Individuals who are subject to immigration control and who wish to marry in the UK will need to apply to the UK Border Agency for Certificate of Approval.

Requirements

Applicants must have been granted leave to enter or leave to remain for more than six months from the date the applicants were admitted into the UK and three months of that leave must still remain.

Recent Updates

Following the  the Court of Appeal judgment in Secretary of State for the Home Department v Baiai & Ors amendments to the COA scheme were introduced for applicants who had insufficient leave to  enter or remain in the UK to meet the above requirements.  

The relevant changes can be found in full at:  Important information regarding Certificate of Approval for marriage or civil partnership application (PDF 162K opens in a new window).

Fee

On 9^th April 2009 the UK Border Agency has suspended the application fee for certificates of approval.

Application Form

Applicants who are applying for a certificate of approval in the United Kingdom needs to complete the application form COA.