A UK spouse visa is a legal document which allows non-UK individuals to immigrate to the UK because they are married to somebody who is settled in the UK. This partner must be a British citizen, or resident in the UK, with no immigration restrictions on how long they can stay in the UK.
You make the application online to the Home Office using their online form.
You will usually hear back with a decision within 12 weeks.
For more information about spouse visas, click here to read our blog articles on:
What kind of partner qualifies for a UK spouse visa?
- A husband or wife (in a marriage that is recognised in the UK)
- A civil partner (in a civil partnership that is recognised in the UK)
- A fiancé or proposed civil partner
- An unmarried partner
How long can someone stay in the UK on a spouse visa?
If you successfully apply to bring your spouse to the UK on a spouse visa, then your spouse will be able to stay up to 2 years and 9 months in the UK. They can also apply to extend their stay in the UK.
What are the requirements for applying for a spouse visa?
If you and your partner are applying for a spouse visa, there are certain conditions you will have to meet.
You and your partner must be 18 or over. You should both also intend to live together permanently in the UK after you apply for a spouse visa.
Also, your partner must be either:
- A British or Irish citizen
- Have settled in the UK
- 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
- Have a Turkish Businessperson visa or Turkish worker visa
- Have refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK
Do my partner and I have to prove we are in a relationship in order to apply for a spouse visa?
Yes, there are certain conditions that you and your partner have to meet, in order to make your spouse visa application.
Here are the requirements you and your spouse must meet:
- You must be in a genuine relationship and you must have lived together for at least 2 years. You can prove this by submitting your marriage certificate, or a joint bank account statement that shows you live at the same address.
- You and your partner must not be related (e.g. a half-brother or sister).
- You and your partner must have met in person- an online relationship would not suffice.
- If you and your spouse are married, you must have been at least 18 years old (in England and Wales) or 16 years old in Scotland and Northern Ireland on the date you were married.
- Any previous relationships that you and your partner were in, must have permanently ended. If you or your partner has been previously married, you will have to provide proof that this marriage has ended (e.g. by submitting divorce papers).
What are the financial requirements for bringing my spouse to the UK on a spouse visa?
Both you and your partner must be able to demonstrate that you can financially support yourselves in the UK, without relying on public funds (benefits).
Your spouse must prove they have an annual income of at least £18,600, plus extra money if you have children who are not permanently settled in the UK.
You will have to prove that you have £3,800 for your first child, and £2,400 a year for each child you have after your first child.
To submit this financial evidence, you must provide proof of your income with your application. This could be bank statements showing your or your partner’s income, 6 months of payslips, or a letter from an employer, dated and on headed paper.
Read more guidance here on financial requirements for a spouse visa.
What supporting documents do my partner and I have to provide with our spouse visa application?
You and your partner must submit the following supporting documents along with your spouse visa application:
- Your names
- Your dates of birth
- your current passport or other valid travel ID
- Copies of the photo page and any visa or entry stamps in your previous passports
- A copy of your biometric residence permit, if you have one
- Details of any previous immigration applications you’ve made
- Details of any criminal convictions
- Your national insurance number, if you have one
- Your parents’ date of birth and nationality if you are applying from outside the UK
- Your tuberculosis test results (if applicable)
- A certified translation of any document that is not in English or Welsh
You will also need:
- An email address to make the online application
- to prove your knowledge of English
- to give proof of your finances
How much does a spouse visa cost?
If you are applying from outside of the UK, it costs £1,538 to apply for a spouse visa.
If you are applying from within the UK, it costs £1,048 to apply for a spouse visa.
You may also need to pay a healthcare surcharge as part of your application.
Your application form will tell you what your fees are.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision on your spouse visa application.
How to extend a spouse visa
Remember that the spouse visa allows your spouse to stay up to 2 years and 9 months in the UK.
After your spouse visa expires, you can apply to extend it by 2 years and 6 months.
You should apply to extend your visa in the 28 days before it ends.
To extend your spouse visa, you must apply online by filling out the form FLR (M).
To extend your spouse’s stay in the UK, you must qualify for the following conditions:
- a British citizen
- or someone who is settled In the UK with either indefinite leave to remain in the UK
- person with pre-settled status under the EUSS in the UK
- person who has refugee leave or humanitarian protection in the UK
- person who has leave as a Turkish ECAA worker or business person in the UK
Can a spouse visa application be rejected?
It is possible for your spouse visa application to be rejected. Your rejection letter will outline the reason(s) for rejection and tell you your next steps.
If your spouse visa application has been rejected, you can:
- Appeal the decision
- Make a new visa application
If you make a new application, you will have to pay the full application fee again.
If you decide to appeal, you will need to appeal within 14 days if you are in the UK, or 28 days if you are outside the UK.
Read the UK guidance on appealing decisions for applicants inside the UK and outside the UK here.
What if my spouse visa expires and I haven’t applied to extend it?
If you have brought your spouse to the UK on a spouse visa, and you have failed to extend it, then it is no longer legal for your spouse to stay in the UK.
Your spouse will be in breach of UK immigration laws, which means they will be classed as an overstayer. They will have 30 days to leave the country voluntarily.
If they don’t leave in this time, they could be deported and this may be held against them on future visa applications.
Can I bring my children with me to the UK on a spouse visa?
Yes, you can apply to bring your children with you to the UK when you apply for a spouse visa.
This is called bringing children with you as your ‘dependants’. If the dependant is over 18, they must not be living an independent life (e.g. if they have left home, got married, or had children.)
For each child you apply for, there is a fee.
You and your partner must prove that you have the financial means to care for the children if you are applying for them to come to the UK on your spouse visa.
If a child is not the biological child of the applicant, (e.g. they are the step-child), then the applicant must prove that they have a responsibility towards that child’s upbringing.
Click here to read more guidance on bringing children as dependents to the UK on a spouse visa.
Will my spouse automatically gain British citizenship if I bring him/her to the UK on a spouse visa?
No, a spouse visa does not automatically grant British citizenship to someone who marries a British national.
If you are married to a UK national (or in a civil partnership with them), then you can apply for British Citizenship by Marriage.
You must have lived in the UK for at least 3 years before the date of your application.
To find out more about British citizenship, click here to read our blog article on ‘Can you gain British citizenship?’
Where can I get help on my spouse visa application?
The immigration professionals at Synergy Immigration Solutions understand the complexity of the UK’s immigration laws and the issues that can arise during the application process.
That is why we house all the support services you need for immigration applications, under one roof. This means one cost only, for complete support on your visa application.
We enjoy working with individuals who need assistance with their visa applications.
- We will liaise with the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) on your behalf- saving you time, effort, workload, and stress.
- We will answer your questions and address any concerns. We are proud to offer a bespoke personalised service, tailoring our advice to suit your needs and ensure that your application has the best chance of success.
- We process all applications in an efficient and timely manner and keep our clients well-informed throughout the process.
It is vital that the correct documentation is in place to ensure the application is approved.
We would always recommend that you appoint a specialist such as Synergy Immigration Solutions to manage this process for you.
Click here to contact Synergy Immigration Solutions and submit your query.
Alternatively, email laura@synergy-immigration.com or call 020 315 05359. We will get back to you within 24 hours and we are more than happy to help.