Understanding Entry Clearance as a Spouse

Life after tying the knot is beautiful. Waking up every morning next to the person you love is one of the best things life has to offer. This is why our hearts go out to the people who can’t live with their spouses as they’re separated not by choice, but by borders!

To help bring couples together in the UK, we’ve compiled all they need to know to do be allowed entry clearance. Here are a few requirements that need to be met.

Relationship Requirement:

First and foremost, you need to provide evidence of your marriage to the relevant authorities. If the marriage certificate attesting to the marriage isn’t in English, it must be translated to the language by the UK embassy.

Similarly, applicants also need to prove that at least one of the spouses is either a British citizen or has been allowed to live in the country indefinitely. Furthermore, the applicant and their spouse must also intend to live together in the country to be granted entry clearance.

Accommodation Requirement:

Speaking of living together, the sponsor must also meet certain accommodation requirements. These requirements are enforced to ensure that the couple has enough space to live together and isn’t living in inhumane conditions.

This is why the sponsor is legally required to prove that the apartment or the household they intend to live in together won’t be overcrowded when their spouse joins them in the country.

Financial Requirement:

Applicants are also required to prove that can provide for their spouse in the country. The UK Home Office enforces a strict financial threshold and the people who earn even a pound less than the minimum legal requirement won’t be considered for the process. As of the time of writing this blog, the limit is set at £18,600.

Furthermore, if you’re married with children, you are expected to earn more than that figure. The Home Office requires the sponsor to be earning additionally £3,800 for one child and an additional £2,400 for every other child in the family. Sponsors are legally required to submit either a bank statement reflecting the fact that they have enough life savings to sustain the expense of living together with their family in the United Kingdom, or a copy that details their annual salary.

Language Requirement:

The final hurdle in your path of getting entry clearance as a spouse is the English language. Simply put, the spouse living abroad must prove that they’re proficient in the language by taking a standardised English test like the IELTS or the TOEFL.

This requirement is only enforced on people who are above the age of 18 and are from countries where English isn’t the official language. Therefore, native English speakers, and children below the age of 18 (born in English speaking countries or otherwise) are not legally required to take the test.

If all these requirements are met, you have a much better chance of being granted entry clearance. However, if you struggle with the procedure and want legal counsel, then we at Wembley Solicitors can be of service to you. With a team of lawyers that considers the UK immigration laws its forte, we can help smoothen out the process of application and even help you settle in the UK!

So, don’t leave your spouse’s clearance up to chance. Contact us today and make your dream of living with your significant other a reality!