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The short answer
Relatives coming from Nigeria to attend a UK wedding usually need a Standard Visitor visa, which GOV.UK lists at £135 for up to six months (as at October 2026); attending a wedding is a permitted visit, but a visitor cannot marry on that visa. Hosts commonly write a supporting letter and often cover some guests' visas, flights or accommodation, and should budget for visitor medical insurance because hospital care is charged.
The visa your guests need
Nigerian passport holders need a visa to visit the UK, and wedding guests normally apply for the Standard Visitor visa. GOV.UK sets out the essentials (page checked October 2026):
- The fee is £135 for a visa of up to six months.
- Visitors can usually stay for up to six months.
- The earliest they can apply is three months before travel.
- They must show they will leave at the end of the visit, can support themselves (or someone else will fund them) and can pay for the journey home (or someone else will).
- Visitors cannot work, claim public funds, or marry, register a civil partnership or give notice of either; that needs a Marriage Visitor visa.
Invitation and supporting letters
GOV.UK's visitor page does not require an invitation letter, but it does require evidence of funding and of the purpose of the visit, so a letter from the couple is commonly included. Useful contents:
- Your full names, address and UK immigration status or citizenship, with a copy of your passport or status evidence.
- The guest's name and relationship to you.
- The wedding date and venue, with a copy of the invitation card.
- The dates of the visit and where the guest will stay.
- Who is paying for what: flights, accommodation, food, insurance.
- If you are funding the guest, recent bank statements showing you can.
The letter supports the application; it does not guarantee a visa. The guest still has to show strong reasons to return home, such as work, business, property or family in Nigeria.
What hosts commonly cover
There is no rule, and Nigerian families vary, but these are the costs couples most often take on for parents and close relatives:
| Cost | Commonly paid by | Example per guest |
|---|---|---|
| Visa fee | Couple for parents; guests for themselves otherwise | £135 (GOV.UK) |
| Return flight | Couple for parents, sometimes siblings | £800 (example) |
| Accommodation | Couple, often by hosting at home or with relatives | £0 to £600 (example) |
| Visitor medical insurance | Couple for parents | £150 (example) |
| Outfits for the day (aso ebi) | Usually guests, sometimes couple for parents | Varies |
| Local travel and meals | Shared | £150 (example) |
Example only: for both sets of parents, four people, at the example figures above with accommodation at home, the couple would budget 4 × (£135 + £800 + £150 + £150) = £4,940.
Health cover for visiting guests
GOV.UK's migrant health guide says people on visitor visas pay for NHS care at the point of use unless exempt. GP visits and A&E are free, but hospital admission and outpatient care are charged at 150% of the NHS cost, and non-urgent treatment must be paid in advance. Unpaid NHS debts of £500 or more can be reported to the Home Office and may affect future applications. Older relatives travelling for a wedding should have visitor medical insurance that declares their existing conditions; our guide to visitor health insurance for parents explains what to check.
Timing the applications
- Send invitations with visa letters as soon as the venue is booked, so guests can apply the moment the three-month window opens.
- Ask guests to book refundable or changeable flights until the visa is issued.
- Keep a list of who has applied, been granted and booked, so you know your real numbers for the caterer.
If a guest's visa is refused
Refusals happen, often because the applicant could not show strong enough ties to Nigeria or clear funding. The refusal letter gives the reasons. A guest can apply again with better evidence, but a new application means a new fee and new waiting time, so a refusal six weeks before the wedding usually means the guest will miss it. Two practical steps reduce the damage: apply early, and plan a livestream so anyone who cannot travel can still watch the vows.
The couple's own budget
Hosting relatives from Nigeria changes the wedding budget in ways that are easy to miss:
- Extra events. Families often expect a welcome dinner or a thanksgiving service after the wedding, which adds catering.
- Longer stays. Parents travelling a long way may stay several weeks, so food, heating and outings run for a month, not a weekend.
- Airport runs. Several arrivals on different days mean several trips, often to Heathrow, Gatwick or Manchester.
- Gifts going home. Excess baggage for presents and wedding souvenirs on the return flight.
Agree early with both families who pays for each of these, and write it into the budget alongside the venue and the caterer.
Where Pryme fits
If relatives in Nigeria are paying their own way, they can hold naira and pounds in a Pryme account and convert with Swap, seeing the rate and the fee first. If you are funding guests, Send lets you pay a visa agent, a travel agent or a relative directly. Our guide to bringing parents to the UK covers longer visits.
Questions people ask
Do my parents need a visa to attend my wedding in the UK?
Yes. Nigerian passport holders need a visa, usually the Standard Visitor visa, which GOV.UK lists at £135 for up to six months.
Do I need to write an invitation letter for a UK visitor visa?
GOV.UK does not require one, but a letter from the couple explaining the wedding, the dates, where the guest will stay and who is paying is commonly included as supporting evidence.
Can my fiancé come from Nigeria to marry me on a visitor visa?
No. GOV.UK says Standard Visitors cannot marry or give notice of marriage. That requires a Marriage Visitor visa.
Are wedding guests from Nigeria covered by the NHS?
GP visits and A&E are free, but hospital care is charged at 150% of NHS cost for visitors, so guests should buy visitor medical insurance.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: NHS entitlements, migrant health guide · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.