The UK spouse visa is issued to the spouse or partner of a British citizen or legal settler. It allows the visa holders to live and work in the UK. The visa is initially valid for 30 months (2.5 years) and can be extended. In this passage, we will introduce UK spouse visa extension requirements and how to extend a visa.
What is a Spouse Visa Extension after 2.5 years?
A Spouse visa extension refers to renewing the visa and extending its validity after living in the UK on the current visa for 2.5 years. It must be done up to before the expiry date, up to 28 days in advance to avoid overstaying.
Spouse Visa Extension Requirements 2024
To be eligible for the spouse visa extension, applicants must satisfy the requirements for relationship, financial capability, language proficiency, and personal character.
Relationship Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the all requirements below.
- You must be still in the same relationship with the same person as first-time applications.
- You are still in the UK with your partner or spouse and will continue to be in the future.
- Your relationship, such as marriage, civil relationship, dating, etc. has lasted for at least 2 years.
Your partner or spouse must be one of the following:
- a UK or Irish citizen;
- have settled in the UK with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), settled status, or proof of permanent residence;
- a citizen of EU countries, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein with EU Pre-Settled status and have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021;
- a refugee, a person under humanitarian protection, a stateless person with permission to stay in the UK
Financial Requirements
Applicants must prove a joint income of themselves and their partner/spouses.
- The minimum joint financial income reaches £29,000 per year; Or
- The minimum joint income of you and your partner/spouse reaches £18,600 per year supposing that you first applied for the spouse visa before 11 April 2024 and want to extend it.
If you have dependant children on a family visa in the UK, there are extra financial requirements.
- £3,800 per year for the first child;
- £2,400 per year for each additional child.
You might be exempted from the minimum income requirement if:
- you plan to settle in the UK after 5 years and your partner/spouse is receiving a disability or carer’s benefit; Or
- you have a child with British or Irish citizenship; Or
- you have a child who has lived in the UK for 7 years and they are very unlikely to leave the country; Or
- forcing you to leave the UK will breach your human rights.
English Language Requirements
Applicants must be proficient in English, which can be proven by one of the following.
- You are from a country or territory where the official language is English, such as 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, and the United States.
- You graduated from an education institution or course taught in English and have obtained a certificate.
- You have passed a higher Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale level than the first application. For example, you have to pass level A2 in speaking and listening if you passed A1 previously while levels A2, B1, B2, C1, or C2 are still acceptable.
Requirement of Good Character
Applicants must be in good character to obtain an extension visa spouse, which means they do not have any of the following.
- Violate the immigration rules and regulations;
- Be convicted of a crime.
- Be involved in war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, terrorism, or other actions that endanger public safety.
Required Documents for Spouse Visa Extension After 2.5 Years
To extend a UK spouse visa, you have to submit documents to prove your identity and eligibility for the extension. Here is a list of general supporting documents.
- A valid passport.
- Proof of relationship, such as marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate, joint banking account statement, or evidence of living together in the last 2 and a half years (e.g. rental agreement, utility bills, or council tax bills).
- Proof of your spouse’s status in the UK, such as a British passport, indefinite leave to remain (ILR), residence card, etc.
- Proof of meeting the financial requirements, such as payslips, bank statements, pensions, savings, or evidence of other sources of income.
- Proof of English proficiency, such as a degree certificate from a UK university or college, a certificate of approved English language test, etc.
- Other supporting documents according to your circumstances.
How to Apply for UK Spouse Visa Extension
After confirming your eligibility and preparing the required documents, you can extend the current UK spouse visa online under the Further Leave to Remain in the Marriage (FLR M) category through the steps below. Please note that you must apply up to 28 days before the expiration date.
- Visit Gov.uk and fill out the online application form concerning your personal information, your partner’s personal information, and details of your relationship.
- Provide your financial conditions about your and your partner, including source of income, amount of earnings, types of evidence to prove your financial requirements, etc.
- Preview the supporting documents according to the information that you have provided before.
- Double-check the application and submit it. Please note that only after you click on the link in the registered email to verify your email address will you be able to submit the application. If you haven’t received the confirmation email, request to re-send another email.
- Pay the application fees online or at the counter of HM offices.
- Submit the required documents in either originals or copies. The authority will guide you through how to provide the documents after submitting the application online.
- Submit biometric information, including fingerprints and two 35×45 mm passport size photos, at a designated appointment.
Spouse Visa Extension After 2.5 Years Fees
The total fees include application fees and healthcare surcharge which depends on the applicant’s age and the duration of stay. Here is a price list of spouse visa extension after 2.5 years fees.
| Application fee | ££1,258 |
| Adult’s Healthcare surcharge (for 2 years and 6 months) | £2,587.50 |
| Adult’s Healthcare surcharge (for 2 years and 9 months) | £3,105 |
| Adult’s Healthcare surcharge (for 5 years) | £5,175 |
How Long Does a Spouse Visa Extension Take?
It generally takes 8-12 weeks to renew a UK visa, but the processing time might vary according to the number of applications that the immigration office receives, the completeness of your application, etc. Therefore, it is suggested to apply as early as possible before the current visa expires.
Reasons That UK Spouse Visa Extension Get Refused
Visa extension rejection is frustrating, but it does happen occasionally. To avoid being rejected, it is necessary to learn about the common reasons for rejection and try not to make the same mistakes below.
- False or incomplete information on the application form.
- False or expired supporting documents.
- Failure to prove the same eligible and genuine relationship as the initial application.
- Insufficient income or savings for the minimum financial requirements.
- Inadequate English Language Proficiency or lack of related certificate.
- Unqualified immigration status in the UK of your spouse or absence of valid evidence.
- History of breaching of UK immigration laws.
- Serious health issues or criminal convictions.
What Happens If Your Spouse Visa Renewal is Denied?
You will receive a letter of rejection which indicates why you are rejected and the deadline for leaving the country. If you think it unreasonable to be rejected, you can request an administrative review or file an appeal. Extra supporting documents are required to correct the mistakes or further explain your eligibility. If your request is turned down again, you must leave the UK within the given time frame. Alternatively, you can also obtain a new visa before the deadline and continue staying in the UK. If you have no idea about appealing the visa or what visa type you can choose, it is also recommended to ask for help from an immigration lawyer.
FAQ
Q: Do I need to pay IHS for spouse visa extension?
A: Yes. The IHS (immigration healthcare surcharge) fees allows you to access the National Health Service (NHS) while staying in the UK.
Q: What is the 28-day rule for spouse visa?
A: It means applicants must renew or extend the current visa within 28 days before it expires.
Conclusion
UK spouse visa holders who want to continue staying in the UK after the initial 2.5-year validity should extend the visa. To apply for spouse visa extension after 2.5 years, applicants must satisfy UK spouse visa extension requirements for eligible relationship, financial capability, English language proficiency, and good character. After preparing all required documents, please apply online up to 28 days before the expiry date.
Erin Lo