Spouse Visa UK

A Spouse visa UK, also known as a Partner visa, is a route to the settlement that allows you to join and live with your married partner permanently in the UK.

To apply for a UK Spouse visa, your partner must be a British citizen or has, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), pre-settled status or settled status in the UK.

Our Spouse visa solicitors in London deal with all types of family visa applications including Spouse visa extension, switching to a Spouse visa and more. Our team of immigration solicitors can guide you through your UK Spouse visa application process.

Get in touch to take the first step towards your successful application.

Table of Contents

1. What is a Spouse visa UK?
2. Spouse visa applications
3. How to apply for a Spouse visa UK?
4. UK spouse visa application forms
5. Spouse visa UK (5-year route)
6. Spouse visa UK (10-year route)
7. What are the requirements for a UK Spouse visa?
8. The financial (minimum income) requirement for a Spouse visa
9. English language requirement
10. Documents required for a UK Spouse visa
11. UK Spouse visa extension
12. Switching from a Spouse visa 10-year route to a 5-year route
13. UK Spouse visa refusal & appeal
14. UK Spouse visa processing time
15. UK Spouse visa fees
16. Spouse visa solicitors in London
17. Frequently Asked Questions
18. Need Legal Advice & Assistance?

What is a Spouse visa UK?

UK Spouse visa, also known as a Marriage visa, allows you to join your partner in the UK if you are a spouse of a British citizen or a settled person in the UK.

If you are applying from outside to enter the UK on a Spouse visa, you must be married or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, or a person with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), pre-settled status, settled status, or refugee status.

A Spouse visa entry clearance application is normally granted under the 5 years route to settlement if you meet all the requirements under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules. The initial leave will be granted for 2.5 years.

Spouse visa applications

If you want to apply, extend, or switch to a UK Spouse visa, our immigration solicitors can provide legal assistance for any type of Spouse visa application.

• Spouse Visa Entry Clearance (Applying From Outside the UK)
• Spouse Visa UK (5-Year Route)
• Spouse Visa UK (10-Year Route)
• Renewing Spouse Visa UK
• Spouse Visa Extension After 2.5 Years
• Switching to Spouse Visa UK
• Switching from a UK Fiancé(e) visa to a Spouse visa
• Switching from Skilled Worker to Spouse visa
• ILR as a Spouse (5 Year Route)
• Spouse Visa Refusal

How to apply for a Spouse visa UK?

You can apply for a UK Spouse visa online or get expert legal advice/assistance for your Spouse visa application from our UK immigration solicitors in London.

For a successful UK Spouse visa application, you must meet all the requirements under Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules and submit all the documents.

The steps for a UK Spouse visa application are as follows:

• Assess your eligibility for a Spouse visa application (if not sure, our immigration solicitors can help);
• Complete and submit the Spouse visa application form online;
• Pay the Spouse visa application fee;
• Pay the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS);
• Upload documents in support of a Spouse visa application;
• Book and attend a biometric appointment.

UK spouse visa application forms

There are different UK Spouse visa application forms depending on the type of the application and whether you apply from outside the UK or inside the UK.

Spouse visa entry clearance application

If you are applying for a Spouse visa from outside the UK to join your sponsor in the UK as a spouse/partner, you make a Spouse visa entry clearance application by completing this online form.

Applying for a Spouse visa from inside the UK

You can apply for a UK spouse visa from inside the UK by using this current form online.

Form FLR (M) to extend a Spouse visa

You can use the FLR (M) form online to extend your stay in the UK as a fiancé or fiancée of a British citizen or settled person in the UK.

Form FLR(FP) to extend Spouse visa based on family or private life

You need to use form FLR(FP) to extend your stay in the UK on the basis of your family life as a partner, parent or dependent child or on the basis of your private life in the UK.

Spouse visa UK (5-year route)

If you meet all the requirements of Appendix FM, you can apply or switch to a Spouse visa 5-year route to settlement. It means you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a Spouse after spending 5 years on a spouse visa.

Spouse visa UK (10-year route)

You can apply, extend, or switch to a UK Spouse visa under a 10-year route if you do not meet all the requirements of Appendix FM of the immigration rules.

Mostly, the applicants who cannot meet the English language requirement or financial requirement of earning £29,000 gross per year would apply for switching to a Spouse visa 10-year route.

Under a 10-year route, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after spending 10 years on a spouse visa. In the meantime, if you meet the Appendix FM requirements, you can switch to 5 years spouse visa route anytime.  

