because I can't work for the 6 months of the fiancé visa, I'm going to use that time to get my teaching registration changed to England. So the work aspect I've somewhat got covered.

Any help or suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated!
Cheers x

If you have a fiancé visa, you won’t get a BRP card, because BRPs are only issued for visas valid more than 6 months.

Instead, you will simply get a 6-month visa sticker in your passport and you can enter the U.K. at any time in those 6 months.

You’ll need proof of address for both opening a bank account and registering with a GP. Not sure about dentist.

I understand I can't utilise either of these until I'm on my FLR(M) without incurring a 150% charge, but know that I can at least register prior to.

Not quite. As long as you have travel/health insurance (which you need), you will only be charged 100% of the bill.

I'm going to use that time to get my teaching registration changed to England. So the work aspect I've somewhat got covered.

Not sure if you will be able to do this - I may be wrong, but I thought getting it changed involved work or training of some kind (I.e. classroom training)... which you can’t do on a fiancé visa.



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If you have a fiancé visa, you won’t get a BRP card, because BRPs are only issued for visas valid more than 6 months.

Instead, you will simply get a 6-month visa sticker in your passport and you can enter the U.K. at any time in those 6 months.

You’ll need proof of address for both opening a bank account and registering with a GP. Not sure about dentist.

Not quite. As long as you have travel/health insurance (which you need), you will only be charged 100% of the bill.

Not sure if you will be able to do this - I may be wrong, but I thought getting it changed involved work or training of some kind (I.e. classroom training)... which you can’t do on a fiancé visa.



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Ah, yes, I had forgotten that it's just a sticker for the Fiancé visa. I understand now, thank you.

Okay, I will work to get the proof of address first as that seems like one of the most important things for registering with the doctors and as 1 of our 6 pieces of mail for the FLR(M) application.

I will have travel insurance, so understand that I will pay 100% of the cost. Obviously, I'll try to avoid this in general until I'm on FLR.

My initial teaching registration is with the General Teaching Council of Scotland (it was while studying in Scotland that I met my fiancé). So I have all of the requirements within the UK, it's just getting it transferred to England. But yeah, I definitely won't be stepping into a classroom even through voluntary work until I have FLR because I understand it's not allowed. I just meant getting the registration change done. If they don't allow it on the fiancé, I will wait until the spouse visa.

Thank you for your help 

Ah, yes, I had forgotten that it's just a sticker for the Fiancé visa. I understand now, thank you.

Okay, I will work to get the proof of address first as that seems like one of the most important things for registering with the doctors and as 1 of our 6 pieces of mail for the FLR(M) application.

I will have travel insurance, so understand that I will pay 100% of the cost. Obviously, I'll try to avoid this in general until I'm on FLR.

My initial teaching registration is with the General Teaching Council of Scotland (it was while studying in Scotland that I met my fiancé). So I have all of the requirements within the UK, it's just getting it transferred to England. But yeah, I definitely won't be stepping into a classroom even through voluntary work until I have FLR because I understand it's not allowed. I just meant getting the registration change done. If they don't allow it on the fiancé, I will wait until the spouse visa.

Thank you for your help 

And you don't have to wait the whole 6 months to apply for your FLR(M). You can apply as soon as you are married and have all of your paperwork in order.

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And you don't have to wait the whole 6 months to apply for your FLR(M). You can apply as soon as you are married and have all of your paperwork in order.

This.  I applied for FLR(M) the day after my wedding.  I verified with the registrar in advance that my marriage certificate would be available same day as my wedding, then booked an in-person visa application for the day after my wedding.

This.  I applied for FLR(M) the day after my wedding.  I verified with the registrar in advance that my marriage certificate would be available same day as my wedding, then booked an in-person visa application for the day after my wedding.

Just a note that they no longer offer in person appointments. 

Just a note that they no longer offer in person appointments. 

Yeah... #&£%!... I love how they keep changing things only to make it worse.

Yeah... #&£%!... I love how they keep changing things only to make it worse.

That's the thing.. no matter how bad/expensive/excruciating the process is,  it's always good to remember that it's only likely to get worse/more expensive/harder in future...and be grateful that you are applying when you are!   

That's the thing.. no matter how bad/expensive/excruciating the process is,  it's always good to remember that it's only likely to get worse/more expensive/harder in future...and be grateful that you are applying when you are!   

I am so grateful for my last-minute citizenship scramble when they were switching contracts to Sopra Steria!  As I was jumping through the hoops, I kept thinking "It's probably not even that big a deal..."  But that transition was so bumpy, I'm glad I rushed.  Plus, I had my passport by Christmas, so yay me!

I am so grateful for my last-minute citizenship scramble when they were switching contracts to Sopra Steria!  As I was jumping through the hoops, I kept thinking "It's probably not even that big a deal..."  But that transition was so bumpy, I'm glad I rushed.  Plus, I had my passport by Christmas, so yay me!

I'm so glad too!    Also, I could stop trying to think of ways to nag you without looking like I was nagging!!!      

I'm so glad too!    Also, I could stop trying to think of ways to nag you without looking like I was nagging!!!      

You weren't nagging... you were being an encouraging friend.  (Or I fell for it, and you were nagging without looking like you were nagging!)

Yes, I understand and won't be waiting the full 6 months to apply for FLR. It will more depend on how quickly we can get the full 6 pieces of communication with our names and address listed, but we'll apply no later than 4 1/2 months into the fiancé visa. Though I may be wrong, I thought Super Priority was still an option for those applying for FLR. We can only afford to do one "priority" application, so for us we wanted to use that for FLR rather than the outside the UK Fiancé Visa application.

Is there anything else I should put on my list or need to do in order to get established in the UK?

I just wanted to clarify two points from my original post:

As I mentioned in another thread, I will have travel insurance so I understand I will be charged 100% for visiting the doctor, not 150%. I had forgotten to clarify. I will have enough medication to last me through the period of the fiancé visa, so I will only go to the doctor if absolutely necessary. I know that I can use the NHS, I will just have to pay the full 100% cost.

And in regards to my teaching certification, I know I can't work or volunteer under the fiancé visa. My teaching certification is with Scotland, so I'll just be doing the paperwork to transfer my certification to England, not working.

Yes, I understand and won't be waiting the full 6 months to apply for FLR. It will more depend on how quickly we can get the full 6 pieces of communication with our names and address listed, but we'll apply no later than 4 1/2 months into the fiancé visa. Though I may be wrong, I thought Super Priority was still an option for those applying for FLR. We can only afford to do one "priority" application, so for us we wanted to use that for FLR rather than the outside the UK Fiancé Visa application.

Is there anything else I should put on my list or need to do in order to get established in the UK?

There is a priority-type service but it's a bit hit or miss.  We've had several members wait several weeks for their visas even with the "guaranteed 24 hour" decision.  It's not great....

There is a priority-type service but it's a bit hit or miss.  We've had several members wait several weeks for their visas even with the "guaranteed 24 hour" decision.  It's not great....

Oof, okay. I'll look into it again, I had thought it was in person, but if it's not then I'll have to weigh my options. Thank you!