Spouse Visa (UK)

Topics Covered in this Article:

• General Requirements
• Confirming Your Marriage
• Proof of Finances
• Proof of Knowledge of English
• Spouse Visa Application Process
• Biometric Residence Permit

General Requirements

In the UK, a foreign-citizen spouse sends in the application for a family visa (as a partner). Their partner must:

• Be a British or Irish citizen
• Have indefinite leave to stay in the UK, settled status, or proof of permanent residence
• Be a citizen of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, and started living in the UK before January 1, 2021, and has attained pre-settled status
• Have a Turkish Businessperson or Turkish visa
• Have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK

Take Note: You cannot get a family visa if your spouse has a temporary work or student visa. However, holders of a Spouse Visa can work part-time or full-time in any sector, for any employer in the UK.

You can include your children to your application if they are:
Under 18 years upon application or when they were first granted leave
Not living an independent life, i.e. they have not moved out, gotten married or have children of their own
**

You, the applicant must be at least 18 years old and have the intention to live together in the UK permanently.

You will need to prepare documents that prove the following:

• That your marriage, civil partnership or relationship status is legitimate and recognized in the UK
• That you have good knowledge of the English language
• That you can financially support yourself and your dependents

These documents must:

• Come from the government, bank, landlord, utility provider or a medical professional
• Cannot be more than 4 years old

Confirming Your Marriage

In the UK, you can apply for a family visa as a partner if:

• You are in a marriage or civil partnership that’s recognized in the UK
• You have been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years

To prove your relationship status, you can prepare the following evidence:

• Marriage or civil partnership certificate
• Documents that show you live at the same address or pay the bills together. This can include:
  • Bank statements from a joint bank account
  • Lease agreement
  • Utility bills
  • One-off bill (home repair costs, vet’s fees)
  • Council tax bills
  • Letters that show you and your partner are on the voting register for the same address
  • Letter from a doctor or dentist confirming that you live at the same address.

Proof of Finances

You and your partner need to prove that you can support yourselves without relying on UK public funds. Your combined income must be at least £18,600. If you have children, you will need an extra £3,800 a year for the first child, and £2,400 for each subsequent child.

Income (both for you and your partner) is defined as:

• Gross employment income, meaning income before taxes and National Insurance deductions. You can only use your own income if you earn it in the UK.
• Income from self-employment or as a director of a limited company in the UK, for at least 6 months
• Cash savings of at £16,000
• Pension money
• Non-work income such as property rentals, dividends

Prepare the following documents:

• Bank statements
• 6 months of payslips
• Employer letters that should detail:
  • You and your partner’s employment
  • Length of employment
  • Type of contract
  • Gross income and how long you’ve been receiving that income

You can find more guidance on financial evidence here.

Proof of Knowledge of English

If you don’t come from Canada, New Zealand, USA or other countries listed here, then you will need to prove your knowledge of English. This can be done in two ways.

1. Academic qualification
2. Approved English Language Test

Academic Qualification
If you graduated from a UK university or college, then you only need your degree certificate. If you graduated from a university outside the UK, you must get a certificate from Ecctis to show that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher, and that it was taught in English.

You will recieve either (or both):

• Statement of comparability
• Visa and nationality statement

Approved English Language Test
You can also pass any of the approved English language tests listed here.

You must also get a level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale for your first visa application. You will need to pass a higher CEFR level if you want to stay in the UK after the initial 2.5 years.

Spouse Visa Application Process

You should prepare the following documents and information before you apply.

• Name and date of birth
• Current passport or other valid travel ID
• Passport must have a blank page
• Copy of the photo page, visa and entry stamps in previous passports
• Any previous immigration applications made
• Any criminal convictions
• Parents’ date of birth and nationality
• Tuberculosis test results, if needed
• If you possess a biometric residence permit
• National insurance number
• Certified translation of any document that’s not in English or Welsh

Once everything’s ready, you can apply online. After applying, you’ll be attending an appointment for biometrics, which involves taking your fingerprints and a photo.

If approved, you’ll be receiving a biometric residence permit that allows you to also work and study in the UK. It takes about 10 working days for your biometric residence permit to arrive after receiving the decision letter.

You will be eligible to stay for 2 years and 9 months. Afterwards, you can extend your stay to 2 years 6 months. You can then settle in the UK after living there for 5 years continuously.

Fees
You’ll need to pay £1,523 if you’re applying outside the UK and £1,048 if applying in the UK. If you want to expedite your application, you will need to pay an extra £800 for super priority service (1 to 2 working days).

You will also need to pay for healthcare surcharge:

• Staying for 2 years and 6 months = £1,560
• Staying for 2 years and 9 months = £1,872
• Staying for 5 years = £3,120

Biometric Residence Permit

Once your visa application is approved, you will need to get a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) to work and study in the UK. Your BRP can be used to prove your identity and shows the conditions of your stay in the UK.

You will be provided a 30-day vignette, which is proof that you have permission to enter the UK. Obtain your BRP within that time period, or within 10 days of arriving in the UK, whichever is later. Your decision letter will provide which Post Office branch you’ll need to go to collect your BRP.

Next, apply for a National Insurance (NI) number if it’s not issued with your BPI if you’re planning to work or claim benefits. Take note that you still have to prove your right to work in the UK after getting your BRP. Your potential employers can do so online.

Click here to contact us, give feedback on this article, report errors, or address concerns regarding the portal resources.