Spouse and Partner Visas
If you are married to or in a civil partnership with a British citizen or a person settled in the UK, you may be able to apply for a visa to join them and live together in the UK. The Spouse Visa route allows partners to live, work, and study in the UK, with a pathway to settlement and British citizenship over time.
The application process requires careful attention to detail. You must satisfy the Home Office that your relationship is genuine and subsisting, that you meet the minimum income threshold of £29,000 per year, that you have adequate accommodation, and that you satisfy the English language requirement.
The financial requirement can be met in a number of ways, including through employment, self-employment, savings, pension income, or a combination of these sources. If relying on savings alone, you will need to show access to £88,500, held for at least six months. If the sponsor receives certain disability or carer’s benefits, the financial requirement is assessed under the adequate maintenance test rather than the £29,000 threshold.
The English language requirement depends on the stage of the application. For first applications (entry clearance or switching), the requirement is A1 in speaking and listening. For extensions (further leave to remain), the requirement is A2. For settlement (indefinite leave to remain), the requirement is B1, together with passing the Life in the UK test. Exemptions apply for nationals of majority English-speaking countries, applicants aged 65 or over, and those with a degree taught in English.
Applications can be made from inside the UK if you already hold permission to stay for more than six months. If you are in the UK as a visitor, you must return to your home country and apply from there. Standard processing times are up to 12 weeks for applications made outside the UK and around 8 weeks for those made from within the UK.
If your application is refused, you will usually have a right of appeal because spouse visa applications are treated as human rights claims. Appeals are heard by the First-tier Tribunal, where we can represent you and put forward evidence in support of your case.
We also assist with applications for fiancé(e) visas, which allow couples to come to the UK to marry or form a civil partnership before switching into the spouse route. For those already on the five-year route, we help with extension applications after 30 months and with indefinite leave to remain after five years. Once you have settled status, we can advise on naturalisation as a British citizen.