Renewing Spouse Visa UK

You can apply to renew (extend) your Spouse visa before it expires if you meet certain eligibility criteria such as relationship and financial requirements.

If your Spouse visa extension application is successful, you will be granted a further 2.5 years leave to remain in the UK as a spouse of a British or settled person.

To talk to our immigration solicitors about the renewal or extension of your Spouse visa, call us on 0203 417 3700 or email us at info@wembleysolicitors.com.

Table of Contents

1. Why is the Spouse visa extension important?
2. Applying to renew your Spouse visa
3. Spouse visa extension after 5 years
4. Spouse visa extension after 2.5 years
5. What are the new rules for UK spouse visa 2024?
6. Requirements for a Spouse visa extension after 2.5 years
7. Requirements for spouse visa extension under a 10-year route
8. What is the financial requirement for a Spouse visa extension?
9. Which English test is required for a UK Spouse visa extension?
10. What is a genuine relationship requirement to extend a UK Spouse visa?
11. UK Spouse visa extension document checklist
12. How much does it cost to extend a UK spouse visa in 2024?
13. Spouse visa extension processing time
14. Spouse visa solicitors in London
15. Need Legal Advice & Assistance?

Why is the Spouse visa extension important?

Extending your Spouse visa ensures you can legally remain in the UK. Failure to renew your visa can result in being considered an illegal immigrant, potentially leading to deportation.

The Spouse visa extension allows you to continue living with your spouse and any children in the UK, providing stability for your family and allowing you to maintain your employment status.

Applying to renew your Spouse visa

To renew or extend your Spouse visa, you must apply online using the form FLR (M) before your current visa expires otherwise you'll be considered an overstayer.

You should follow these steps to apply to extend your Spouse visa online from inside the UK:

• Assess your eligibility.
• Fill in the Spouse visa extension application form online.
• Pay the spouse visa extension application fee.
• Pay the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge (IHS).
• Upload documents in support of a Spouse visa extension application.
• Book and attend a biometric appointment.

After you have submitted your Spouse visa extension application and attended your biometric appointment, you will need to wait for a decision.

You should not travel outside the UK until you receive a decision, as this could void your application.

Spouse visa extension after 5 years

After completing 5 years on a Spouse visa, you can apply to extend your Spouse visa under a 10-year route if you do not meet all the requirements of Appendix FM.

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.

Spouse visa extension after 2.5 years

Usually, an initial Spouse visa grants permission to live in the UK for 2.5 years after that you must apply to extend your visa to continue to live in the UK.

A Spouse visa extension allows you to live in the UK for a further 30 months and permits you to continue living, working, or studying in the UK.

After extending your spouse visa for a further 2.5 years, you may be eligible to apply for ILR once you have completed 5 years on a Spouse visa in the UK.

What are the new rules for UK spouse visa 2024?

Under new immigration rules 2024, you can meet the Spouse visa financial requirement by using employment income of £29,000 or through cash savings of £88,500.

From 11th April 2024, the minimum income required to meet the financial requirement of a UK Spouse visa is increased from £18,600 to £29,000 gross per year.

Requirements for a Spouse visa extension after 2.5 years

To be eligible to apply for a Spouse visa extension after 2.5 years under a 5-year route, you must meet certain requirements such as relationship and financial requirements.

• You must still be married to the same person you were initially granted the visa for.
• You must continue to live together with your partner in the UK.
• You must meet the financial requirements of £29,000 gross per year.
• You must satisfy the English language requirement.
• You must meet the requirement of adequate accommodation.
• You must meet the suitability criteria as set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.

You must meet all other requirements depending on your circumstances. Call us today at 0203 417 3700 for your eligibility assessment.

Requirements for spouse visa extension under a 10-year route

To obtain a Spouse visa extension under a 10-year route, you need to prove to the Home Office that you are still in a genuine relationship with your UK partner.

The key requirements for a UK Spouse visa application under a 10-year route are as follows: 

• You must still be married to the same person you were initially granted the visa for.
• You must continue to live together with your partner in the UK.
• You must meet the requirement of adequate accommodation.
• You must meet the suitability criteria as set out in Appendix FM of the Immigration Rules.

You must meet all other requirements depending on your circumstances. Feel free to ask a question to our expert immigration solicitor regarding your Spouse visa extension after 5 years.

What is the financial requirement for a Spouse visa extension?

You and your partner must have a combined income of at least £29,000 gross per year to meet the financial requirement of a Spouse visa extension application.

You need to meet this income threshold requirement if you want to settle in the UK within 5 years.

You can meet the Spouse visa financial requirements by using cash savings of £88,500 if you and your partner have you have no income and no children.

You need more than £88,500 in cash savings if you are applying for a Spouse visa with any dependent children (under 18) to meet the financial requirements.

Which English test is required for a UK Spouse visa extension?

If you are applying to extend your Spouse visa after 2.5 years, you may have to pass a higher CEFR level depending on what CEFR level you passed for your first visa.

If you passed level A1 on the CEFR scale for your first Spouse visa application then you'll need to pass at least level A2 in speaking and listening.

If you passed level A2, B1, B2, C1 or C2, you can use the English test result again for your Spouse visa extension application if the test provider has not withdrawn your test certificate.

What is a genuine relationship requirement to extend a UK Spouse visa?

To qualify for the spouse visa extension, you must prove that you are still in a genuine relationship with your British or settled partner.

You must still be married to the same person you were initially granted the visa for.

You can provide several types of documents along with your Spouse visa extension application to meet the genuine relationship requirements such as:

• Marriage certificate
• A joint tenancy agreement
• A joint mortgage documents
• Birth certificates of children (if any)
• Photographs showing you have spent time together frequently.

Depending upon your personal circumstances, you might need more evidence to prove your relationship is genuine.

UK Spouse visa extension document checklist

You will need to provide several documents, including:

• Current passport or valid travel document.
• Proof that your relationship is genuine (e.g., marriage certificate).
• Evidence that you and your partner have been living together since you were granted leave to remain.
• Financial documents proving you meet the financial requirement.
• Evidence of meeting the adequate accommodation requirement.
• Proof of meeting the English language requirement.
• Details of any criminal convictions, if applicable.

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

How much does it cost to extend a UK spouse visa in 2024?

In 2024, the Spouse visa extension application fee is £1,048 per person and you need to pay other fees such as the Health Surcharge and Biometric enrolment fees.

Spouse visa extension processing time

• Standard Spouse visa applications: Usually processed within 8 weeks.
• Priority service: Processed within 5 working days for an additional fee.
• Super priority service: Processed by the end of the next working day for an additional fee.

Spouse visa solicitors in London