Immigration News
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23 July 2008

The Home Office has today announced that it will be increasing the age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa from 18 to 21. Five key proposals were announced today:

  • raising the age of sponsorship for a marriage visa from 18 to 21;
  • asking foreign spouses to enter into an agreement to learn English before coming to the UK;
  • introducing a power to revoke leave to remain (ie a visa) where there is evidence that the marriage route has been abused;
  • requiring all sponsors to register their intention to marry overseas before they leave the UK; and
  • ensuring, through a code of practice, that specialist teams can identify vulnerable people at risk of forced marriage.