Spouse/Partner visa is a settlement visa that allows you to live together with your British/settled partner and dependent children in the UK. Holding a Spouse or a Partner Visa is the first step toward Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and, then, British Citizenship. 

• To apply for a UK Spouse Visa your partner must either: 

1. be a British or Irish citizen 

2. have settled in the UK – for example, they have indefinite leave to remain, settled status, or proof of permanent residence 

3. be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status - they must have started living in the UK before 1 January 2021 

4. have a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish Worker visa 

5. have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK 

• Submit all the required documents 
• Pass the ‘Genuine Relationship Test’ 
• Demonstrate your knowledge of the English language 
• Provide evidence that you have suitable accommodation for you, your partner, and any dependents 
• Have your biometrics completed
• You may also need to pass a medical test to show you do not have Tuberculosis (TB), depending on your country of residence

You need to prove you are in a genuine relationship with your partner for that you may need to provide the following evidence to the Home Office:  

• A marriage certificate or civil partnership certificate 
• A joint mortgage or tenancy agreement, either in the UK or outside the UK 
• Evidence of any children you have together, such as a birth certificate 
• Photographs that show you have spent time together frequently 
• A shared bank account or savings 
• Text messages or social media chat logs 
• Travel documents that prove you’ve visited each other at least once before you got married 
• Any documents which prove that you intend to live together in the UK

You may (or may not) need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply.  

You need to pass an approved English language test at least a CEFR level A1 in Speaking and Listening, which is a beginner level for your initial application. For your extension after 2.5 years, you need to prove that you pass an approved English language test with at least a CEFR level A2, which could be considered an elementary level and is slightly more difficult than A1. For settlement, you must demonstrate that you can speak English at B1 level, which is an intermediate level. 

To be able to make a successful UK Spouse/ Partner Visa application, the couple must provide evidence of having sufficient income to support themselves in the UK. You and your partner must have a combined income of at least £18,600 a year in addition to extra £3,800 a year for your first child and £2,400 a year for each child you have after your first child. Support is required for children who are not British or Irish citizens, do not have pre-settled status or children who are not permanently settled in the UK. Generally, the couple must be capable of financially supporting themselves without relying on public funds. Nevertheless, there are some exceptional cases mentioned in the next question. 

In some circumstances, you do not need to meet the financial requirement of a UK Spouse/Partner Visa. If you are claiming any one of the following benefits, you still can make an application: 

•  Disability Living Allowance 
• Severe Disablement Allowance 
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit 
• Attendance Allowance 
• Carer’s Allowance 
• Personal Independence Payment 
• Armed Forces Independence Payment or Guaranteed Income Payment under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme 
• Constant Attendance Allowance, Mobility Supplement or War Disablement Pension under the War Pensions Scheme 
• Police Injury Pension 

However, you still need to provide evidence that you have enough money to support your dependents.  The exact amount you need will depend on your individual circumstances. Normally, you will need at least £120 per week after you have paid for housing. If you have a child or children, this amount will increase. 

Your UK partner/sponsor needs to show that she/he can provide adequate accommodation for themselves, the applicant and any dependents who intend to live in the UK. The accommodation should be suitable and meets UK living standards and must not be overcrowded.  

You need to provide to the Home Office the followings: 

• Evidence that you can afford to pay for the accommodation 
• A description of the property  
• Proof that there are enough rooms within the property to accommodate everyone 

(Please check our separate article about Home Office Accommodation Requirement). 

As part of your UK Spouse/Partner Visa application you need to have a Tuberculosis Test if you are a resident in any of these listed countries (There should be a link for the countries required TB test) 

(If you need further information for TB, please click on the link).   

You need to have information and some evidence ready when you make UK Spouse/Partner application. The information and documents needed depend on your circumstances. In general, it includes support documents for personal information, financial circumstances, English language, and evidence of genuine and continuing relationships.

Contact our immigration lawyer to analyse your case and inform you of the necessary documents you need to prepare for submission

The amount of the Home Office fees depends on from where you are submitting your application for UK Spouse or Partner visa: 

  In addition to the Home Office fee you might also need to also pay for what is called Immigration Healthcare Surcharge: 

For each adult (18 or older) it costs: 

• £1,560 if you are staying for 2 years and 6 months 
• £1,872 if you are staying for 2 years and 9 months 

For each child (under 18), it costs: 

• £1,175 if you are staying for 2 years and 6 months 
• £1,410 if you are staying for 2 years and 9 months 

You can submit your application and upload the support documents online.  After submitting your application, you will also need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre to enroll in biometric data (photograph and fingerprints) as part of the process.

 If the Home Office caseworker examining your application has doubts about the genuineness of your relationship, you may be asked to attend a Spouse Visa Interview. You will be asked questions about your relationship to ensure the marriage is authentic. 

If you are applying from within the UK, the process is different as you need to provide evidence that you are in the country on an eligibility visa to switch to the UK spouse visa. 

If you apply outside the UK, a decision will usually be made within 24 weeks according to the current UK government website (dated July 2022). If you apply in the UK a decision will usually be made within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service (dated July 2022).

Currently, Home Office offers a super-priority service (with extra charge) to provide a quick decision within two working days after providing the biometric information.

 It might take longer if your application is complex or missing documents/information.

When your UK Spouse/Partner visa application is accepted, you will be allowed to enter the UK within a 30-day period. Upon your arrival to the UK, you will have a 10-day period to collect what is called a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP). 

If you fail to enter the UK within 30 days, you need to pay to submit an application for another 30 days to be able to enter the UK. 

You can stay in the UK for 2 years and 9 months if you apply from outside the UK.  If you extend your UK Spouse visa or switch to this visa while you are in the UK, you can stay in the UK for 2 years and 6 months. After this period of time, you will either be under 5-year or 10-year route to have your Indefinite Leave to Remain. Please check the next question for further information.

You can stay in the UK for 2 years and 9 months if you apply from outside of the UK and then you need to submit an extension application for every two and half years. During your first extension (after 2 years and 9 months) if you fail to meet the immigration status, English language, or financial requirements, you may lose your right to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain under the 5 years route. Consequently, you may have to apply for further extensions until your total stay in the UK become 10 years to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.  

Following your Indefinite Leave to Remain, you will be able to apply for Naturalisation to become a British citizen.