What are the requirements for a UK Spouse visa?

The main requirements for a UK Spouse visa application are as follows: 

• Both, you and your partner must be 18 or over;
• You need to prove that your relationship is genuine and you intend to live together permanently in the UK;
• You need to meet the financial requirements to prove that you can support your family without seeking public funds;
• You must meet the requirement of adequate accommodation;
• You must satisfy the English language requirements to prove your knowledge of the English language.

You must meet all other requirements depending on your circumstances. Feel free to ask a question to our expert immigration solicitor regarding a Spouse visa application.

The financial (minimum income) requirement for a Spouse visa

To meet the financial requirements of a UK Spouse visa application, you and your partner must have a combined income of at least £29,000 gross per year. You need to meet this income threshold requirement if you want to settle in the UK within 5 years.

You may be able to use your cash savings instead of income .

English language requirement

You may need to meet the English language requirement for the UK Spouse visa application if you are from a non-English-speaking country. You may be exempt from taking or passing the English language test.

You can prove your knowledge of the English language with an academic qualification, or by passing an approved English language test.

A1 English test for Spouse visa

For your first visa application, you must pass at least level A1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.

Documents required for a UK Spouse visa

Below is a general list of documents required for a UK Spouse visa application:

• Valid current passport;
• Proof that your relationship is genuine;
• Evidence of meeting the financial requirements;
• Evidence of meeting the adequate accommodation requirement;
• Proof of meeting the English language requirement;
• Details of any criminal convictions.

You may need to provide additional supporting documents depending on your circumstances.

Book an appointment with our immigration solicitor in London for your Spouse visa eligibility assessment and to get a comprehensive UK Spouse visa document checklist.

UK Spouse visa extension

If your Spouse visa is due to expire, you must apply for a Spouse visa extension before the end of the initial leave of 2.5 years to remain in the UK.

Usually, an initial Spouse visa grants permission to live in the UK for 2.5 years (30 months), after which you'll be considered an overstayer unless you have made an in-time application.

You can submit your spouse visa extension application 28 days before the expiry date of your Spouse visa to continue your stay in the UK with your partner.

You will be granted a further 2.5 years (30 months) leave to remain in the UK if your spouse visa extension application is successful.

Switching from a Spouse visa 10-year route to a 5-year route

You can switch to a Spouse visa 5-year route anytime if have leave to remain as a spouse under the 10-year route and you meet all the requirements of Appendix FM of the immigration rules.

If you do switch to the Spouse visa 5-year route from the 10-year route, then any time spent on the 10-year route will not count towards your qualifying period for ILR.

UK Spouse visa refusal & appeal

If your UK spouse visa application has been refused and you think the spouse visa refusal is unlawful, then you may be able to appeal against the decision.

Book an appointment with our immigration solicitors to discuss the spouse visa refusal letter, appeal process, costs involved and the appeal processing time.

Reasons for spouse visa refusal

Your UK Spouse visa application can be refused for several reasons but the most common reasons for UK Spouse visa refusals are as listed below:

• Failed to meet the minimum income requirements of Spouse visa application.
• Failed to prove that your relationship is genuine and subsisting.
• Failed to meet the English language requirement.
• Made a mistake on a Spouse visa application form or used the wrong form.
• Missing or incorrect supporting documents or submitted false documents.
• Failed to disclose past criminal convictions in your application.

There are high chances of getting a visa refusal if you are not fully aware of relevant immigration law(s) and eligibility criteria. You should get legal advice from experienced immigration solicitors to boost your chances of success.

UK Spouse visa processing time

Currently, the UK Spouse visa application processing time is up to 24 weeks if applying from outside the UK. Time starts from the date of your appointment at the visa application centre.

You should usually get a decision on your Spouse visa within 8 weeks if applying from inside the UK.

You can apply for a UK Spouse visa using a fast track or super priority service from inside the UK to get a faster decision on your UK Spouse visa application.

UK Spouse visa fees

Currently, the fee for a UK Spouse visa application is £1,846 if you are applying from outside the UK and £1,048 for inside applications excluding IHS fees.

Find out the latest Family visa fees and Immigration Healthcare Surcharges (IHS).

How much is the health surcharge for a spouse visa?

You might need to pay a healthcare surcharge (called the 'Immigration Health Surcharge'- IHS) as part of your immigration application. Click here to find out the latest Family visa fees and Healthcare surcharges.

Spouse visa solicitors in London

Frequently Asked Questions