UK Spouse Visa Document Checklist for Nigerians

Need Help with Your Spouse Visa Application?

We have assisted many Nigerians with their Spouse Visa application, so if you don’t know where to begin, contact us for immediate assistance. Our skilled team of lawyers is dedicated to ensuring your travel plans are smooth and will handle all aspects of your application process.

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UK Spouse Visa Document Checklist

The requirements for a Spouse Visa in the United Kingdom include a strict income threshold, accommodation specifications, and passing the genuine relationship test. To avoid a denial on trivial grounds such as missing documents or incorrectly filled out forms, submitting an application to the British authorities requires an abundance of proof that the applicant satisfies every requirement.

Here is an overview of all the necessary documents:

• Complete spouse visa application forms
• Travel papers that are current and legitimate, such as a Nigerian passport or other forms of acceptable identification.
• Prepare copies in good quality of the picture page of your passport as well as any visas or entrance stamps from any of your prior passports.
• Spouse visa letter of support.
• Your marriage or civil partnership certificate proves that you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen or a permanent citizen in the United Kingdom.
• Additional evidence to demonstrate the authenticity of your connection, such as:
  • Photographs documenting the whole of your time together.
  • Agreements concerning joint tenancy or contracts relating to the acquisition of a mortgage or property
  • Confirmations of the reservations you made for the trip you took together
  • Records of conversations from social networking and messaging platforms
  • Travel documentation for use during each other’s trips
• Documentation demonstrating that you have adequate housing in the UK, which might be one of the following:
  • A contract for tenancy.
  • Report on immigration and housing.
  • Letter from your landlord or the owner of the house in which you will be residing.
• You need to provide proof that you are able to satisfy the English language requirements, such as
  • A minimum level of A1 on an English language certificate that was earned via an authorized English language testing certification.
  • Documentation demonstrating that you were born in one of the English-speaking nations that prevent you from having to take a test
  • Documentation demonstrating that you possess a degree or other academic certificate that was either researched or taught in English and is approved by the UK NARIC.
• Documentation proving that you have a total annual income of at least £29,000, which may come from job, non-work, or self-employment income, as well as cash savings or pensions. This documentation can be in the form of a bank statement. Examples of this kind of evidence include bank statements.
• Certificate of divorce from any prior marriages, if any have occurred (if applicable).
• Results of any tuberculosis tests taken.
• Specific information on any prior convictions.
• Comprehensive UK spouse visa application documents.

Depending on your circumstances, additional documents may be required.

A complete application increases your chances of obtaining a 30-month Spouse visa, for which you are eligible for an extension and then for Indefinite Leave to Remain.

Nigerian Applicant’s Documents

This section of your UK Spouse Visa documentation package will contain your travel documents, including your Nigerian passport. For the spouse visa application process, you must additionally submit your English language certificate or university transcript, if applicable, as well as your TB certificate.

In addition, you will be required to provide biometric information (fingerprints and a photograph), which is not a document but something you provide at the visa application centre. If you are already in the United Kingdom on another visa, you may also be required to provide your National Insurance number.

UK Sponsor’s Documents

Your UK husband or wife must include copies of their travel documents as well as a letter of support for a spouse visa that they have prepared themselves. This letter should provide the Home Office with information on your relationship as well as the reasons why they should issue your visa.

Financial Documents of the UK Sponsor

One of the requirements for obtaining a spouse visa in the UK is meeting the financial requirement of £29,000 for the UK sponsor. This can only include money earned in the United Kingdom; if you work elsewhere, your earnings do not count toward this total.

There are a variety of other approaches that a sponsor in the UK might use to fulfill this income criteria. They are as follows:

• Retirement
• Benefits such as maternity, paternity, and adoption pay, as well as sick pay;
• Compensation from sources outside than work, such as rental or share income; and
• Money saved up over £16,000

Your sponsor may not be required to meet the financial criterion if they receive certain benefits, such as the Personal Independence Payment or the Disability Living Allowance.

Evidence of Appropriate Accommodation

When you move to the UK to join your husband or partner, you will be required to prove that you plan to live with them and that there is enough place at the house for both of you as well as any children who may be accompanying you. In addition, you must prove that there is enough space for each of you and any children who may be joining you.

To demonstrate that you are able to satisfy the accommodation UK spouse visa requirements, you could be asked to file an immigration housing report in certain circumstances. It’s possible that you’ll also need to supply a letter from your landlord or the owner of the home you’ll be living in, but this will depend on the specifics of your situation.

Documents Showing the Relationship is Genuine

The actual relationship criteria will be satisfied if you are able to fulfil Spouse Visa document checklist. Examples of such evidence include the following:

• Records of conversations from social networking and messaging platforms
• Photos taken of you both during the course of your relationship
• Travel papers from trips to each other
• Marriage certificate (if appropriate)
• Divorce certificate (if appropriate)

There have been cases of applications for Spouse Visas being denied for both insufficient proof and an excessive amount of evidence. The criterion for a real connection is quite stringent, and it may be very challenging to strike the proper balance between giving the appropriate degree of proof and avoiding the typical mistakes that the Home Office is looking for.

English Language Proficiency Documents

Documentation demonstrating that you are meet the English language requirement, such as one of the following:

• A minimum level of A1 on an English language certificate that was earned via an authorised English language testing certification.
• Documentation demonstrating that you were born in one of the English-speaking nations that prevent you from having to take a test,
• Documentation demonstrating that you possess a degree or other academic certificate that was either researched or taught in English and is approved by the UK’s NARIC.

How Can IAS Help?

The application for a Spouse Visa in the United Kingdom is a difficult and sometimes unpleasant procedure. The government of the United Kingdom has implemented a variety of methods that are meant to validate that a relationship is real in an attempt to reduce the number of weddings that are not genuine.

However, for many legitimate couples with no prior experience with the immigration system in the UK, these procedures may create quite a bit of an issue and can result in rejections.

Due to the fact that the criteria for a UK Spouse Visa are sometimes subjective and confusing, you should ensure that you give your application the greatest possible opportunity of being approved by consulting with an immigration specialist from IAS.

Your individual attorney will provide you with a comprehensive checklist of documents for the UK spouse visa that has been tailored to your specific circumstances. In addition, our service includes assistance from your attorney in the completion of the Spouse Visa application form prior to its submission.

Do you need the assistance of an immigration lawyer in the UK? We have highly-trained immigration attorneys who are experts in UK immigration law. You may either submit an inquiry using our online contact form or give us a call at our UK Office, which is +44 (0)333 414 9244 to speak with an expert about your situation right now.