Spouse/Partner Visa

For married couples, couples with a recognised civil partnership and unmarried partners.

You can apply for a Spouse/Partner visa to enter the UK with your partner or join your partner in the UK if you are married, in a recognised civil partnership or an unmarried partner (to qualify as an unmarried partner you must present evidence of cohabitation with your partner for at least a two-year period).

Your first visa will be valid for 2.5 years and you will need to extend it for another 2.5 years before it  expires (Learn more).

You must submit the application for your first Spouse Visa from your home country or from a country where you have legal residence. You can submit it in the UK only if you currently have a valid visa (Student Visa, Work Visa, Fiancée Visa, etc.). You cannot submit it in the UK if you are here as a tourist. 

Before submitting a UK Partner/Spouse Visa application, ensure you:

• Have all the required documents.
• Pass the ‘Genuine Relationship Test’.
• Meet the minimum income threshold for the financial requirement.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the English language.
• Provide proof of adequate accommodation for you, your partner, and any dependents.
• Depending on the applicant’s country of residence, a Tuberculosis (TB) test may also be required.

There are different ways to meet each of the above requirements. The list below is no way exhaustive and it only offers basic information to guide you with some of the most common questions regarding this application.

• Identity Documents:
  • Sponsor’s passport.
  • If the sponsor is not a British citizen, evidence of their status in the UK.
  • Applicant’s passport.

• Evidence of Relationship:
  • Marriage certificate for married couples.
  • Civil Partnership certificate for civil partners. 
  • Evidence of cohabitation for unmarried couples (documents such as tenancy agreements, utility bills, employment documents, bank statements, etc.).
  • If the sponsor or the applicant have been formerly married, you must provide their divorce certificates, decree of absolutes, or dead certificates of former partners.
  • Genuine Relationship Test – the applicant must prove the genuineness of the relationship through various evidence, including joint mortgage or tenancy agreements, proof of shared financial responsibilities, photographs, text messages, travel documents, etc.

• Evidence of Accommodation in the UK:
  • Tenancy agreement or evidence of property ownership – property deed and or mortgage statement.

• English Language requirement:
  • A1 or above English Exam Certificate (taken at an approved Secure English Language Testing (SELT) Provider, such as Trinity College London or the IELTS Consortium) or an Academic qualification (Degree Certificate issued in the UK or in a recognised English-speaking country accompanied by an Ecctis certificate). 

• Financial Requirement:
  • The sponsor must show a yearly  income of at least £29,000 before tax.
  • Various sources of income are permitted, such as: employment and self-employment income, cash savings, maternity/paternity pay, pensions, and other non-employment income. A combination of some categories may be permissible, with calculations based on individual circumstances.
  • This evidence will vary depending on the category you use to meet this requirement.
    • Category A: Six months of continuous employment with the same employer.
    • Category B: Twelve months of employment with more than one employer.
    • Category C: Non-employment income (pensions, rental income, etc.).
    • Category D: Cash savings held for at least  six months above £88,500.
    • Category F and G: Activities as self-employed worker (as a sole-trader or as an owner/director of an LTD company).
  • Please note that certain benefits exempt applicants from meeting the financial requirement. Instead they have to show adequate maintenance.

2nd Spouse/Partner Visa – Further Leave to Remain.

Your 1st Spouse/Partner Visa is only valid for 30 months (33 months if you applied outside the UK). You must apply for a 2nd Spouse/Partner Visa before your 1st Spouse/Partner Visa expires and you must do it inside the UK. 

Your 2nd Spouse/Partner Visa will be valid for another 30 months, after which you will be entitled to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain if you are under the 5-year route (if you are under the 10-year route you will have to renew your visa again for a third and fourth time until you complete 10 years living in the UK before you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain). 

To apply for the 2nd Spouse/Partner Visa, you must provide evidence to show you meet all the requirements above explained plus evidence of cohabitation in the UK (you must show that you have been living with your partner in the UK since your current visa was granted) and you will need a higher level english exam (A2 or above).