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Personal Immigration: UK Family Visa

Spouse Visa

A UK spouse visa is a type of family visa. The application is made by the wife or husband of a person settled in the UK. A person settled in the UK is a British citizen, someone who holds indefinite leave to remain (ILR), or someone who has been allowed to stay as a refugee or under humanitarian protection. For the purposes of the application, the settled person will be referred to as the ‘sponsor’ for their spouse.

The same-sex civil partner of a person settled in the UK can make a civil partner visa application which will be treated in exactly the same way as a spouse visa application.

Non EEA nationals living in the UK as a family member of an EEA national should apply for the EEA Residence Card.

Applying for a Spouse Visa

Spouse or civil partner visa applications can be made from outside or, on occasion, inside the UK. This depends on whether the applicant is applying to come to the UK as a spouse or to remain in the UK as a spouse.

It should be noted that applications for a spouse or civil partner visa from within the UK cannot be made whilst on a visitor visa or any other visa which is less than six months old.

Spouse Visa Requirements

There are four main requirements for spouse or civil partnership visa applications in the UK:

  • A minimum income requirement, which currently consists of earnings of £18,600 per annum, but can also be met by savings or a combination of the two.
  • The ability to demonstrate that the relationship is genuine and well established.
  • An accommodation requirement which consists of showing that there is sufficient accommodation for the applicant, their partner and any dependants.
  • An English language requirement of A1 CEFR for the initial application.

What you will need to prove:
that you are in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK

You have been living together in a relationship that’s at least 2 years at the time of application

You are a fiancé, fiancée or proposed civil partner and will either marry or enter a civil partnership in the UK within 6 months of your arrival.

In case of the wedding or civil ceremony being postponed due to COVID-19, you may still be able to apply for an extension.

Here at Westend Consultants we have extensive experience of helping clients to make successful applications for UK spouse visas. Contact us now on 020 3713 7052 if you need to speak to one of our professional advisors.