Do you wish to apply for a UK spouse visa?

As with any other immigration applications, there are a number of requirements you need to meet in order to submit and be approved for the visa. We summarise the main requirements below but you need to bear in mind that as each case is different and unique,  some applications might require additional evidence. If you are not sure about documentation you need to provide with your Spouse visa application, contact our UK Immigration Specialist lawyers on 0207 427 5970 or email us: [email protected]

In order to apply for permission to enter to the UK as a partner or spouse, you and your partner both need to be 18 years old or over.

Your partner must either:

• be a British or Irish citizen
• have settled in the UK – for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or proof of permanent residence
• be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status and they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021

The UK partner visa requires  you and your partner to have intention to live together permanently in the UK after you apply.

You must be able to prove one of the following in order to apply for partner visa:

• you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
• you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
• you are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will marry or enter into a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of arriving

You also need to prove you:

• have a good knowledge of English
• you meet the financial requirement
• you have suitable accommodation upon arrival to the UK

If you’re applying as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner

You must prove that:

• any previous marriages or civil partnerships have ended
• you plan to marry or become civil partners within 6 months of arriving in the UK

You will not be able to work during your engagement.

How to prove financial requirements for UK partner visa?

One of the most important criteria for any partnership visa to the UK is that you and your partner must have a combined income of at least £18,600 a year. This financial requirement applies if:

• you’re applying as a partner
• you want to settle in the UK (get ‘indefinite leave to remain’) within 5 years

You and your partner can use various ways to meet the required income level, including:

• income from employment
• income you earn from self-employment or as a director of a limited company in the UK
• cash savings above £62,500
• money from a pension
• non-work income, for example from property rentals or dividends

If you’re using income from self-employment or employment, you’ll need to prove you or your partner received that income for 6 months or more.

How long is the visa valid for?

The UK partner visa allows you to stay in the UK for 2 years and 9 months. If you’re applying as a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner, you can stay for 6 months, after which you can switch to another visa.

Depending on your personal circumstances, you can extend your partner visa in the UK for further 33 months. Once you have spent the required time living in the UK on the partner visa, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain and UK passport.

To apply for extension as a spouse or partner, your relationship must be genuine and ongoing.

If your relationship breaks down, your visa might be cancelled or you might be able to apply for a different visa category to allow you to stay lawfully in the UK.

Do I Need An Immigration Solicitor To Help With Uk Partner Visa?

There is no requirement for you to have a legal representation when applying for the partner visa. However, we know that the Home Office refuses a high number of applications.

Therefore, if you want a peace of mind, you can instruct an immigration expert to assist you with the UK partner visa application process.

For more information:

Taylor Hampton is a law firm in London and we help clients with applying for the UK  partner visa. We will handle your application from start to finish.  We inform you as to what documents you need in order to prove the relationship, especially if you are not married. We also assist you in preparing the documents for meeting the financial and other requirements to make sure your application stands best chances of succeeding. These documents can be challengin to collect especially if you are self-employed. There is a high refusal rate for UK partner visa applications so to get it correct in the first instance and save time and money, contact us today.

To appoint an immigration solicitor, please call 0207 427 5970 or emails us: [email protected]