A Partner Visa UK, also known as a UK Spouse Visa, is a settlement visa that allows you to live together with your British partner in the UK for up to 30 months. It is one. of the visas under the Family visa category.
It can be extended for another 30 months if you meet certain eligibility conditions. Holding a Partner Visa is the first step toward Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and, eventually, British Citizenship.
To apply for a UK Spouse Visa and enter the UK, you must be married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, UK settled person or UK refugee. The main eligibility criteria include providing proof that you are in a genuine relationship and that you meet specific financial conditions.
Get in touch with our immigration lawyers to receive professional advice on your UK Partner Visa case and learn how you can enter the UK and get leave to remain with your partner if he or she is a UK citizen.
Note that this visa is different from the UK Marriage visitor visa that only allows you to come to the UK to get married or enter into civil partnership, regardless of if your partner is a British citizen or not.
You can apply for a UK Spouse Visa if you are:
British citizens can send the leave to remain forms on their partner’s behalf as long as they are eligible. You must list their name and information as the applicant’s details
As of April 11th, 2024, the new Spouse Visa Financial requirement has officially changed from £18,600 to £29,000. This means that if you want to sponsor your foreign partner on any UK family visa route under Appendix FM as a partner for the first time on or after 11 April 2024, the minimum income requirement is £29,000. This threshold does not increase if there are also children applying.
And since the initial Spouse Visa lasts 30 months, applicants will need to pay around £2,587.50 (as of January 2024) to satisfy the NHS fee. In most cases, those seeking a Partner Visa will be expected to pay: £2,587.50 for the IHS (for 30 months visa, £1,035 per year)
What if I don’t meet the financial requirement?
If you don’t have enough money from all the listed sources of income to meet the mandatory Partner/Spouse Visa financial requirement, or you are unsure about your income, seek the advice of our specialist immigration lawyers, as exceptional circumstances may apply.
The UK Spouse Visa applicant needs to be able to prove they are in a genuine relationship, such as a civil partnership, with their British citizen partner. There are lots of different types of evidence you can send to the Home Office, such as:
As of April 11th, 2024, the new Spouse Visa Financial requirement has officially changed from £18,600 to £29,000. This means that if you want to sponsor your foreign partner on any UK family visa route under Appendix FM as a partner for the first time on or after 11 April 2024, the minimum income requirement is £29,000. This threshold does not increase if there are also children applying.
And since the initial Spouse Visa lasts 30 months, applicants will need to pay around £2,587.50 (as of January 2024) to satisfy the NHS fee. In most cases, those seeking a Partner Visa will be expected to pay: £2,587.50 for the IHS (for 30 months visa, £1,035 per year)
If you don’t have enough money from all the listed sources of income to meet the mandatory Partner/Spouse Visa financial requirement, or you are unsure about your income, seek the advice of our specialist immigration lawyers, as exceptional circumstances may apply.
Making sure you have all the correct documents to support your UK Spouse Visa application will help to ensure it is successful and prevent delays.
These are the documents you will need to send to the Home Office to get the right to remain in the UK:
To meet the minimum income requirement for your UK Spouse Visa application, you can use:
If your partner is applying from outside the UK, they can use their savings to contribute towards the total income amount – but not their earnings. Nevertheless, if your partner is working in the UK, their earnings can count towards the total amount.
You can also use a combination of savings and earnings to help you meet the minimum income threshold. However, you will need to prove you have enough financial support for the entire length of the permit.
To see how much you will need in savings, first subtract any other eligible income from your minimum requirement. Then, multiply this figure by 2.5 and add 16,000.
There are cases where you won’t need to meet the mandatory eligibility criteria, such as if you are claiming any one of the following benefits:
You will, however, need to prove that you have enough money to support your dependents. This is called ‘adequate maintenance’, and the exact amount you need will depend on your individual circumstances.
Typically, you will need at least £120 per week after you have paid for housing. If you have a child or children, this amount will increase.
Applicants who wish to live in the UK, need to be able to prove that they can speak English. Once you have passed an English Language Test, it will be valid for two years.
You must sit an English test in speaking and listening to get the right to remain in the UK with your UK spouse. Your qualification will be valid only if your English exam is taken through an approved Secure English Language Testing (SELT) Provider.
Currently, SELT tests for immigration purposes are only available through the Trinity College London or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Consortium.
You do not need an English Language test if you:
Hold a degree or any educational establishment that was taught or researched in English. Your qualification will only be valid if confirmed by UK NARIC.
As part of your UK Spouse Visa application, you will need to present proof of accommodation that meets UK living standards.
Your UK national partner, who acts as your sponsor, will need to show that he or she can provide adequate accommodation for themselves, the applicant and any dependents who intend to live in the UK.
For proof of accommodation, the Home Office will ask you to provide:
To qualify, your property needs enough rooms to accommodate the couple and any dependents. Each person needs an individual room, however:
This means that two children aged under 10 years can share one room, and babies under one year old can live in the same room as the couple.
Ensure you start your Spouse visa application ahead of your planned move to the UK, and do not book your flight or travel before you get a visa approval from the Home Office.
The UK Spouse visa application process can start online by completing Appendix FM and other forms from outside the UK. However, you may need to visit a visa application centre to give your biometrics as part of the process. Note that there are several forms and documents involved, and they must be filled correctly with sufficient evidence to increase your chances of obtaining a UK Spouse or Partner visa.
If you are applying from within the UK, the process is different as you will need to show proof that you are in the country on an eligible visa to switch to the UK spouse visa.
When reviewing your application, if the Home Office has any doubts about your application, you may be invited to come for a Spouse visa interview. During the interview, you will be asked questions to determine the genuineness of your relationship and intent in the UK.
The Spouse visa application process can be lengthy and difficult to go through alone. We can help. Contact us now on 03301 222 991 or make an enquiry online to speak with one of our immigration lawyers about your application for a Spouse Visa UK
The Home Office’s current fee for a Spouse visa is £1,538 for any application submitted from abroad. If you are submitting your application from within the UK, the cost is reduced to £1,048. This charge will increase if you are applying with dependents and will increase for each dependent.
You can only apply from inside the UK if you are not trying to enter the country as a visitor or have been given leave to stay in the UK for more than 6 months. You also cannot apply for a fiance(e) or proposed civil partner permit from inside the UK.
There are additional costs related to your UK Spouse Visa application that you should consider when you send your forms. This includes: