Partner Visa
The UK spouse visa is a type of settlement visa that allows a non-UK citizen to join and live with their spouse or civil partner in the UK. The visa is initially granted for up to 2 years and 9 months, and can then be extended for a further 2 years and 9 months. After 5 years of living in the UK with a spouse visa, you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR), which allows you to live and work in the UK permanently.
To be eligible for a UK spouse visa, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must be married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen or settled person (i.e. someone who has ILR or EU Settled Status).
- Your marriage or civil partnership must be genuine and subsisting. This means that you must be in a genuine relationship with your partner and that your marriage or civil partnership is still valid.
- Your partner must be able to meet the financial requirements for sponsoring you. This means that they must have a minimum income of £18,600 per year or have savings of £62,500.
- You must have a good knowledge of English.
- You must not have any criminal convictions that would make you inadmissible to the UK.
The application process for a UK spouse visa can be complex and time-consuming. It is important to carefully gather all of the required documents and to make sure that you meet all of the eligibility requirements. You can find more information about the application process on the UK government website.
Here are some of the key documents that you will need to apply for a UK spouse visa:
- A valid passport or travel document
- A copy of your marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Proof of your partner’s UK immigration status (e.g. a copy of their passport, ILR card, or EU Settled Status certificate)
- Proof of your partner’s income (e.g. payslips, bank statements, or a letter from their employer)
- Proof of your English language skills
- A criminal record check from your home country
If your application is successful, you will be granted a visa that is valid for up to 2 years and 9 months.
After 5 years of living in the UK with a spouse visa, you may be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). This is a permanent visa that allows you to live and work in the UK without any restrictions.
If you are planning to apply for a UK spouse visa, it is important to get professional advice from an immigration lawyer. They can help you to make sure that your application is complete and that you meet all of the eligibility requirements.
Here are some additional things to keep in mind about the UK spouse visa:
- The financial requirement for sponsoring a spouse visa is higher if you are applying from outside of the UK.
- If you are applying from outside of the UK, you may need to attend a visa interview.
- You may be required to provide additional evidence to support your application, such as photographs of you and your partner together or evidence of your relationship.
The UK spouse visa is a great way to join your spouse or civil partner in the UK. However, it is important to be aware of the requirements and the application process before you start your application.
Our Team understand the innate complexities and sensitivities with family applications of any nature. Trying to match unique circumstances against a prescribed list of requirements requires experience. Our specialists are here to give your application the best possible opportunity of success while making the whole experience less daunting. The partner visa is open to individuals who want to live in the UK with their British or settled partner.
How we can help
Our services are designed to support your through the whole process, so you can concentrate on the important things.
Explore
Exploring your options
- We provide an initial ‘preliminary’ virtual meeting to establish yours and your partner’s intentions, your history together as well as some basic advice and timelines.
- If you would like the assurance of whether you and you partner meet the rules we can provide an in-depth review of your circumstances during a consultation.
Inform
Educating you on the steps
- The consultation will assess whether you meet the full criteria of the visa. This process can be quite complex depending on how the income and relationship requirements are met especially if you both have lived abroad in the years leading up to the application or whether you receive income from various routes.
- If we are not satisfied that you meet the requirements at this stage we may ask to review documentation to evidence your eligibility before proceeding to offer our representation services.
Prepare
Preparing your case
- Our service offer will set out the process and opinion of making an application under this route and whether there may be other suitable options.
- After engagement we will provide a tailored list of specific documentation and will review the documentation against meeting the stringent visa requirements.
- Upload the finalised information to the online visa application and submit the finalised document bundle along with our Cover Letter which sets out your eligibility and how you and your partner meet the rules.
Support
Supporting you on the way
- General on-hand support during the whole process.
- Liaise with UKVI officials should further enquiries be made. This could be due to having a previous Immigration history, or UKVI may make further enquiries if the application is of a complex nature.
- Brief the applicant on the logistical process of the visa application right up to collecting the BRP card in the UK.
Find out how we can help.
Our Team are ready to join you for the first stage, getting your visa.
All applicants must be 18 years old or over.
The financial requirement for the partner visa is that you and your partner must have a combined income of at least £18,600 a year. This income can be from a variety of sources, including employment, self-employment, pensions, savings, and investments.
If you are applying for a partner visa and you do not meet the financial requirement, you may be able to apply for an exception. To do this, you will need to provide evidence that you and your partner will be able to support yourselves financially without relying on public funds. This evidence could include things like bank statements, employment contracts, or letters from your employer or landlord. £62,500 or above held in savings.
If you are unsure whether you meet the financial requirement for the partner visa, you should seek professional advice.
If you are a national from a majority English speaking country you may be exempted from the English Language requirement. Otherwise you must pass a test at CEFR Level B1 or above.
You must show that you have been in a subsisting relationship for more than 2 years.
If you are making an application outside the UK your visa will be valid for 33 months. If you are making an application within the UK it will be valid for 30 months.
All partner visa routes lead to settlement as long as you meet the residential requirements for settlement.
If you are currently in the UK on a visa which is valid for more than 6 months you may be able to switch to the partner visa in country.
