how to get Spouse visa UK

ImmigrationSolicitorsDecember 16, 2021

187 5 minutes read

A spouse Visa UK, or partner visa UK also known as a UK Marriage Visa, fiance visa UK is a settlement visa that allows you to live together with your British partner in the UK for up to 30 months. It can be extended for another 30 months if you meet certain eligibility conditions. Holding a Partner Visa is the first step towards Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and, eventually, British Citizenship.

To apply for a Marriage Visa and enter the UK, you must be married to, or in a civil partnership with a British citizen, UK-settled person, or UK refugee. The main eligibility criteria include providing proof that you are in a genuine relationship and that you meet specific financial conditions. Get in touch with our immigration lawyers to receive professional advice on your Marriage Visa case and learn how you can enter the UK and get leave to remain with your partner if he or she is a UK citizen.

What is a Spouse Visa UK?

A Spouse Visa UK is for non-UK residents age 18 or over who are engage, married to, or has a propose civil partner who is age over 18 living in the UK. It is a type of settlement visa known as the UK partner visa.
The qualifying criteria vary depending on your partner’s situation. You need to apply for a UK Partner Visa if you are coming to the UK to join your partner or spouse from outside the European Economic Area.
If you hold a Spouse Visa in the UK, you have the right to work like all British citizens. However, you cannot claim most benefits, such as public funds, housing allowance, or tax credits.
Before you submit your application for a UK Spouse Visa, you need to:

What is the ‘Genuine Relationship Test’

The UK Spouse Visa applicant needs to be able to prove they are in a genuine relationship, such as a civil partnership, with their British citizen partner. There are lots of different types of evidence you can send to the Home Office, such as A joint mortgage or tenancy agreement, either in the UK or outside the UK Evidence of any children you have together, such as a birth certificate Photographs that show you have spent time together frequently A shared bank account or savings Text messages or social media chat logs Travel documents that prove you’ve visit each other at least once before you got marry, or visitor visa UK. Any documents which prove that you intend to live together in the UK.

Can I renew or extend a UK Spouse Visa UK?

you can renew and extend your Marriage Visa for another 2 years and 6 months, as long as your current leave to remain hasn’t expired. After you have lived in the UK for a total of 5 years, you can apply for settled status (ILR). Get in touch with our lawyers if you need to apply for a UK Spouse Visa renewal.

What are the requirements for a Spouse Visa UK?

Before you submit your application for a UK Spouse Visa, you need to:

Have all the required documents
Pass the ‘Genuine Relationship Test’
Meet the minimum income threshold and the financial requirement
Demonstrate your knowledge of the English language
Have proof of suitable accommodation for you, your partner and any dependents
Get your biometrics take to get leave to remain
To remain in the UK, you may also need to pass a medical test to show you don’t have Tuberculosis (TB), depending on the applicant’s country of residence

What are the Spouse Visa UK required documents?

Making sure you have all the correct documents. To support your UK Spouse Visa application will help to ensure it is successful and prevent delays.

These are the documents you will need to send to the Home Office to get the right to remain in the UK:

Your original marriage or civil partnership certificate
Proof that you and your partner have been living together for at least the past two years
A valid passport to get leave to remain in the UK
A valid certificate to meet the English language requirement
your accommodation Proof.
Varift that the relationship is genuine.
Proof that you meet the income threshold and the financial requirement
Proof that you are marry to a British citizen or settle person. (For example, UK citizens can submit a copy of their passport)

Please note that the documents that are not in English. Need to be accompanied by a translated version from a professional translator. All evidence must be in the exact format require by the Home Office.

How much does a UK Spouse Visa application cost?

The Home Office’s current fee is of £1,523 for any application submitted from abroad. If you are submitting your application from within the UK, the cost is reduced to £1,033. This charge will increase if you are applying with dependents and will increase for each dependent.

You can only apply from inside the UK if you are not trying to enter the country as a visitor or have been given leave to stay in the UK for more than 6 months. You cannot apply for a fiance(e) permit from inside the UK.

There are additional costs related to your UK Spouse Visa application that you should consider when you send your forms. This includes:

Qualified translation services for your documents that are not in English or Welsh
An approved English test, that is a mandatory spouse visa requirement for the majority of applicants
Additional fees for the Home Office’s Priority Premium Service, if you wish to receive an answer from the UKVI within five working days

What is the Spouse Visa English Language Test?

Applicants who wish to live in the UK, need to be able to prove that they can speak English. Once you have passed an English Language Test, it will be valid for two years.

You must sit an English test in speaking and listening to get the right to remain in the UK with your UK spouse. Your qualification will be valid only if your English exam is taken through an approved Secure English Language Testing (SELT) Provider.

Currently, SELT tests for immigration purposes are only available through the Trinity College London or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Consortium.

You do not need an English Language test if you:

Are a national of a majority English speaking country
Are aged under 18 or over 65
Have a long-term physical or mental condition
Hold a degree or any educational establishment that was taught or researched in English. Your qualification will only be valid if confirmed by UK NARIC.

What are the UK Spouse Visa accommodation requirements?

As part of your UK Spouse Visa application, you will need to present proof of accommodation that meets UK living standards.

Your UK national partner, who acts as your sponsor, will need to show that he or she can provide adequate accommodation for themselves, the applicant, and any dependents who intend to live in the UK.

For proof of accommodation, the Home Office will ask you to provide: