When your spouse is a British citizen or settled in Britain and you are living outside the country, you can visit him or her through a UK spouse visa. It is also known as a marriage visa or partner and spouse visa, allowing non-British to live in the UK for over 6 months. It belongs to a family visa and features a series of strict rules and regulations. The authority will review your application carefully. In this passage, we will talk about UK spouse visa requirements, how to apply for it and other related issues.
UK Spouse Visa Requirements
The couples must be both at least 18 years old. The partner of the applicant must satisfy one of the following conditions:
- He/she is a British or Irish citizen.
- He/she has legally settled down in the UK, such as granting indefinite leave to remain, permanent residency or settled status.
- He/she comes from an EU member country, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with pre-settled status and has been living in the UK since Jan.1, 2021 or earlier.
- He/she is holding a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa.
- He/she enjoys refugee protection or humanitarian protection.
After entering the UK with a spouse visa, you and your partner must decide to live together in the country permanently.
image resource: UK immigration advice
Required Documents to Apply for Spouse Visa for UK
The following evidence is required when submitting your UK spouse visa applications.
Proof of Genuine and Eligible Relationship
You must prove either:
- you’re in an officially recognized civil partnership or marriage in the UK.
- you’ve been living together for 2 years or above.
- you’re engaged and will marry or enter a civil partnership within 6 months of arriving in the UK.
The following documents are accepted to prove your relationship.
- a marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate
- evidence of the same address, such as tenancy agreement, utility bills, tax bills, joint bank account statement or letter from your doctor or dentist.
If none of these are available, the following is also acceptable, but less convincing. It does not guarantee the approval of the partner and spouse visa.
- a one-time bill like vet’s fees, home repair fees.
- letters indicating that you two registered for voting with the same address.
- student finance paperwork indicating that you two live at the same address.
Do not submit other documents, such as chatting records, SMS, greeting cards, air tickets, train tickets, receipts, or photos. They are not acceptable.
Proof of Financial Support
You and your partner must earn at least £18,600 in total for a year. If you have children who are non-British, non-Irish, not pre-settled or permanently settled in the UK, you have to earn an extra £3,800 a year for the first child and £2,400 a year for each subsequent child. And only the income source below can be counted for spouse visa.
- employment income that includes tax and National Insurance
- self-employment income or income as a director of a limited company in the UK
- cash deposit over £16,000
- pension
- non-work income, such as rental income or dividends
Proof of financial support includes bank statements, payslips within 6 months and a letter from an employer. Make sure the letter confirms you and your partner’s employment status, title or position, years of working, type of contract, pretax income, duration of current salary, and whether the payslips are genuine. For any other special situation, refer to Appendix FM 1.7: financial requirement.
English Language Requirement
It could be proved by an academic qualification or an approved English language test.
- academic qualifications
Present a degree certificate when getting the qualification from a UK university or college.
Present a statement of comparability when getting the qualification from Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or USA.
Present a visa and nationality statement when getting the qualification outside UK and the countries above.
- English language test
You must pass level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) or higher.
You are exempt from knowledge of English or test if:
- you have been aged 65 or older.
- you suffer a physical or mental problem that stops you from meeting the requirement
- You’re a national of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or USA.
Proof of Accommodation in the UK
You need to prove that you and your partner have suitable accommodation in the UK which is owned, tenanted or occupied exclusively by you and your family, large enough to accommodate all people and meet public health requirements.
How to Apply for UK Spouse Visa
After assuring you are eligible to apply for a UK spouse visa and get all documents prepared, please start your application online through the following steps.
- Visit the official website of Visas and Immigration and click on the “Apply Now” button
- Register with an email address that is used to receive updated information, receive decisions on your application, or log into your application later.
- Complete the application form in the “Application” and “Finance” Section. The authority will gather your partner’s and your personal information.
- Preview the UK spouse visa documents checklist, including valid or previous passport, 2 UK passport photos, proof of relationship, proof of financial support, proof of English language competence, proof of accommodation, details of previous immigration applications, certificate of criminal record, biometric information, proof of payment, etc.
- Declare that the information you provide in the application is correct.
- Select how quickly you want the visa and which overseas visa center you apply from.
- Pay the UK spouse visa fees and immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fees. These are subject to the service and locations you choose.
- Submit supporting documents and attend the appointment at the visa application center.
Spouse Visa UK Fees
It depends on where you apply and the number of dependants included in your application and the costs are listed in the following chart.
- Application fees
| Apply for spouse visa outside UK | Apply for spouse visa in UK | |
| Cost of joining your partner, parent or child | £1,846 | £1,048 |
| Cost for each dependant added to your application | £1,846/each person | £1,048/each person |
- Health Surcharge (IHS) fees
| For adults (≥18 yearsold) | For children (< 18 yearsold) | |
| Duration of stay for 2 years and 6 months | £1,560 | £1,175 |
| Duration of stay for 2 years and 9 months | £1,872 | £1,410 |
| Duration of stay for 5 years | £3,120 | £2,350 |
Reasons for Spouse Visa Refusal
Your application is not guaranteed to be approved. Here are the common reasons for rejection.
- The purpose of the application, conduct, personality and association are likely to do harm to the UK public benefits.
- The applicant is subject to deportation as of the date of application.
- Applicants failed to attend an interview, present required information or take a medical examination, and cannot show reasonable excuse.
- Applicants failed to provide sufficient required evidence.
- Applicants made false statements, such as on relationships, financial conditions, health conditions, etc.
- Application fees are partially or totally unpaid.
FAQs:
Q: How long does it take to get a UK spouse visa?
A: It depends on the service you choose. Standard service takes 3 months while priority service takes 6 weeks.
Q: How long can I stay in the UK with a spouse visa?
A: You are allowed to stay for 33 months. While applying as a fiancé(e) or proposed civil partner, you are permitted to stay for 6 months, but it could be extended.
Q: How can I apply to extend my stay when the spouse visa expires?
A: Please submit the extension 28 days before the expiration date as the application process, and you have to prove that you and your partner have been living together.
Q: Can I sponsor my partner if I don’t have a job?
A: Yes, as long as you and your partner satisfy the financial requirements which are based on savings or income instead of jobs.
Q: Can I work in the country holding a UK spouse visa?
A: Yes, either a full or part-time job is allowed.
Q: Can I claim British civil benefits with a spouse visa?
A: No, state benefits including universal credit, tax credits, or housing allowance do not apply to spouse visa holders.
Q: Can I add my children to my spouse visa application?
A: Yes, but you need to pay extra fees and provide additional financial proof for child/children.
Q: Can I add my children to my spouse visa application?
A: Yes. You can add child/children who are below 18 years old and cannot live independently as dependents, and you need to pay extra fees and provide additional financial proof.
Summary
UK spouse visa is known as the most difficult visa type to get because there are a lot of things to prove. It is suggested to check the UK spouse visa requirements to see whether you are eligible to request it. If yes, get ready all the required documents and apply online, including a valid or previous passport, UK passport photos, proof of relationship/financial support/English language competence/accommodation, details of previous immigration applications, certificate of criminal record, biometric information, and proof of payment. The UK spouse visa fees might be expensive, so please make sure to get fully ready and have enough money to pay for it. We hope this ultimate guide helps you finally receive the visa. Wish you good luck.
Erin Lo