UK Spouse Visa Requirements
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Spouse Visa Requirements
The UK requirements for a Spouse Visa are some of the most challenging to meet. To prove that you are eligible, you will have to provide extensive documents which show your relationship is genuine. Your UK sponsor will have to earn over £18,600 a year. You will also need to have adequate housing provisions.
The exact visa you need will depend on your individual circumstances. If you are hoping to move to the UK to be with your partner, you must make a Spouse Visa application. You can also either apply as a Fiancee or Unmarried Partner of a British citizen or a person with settled status. If you want to apply for a Spouse Visa, your partner must either be a British citizen by birth or a naturalised British citizen.
If you meet the UK’s Spouse Visa requirements, a Fiance Visa will only be issued for a six month period, during which you would be expected to get married. An Unmarried Partner or Spouse Visa is valid for 30 months. After 30 months, you will be able to apply for an extension for a further 30 months. After the five year period has come to an end, you will be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and, at a later time, for Citizenship in the UK.
The UK Spouse Visa requirements
To get a Spouse Visa in UK, you must be married to a British citizen or a person who hold Indefinite Leave to Remain. Besides, you must meet specific requirements, such as:
- The genuine relationship requirement, meaning that you and your partner must demonstrate that you are in love and you intend to live together permanently.
- The financial requirements, as you will need proof that you can support your family without seeking public funds.
- The accommodation requirement, to offer your family adequate accommodation to live together in the UK
- The English language requirement, meaning that your non-British must be able to speak and understand English.
You will need to prepare a comprehensive bundle of documents to demonstrate your eligibility for all these requirements. Get in touch with IAS’ immigration lawyers to receive professional support with your application.
Partner Visa require application documents
To make sure that your application is successful, you must prepare a bundle of supporting documents, which must contain the following paperwork:
- Any proof that you and your partner are in love: pictures of you two together, chat and call logs, shared bank accounts, money transfers.
- Proof that you have met each other at least once.
- Proof of the applicant’s English fluency. This may be the results of the IELTS test, an English-taught degree, or a passport from an English-speaking country.
- Proof that you meet the minimum income requirement: bank statements, wage slips, job contracts which include your salary
- Proof that you meet the accommodation requirement, such as a shared tenancy agreement or mortgage.
- Any other documents that can demonstrate that you and your partner are in a genuine relationship.
Based on your circumstances, you may need to provide additional documentation. Speak to one of our experts today to receive professional help.
The genuine relationship requirement
To get leave to remain in the UK together, you and your British citizen partner must demonstrate that you are genuinely in love and that your relationship is subsisting.
The main criteria for the Home Office to understand if your relationship is genuine are the following:
- You must have physically met your partner at least once during your marriage.
- If you and your partner have been living in a committed relationship for at least two years but you are not married, you can apply for an Unmarried Partner Visa.
You must prove that you have your partner have been spending some time together. To this end, you can submit chat and call logs, photographs of you two together, shared bank accounts.
UK Spouse Visa financial requirement
To meet the Marriage Visa financial requirement and stay in the UK, you and your partner must earn a combined gross annual income of £18,600.
This can come from any of the following sources:
- Employment salary (including self-employment)
- Money from stocks and shares
- Pension
- Income from letting (if applicable)
- Savings (up to the value of £16,000)
UK Spouse Visa English language requirement
To get a Spouse Visa to stay in the UK, the non-British applicant must prove the Home Office to be able to speak and understand English to a proficient standard.
To demonstrate your proficiency, you must either:
- Have passed an approved English language test to the required level (A1 or higher, depending on your circumstances).
- Hold a degree from a recognised institution, which was taught or researched in English.
- Be from a country where English is the first spoken language.
The Partner Visa accommodation requirement
It is important that you and your partner have adequate accommodation for your family in the UK. This can be:
- A rented property
- A temporary accommodation
- A mortgaged or owned property.
As a general rule, an apartment with one room with a shared bed is sufficient for a couple. Nevertheless, your house must have an additional bedroom for each of your children over the age of one.
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Frequently Asked Questions
To qualify for a Spouse Visa UK, need to meet the following requirements:
- you and your partner must be over the age of 18;
- you must have met each other and be legally married;
- you must intend to live together;
- you must have enough money to support yourselves and any dependants without claiming public funds;
- the sponsoring party must meet the Spouse Visa financial requirements, or have enough savings to support yourselves. This number increases if you have dependent children;
- you must have suitable accommodation for you, your partner and any dependent children; and
- your partner must satisfy the English language requirements.
Some of the documents you will need to provide include:
- Your passport (with a blank page)
- Evidence that you meet the minimum income requirement
- Proof of your relationship/marriage
- English language qualification
- Your current right to be in the country you are applying from
- Your tuberculosis test results if you are from a country which requires this
If you feel you cannot provide any of these documents, seek the advice of one of our expert family immigration lawyers.
This will depend on how you choose to submit your Spouse Visa application. The application could take as little as two weeks if you apply from within the UK using the Premium Service Centre.
It is important to note that you may not always be eligible to apply for a Spouse Visa from within the country, as this depends on what kind of visa you are already holding. If you apply for a Spouse Visa from outside of the UK, you may also be able to use a premium service from within your home country. However, this may still take longer than two weeks as using the service will only push your application to the front of the queue.
Your application could take up to 12 weeks if extra checks are required or it’s not immediately apparent whether you meet the visa requirements. Processing times for a Spouse Visa may also vary depending on which country you submit your UK Spouse Visa application form.
It costs £1,523 to submit a Spouse Visa application from abroad. If you are applying from within the UK, you will be charged £1,033.
Nevertheless, there are several additional costs involved with this visa application, such as:
- The Immigration Health Surcharge
- English language test
- Housing report
- Document translations for all your paperwork which are not written in English or Welsh
A Fiance Visa lasts for six months, during this time, you will be expected to get married in the UK and switch to a Spouse Visa if you wish to remain here.
If you apply from outside the UK, your first Spouse Visa will be issued for 33 months. After this, you will be expected to apply for a spouse visa extension.
This will be valid for a further 30 months. After this time, if you are still eligible, you will be able to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain. If you apply from inside the UK, your first Spouse Visa will be issued for 30 months followed by an extension visa of 30 months.
- Yes, you can work on a spouse visa once you are in the UK. However, you cannot work on a six-month Fiance Visa. Once you are married, you will be able to switch to a Spouse Visa and this will allow you to work.If you wish to work in the UK, you can apply for a different permit, such as the Tier 2 Visa for skilled employees..
Our expert lawyers are available to advise you on the Spouse Visa requirements. Through our service, we will check that you are eligible for a Partner Visa and make sure that you have enough evidence to prove your relationship is genuine to the Home Office. Your lawyer will help to prepare everything to need for the Spouse Visa application process and fully manage and complete your application for you.
- Speak with IAS now online or call 0333 363 8577for advice from an experienced immigration lawyer today.
- If you would like to know more about how to apply for a Spouse Visa UK, check out our FAQs to see if you meet the UK Spouse Visa requirements below.
The many different categories of the Partner Visa are similar, but understanding which one is right for you can be challenging.
IAS can provide you with an experienced lawyer to assist with your application and help you understand the different options available to you.
Our services include:
- making sure your documents are sufficient for your application;
- ensuring you have enough proof to show that your relationship is genuine to the Home Office;
- preparing a Letter of Representation, which details your case and its merits, to accompany your application;
- liaising with the Home Office on your behalf;
- completing each part of your application form with care and attention.
Call 0333 363 8577 Or contact us online to start your application or to get more information on the requirements and process.